Trek Mt Bike upgrade – wheelset, shifters, & brake system
I recently upgraded my Trek 4300 Mt Bike because some components are already showing their age. The Shimano Alivio is a good series but I tried Deore and it’s more smoother. Basically the dropping price of components this year also made me decide to get some new ones. The Bontrager Ranger wheelset with Shimano hubs and rotors got good reviews but some good seller offered me a Xero Element with 24/28 spokes in a very good price. My Shimano mechanical non-series disc brakes also shows some age so I installed a new Shimano M446 white hydros. Other additions to the bike are Shimano chains, rotors and cogset.
Xero Element Wheelset Specs:
- All Black – Spoke, hub and rim configuration
- Weight for the front wheel : 966g
- Weight for the rear wheel : 1148g
- Spokes DT Champion 14g with 12mm Brass nipples
- 8-9 speed compatible freehub body ( 7 speed suitable using spacer )
- Standard Quick Release Front axle
- Standard Quick Release Rear axle
- Xero Lighweight skewers included
- 6 Bolt international Disc Mounting Hubs – No Rim Brake surface
- Bolt international Disc Mounting Hubs compatible with Avid, Hayes, Hope, Magura, Shimano and many more Disc Brake Systems
- 24 Black Spoked Front Wheel
- 28 Black Spoked Rear Wheel
Xero element ride is good. I think better than Bontrager. Compared to Mavic Crossmax 2012 (1.755g) and Shimano XT (1.625g), the 300g difference and the difference with cost, it’s a good buy.
When I upgraded the shifters to Deore 9 speed, I need I need to change my chains and cogset as well. But there’s this smoothness in Deore that I didn’t get in the Alivio 8 SPD. I still have the Alivio RD but definitely, I’m getting the Deore XT soon so my hybrid project will trully be complete.
Another upgrade is my shift to hydraulics. The Shimano M446 Hydraulic disc brakes are great. It’s light and the levers have great response. The dropping prices of mtb components this year is another factor that made me decide to upgrade the bike. I need to do more rides before this year ends to fully enjoy the new things on my hybrid Trek.
A short ride with Trek 4300
It’s one of those days when you just have to go out and ride. After the Mt. Batulao climb, and a day of rest, I feel like I have to move my muscles again.
The original plan was to ride to Tagaytay, but it took me hours looking for my knee support (hindi ko rin nakita). The sun was already high and if I am going to go for Tagaytay City, the two hours ride will get me home back on lunch time – more exhausted and toasted.
Just took a quick spin in Dasmarinas City area, wore my old Shimano SPD and did a fast sprint in Aguinaldo Highway.
Entered DLSU-D campus gate 3 and out in the main Gate.
A great day, but too late in the morning to do a 40km one.
Be safe everyone and have a Happy Souls Day.
Giro Transfer Bike Helmet
Always happy to seek out new gear and this Giro Transfer is one good headpiece. I am currently using this now with the timely retirement of my Trek helmet due to a crack in the front part. Got this from eBay from a seller in Europe and it ships free. Good points: light, enough vents and with the universal size fit.
Here’s the actual Giro Transfer specifications:
- Versatile road helmet with a new level of performance for the price
- Acu-Dial fit system provides one handed micro adjustment whilst on the move and ensures a perfect custom fit for every rider
- Advanced strap management keeps everything in place to allow further fine tuning for a safe and secure fit
- In-mould hard-body adds strength and protection for no extra weight penalty
- 20 vents allow cold air in and hot air out to provide cooling and increase rider comfort
- Additional rear exhaust vents help pull air through the helmet even when riding uphill and at slower speeds
- Meets CE EN1078 certification
- Universal size; 54 -61cm
Dada is an Oakley Rebel
Love this Jawbone!
LIVESTRONG JAWBONE SUNGLASSES
Oakley’s legacy of sports performance innovation continues with the new Jawbone. The latest evolution of a coveted design, this frame is like nothing ever seen in the world of sports. Every aspect is engineered around the clarity and protection of High Definition Optics® (HDO®).
With Oakley’s new Switchlock™Technology, the lower part of the frame rim opens to allow easy access for quick lens changing, letting you optimize performance in any light condition. The revolutionary design holds the lenses with a suspension system so stresses on the frame won’t affect the optics. With ordinary frames, flexing can change the surface contours of the lenses, causing optical distortion. The new architecture ensures there’s nothing to diminish the unbeatable clarity of High Definition Optics® (HDO®), and you still get the optimized comfort and fit of a flexible frame design.
Pivot the nose piece to unlock the lower jaw and open it for easy lens changing. There’s minimal handling involved, so dirty fingers don’t get all over the lens. The quick-release system closes with a cam that locks each lens securely in place.
Oakley engineered the pivoting system with a release mechanism that lets you remove and replace the nose piece with a different size to customize the fit. A comfortably secure fit is essential for athletic competition, so Oakley started this new design with the company’s legendary Three-Point Fit. Instead of hooking the ears like conventional frames, a Three-Point Fit ensures the frame touches the wearer only at the bridge of the nose and the sides of the head. Oakley combined the proprietary fit with specialized bridge geometry and strategically placed flex zones to give the frame a broad range of flexibility while directing stresses away from the lenses. That way, the optics can do their job without the distortion of subtle bending and bowing.
Oakley is proud to partner with the Lance Armstrong Foundation in support of its ongoing mission to inspire and empower people affected by cancer. When you purchase the Llivestrong® edition of Oakley eyewear, the company will provide $20 to the foundation.
- Oakley Switchlock™ Technology for an interchangeable lens design that helps you keep up with changing light conditions and maximize performance in any environment.
- Unobtainium® stem sleeves for a secure fit that increases grip with perspiration.
- Durable yet comfortably lightweight O Matter® frame material that optimizes protection while maintaining a flexible fit.
- Interchangeable nose piece for a customizable fit.
- Unbeatable clarity and visual fidelity with the patented innovations of High Definition Optics® (HDO®), optimized by an entirely new frame architecture that translates frame stresses away from the lenses.
- Full range of optional lens tints for glare reduction, improved color perception, enhanced contrast and optimized depth perception.
- Impact protection that meets ANSI Z87.1 standards for high velocity and high mass impact resistance.
- XYZ Optics® to extend clarity across lens contours that open peripheral vision and improve side protection against sun, wind and impact.
- Plutonite® lens material for 100% filtering of all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm.
- Protective sports-specific Oakley Soft Vault included with capacity for extra lenses
- Oakley Nano-Clear lens cleaner “pen” with Hydrophobic designed for up to 10 applications
- Available with Oakley prescription lenses (+2.00 to -3.00 combined power)
Trek 4300 upgrade
I just recently upgraded some components of my Trek 4300 mountain bike. I call it an upgrade because I feel more comfortable and more efficient riding it now than before.
Because I mostly ride 90% on roads, and less on trails, I ditched the heavy front suspension fork. I recently acquired a Mosso 6061 Alloy rigid fork and installed it on my bike. The bike also makes a lot of drag when pedaling because I use Kenda 26 x 2.0+ trail tires so I switched to a more suitable tires for my riding style – Kenda Kwest 26×1.5 which are designed for road and light trail use.
I also changed my stock Bontrager riser handle bar and stem to ABR flatbar and Ritchey 4 axis.
Very happy and satisfied with the recent upgrade and did a quick 10K spin around the city to test it. Basically the bike loss some weight and I can feel the bike handling became lighter because of the rigid fork. It is also easier to control. I can also feel the reduced drag on the tires, it rolls pretty fast on flat asphalt roads.
Tagaytay ride with Trek and Dad
Invited dad for a long ride to Tagaytay. Dad started his ride in Bacoor, Cavite and we met in Dasma to go straight up in Tagaytay City. It was a fun ride. Sorry, no GPS this time, just me and dad working those knees.
Saturday Ride with Trek MTB
Last Saturday, I went for a bike ride upland to Tagaytay. I’m missing a lot of action on my Trek mountain bike (MTB) due to erratic weather, but lo, last Saturday, the weather was perfect.
This was also the first time that I used my Timex heart rate monitor (HRM) watch while riding a bike. Because I left my Cateye Mity 8 cyclocomputer, I used a Nokia N95 GPS to track my ride instead.
I started late in the morning passed 8:00 am. I planned my ride to a slow workout by riding around 150 to 165 bpm of my heart rate or in my Zone 1 (or 2). I’d like to see how much time will it take if I will be working out on a relaxed pace.
The ride went smoothly, peaking with zone 3 efforts during rushed climbs. I also practiced drinking on my bottle while riding.
There are very few riders this Saturday and most of the MTB riders that I passed by were on their way down already, so they started their ride way too early than 8:00 am.
At the quarter of the ride, I saw some young riders resting in some sidewalk hut taking a break from the consistent climb towards Tagaytay.
The road seemed flat, but definitely, it was a consistent climb. Tagaytay is around 600 AMSL (meters above sea level), so from my starting point in Dasmariñas City Cavite (approx. 120+ AMSL) it was a subtle climb.
I visited some relatives near half of the bike trip in Amadeo,Caviteand took a quick bite of 1 piece pandekoko (bread with sweet coconut fillings). I took a couple of sip from my water bottle, and pedaled again.
I took a shortcut at this point riding around 1 km of trail, and was unprepared for a very muddy single track. It rained the other day (I just remembered). My tires were slipping and shifting sideward on this desolate road. Muds were flying all over me, in my face, my legs, my bike, on my back, and the thought of I-should-just-took-the-road-instead flashed on my mind. I was trying to avoid disengaging my cleats because my shoe will end up totally muddy – and this may cause some problems with the pedals. But after seeing the end of the trail, finishing this little challenge, it was a great relief; more so, there was this great satisfaction that I used my 26 x 2.2 Kenda Kinetics tires specifically for their purpose – trails.
I continue pedaling on asphalt road but this time, with a very muddy tires/bike. Muds were flying all over as I pedaled towards my turn-around point –Tagaytay City.
At this point, there were many bikers of various disciplines – road bikers, mountain bikers and those casual hybrid bikers roaming and resting inTagaytayCity. I made a stop in a nearby parking lot and took a photo and a reading of my GPS and HRM. Some road bikers were looking at me and my bike, they seemed to be wondering how I ended up with these muds all over me.
I took a very short break, hydrate and started my descent. It was great riding downhill. The speed, the wind kissing my face, the subtle heat by the sun covered with the racing clouds – truly amazing.
There are no words to describe the joy of riding a bike. Maybe it’s the simplicity of it – Just me and my bicycle. The energy that is poured in; maybe it’s the moment, the ride that gives me time to look at myself; to seek this personal focus within that I can’t get anywhere else. There’s no roof between me and the sky and I get to be one with myself and the OUTSIDE.
Going back to the final kilometers of the ride, there’s still plenty left on me. I took time to relax during the descent and I still feel fresh near the 50km mark.
I pedaled to the last corner and saw a familiar blue van parked in front of our house. Mom and Dad came over for lunch. My loving wife was preparing a hearty meal, and the kids, well; they were all excited about the day.
What more can a man ask for?
Timex T5G951 Heart Rate Monitor Watch
Because I got a sucky heart rate monitor (HRM) chest strap from Bowflex, (and also because I’m celebrating my birthday) I decided to get a “good one”, a Timex T5G951 Heart Rate Monitor Watch. The Bowflex HRM watch is amazing, it’s the chest strap that’s killing me.
It’s also good to know that the Timex HRM chest strap is compatible with Bowflex Precision XT watch, so I got two amazing watches and one working chest strap.
The Timex T5G951 HRM watch with its matching chest strap is good for those who are looking for no fuzz, I-just-want-to-know-my-heart-rate sports buff.
There are just three buttons to press and the watch displays in huge numbers and text. It’s just press or long press the button to get the info.
Unlike the Bowflex and its strap, the Timex chest strap connects instantly to the watch with just one press (and a few seconds) and shows real-time heart rate in BPM (beats per minute).
I didn’t even moisten the chest strap sensors to get the signal. The chest strap is comfortable to wear and gives accurate HR readings.
After the workout, you can review: time, average heart rate and peak heart rate. The Indiglo light works perfect for those dark days and the waterproof strap and watch is great for both sweat and rain.
For those who wants to experience using a HRM, you can’t go wrong with Timex.
My DailyMile this month
This is really mediocre compared to the past months. I should be logging 50km a week or more, but with so much multitasking I was not able to balance or to stick to my workout plans.
It’s becoming really harder to keep up with so much different passion, but priorities first.
This week I log-in 38km (as of Saturday). And my plan to ride the 100 km uphill to Ternate, Cavite was cut short by a typhoon.
Woke up early today and try to do a quick hill run in 20 minutes, while trying to figure out my new heart rate monitor. Will be posting something about it soon.
Be safe everyone. ^_^
Missing ride and run
Been missing a lot of run and biking these past weeks due to erratic weather and tons of family priorities. But still I managed to squeeze in some time, if it’s raining I worked the stationary bike or do a lot of core and upper body workout.
My resting heart rate is down to 57-60, not bad actually, a little less than that, the table says I am considered an “Athlete”.
There’s going to be 4 long days of no work starting tomorrow and there’s this idea in my head to ride to Ternate Cavite. It will be around 100 km+ ride back and forth. So a solo ride would entail some planning ahead and a lot of what ifs. But it’s still on the list.
Another concern will be the weather this weekend. AccuWeather says it’s going to be rainy, so if I am going to pursue the ride, SOLO, I need to be a lot of careful. We are talking the highest point in Cavite – Ternate, and the roads sides hundred of feet down.
But in my mind, I can feel the rolling hills and the amazing scenery. We’ll know in the coming post. Be safe everyone. ^_^
Run and Bike
Just finished a 5K run and a 3.7K cool down on the bike. It’s been a few days since my last run because the rain always gets in the way. I need to put more distance at least a two 10Ks a week and some long bike runs on weekends.
I’m still looking at that 100K bike ride this weekend, hopefully I could nail that distance.
Been doing some weights training – upper body and core workouts, to keep the balance and to avoid any injury.
There will be more climbs this coming months and I planned to celebrate my coming birthday at the highest mountain in Luzon, Philippines (Mt. Pulag).
Tons of plans yet so little time. I need to focus more on my training sessions and need to keep my diet straight. I want to nail that 5 minutes per kilometer pace so I need to keep the intensity and motivation high.
Be back with more updates. It’s midnight and I have to get some rest. Be safe everyone.
Rain-ride with Trek
I miss running outside.
Already missed a few runs and the long bike rides. There are tons of projects ahead and my daughter started attending school (again).
Yesterday, I was a little too crazy about the rain and decided to go away with it – taking my Trek 4300 mountain bike for a little bike commuting. As I went out the gate, the rain became torrential. I wore my waterproof The North Face Resolve Jacket to keep my upper body dry, but did not put any water protection for my lower body. My Merrell Bungee Shoes and my Adidas Capri were drenched as I arrived a few kilometers on my destination.
I love every minute of the rain ride. I enjoyed every splash by the Kenda tires and I love how each raindrops kissed my face.
Because I forgot to wear protective eye shades, it was a little hard to keep a fast pace because water was all over my sight.
Riding under the rain was amazing, but here are just a few tips to make it more enjoyable.
- Don’t forget to wear protective eye shades. (Helmets are mandatory of course)
- Decide if you’re going for the drenched or you want to stay dry.
- If you want to be dry all over, wear waterproof uppers and lowers, and that include shoes.
- If it’s torrential rain, keep those lights on so other vehicles can see you.
- Road splash is awesome, but keep in mind of possible deep holes on roads or trails.
- Be careful on turns, especially if you are using sleek tires, or those little knobby tires. Remember, water reduces friction and moving too fast on turns can cost you to slip-away.
- Also, if you have electronic devices, keep them sealed in plastics or better, invest in reusable zip locks.
Sunday Ride – with Trek 4300 MTB Tagaytay City
Been longing to ride again to the uplands in Tagaytay City and got the opportunity last Sunday – Great weather, not windy, juts perfect for a good uphill ride.
Went out at 6:30 am riding the Trek 4300 MTB. There were lots of riders going up on Sunday, various discipline – mountain bikers, road bikers, some riding hybrid bikes; also passed riders going to work riding their commuter bikes.
Rode the 25 km straight uphill without stopping or resting; a first, as I typically do 3 rest stops riding up to Tagaytay, but on this ride, I’m a little surprised (and proud ^_^) to do it straight, all the way up.
The sight at my turning point was simply amazing. Saw the grand view of Taal Lake and its volcano. The neighboring cliffs and mountain ranges in Batangas were astounding.
The ride took me up to Cliffhouse Tagaytay, and then I turned around and took my little reading. Casio PRT-40 altimeter reading at the turning point is 630 meters above sea level (MASL). I switched to the Barometric reading – pressure dropped to 940 hPa and though the sun was peeking in the upland’s low racing clouds, I know rain will soon to follow.
As soon as I got the barometric reading, I hydrated and began riding down. Going down was one of the best parts of the ride. The smooth curves and rolling hills, with the amazing cool breeze is one reason why I kept riding back to the uplands.
And soon after a few minutes into the ride, a little drizzle began pouring on me. It was quite a chase but soon enough, the rain began drifting away from my direction, and while enjoying the downhill ride, the sun began to peek again.
Going down at kilometer 35, there was this area in Silang, Cavite that you can actually see Manila’s high rise buildings; they shimmered in haze on the horizon. The sight was a good reminder of my whereabout, and how gravity will help me back to the low lands.
After nearly an hour of pedaling (more of free-wheeling) I’m back to the familiar, typical breeze and noise. Traffic lights and big tarp littered like graffiti as I turned to the city road.
As I pedal towards our village, I can’t hide the child-like smile on my face. The wind was stronger now, the sun was up, and the there’s no racing clouds above me.
I disengaged my cleats at the last familiar corner, walked the hill towards the house, and was met up by the embraced of my two little angel toddlers. Wife prepared a hearty breakfast that we all shared. I love riding Sundays!
Four weeks to duathlon
It was supposed to be a 5K run but ended up running a10K (as Coach Jay Sales suggested to make my program 5K-10K-10K or 10K-10K-15K). Second wind, that’s it. Still have more in the tank but I was happy completing 25 oval loops. My time was 1 hour and 3 minutes. Love the slow burning sensation.
There’s this duathlon coming this June 5, 2011 (Sunday) and I am planning to join this race in Nuvali. It’s a trail event so I am still unsure on what to expect because most of my trails are not actually run, but more mountain bike rides. So I was looking forward to have a good trail run this week.
The Men’s Health All Terrain Race is a 10K trail run and 20K trail mountain bike ride. Entrance to the event is Php800, and there’s also just a trail run (5K, 10K and 16K) and bike race (20K and 40K).
I am now training for the duathlon and my schedule is 5K, 10K, 10K MWF and 50km bike on weekends.
I still have 4 weeks and I do upper body weights training in-between the run. I am building some mileage and I plan to make it to the top 10 finisher for the trail event.
A quick 15km bike ride
Because I missed a few rides due to running and upper body workouts, I got up yearning to be with Trekie.
It’s a great 15km loop with tree-covered highway on some parts, rolling hills and few vehicles on a Palm Sunday morning.
Felt great being back on the saddle and though, I was very tempted to do the uphill Tagaytay ride, I tried stoping myself, there are tons of tasks awaiting at home and at work so I made it short and fast.
Nice Sunday, quick ride.
50km with my Trek 4300 MTB
It’s nice to be back on long mountain bike ride as me and my Trek 4300 went on to an unplanned cycling adventure last Sunday.
It was supposed to be a ride uphill going to Tagaytay (Cavite, Philippines) but ended up working my way going north to my hometown in Bacoor, a 26km ride from our new home in Dasmariñas City.
I used to bike commute and got solid 160km per week but now the mileage drops due to the fact that running became my primary sport. It’s a little harder now when I am not making up to my saddle time and it shows on the way back at kilometer 30 when I began to drop the pace. My left knee began to have that usual piercing discomfort so I shifted to my right knee for those hard climbs and effort. Also, the wind was blowing against me which added up to the difficulty of maintaining the pace.
Took me 3 hours to finished the ride and that includes typical hydration stops and a quick 30-minute meal and rest. When I got home, the odometer read 50km.
The Trek 4300 handled both long asphalt and off road paths really well. Lesson learned, plan and prepare for rides like this. It should have been a great day if I still have enough on my tank to finish strong to the last 10km.
Deuter ACT Lite 25
My typical daypack is The North Face Neutron 34. It fits practically everything, camera, clothes, laptop etc. 34 liters is good, but trying the Deuter ACT Lite 25, this is much better.
Trek 4300 Mountain Bike
Been riding a Trek 4300 mountain bike for 2 years now and here’s my opinion and review about this bike.
The Trek 4300 rolls well in both road and trails. The frame is very light and also the wheelset. I got this built bike from a friend and most of the parts were already upgraded so I saved a lot from upgrades.
The Bontrager tires were upgraded to Kenda Kinetics, the FD to Shimano Deore and the saddle to Specialized Body Geometry. Front suspension was also upgraded to Rock Shox Recon U-Turn. It’s an amazing bargain considering that the front suspension itself costs around Php17,000.00.
The bike kicks well on road and stable on trails. What I like about Trek bikes is its handling and also it’s lightness. You can speed up on challenging trails without losing control.
I made some upgrades with the bike to customized it to my riding style.
I upgraded the grips to Ergon GC2, so I could ride more mileage with comfort on the palms and also integrated bar ends of Ergon GC2 is great for climbing. I also upgraded the OEM pedals to Shimano M505 pedals so I could use both platform shoes and cleats.
All in all, Trek 4300 mountain bike is an awesome ride for beginners and those who’d like to start serious training in XC and long trail rides.
For complete specification and more reviews you may visit the Trek website here.
Little saddle time
It’s nice to be back on the saddle. After a week of gathering dust, the mountain bike finally got some rolling mileage. Just a quick bike commuting under an overcast sky, good breeze, very little traffic, and tons of biking bliss.
Maybe I just missed this kind of saddle time as I focus on running these past weeks. I am supposed to be riding 40 to 80km per week to cross train, but due to tons of tasks, both as Dada and Graphic/Web Designer, I am not able to pull it off.
Priorities – run now, bike later.
pinoyoutdoor 