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Stoked for the Weekend

Earth Hour Ride

Bikers take over the streets to promote clean energy

I was able able to climb Antenna Hill without much issue, but each segment of Thunder Trail left me drained and panting like a fish out of water. The heat reached 38 degrees yesterday, which was probably the reason why I was feeling so sucked out and seared after doing each segment of Thunder Trail. But it’s also possible that my muscle fibers had atrophied and my aerobic capacity went back to ultra-wimp level in the previous days I slacked off. Whatever.

Despite being gassed out and fried, there were still gallons of joy pumping through my veins last Saturday. Why? Because I was able to do all of the technical sections of Thunder Trail without dismounting. As any biker knows, this is a very special kind of feeling. Verrry ssspecial.

Stoked. It’s the ecstasy of accomplishment. It’s when everything works better than intended and you bask in the sweet sweet afterglow of fulfillment. It’s visceral poetry. It’s like scoring 100 points on Flappy Bird. It’s like plugging a USB correctly on both ends on the first attempt! Read more [+]

Bikers Clean Up Puray Falls

Puray Falls in Rodriguez, Rizal

Puray Falls really comes to life in the rainy season

Puray Falls is one of the best mountain biking destinations near Metro Manila. Getting there means riding up steep slopes, crossing clear flowing streams, hiking up huge boulders, and viewing beautiful mountain vistas. It is one of those rare places within riding distance of our smog-choked, rubbish-strewn megacity where a biker can reconnect with greenery and soak in some soul.

If you want someone to understand what mountain biking is all about, you should take him/her on a bike ride to Puray Falls. Challenging climbs, fast descents, and the thrill of exploration: a journey to Puray provides all of these.

Sadly though, the place is getting trashed little by little.

Read more [+]

How About a 650b or 27.5er Bike?

Mountain Bike Wheel Sizes

PIck your poison–29er, 27.5er or 26er

Buying a bike used to be easy. You just went to your friendly neighborhood bike shop and picked one you like. But today, with so many types of bikes to choose from, picking one that suits you seems to have become much harder.

This is especially true in the world of mountain biking where new stuff gets unveiled and marketed almost every day. 29ers used to be cool. 29ers were once the hipster anti-mainstream enfant terrible of the mountain biking universe. But nowadays bikes with 29-inch wheels are more often seen as “the establishment.” Like all rebellions that became all too successful, the 29er movement seems to have lost its aura of defiant nonconformism. It is now the mainstream.

Now it seems that 27.5 inch wheels or 650b is where the action’s at. Bike manufacturers are betting big on 27.5, with Giant even putting all its eggs in the 650b basket. So what’s the hype all about? Read more [+]

Seeing Rivendell While Biking in Daraitan

Balete Tree in Daraitan

This Ent-like tree is supposed to be 300 years old. Not sure if that’s true, but it’s awesome nonetheless

Daraitan is a quiet little village in the Sierra Madre mountains in Tanay, Rizal. Daraitan is also one of the most beautiful places you can bike to from Metro Manila, and I don’t say those words lightly. I’ve become quite jaded when it comes to mountain biking destinations. But Daraitan is worth every pedal stroke, every ounce of sweat, every painful grunt it takes to get there. If you’re a Metro Manila biker planning to do a bike tour this summer, this should be at the top of your list.

Daraitan has been cited as having the cleanest waters in the Calabarzon area. One look at its clear flowing river was enough to convince me that it deserved that citation. But besides the clarity of its streams, there’s also its forest covered peaks, the fantastic boulders, cliffs and rock formations along the river, and an unspoiled cave that’s perfect for spelunking. This place radiates magic like Rivendell.

My first foray into Daraitan was less than a year ago. I joined the first leg of the Nature’s Trail Discovery Run and found myself crossing Daraitan’s streams and hopping around its boulders in a 31k trail run sufferfest. Needless to say, while my eyes registered the beauty of the place, my mind had been drained of any capacity for awe and wonder by the agonizing run. So I resolved to go back to Daraitan some time in the future and soak in its vibe at a more leisurely pace. Read more [+]

Selfie Run up Shotgun San Mateo

Shotgun San Mateo

Because selfies are very important in a run like this

Shotgun in San Mateo: Masochistic mountain bikers consider this the ultimate trophy in Metro Manila. It is 5 kilometers of almost relentless climbing that only gets more difficult with each turn. Last weekend I thought of doing a different challenge on Shotgun. Instead of biking all the way to top, I was gonna run it and see if I still had my mountain legs.

Shotgun is without doubt, the most punishing climb a mountain biker or runner can do near Metro Manila. The road is steep—definitely one of the steepest in the country. The Wall is a difficult climb, but Shotgun takes that difficulty to an even more sinister level.

Take the most difficult section of The Wall and multiply it three times and you get a good idea of what I’m talking about. Just when you thought you’d get a reprieve, just when you thought you’d get a chance to recover, the next twist in the road smacks you in the face with even more climbing. Such is the evil that is Shotgun. Read more [+]

Biking to Mt. Balagbag’s Helipad

Biking to Mt. Balagbag's Helipad

The picture probably doesn’t do justice to the difficulty of this route

Mt. Balagbag and its infamous peak called the Helipad is the logical next step for mountain bikers in Metro Manila who have already pushed themselves past the challenges of Timberland’s trails. If you think you’re ready for the big leagues, Mt. Balagbag is just there waiting for you like Cain Velasquez eager to give you a lesson or two about ground and pound.

As you grow as a mountain biker, you search for harder and harder routes to test yourself. You want to see how fast you can climb, and how fast you can descend on trails that get more and more technical. For Manila’s mountain bikers, Balagbag has got to be one of the hardest routes accessible via a weekend trip. Read more [+]

CamSur’s Bike Attractions at Mt. Isarog

Biking at Mt. Isarog

There are probably lots of trails still waiting to be explored at Mt. Isarog

Everyone knows Camsur. If you’re from the Philippines and you didn’t crash your unhelmeted head more than a decade ago which sent you into a coma, then you’ve mostly likely heard of this province down southern Luzon called Camarines Sur.

Mention Camsur and images of wakeboarders sailing through the air quickly come to mind. Or if you’re a fan of “Suvivor” Camsur will evoke scenes of white sand beaches, fantastic corals and towering limestone cliffs. But this Bicol tourist mecca also has some pretty interesting sites which will put a smile on the faces of bikers.

In the foothills of Mt. Isarog lie the Panicuason Hot Springs. A bit further up, there’s the the Malabsay Falls. Last year, I was fortunate enough to have visited these sites on a bike, thanks to a blogger tour organized by Biggs Diner. Read more [+]

Waterfalls You Can Bike to from Metro Manila

Waterfalls By Bike

There are several waterfalls you can bike to from Metro Manila

Metro Manila has waterfalls. Well, maybe they’re not exactly in Metro Manila itself. You will need to work a bit to reach these cascades. But if you’re a mountain biker, getting there is more than half the fun.

For a lot of people who grew up in Metro Manila, it can be almost hard to believe that there are waterfalls that are just an hour and a half away by car, or two and a half hours away by bike from the city. Waterfalls, after all, are part of mountain streams, which are in turn nurtured by forest watersheds. If you cut the trees in the forest, you eliminate the watershed, and you kill the waterfalls. Rampant deforestation in the municipalities and provinces around Metro Manila has probably eliminated a lot of these awesome nature spots. (This is what happened to Uugong Falls in Morong, Rizal.)

Still, the situation isn’t so bad yet. There are still a few waterfalls near Metro Manila, which means that there are still trees in the mountains to sustain them. And here are some of the waterfalls you can reach with your mountain bike.  Read more [+]

8 Best Rides of 2013

Best Rides of 2014

Best Rides of 2013

The start of the new year is the best time to take account of the really good things that happened to us in the past year. When you look back at all the good things that happened to you, and which you accomplished in the past 365 days, it makes you want to look forward to further adventures in the coming days.

Yes, a lot of bad things slammed the country last year, which left most of us scarred in one way or another even though we were not directly affected. But lots of great things also happened to each of us, and we should be thankful for all the good things too.

For me, 2013 was an excellent year for riding two wheels. And here are some of the awesome experiences/adventures that I am thankful for. Read more [+]

Timberland’s Basic Trail and Roxas Loop

Timberland's Basic Trail and Roxas Trail, Mountain Biking in the Philippines

The basic trail, it’s pretty basic but it’s a nice place for newbies to get some trail experience

Seems like a lot of people have been buying mountain bikes the past few weeks. It’s no surprise, people are awash with cash right now thanks to Christmas bonuses, and many are eager to get into this thing called mountain biking.

If you just bought a bike, ride it around the city streets for a while so you can be more familiar with your new toy and how it handles. The U.P. Diliman campus is an excellent place to learn how to bike. Once you’ve learned the basics, it’s time to level up your fitness and tackle the climbs. Timberland’s The Wall is an excellent training ground for pushing your inner Son Goku from Saiyan to Super Saiyan. Just don’t push yourself beyond your limits. If you think you’re about to black out from the strain of the climb, take a breather. Not everyone can conquer the wall in one go. Don’t go all out on the descent either.

Even veteran bikers have met accidents on that crazy fast descent. But once you’ve done The Wall, what’s next? The obvious answer is beyond the gate, and into the real trails! Read more [+]