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?
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.
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!
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.
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.
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