Crash
Top 5 Best Places to Ride
Editorial: Over Thinking
Language of the Peloton
Free Route Maps! (NEW!!!)
Race Calendar

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“I do it because i can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I could not “

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I started riding a bike when I was four years old, by the time I reached twelve I had crashed so many times, and in so many ways, that I swear I can’t even remember some of the more painful experiences I’ve had falling off the saddle. The letters B, M, and X especially, bring back a part of my childhood which I will forever relate with dust, teeth lying on the ground, and blood on my shirt collar. I have been beaten up so badly by bike related misfortune that even the bike shop owner near my house started refusing to sell me bike parts for fear that my parents would take him to court for aiding in my imminent demise. But of course, he eventually relented and I continued on with my career in self-humiliation on two-wheels, the last one being the time I crashed after a disastrous table-top jump which ended in the utter destruction of the last BMX that I would ever own. I went home to a neighbor’s house after that crash, mistaking it for my own house in the bloodied state of haze that I was in. Imagine the expression on my neighbors’ faces when I walked into their living room looking like a grotesque zombie, clutching the remains of my broken bicycle and half a shirt hanging on to my shoulders by a thread. I promised my parents I would never ride a BMX after that, and so I moved up to riding mountain bikes immediately after I regained some feeling in my upper extremities. It was then I discovered that mountain biking afforded me greater freedom than any BMX ever could, and with greater freedom came even bigger crashes and even deeper cuts and wounds.

I’m almost proud to say that I’ve moved on from my freewheeling days and have since learned the benefits of safety. The first thing I did was to get myself a good helmet, and then I started to ride with people who didn’t find crashing into trees and ravines even slightly amusing. It was then that I learned that there was more to cycling than just riding around like a circus freak waiting for a chance to explode into a ball of fire. I discovered that people actually competed with bicycles, that one could actually win a trophy or even a handsome basket of assorted fruits on some occasions, simply by pedaling fast and getting to the finish line first. I was really proud of myself for having discovered this and took it very seriously, getting into the motions of training and trying to learn more about cycling as I went along. Strangely enough, just when I thought I had cycling safety down to a science, it was then that I had the privilege of having the biggest crash of my entire life. I was riding down a steep road, exhilarated by the wind washing across my face. I looked down at the bike computer mounted on the newly-installed aerobar which I was planning to use at my next triathlon race, the speedometer read a little above sixty, at least that’s what I remember seeing behind those clear droplets of rain that had started to fall on the bike computer’s face. This, just as I was zipping around a perfect bend of asphalt, completely caught up in the moment that I didn’t even have enough time to realize that both my tires had lost touch with the pavement. I don’t even remember in what position I hit the dirt, or which part of my body made contact first. The only thing I remember was sliding after my bike uncontrollably towards the side of the road with my chin and right shoulder pinned to the ground, both my feet waving in the air like a contorted salute to the art of ejecting from a careening bicycle. Fortunately for me, I was able to walk away with just a broken bike frame and a few scratches as a result of scraping my mortal self against the sturdy indifference of hard concrete. I will never forget that day. It’s a scenario that runs in review whenever I find myself in a quick descent on two wheels. It’s a slow motion sequence that mocks my sense of bravado in situations where I know an expensive helmet will do absolutely nothing for me other than keep my head intact while the rest of my body is slowly sanded away. Thankfully, adventure racing came into the picture and rescued me from my dilemma, and in a heartbeat I traded pencil-thin tires for “knobbies” and plunged myself headlong into a completely different world of suffering.

Adventure racing has kept me from any further contagion of road rash by keeping me busy with other meaningful distractions, things like keeping a frantic eye at a boulder on the other side of a swollen river while trying to swim across it with a backpack. I would also love to describe the time that I’ve had swim in open water amid large waves towards an island several kilometers from shore, in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, there are only so many words that can be used to describe complete darkness and utter horror. So instead, I’ll just talk about the desert I had to cross immediately before that episode of midnight swimming. It was in a race that required us to cross the summit of a volcano and then traverse the desert of “lahar” that lay beyond it, staggering towards a coastline that shimmered like a mirage on the horizon the entire day that it took to cross that vast and empty wasteland of heat-induced hallucinations. We arrived at the edge of that desert at four in the afternoon, staring up at a tree-choked hillside across a flooded bridge that lay beneath three feet of water. We immediately set ourselves upon the task of cooking the native chicken that the tribesman that served as our guide had caught along the trail by throwing a rock at it. That was the point then that I looked down on my heavily blistered feet and began to ask myself “why?”

It’s a very simple question that every other adventure worn traveler gets to ask himself at some point down the path less traveled by. It’s the kind of question one would ask while resting against a moss-covered tree deep in the jungle, patiently waiting for a band of red-eyed insurgents to finish rummaging through your pack looking for sandwiches. And through the years, I have done a lot of sitting against mossy trees, silently taking stock of all the shiny new pocket knives and nifty Zippo lighters relieved from my possession, apparently for the benefit of the greater good. It’s a little difficult you see, to reason with people wielding rust encrusted rifles and newly sharpened machetes, pacing around nervously in a place where bravery is often a word they throw in after you into a hastily dug shallow grave.

Eventually, I ran out of pocket knives and lighters to give away, and so I slowly found my way back to the simple preoccupation of pedaling. Things are of course far different than what they were before, and I’ve had to struggle to catch up with the years that I lost walking, swimming, getting lost, and doing other things. Right now, I’m just enjoying the feeling of being able to go out before the sun rises to ride my bicycle and watch the world wake up to another day. I’m also very happy to have been able to go back to racing my bike once more, the last one being an endurance event where I had to ride a circuit for twenty-four hours. It was a simple task really, until I fell asleep on my handle bars while descending an especially steep section of the race course. I tumbled down the grade like a sack of potatoes, just ahead of a long line of cyclists behind me who watched in horror wondering if I would still be alive by the time I hit the bottom of the hill. Well obviously I made it, and as I lay there on my back staring up at the night sky I started to laugh at the garland of stars slowly being enveloped by a thick blanket of thunder clouds. All these years of trying to get away from falling off my bike and it ends with another crash, it is kind of ironic but then I realized that it was all part of the fun. I simply picked myself up again and rode off into the night in pursuit of the other riders who rode and crashed with me throughout the race, none so different from each other, just fellow cyclists all praying for the same thing, that the guy in front crashes again soon so that we can all get ahead.

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Making a list of places that could qualify as the best places to ride a bike is always a matter of opinion. After all, everyone will have his own idea of a perfect place and his own experiences to base his choices on where those perfect places might be in each of our own secret personal riding spots. For the purpose of this article however, the places included in this particular list have been selected based on my personal experiences riding through each area experiencing the terrain, the local people, and even the weather. This list is not meant to be a definitive guide, its just an overview of experiences which are ranked based on the positive and negative aspects of each experience. This list will be updated every two months to accommodate new discoveries and possibly improvements in some places or the decline in the ride conditions in others.

1. Talisay, Batangas Ascent to Tagaytay, Cavite: Type of Ride: Long Ride, Climb. Difficulty: Moderate to Hard. Ride Rating: Excellent. Distance: 60 Kilometers + 9 Kilometers climb. Talisay in Batangas is a town on the banks of Taal Lake. Talisay is accessible after a long road ride from Alabang through the towns of San Pedro, Santa Rosa, and all the way to Calamba, Santo Tomas, and Tanauan. From Tanauan, Batangas, the road will take cyclists over the newly-constructed Star Tollway and up a series of small hills before descending again towards the town of Talisay itself. From Talisay, there is a small road that veers right towards the mountains where the climbing begins in earnest almost immediately. For the first timer, be aware that there are no rest and recovery sections of this road from the bottom all the way to the top. Well, there is a short section of it that somewhat levels off but the benefits from this section is negligible as the road angles up even steeper after it. The road is littered with blind corners and extremely steep switchbacks that open up to unbelievable vistas of Taal Lake. The bad thing about this ride is the absence of stores, clinics, or any other facilities along the road up to Tagaytay. The best bet in case of an emergency is to place a cellular call or run down to one of the houses by the side of the road that are, themselves, few and far between.

2. Portofino, Daang-Hari, Cavite: Type of Ride: Circuit/ Time Trial/ Training. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Ride Rating: Excellent. Distance: Variable. Portofino is possibly the best road circuit I have ever seen anywhere, excluding private roads which are not readily accessible to the cycling public. Portofino is a two kilometer long ribbon of perfectly paved concrete with little or no vehicular traffic especially in the early morning. One end of the circuit has a sloping rotunda which makes for a perfect turn-around for cyclists, the other end opens up towards the more busy Daang-hari road which itself boasts of a good length road circuit which connects Molino in Cavite to Alabang in Muntinlupa. Daang Hari by itself is a challenge to ride, especially with a good pace riding over the many hills and inclines along its length. The Portofino circuit is so uniquely positioned that it also has easy access to the rolling hills of San Pedro on the other end, combined with Daang-hari road, the Portofino riding circuit is a cycling place that, for cyclists looking for a god workout at least, is hard to top. The bad thing about this ride are the speeding vehicles that ply the Daang-hari road, for some reason motorists who drive through this road seem to have a predilection towards driving too close to cyclists.

3. Tagaytay via Carmona, Maguyam, and Silang, Cavite: Type of Ride: Long ride, climb. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Ride Rating: Excellent. Distance: 60 Kilometers. This route is a sustained effort from the very base of the first climb in Southwoods in Carmona all the way to the turn-around in Tagaytay. Cyclists riding this route will nee to have some level of fitness in order to fully-appreciate the beauty of this ride, the roads in Carmona have recently been resurfaced with fresh asphalt and widened to accommodate vehicular traffic that ply this route. A good cadence is required to surmount the first set of climbs from Southwoods to GMA, Cavite. From there a quick left will take cyclists to Maguyam where a series of dips and climbs await them, the last one being a real back-breaker just before hitting the town of Silang, Cavite. From Silang, the road vaults up to the sky headed towards the Tagaytay ridgeline, passing through the hill climbs of Lalaan II along the way. On weekends, this road is filled with cyclists of all levels riding in their own pace, feel free to join any group on the road, most cyclists here are more than happy to have a new rider in their group. The bad thing about this ride are the “jeepneys” and buses that regularly swerve and brake without warning almost anywhere they please. Recently, I’ve also had some bad experiences with private vehicles whose drivers seem to have developed an idea that they own the road, hence, they can drive any way they see fit.

4. Buak/ Busay Ascent, Cebu: Type of Ride: climb. Difficulty: Moderate to Hard. Ride Rating: Excellent. Distance: 10 Kilometers. The climbing starts at the junction of the road immediately after the JY Mall, from there the roads runs past the newly-renovated Marco Polo Hotel and the GMA Network compound a little further up the hill. The climb is full of sweeping curves and gently angled switchbacks that demand constant attention and concentration. Cyclists are rewarded by a perfect view of Cebu City once they hit the apex of the climb in Buak. From there, cyclists can opt to ride up to “Tops” for a little more than a kilometer of extra climbing or proceed down the other side of the ridge towards a new real estate development area which is already a haven for mountain bikers. The ride down back to the city from Buak is exhilarating and fast, just be extra careful at the bends as the road can be considered a densely populated area in some places. The bad thing about this ride is the dangerous blind corners that needs to be negotiated with extreme care on the way back down from Buak. Taxis and Multicabs (Public utility vehicles) ply the route lower down on the slopes causing quite an obstacle course sometimes for the cyclist riding a wave of exhilaration from having completed the ascent to what could be one of the hardest climbs in Cebu.

5. Cebu City to Sogod, Northern Cebu: Type of Ride: Long ride. Difficulty: Easy. Ride Rating: Excellent. Distance: 60 Kilometers. The ride from Cebu City to Sogod in the far north is a prime example of the experience of riding the scenic coastal road of Cebu island. Passing through the towns of Conslacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Danao, the road continues towards Carmen and Catmon before the final stretch towards Sogod. The road to Sogod has a perfect view of the sea on the right almost all the time, affording cyclists with refreshing sea breezes and excellent views throughout the ride. The bad thing about this ride are the public utility vehicles, trucks, and buses who careen through this coastal road without any obvious thought about the safety of their passengers and other road users. The style of driving in Cebu takes a little getting used to for cyclists coming from other places, but as long as cyclists stick to their side of the road and remain constantly aware of traffic around them, its an issue whose bark is worse than its bite.

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The best thing I get out of cycling is having the time to think about a lot of things while riding. On the other hand, the worst thing I get out of cycling is meeting people who over-think cycling. To be very blunt about it, it’s just a human-powered vehicle with gears, a chain, and two wheels, how complicated can it be? I actually didn’t realize how convoluted the world of everyday cycling really is until I got into lengthy discussions with fellow cyclists on the road, mostly about topics ranging from the exotic componentry of a bike to the physiological aspects of human performance. I have absolutely no knowledge of these things personally, other than what the guy who sold me my aluminum frame said to get me to pay for it, but some cyclists I meet these days seem to be on a trigger’s edge about these things. I have never bothered to mess with these things for the simple reason that I have no use for it whatsoever, its not like I’m joining the Paris-Roubaix any time soon, an endeavor that will require to get one’s bike and mortal soul in synch in order to outsprint Stuart O’Grady to the finish line and be a hero in Belgium and France. It’s a sporting fantasy that never happens even in the wildest daydreams of an ordinary cyclist such as myself. So why on earth should I waste precious time over the intimate details of the weight of my bike or the amount of oxygen that reaches my heart while I ride it?

Ian Adamson of Team Eco-Internet and Nike Balance Bar

I’ve ridden with professional cyclists and I know for a fact that worrying about these things won’t do me any good, it’s just a complete waste of time that is drilled into my skull every time they leave me behind in a cloud of dust fifteen meters from the starting line. In cycling, at least in the cycling that I know of, there are recreational cyclists and there are professional racers, and majority of those who endlessly harangue me for not being abreast of the latest developments in wind tunnel testing and titanium welding belong to the same Sunday ride category as I do. Strangely enough, one is more likely to hear about the life and death import of the scientific aspects of cycling on a Sunday ride than in a coaching session with a professional rider. In my blissfully uninformed career as a weekend bike rider, I’ve had the lucky opportunity to go on a ride and chat with two world champions and a local tour champion, and not once did they mention any of the difficult verbiage that I usually get blasted with by overly-zealous bike aficionados. What I learned instead is that cycling is a cruelly simple sport. Its either one has the ability to ride over a hill in three seconds flat, or otherwise it would be best to shut up and just eat your ice cream while waving that flag from the sidelines. I like it that way. It’s simple and unambiguous, and it is quick to deliver a kick in the teeth every time one has the slightest notion of overstepping the barricades that divide the professional cyclists from the spectators. It’s not like digital photography for example, where it’s always easy to hide the shortcomings of an unskilled photographer with the able help of a mask tool and a graphic tablet. In cycling, there are none of these things. It’s one of those activities where action speaks louder than words and the only thing that really matters is being able to ride a bike well, preferably in peace, and without the annoying voice huffing and puffing nearby, loudly reciting unsolicited cycling knowledge.

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Here’s a short course on the French cycling terms that are often thrown around in the peloton during races. Its a very short list, but hey, its just for fun, something to throw around at the next cocktail party when a friend asks you about “that bicycle thing you do!”

Ardoisier – A motorcyclist giving information to the riders during a race.

Arrivée – The finish line.

Benjamin du tour – The youngest rider in the race.

Cannibale – Eddy Merckx.

Caravane publicitaire – A parade of commercial floats staffed by young people who throw souvenirs to the crowds, preceding the peloton by about 90 minutes.

Chasseurs “Hunters” /  “chasers” - referring to riders in pursuit of a breakaway.

Classement générale - The “General Classification” – the overall standings in the race.

Coéquipiers Teammates – People who work together for the good of the team and the team leader.

Col - A mountain pass.

Contre la montre – A time-trial.

Coureur - A rider /  runner.

Crevaison – The defining moment of many Tour stages – a flat tyre.

Décrocher – To be left behind by the stronger riders (or hanging up the telephone!)

Départ réel - The real start of a stage is some 2 to 5 km away from the starting point, and is announced by the Tour director in the officials’ car waving a white flag.

Directeur sportif – The head coach / general manager of a cycling team.

Domestique - A domestic servant of the team – no team today can expect its leader to contend in the Tour without a number of dedicated domestiques.

Dossard - One of many derisive terms used to describe a rider that never takes a turn at the front, but always allows himself to be pulled along by the other riders.

Doubler – To pass another rider.

Échappée A breakaway – a rider or small group of riders that manages to get away from the peloton.

El Diablo Didi Senft - dressed in a red devil’s costume – has been known as the Tour ’s devil since 1993.

Étape – A stage of the Tour.

Flamme rouge - The red pennant that hangs over the road to indicate one kilometre to l’arrivée.

Géant de Provence Mont Ventoux – A big mountain in the middle of Provence with very little vegetation and very high winds.

Grimpeur - A climber – one of the skinny guys who actually looks forward to the mountain stages.

La course en tête – To lead the Tour from start to finish  -the ultimate domination of the Tour ( Jacques Anquetil – 1961).

Lâcher – To drop or let go. See Décrocher.

Lanterne Rouge - The rider in last place on the Classment Generale.

Le sprint – A mad dash for the finish line or some other designated point on the stage.

Maillot à pois – A White jersey with red polka dots worn by the leader of the “King of the Mountains” competition.

Maillot blanc – The White jersey – worn by the best rider – under 25 years – in GC standings.

Maillot jaune – The yellow jersey – worn by the overall leader.

Maillot vert – The green jersey – worn by the leader of the points competition.

Mont - An Alpe that is not in the Alps.

Musette - A shoulder bag containing food and drinks for the riders ( handed to them as they pass through the feedzone.

Patron – The rider who has earned the respect of the peloton. He need only express his displeasure to enforce the unwritten rules of the race (e.g. Merckx, Hinault, Armstrong).

Plombé - In the early years of the Tour, riders could ride in one of two classifications. Riders of “Plombé” bikes were permitted to exchange parts as they wore out or broke, in contrast with Poinçonné.

Poinçonné - Riders of “sealed” bikes were required to complete the race on the same equipment they started with.

Poursuivants - Another word for “chasseurs”.

Préparations - Euphemism for performance enhancing drugs.

Prix de combativité - The honour of wearing a red race number as the leader in the “Most Aggressive Rider” competition.

Remorqueur - A tow truck – used to refer to a rider who rides in the front to protect his team mates from the wind.

Soigneur - A team staff member whose job is to take care of the physical needs of the riders .

Sprinteur - A rider who specializes in the big finish but frequently drops out when mountains arrive.

Suceur de roue – A wheelsucker.

Tête de la course - The head of the race –  in the lead.

Un besoin naturel - A toilet break.

Vainqueur - The winner.

Vélo – A racing bike.

Virage - A switchback or hairpin turn on a mountain road.

Voiture balai – The broom wagon follows the race picking up riders who have abandoned or are unable to complete the stage.

Zone de ravitaillement -A designated section of the race where riders pick up musettes from the soigneurs – the feedzone.

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Starting this month, route maps of popular cycling destinations will be available here absolutely free! All files are available as PDF Files. Its important to note though that these maps are basically meant to be used as a reference only for the general layout of a route and not as a detailed road map.  Thank you for downloading and have a safe ride!

San Pedro – Lemery via Tagaytay and Payapa

San Pedro – Portofino

San Pedro Climbing Circuit (Training Course)

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Terry Larrazabal  Bike Festival (Subic Bay Freeport,  Zambales)

The Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival (TLBF), which started in 2002, is the only multi-discipline cycling event of its kind in the Philippines and Asia, where races and other activities are held for three days in one location. The races include: Road Bike: 3-day. 4-Stage Road Race Mountain Bike: Cross-Country Single Speed Cross Country Downhill 4X Dirt Jumping BMX: Supercross Flatland Dirt Jumping Trials: 20″ 26″ Triathlon: Olympic Distance.

ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE
Deadline for registration is on April 2, at 5:00 p.m.
No Registration will be accepted on April 2, 2009.

For Inquiries email the organizers at: tlbf@pldtdsl.net

Event Website: http://www.tlbf.org/

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Kia  Ironlegs (Tagbilaran,  Bohol)

July 19, 2009, Tagbilaran, Bohol

The 1st Bohol Bike Race, July 20, 2008. It shall be participated by road bikers across the country under the EXECUTIVE Category, Class “C” and Class “D”. The road bike race is aimed at promoting sports and endurance as well as promoting the tourism in Bohol. The race is also aimed at hyping up the Sandugo Festival. The 60 kilometer stretch race route will be from Tagbilaran-Bool-Baclayon-Albur-Loay-Loboc-Bilar-Batuan-Carmen.

http://www.kiaironlegs.com/content/

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Karera Hacienda (Hacienda Escudero, Tiaong,  Quezon)

March 22, 2009, Tiaong, Quezon

250 Slots available/ 500 Pesos Registration (early registration only: March 9 -15) + 500 Pesos additional deposit for race transponder (refundable upon return of the unit after the race).  700 Pesos late registration March 16 onwards.

Race registration includes race kit, lunch, and souvenir shirt. All digital timing system will be in use during the race.

For more inquiries just call 819-1733 or 771-1768

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Padyakan Sa  Bataan (Hacienda Escudero, Tiaong,  Quezon)

March 29, 2009, Mariveles, Bataan

NO REGISTRATION FEE

Karagatan Bay View Peaks, Bataan Economic Zone, Mariveles, Bataan.

The course is a 3 km (approximately) loop that features single and double tracks, climbs and descents, with amazing view of Corregidor, China Sea and Bataan mountain ranges.

The number of laps is based on level of expertise.

Open category riders will do 5 laps, Age category with 4 laps, Fun and Single Speed riders will do 3 laps. Kid category riders will race around the base camp.

For more inquiries send email to: tourism_bataan@yahoo.com  or bataantrailriders@yahoo.com

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Tour Ni  Figer (Gandara,  Samar)

July 21 – 22, 2009

ITT, TTT, Road Circuit Race, and MTB Race

Registration Fee: 75 Pesos

For Inquiries email the organizer at: figer27nj@aol.com

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DISCLAIMER:

Velodrone Cycling + Adventure Life is not affiliated with the organizers of these events and is merely posting the details of the events for purposes of unpaid public announcement. For questions, inquiries, or issues please refer to the event organizers listed with the schedules.

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