.... the jackal rides and run....

2 days of solids 80km rides with the FRZs and so far so good. Speedwise, for my application, I guess they do not lose out to the HEDs (though I do believe that going 40+km/h and into headwind is probably the HED's biggest advantage but I'm not that 'pro' to take full adv of that!) but bling-wise the deep section carbon look melds better with the entire bike. So as with everything else, there are compromises and since the speed is ok, I've no complaints since I'm getting alloy braking as opposed to crummy carbon braking. Saturday : 80km West Loop with KL. Met KL at 5.45am at AML, as usual and I think we took it rather relaxed. I started to push after Mandai into Neo Tiew, averaging 33-34km/h and there was some headwind..pretty much spent after that but we managed to hit ave 30km/h prior to LCK. Picked up speed at Jalan Buroh and into West Coast highway but it started to rain very heavily as we got into the viaduct. A huge truck was in front of us doing like...

Morning RIDE I did not join the rare Masher ride scheduled for 6.30am (they planned to do the Eastern loop, a relatively flat course, avoiding Mandai altogether) as I needed to be back by 8am. Thus, I set out on my own at 5am to do the East West 80km loop.....basically to Tuas and back. the plan is to do a achieve a post 30km/h ave on my own without killing my legs. The route is relatively flatish so no problems. I was on a moderate pace when I caught up with a group of 8 riders at Nicoll. I opted not to overtake them but also not to draft them so I kept a distance of at least 5-6 bikes away. They were doing pretty much moderate speed about 30-32km/h. I waited for them to attack the pace at the Viaduct but it didn't happen and they remain at that same 32km/h pace.....so I overtook them and went at it to post 36km/h speeds at the viaduct. Surprisingly, no one gave chase. At the end of the viaduct, I took a quick peek behind me and they were out of sight. I slowed down to moderat...