Meet my new ride....Santa Cruz Chameleon...Candy Blue size M....my trip to KSH Bikes TTDI last Saturday was for a sole purpose....to get me this frame.....yup...it cost's a bomb for a hardtail....and it's darn heavy too....but I kinda drool over it for quite some time now....I know there are other hardtails which are much lighter out there...and cost's much lesser than this one....but I guess my mind was already set....and so....at 10.30am 02.01.2010.....I bid farewell to my ol' trustee Merida....hehehe...
The "transformation" of my new SC completed at 5pm...with few other new components on board....a brand new Fox Float RLC 140mm...new HOPE head set, Thomson Elite 30.9 straight seatpost, XT casette and a new XTR rotor.....yikes!......initial test ride leaves me craving for the next....but that gotta wait till the next day...I'm riding Kiara with those KSH guys........=)
nice........
something's missing....a chain guide perhaps?
Woke up the next day at 6am..after a light breakfast at the hotel...I checked out at 7am and headed straight to TTDI via the DUKE expressway and reached the designated RV point at Deris Corner, Persiaran Zaaba, TTDI at 7.40am......on the way there...it was raining quite heavily...which left me undecided whether to proceed with my plans or not...but then I figured that since I was already there...it wouldn't hurt to wait for a while for the rain to stop....=p
There were already few guys waiting at the mamak joint..having breakfast...since I've already had mine...I decided to wait in the car....anyway, I didn't know any of the guys there...no signs of the KSH guys....moments later...feeling bored...I turned off my car engine and went in the restaurant and ordered a glass of teh tarik and waited.
nice bikes....=p
drool....drool....
I've waited for another half an hour before asking a malay rider the directions to Kiara....it has stopped raining..and I decided to check out the park first....the other riders parked their cars near the mamak joint and then ride to the park, about a kilometer away...I need to know the park location and the facilities first....from what I heard from Akmal, the park has a facility to wash your bikes after rides...which is very convenient for me....I couldn't strap my bike on top of my Waja as after the ride, I need to go to One Utama to get my wife something from this trip....
The place was easy to find...as soon as I parked my car next to the toilet and the bike cleaning area....I started unloading and got myself ready for the ride....a group of riders has already started riding....still no signs of the KSH guys...and so I rushed and started riding...hoping I could join the group I saw earlier....but I guess being familiar to the trail...the group was long gone as I entered the trail....leaving me alone...trying to figure out the directions.....
As I entered the trail...I was greeted by a steep 45 degree climb on a rocky surface.....since it rained earlier....it was difficult to pedal uphill....end up hiking...kinda embarassing....=p
The route was extremely difficult....mostly have to push my bike uphill...the flat single trail was short...narrow and full of slippery roots...I'm having difficulties to hit the roots square and slipped several times...
looks easy...I know...
one of the many flat single trails....don't let the condition fool you...up ahead is a turn with a very steep climb!
few photo's of the hill climb....
After about 45 minutes struggling uphill....I managed to find an access route to a tarmac section....by then I realised that I've totally taken a wrong route...the one that I have just rode was actually a downhill trail...and I have gone totally the wrong direction...instead of going downhill...I was riding the trail uphill instead!....no wonder the climb was torturous!hehehe...
Riding tarmac was a bliss....but no less tiring as I still have to scale the hill to reach the top....but I was not alone...there were other riders...and joggers too....
a huge group of riders taking a breather at the top...
Finally after a while...I reached to an area where a group of riders were resting probably after trail riding....the KSH guys were there too.....their bikes were awesome....mega expensive....and I was literally drooling by just looking at their ride's...hehehe...
The malay guy I met at the mamak approaches me....soon after, so does his buddies....according to them, Kiara has quite a number of trails....some could lead to different parts of KL....even to Segambut....so it's unwise to ride alone...point taken....maybe I'll arrange for another trip there with Akmal and my other riding buddies....maybe Akmal could get his friend to be our guide....=)
After about 30 minutes....I decided to head back to the car park....the guys invited me to join them for another round of trail riding but I declined politely....I don't want to be late....and after bidding farewell...I started riding down hill on tarmac....
Few minutes later, I reached the parking lot and started to clean my bike at the bike cleaning area....I must say....we should have this kinda facility at Gunung Pulai.....=p
After cleaning myself at the toilet....I left Kiara....not quite satisfied...but I guess it's enough for now....I'll surely return to Kiara with my buddies sometime soon......
note the facility..not the bike...
not the bike la!
we should have this over here in JB....
After One Utama....I went to PJ to re-visit Bike Pro....but they're closed.....so I went straight home....and reached JB at 7pm....
The trip was worth it.....all my objectives achieved.....got myself a new frame....with all the parts I wanted....and tested it at Kiara.....wow!.....really..satisfied....=p
Next ride will be to Plentong....Anuar won't be joining....maybe I'll join the Gerekers or Cyclemotion gang....see how lah?...hehehe
kate nak amik yeti... camne bole jadi "Chameleon" ni..
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see it in flesh (and mud). A test spin also lah. Nice to have your dreams a reality, eh. Enjoy your new ride, man.
ReplyDeleteAbout that first section you tried, not many can ride it so don't feel bad.
ReplyDeleteNext time try to get someone local to show you around, it would be easier. If not, get the map for Kiara and plan your ride before hand. There's a few trails that's easily accessible and easy to find for you to get a sample of what Kiara is like.