kamotE trails

I got these powerbanks from Lazada when they did a flash sale. Talk about hot products. All stocks were gone in a day.  I was lucky to get these two because they limit purchases to one for each color. It comes in a small color coded package. I got the gold one and my wife got the pink. She wanted the gold but that means I get stuck with the very masculine pink so she gave me the gold. The gold is not really like Saudi gold or the yellowish gold we're familiar with. It's more of a metallic brownish shade which is nice. The pink is also nice, looks like metallic red and not hello kitty pink. I could have gotten away with that color. Build The powerbank is made of aluminum. Solid feel and cold to touch. It claims to be credit card sized but not credit card thick. It's fat but small. On the front are four led to indicate status and charge. A power button which doesn't seem to do much but just check on the remaining charge. There are also a micro USB plug for chargin...

Tagaytay is famous for its cool weather so a lot of tourists come here on the weekends.  This is also a usual destination for most southern cyclists.  There are various places and routes cyclists take when going to Tagaytay but one thing is sure, all of them goes through a hell of a climb. Tagaytay is located south of Manila. There are two major roads you can take to reach the Tagaytay proper; Santa Rosa route or the Aguinaldo Hiway route. Last weekend, we tried to climb Tagaytay after a long break from our weekend biking routine. The familiar feel of your thighs burning during the climb all came back to us. Our starting point was at Jollibee Pacita in San Pedro, Laguna. From there, we took the national hiway up to Pavillion Mall in Binan. From there we took the inner roads going to Nuvali. As we reached the intersection of Nuvali, we turned right to Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road then the uphill battle begun. fog covered road ahead After some 16 kilometers of uphill cl...

I've had this brake set for almost a year installed on my Merida HT bike. There are various reasons why I chose this brake set apart from other options in the market. Tidy cockpit with I-Spec technology I-Spec - this brake can be used with the XT I-Spec shifter that I planned to buy that time. Its also neat on the handlebar since there are less clamps that are cluttered on the bar. Brake pads with fins that are seen on the higher Shimano models can be used with this brake set. Value for money - nice brakes that won't break your bank. Squishy levers One thing I noticed after installing the brakes is the squishy lever. Coming from an Alivio brakeset where a slight squeeze will apply the brakes instantly, I feel that the new brake lever need to travel more before the brakes bite. I don't know if this is how a modulated brake is supposed to feel but it really doesn't feel right. noisy combination. Alligator rotors + Deore brakes I topped up the min...

I've got this grips 3 years ago and its still the shit. I got it for Php 500 at Cartimar when I first assembled my mountain bike. Dabomb Holy Shit Grips Build It's a "lock on" grip meaning it has clamps on both end that you use to secure it to the handle bar.  I prefer this kind of locking mechanism for the grip compared to the traditional slide on type. It's easy to pull out in case you want to change your brake lever or shifter. It's also easy to replace your handle bar. The other type of grip is such a pain to remove and it's also prone to movement when in use. Definitely find the "lock on" type of grip for your bikes. Feel The grip is made of soft rubber with embossed skulls all over. At first, I found the skull design a bit dorky but it grows on you. The feel is superb. It's soft and grippy. Very comfortable. Durability After some years, my grips are worn out on the outer palm side. It's understandable since that...

I recently changed the pads of my V-brakes in my foldie.  The old pads were quickly depleted after a rainy commute home.  Water on the rims and brakes dramatically increases the wear on your pads. Blue Jagwire Pads on the front brakes I purchased 2 sets of Jagwire V-brake pads from Paulina's at Cartimar. They were twice the price of the local MOB brake pads. I was hoping for better performance with the "Jagwire" pads. "Jagwire" in quotes because I am in doubt if its genuine just a China rip off. After cleaning the wheels and installing the new pads. There was a noticeable noise when braking from both the front and back brakes. It was so irritating that it was calling the attention of all the pedestrians I pass by. A loud metal screeching noise. I tried a few things to eliminate the noise: Let normal use eliminate the noise. (FAILED) 40 kilometers of commuting and the noise is still present and mocking me. Clean the wheels (FAILED) I realized...

After I bought my Merida Big Seven frame, I needed to change my rear hub to a thru axle type. I looked around for a good but not too pricey hub in the local market.  Finding a 142x12mm hub is not easy unless you go to the bike stores in Cartimar or Quiapo. DaBomb + XT Cogs I had 3 hubs to choose from. A Shimano SLX priced at Php 2,500 but weighed a lot. A Fireeye Excelerant hub that is super light but costs Php 5,000 after haggling. And my pick, Da Bomb Rotate Hubs. A balance of weight and price. DaBomb Hub + 142mm Thru Axle Specs Bearings: 4 Sealed Bearing Material: Aluminum Holes: 32 Holes Weight: 355g Sound: somehow "Tunog Mayaman" (a term referring to the loud freewheel sound present in Hope Hubs)

This is a Japanese Branded Beer which is also the name of the place where it originated (Sapporo City). It has a crisp and refreshing taste, much like any other pale lager beers. The bitterness from the hops is not so overpowering that gives it an enjoyable taste. Alcohol content is 5.0%. You can enjoy a few bottles before getting the beer buzz. Price is on the high side since it's an imported beer.

I'm a fan of the Fast and Furious movie series.  I must say that their subtle commercial endorsements have affected me.  You've seen Dom Toretto loving this beer. Backyard family scenes that show them having fun, relaxing and drinking Corona. It makes me want to have a barbecue and drink some beer. best enjoyed with a bag of chips I was intrigued and decided to give Corona a taste. I got it from a local grocery store for more than twice the price of a San Miguel Beer. For an imported beer, the price is understandable. In Between San Miguel Pale Beer and Light Beer If you have tried San Miguel Pale Pilsen and San Miguel Light Beer before, you have an idea on how Corona would taste. Corona is a Pale Lager produced in Mexico.  It's exported all over the world and also a top selling beer. At first sip, I it was like SMB Pale Pilsen. Succeeding sips made it seem like a SMB Light beer but not exactly. I could compare its taste somewhere between a SMB Pale Pilsen an...

After a monthly grocery thing with my wife, we looked for a quick fast food dinner around the mall.  We've had KFC the other day so we opted for something else. After spotting a plate of palabok in Goldilocks that look like its been on display for hours we went to Mang Inasal to try their version of the palabok. Unluckily, it was not available so we ordered pork sisig instead. Our luck goes downhill from there. pictured: sad Sad Looking Sisig The plate was served on a hot plate. It's hot but not sizzling hot. Sisig bits comprised 40% of the plate and chicharon made the other 40%. The rest is chopped white onions. The sisig was pale but tasted like a seasoning disaster. It was very salty. You may need to eat a lot of rice to water down the saltiness of the sisig. An Orthodontic Nightmare My dentist always advise me to stay away from chips and nuts to avoid damaging my braces. I still eat chips but take extra care to avoid getting the brackets chipped off. The ...

Rainy days are upon us and its time to include a rain gear in your bike pack. You wouldn't want to ride in the rain for an hour without any protective clothing. I didn't like the experience of being drenched in rain and the head wind chilling you more. Cheap and Lightweight I was on the hunt for a cheap(relatively) and lightweight rain jacket that I can keep in my bag in case of heavy rains.  My search led me to a list of outdoor brands with costs ranging from Php 2,000 to Php 6,000.  I was hesitant to spend that much on something that I would just stash in my bag and hopefully wear at least once a year. I was locking on to buy an Adidas water resistant jacket in a outlet store up North but then I saw Uniqlo's Parka jacket.  It was on sale for only Php 990. It was perfect. Looks water resistant enough and lightweight.  It's lighter than the plastic rain jacket I used to carry around. Packable I folded it up real nice and packed it in a small pouch. You c...