Giant Escape's Solo Night Ride in Aspire Zone

My Giant Escape's Conversion is not yet complete...

I'm still Halfway to my SS conversion...

But I Still Managed to do a Night Ride with It.

Night Ride @ the Aspire Zone Bikelane w/ my Unfinished SS Bike

My Next SS Conversion Project: Giant Escape 1

Due to my Recent Failed Conversion Project

Meet my 6th Bike Project....

A Pre-Loved Giant Escape 1 Hybrid Commuter Bike

courtesy of sir Vince Flores Candaruma of Padyak Qatar / PMTB.ME

stock built - Giant Escape 1

Skinny Bike's Upgrades, Tool Kits & Safety Light

Dumb me, I failed the Conversion Project....

I can't blame myself on that, but still, I need a more reliable set up... 

and buying a new bike is not an option....

And this is another case of UPGRADE-ITIS

this is a kind of virus which is common with Mountain Bikers

it's the most common Wallet Killers....

it will almost empty your wallet as soon as this virus struck you...

it struck me many times before back home,

and now it struck me once again.

This Time.... the virus is more of beneficial....

I've got some More Reliable Parts for my Skinny Bike

and some parts to upgrade my experience to the next level.

my Skinny Bike's New Look with some New Parts.
(New Slick Tires, New Clipless Pedals & New Accessories)

My Skinny Bike Failed Upgrade and Conversion

The Master Plan: 

To Convert my Hybrid SS / Fixie Bike into

a Hybrid SS Cyclocross Bike....

Ok... what the heck am I thinking?

I have this stock Hybrid Single Speed / Fixie Bike with a really very thin tires...

they are meant to be rode on concrete pavements only.....

My Skinny Bike's Stock Built

Imagine me as a 200 lbs. mountain biker, riding this bike on a rugged terrain...

(yep, I was on Mountain Biker back home, 

I have a XC Hardtail and an AM Full Suspension bike)

My skinny bike failed me two times...

I saw this photo on one of my friend's Facebook account

It gives me an Idea to change my Skinny Bike's Configuration to make it Trail worthy

GIANT ESCAPE R1 - Customized SS Cyclocross Built
photo courtesy of: Ryan Tipay (w/o his permission LOL...)

FUTURE UPGRADE MATCH UP: SINGLE SPEED CONVERSION KITS

Since I will change my Skinny Bike's set up from Hybrid SS / Fixie Commuter into CycloCross Hybrid with SS drivetrain and I will use a Shimano WH-R500 wheelset, I need a Single Speed Conversion kit to match with the Splined-Cassette Hub...

My choices are the following

Fire Eye FE-SSK Single Speed Kit

The FireEye SSK (Single Speed Kit) converts a standard 8/9-speed shimano-splined cassette hub to a single speed hub in a snap. The SSK comes 3 different sized alloy spacers to provide proper chain line alignment, and a lock ring to keep everything locked down tight. You'll be pleasantly surprised how easy and enjoyable a single speed can be.

DMR Single Speed Converter Kit

The single speed conversion kit is the most effective and easiest way of converting your bike to single speed set up without buying a whole new wheel.

Two precision-machined anodised spacers sandwich a single 16t cog to replace your entire 8 or 9 speed cassette

Gusset 1-ER Single Speed Conversion Kit

Single Speed adaptor kit for 8/9 speed Shimano compatible cassette hubs.

Pair of CNC machined aluminium spacers offer lateral support to ‘Deep-tooth’ single sprocket. 

Built-in offset optimises chainline.

Supplied with 16 & 18T 3/32” cogs* and lockring.

*Note: Cog teeth are 3/32” – 6/7/8 Speed. 

Not suitable for narrow 5/64” (9 speed) chains.

12,13,14,16,18 and 20T cogs also available separately.

Note: If run with smaller than 14T - must be used with 3/32" chain - as 1/8" chain will bite into spacers.

Da Bomb 9 To 1 PRO Single Speed Kit

We have a strong acrobatic heritage. We always like to be up in the air whether on our Downhill or Street rides. For those that want to be extra secure or robust, we provide all the necessary kits or parts to make your ride a fully capable high-flying machine. From conversion kits to chain tensioners and chain guides, we got em' all!

Material: Alloy Body

Function: Converts 9-speed hubs to a single-speed system

Components: 16T & 18T, two spacers, a lockring

Weight: 130g

Surly Single Speed Kit

Set of five spacers for converting to singlespeed on Shimano freehub bodies

Includes stainless steel lockring

(Sprocket not included)

Origin-8 Single Speed Conversion Kit

Fits most road and mountain hubs

Includes: Single-Speed guide

16T and 18T Chromoly cogs

6061 alloy cog spacers (8)

New conical spacers for increased cog stiffness

~ o O o ~

And the list goes and continues.....

I have an eye on the Fire Eye FE-SSK Single Speed Conversion Kit

which is first on my list. It is not the cheapest among the listed kits

but I have many color options to choose from. plus it is readily available from my source back home.

descriptions & photos taken from

chainreactioncycles.com

surlybikes.com

fireeye-bike.com

dabombbike.com

read: my Future Upgrade: Shimano WH-R500 Wheelset

read: my Skinny Bike's Stock Bike Build

Future Upgrade Review: Shimano WH-R500 Entry Level Wheelset

Few months ago, I have planned to change my current bike set up.

Hybrid SS / Fixie Commuter bike into a Hybrid Cyclocross (CX) bike.

I want my options to be the Cheapest but still Reliable, and can take the

stresses and abuses that I put in the bike every time I (a 200 lbs rider) rode it

Shimano Road Sport WH-R500 Wheelset Review

Shimano WH-R500 wheelset (photo courtesy of wiggle.co.uk)

(taken from bikewheelsets.com)

The Shimano WH-R500 wheelset sits at the bottom of Shimano’s entry-level Road Sport series. And that’s where it belongs. This is a no-frills wheelset, designed as a stock wheel on entry-level road bikes, just to get new riders out on the road.  If your bike came with the WH-R500 wheelset, that’s okay for now, but you will want to upgrade your wheelset before you change anything else on your bike.

100 Causes of Bad Shifting

Here is the list of 100 Common Causes of Bad Shifting (or Ghost Shifting)

(taken from bike.shimano.com)

I've Got Myself a New Cycling Bell

I've got myself a new 'Ting! Ting! Ting!' Cycling Bell

from Daiso in Al Khor Mall @ 7 QR..

Cheap @ 7 QR or almost 2 USD or 70 Phil Peso

Make Some Noise and be Noticed.. Ting Ting Ting...

Doha Loop - My First Ride in 2013 (in solo mode)

eventually this was my 1st bicycle ride this year (January 04, 2013)

also my 1st 50km semi epic ride (in solo mode) here in Qatar

2012 Year End Night Ride

Skinny Faye's Year End Night Ride with my Favorite Niece..

dated: December 28, 2012....

Skinny Faye's First Dressed Up

late update - this was supposed to be posted last December 2012

UPDATED MY RIDE FOR A MORE COMFORTABLE SET UP

and more handling efficiency

plus. FACE VALUE.... LOL!

Parts i used was supposed to be on my ORIGINAL plan (a cross country single speed bike)

which is obviously superseded with this Hybrid SS / Fixie