The Bike Affair

A weekend bicycle getaway

2011-12-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

What	A bicycle ride through Anatagiri forest, camping under the stars, lots of fun
When	24^th-25^th Dec 2011
Level	Easy
Accommodation	Tents
Food	North Indian vegetarian
Suggested bike Type	Mountain bikes
Fees	Rs. 2,700/person(includes accommodation, food, transportation, support)

Itinerary

Day 1, 24^th Dec (saturday), 2011

Start time: 3.30 pm from the Campsite (at Vikarabad)

End time: 6.30 pm

Distance: 40 km

Terrain: Mix of tarmac and mud roads

Route: Through the hills and forests of Anathagiri. For almost 12 km we will ride along the backwaters of Kotepally Lake. The ride will end at Kotepally Lake. From Kotepally lake, transportation will be arranged back to the resort. Back to resort by 7.30 pm

Other related Details

*Pickup of bikes and riders from The Bike Affair at 10.30 am, Saturday 24^th Dec.2011

*We will be based at Deccan Trails (http://www.deccantrails.com/) , a resort located right at the edge of the Anathgiri forest.

Lunch and dinner at Deccan Trails.

Day 2, 25^th Dec (Sunday), 2011

Start time: 6.30 am from the Campsite (at Vikarabad)

End time: 10.00 am

Distance: 30 km

Terrain: Mix of tarmac, mud road, trails

Route: Ride through the serene countryside around Vikarabad, through the Ananthagiri hills

Other related Details

*We board the bus at 11.00 am from Deccan trails. Back to Hyderabad (Kondapur) by 1 pm

For Registration/Further Details

Call The Bike Affair (www.thebikeaffair.com) at 9966040005 or email krish@thebikeaffair.com

What’s included?

1. Stay in tents

2. Lunch and dinner on 24^thDec and breakfast on 25^th Dec.

3. Pick up and drop from The Bike Affair, Kondapur to Deccan trails, Vikarabad, and vice versa.

4. Transport of your bike from The Bike Affair, Kondapur to Deccan trails, Vikarabad, and vice versa.

5. Support vehicle carrying snacks, water, electoral.

6. Mechanic support.

What’s not included?

1. Your bikes. You can get your own bikes, or rent a bike from us. Rental bikes will cost Rs. 450 for the entire trip.

2. Any bicycle spares that needed during the trip.

3. Bikes need to be packed by the respective owners before transporting them to destination. The Bike Affair will only provide necessary packaging materials.

4. Anything that is not mentioned under ‘what’s included’

HCC Championships Race - 5

2011-10-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Its time for the 5th edition of HCC Championship on Sunday, Oct 30th, 6am - 40 km road race this time. This is the second of the team events. Got the legs? Fill up the registration form below and Join the Peleton !

If you want to register your team, or want to join an existing team, send a mail to racedirector@hyderabadcyclingclub.in

More details here - HCC meetup page

Session on Bike maintenance and Service camp

2011-10-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

For all you bikers who had come down from secunderabad all the way to TBA to pick up your bike, this is our way to say 'we appreciate'. This one is free service camp ( first service /basic

tune ups) for all TBA customers who stay in and around Secunderabad. If you haven't bought the bike from us, you are still welcome ( we might charge you for the service though). While you get your bike serviced, we are going to do a quick demonstration on how to sparkle,lube and maintain your drivetrain.

What : Session on Bike maintenance and Service camp

When : 21oct2011, 6.am

Where : Lothakunta, Secunderabad. Please click here

A big thanks to Santosh for helping us put the camp. To register , please mail to krish@thebikeaffair.com with the subject 'secunderabad service camp'

Workshop - Basic Bike Maintenance

2011-09-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

Been always wanted to clean and lube your bike, but not confident enough to give it a go? This Saturday morning, get your bike at its filthiest, and get your hands all dirty to make it sparkling clean. More so, the bike that comes with the dirtiest drive train wins a free finish line degreaser:)

Details as below:

What : Basic Bike Cleaning and Maintenance workshop

Why : Because nothing in the world feels better than riding a freshly cleaned and lubed bike.

When : 10th Sep 2011, morning 7.30 am

Location : TBA store, Kondapur. More details here -

http://www.thebikeaffair.com/contactus.html

Covers : A theoretical session on what needs maintenance on your bike , how it needs to be done, usage of degreaser and multiple kind of lubes. Followed by a hands on workshop on cleaning your bike and drive train, lubing the chain , derailleurs, gear and brake cables.

Entries : 20 riders. The cap on the no. of bikes for the workshop is 10 ( preference will go to first 10 registration)

Fees : Rs 100 per participant, which will be used to cover the cost of degreasers, lubes, and a quick breakfast and chai.

The only stuffs that you need to bring are:

a) A soiled tooth brush

b) Rags/waste cloth

To register or enquire email us at krish@thebikeaffair.com or call us at the contact nos. mentioned at http://www.thebikeaffair.com/contactus.html

HBCC 8 - A Photo Blog

2011-06-16T22:21:00.001-07:00

Sunday 17th June, 2011, 5.45 am - While most of us preferred to catch up on our weekly backlog of sleep, 20 odd members(volunteers included) of Hyderabad bicycling club championship were found waiting at the start line for the race to start. For them , it was no ordinary Sunday, but 2nd sunday of June and time for the 8th edition of Hyderabad Bicycling club Championship. This time a road challenge. ( FYI, HBC organizes a race second Sunday of every month). I had the privilege of following the riders on my activa with photographer Devraj. Here's an pictorial account of how it went

Riders waiting for the race to start. 17 in all, not all of them in the pic

Roopak went for a sprint start

And succeeded in developed a big gap pretty soon. Rest of the ride he was on a time trial. Srikanth had a real bad start, and is the last rider you can spot in the pic.

Vamsi and Gokul (not in pic) had a great start too, and was right behind the wheel of Sunil for quite a long time.

Murali trying to catch up Gokul and Vamsi.

Deepu had an ordinary start, but is slowly breaking away from the rest of the pack here

Mahesh, followed by Sam and Vamsi

Meanwhile Sunil broke away from the rest of the pack too, and Srikanth did a terrific job to come all the way up just behind Roopak and Sunil. Here, he is seen breathing right on Sunil's neck.

Roopak however, at the 15 km mark, had already build a minutes gap between himself and Sunil.

Sreekanth at the 21 km turn around point. By now, he has overtaken Sunil.

Gokul fighting cramps and saddle sores( new saddle)

Well, Roopak was too fast, and finished before we reached. Srikanth finishes second. Devraj(photographer) congratulates him.

1st, 2nd and 3rd, left to right

Deepu was the first MTB guy to finish, and was 5th overall. Wonder what will happen if he gets hold of a road bike.

Chilling out while waiting for the other riders to finish.

More pics of HBCC 8 here

Workshop - Fix a Flat

2011-06-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

Lot of riders do come down from the farthest corner of the city to TBA to pick up a bike. Not a great feeling to ride down 25-30 km through traffic to get your bike serviced, for sure. Keeping them in mind, TBA will be arranging their first service camp at secunderabad on 05th June 2011.

We also thought that this would be a nice platform to have the first of our bike maintainance session - 'Fix a Flat'. ( for riders in the techier side of the town, we will have one at our store very soon ). A special thanks to Santosh who has agreed to let us highjack his garage for the camp.

When : 05-June-2011, Flat Fixing : 6 am - 7 am. Bike servicing : 7 am - 10.30 am
What : Puncture repair session followed and bike tune up for riders needing their bike to be serviced.
Cost : Puncture repair session is free. Service and tune up of bike is free for TBA customers.
Location : Plot No. #25,Venkateshwara Colony,Saraswathi Nagar, Lothkunta, Secunderabad
Click here for the map

As far as the Puncture Repair Session is concerned, we would be demonstrating
a) taking off and putting back the front and the rear wheels correctly .
b) changing a tube
c) detecting punctures and patching up tubes

Please do us at 9966040005 or send a mail to krish@thebikeaffair.com to register for the event.

HBCC 7 - The MTB Race

2011-05-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

Get ready for the 7th edition of the HBC Championship - this time it is an MTB one. What's more, the route is so scenic that we have decided to open it for non racers/leisure riders too. To organise it better, there will also be a donation of Rs200 per participant ( applies for racers and non racers).

Location : Around Narsapur Lake. Approx 50 km from Kondapur, and 25 km from Gandimaisamma, on the medak road. Distance: 20-30 KM.
Route : 8-9 km loop, to be ridden multiple times. Combination of untarred country roads and forest trails. Scenic and thrilling. Non racers can do at their own pace. Riders are responsible for their safety and that of other riders.
Categories : a) Racer b) Non racer/leisure rider
Start Time : 6 am for racers, 6.30 am for leisure riders.
End time : Ride will get over by 8 am. We will pack up and head back by 9 am.
Donation : Rs 200/rider. This will cover
a) to and fro transport of limited nos of bikes,
b) supply of drinking water and refreshments ( juices , electrol, banana).
c) Mechanic support ( only for genuine mechanical problems, and not for punctures)

The trail while beautiful is very unforgiving. More details on HBC meet up site
http://www.meetup.com/HyderabadBicyclingClub/events/17511009/

MTB with knobbies are must. Road bikes, hybrids, or mtbs with sleeks will not be allowed in the race for safety reasons.

Riders who want to join either has to RSVP on the meetup side or let me know so I can do it on their behalf. If you don't have a bike, TBA will be happy to arrange one for you at an additional cost.

Movie Time - Chasing Legends

2011-05-02T00:05:00.001-07:00

What : Lunch, movie, coffee.
When : Sunday, 15th May 2011, 1 pm - 4 pm
Where : My Cafe latte , Kondapur (in the lane opposite Google).
Costs : Rs 250/person ( lunch + beer/coffee + movie)

Indulge yourself in some great food at My Cafe Latte while you watch Chasing Legends, a movie that brings out all the drama of 2009 Tour De France, as seen through the eyes of HTC Columbia.

Riders are welcome to get friends and family members along. Do block your seats by sending a mail to krish@thebikeaffair.com with subject 'Chasing Legends'. Limited seats.

TBA-Medical Workshop

2011-04-18T22:47:00.000-07:00

For all who want to use bit of advice on first aid and injury management, Doc Muralidhar would be conduction a session on the same at The Bike Affair, 23rd April, 7.30 am. Doc Murali has been a general practitioner since the last 9 years. He is also a long distance runner and a keen cyclist.

He will cover the following

a) Accidents
- minor (bruises/road rashes/cuts/abrasions/sprains)
- major (dislocations/fractures/head injuries)

How to stabilize and manage these injuries and recognizing critical injuries.

b) Repetitive Strain Injuries
- lower back, upper back, knee, wrist
- numbness of wrist/palm,... handlebar palsy

Causes, prevention, precaution and remedy.

If time permits, he will also talk about the aspects of nutrition and hydration, before, during and after a ride.

This is a free session, but you need to register yourself by sending a mail at krish@thebikeaffair.com, with subject 'TBA-Medical Workshop'.

A weekend Bicycle Escapade : 28th-30Jan 2011

2011-01-19T22:37:00.000-08:00

Here's a belated new year gift from TBA - A biking escapade into the hills and jungles of Ananthgiri, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Now, you have always wanted to be on a vacation that lets you sample some great food and still loose a pound or two? Not to mention the terrific scenery and the awesome trails around. Pictures from the recce can be found here

http://thebikeaffair.blogspot.com/2010/11/coming-up-organised-biking-trips-from.html

What : Januari@Ananthgiri, a weekend of Bliss
When : 28-30Jan, 2011
Stay: Trails, an eco resort right at the edge of Ananthgiri Forest, Vikarabad
Food: North Indian vegetarian
Suggested Bike Type : MTB
Difficulty : Medium
Fees: Rs 4900 (+ 10.3% service tax) for the complete trip, per person on twin sharing basis.
Itinerary :

Day 1, 28-Jan-2011 :

Start point: The Bike Affair, Kondapur
End point: Deccan Trails, Vikarabad (Manneguda)

Option a) Ride to Vikarabad
Start time: 6.00 am
Route: Scenic village routes through shankarpalle, nawabpet, vikarabad, manneguda
Distance: 80 km

You will be checked in at one of the twin sharing tents at Deccan Trails, a luxury jungle resort commanding a splendid view of the ananthgiri forests. You will be based at Trails throughout this trip. Optional 10 km trail riding in ananthgiri jungles in the evening. If you don’t want to cycle any more, you can opt for a jungle walk instead.
Dinner followed by campfire.

Option b) Drive down to Vikarabad
Start time: 4.00 pm
Route: Gachibowli., Outer Ring Road, Moinabad ( via Vikarabad road), Chevela, Manneguda, Deccan Trails.

Dinner, campfire and stay at one of the twin sharing tents at Deccan trails - a luxury jungle resort commanding a splendid view of the Ananthgiri forests.

Day 2, 29-Jan -2011

Start time : 6.30 am
End time : 11 am
Distance : Around 50 km
Route : local loop, primarily trail riding through some nice and quite little villages , hills, and farmlands, in and around the ananthgiri forest belt.

Rest of the day at leisure at Trails.
Campfire after dinner

Day 3 , 30-Jan-2011

Start time : 6.30 am
End time : By 12 pm
Distance : Option of 45km or 90 km
Route : Manneguda, Vikarabad, Anathgiri, Kirelli, Kotepally lake, Vikarabad

Today’s ride is going to be through some of the serene countryside around Vikarabad - primarily a road ride through village roads, with scenic views. We will cross Vikarabad town, get onto the anathgiri hills; take a very scenic route downhill to reach the village of kirelli. We will then continue forward to the Kotepally lake. There will be a few km of nice and relaxed trail riding thrown in around the backwaters of Kotepally Lake – a birdwatchers delight. You have the option to stop the ride here (and get into the support vehicle with your bike. Around 45 km), or complete the full loop (90km) till the resort

Once you are back at resort, you will need to pack up your bikes. Packing materials will be provided. You can then head for lunch. Post lunch, transport will be arranged for you and your bikes. Destination will be The Bike Affair, Kondapur.

Whats included :

Stay at the luxury jungle resort Deccan trails in twin sharing tents
Breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, and dinner. Food served will be north Indian vegetarian plus boiled eggs for breakfast and dinner.
Pick up and drop from The Bike Affair, Kondapur to Deccan trails, Vikarabad, and vice versa
Transport of your bike from The Bike Affair, Kondapur to Deccan trails, Vikarabad, and vice versa.
Support vehicle on day 3, in case you don’t want to ride the whole distance.
A mechanic will accompany the team of volunteers, in case you need any help with your bicycle.

Whats not included :

Your bikes. You can get your own bikes, or rent a bike from us. Rental bikes will cost Rs 800 for the whole trip.
Any bicycle spares that you may require during the trip.
Bikes need to be packed by the respective owners before transporting them to destination. The Bike Affair will only provide the necessary packaging materials.
Anything that is not mentioned under ‘what’s included’

For reservations/information, mail krish@thebikeaffair.com or call us @ 9966040005

The 2011 Schwinn Sporterra and Sporterra Sport

2010-12-28T23:46:00.000-08:00

Its been couple of weeks since we received our fiurst stock of the new schwinn sporterra and sporterra sport. So this is defnitely a delayed report . Overall, the sporterra series seems to have undergone a total change. The most striking change is of course the new frame. Other changes inlcude the new saddle, the tyres, the hndle bar grips, the shifters. And even the logo

The Schwinns in the box

Thats an oldie

The new logo looks quite stunning, especially on black

The 2011 sporterra looks totally different. Especially different is the frame.

And so is the sporterra sport

The frames are now more MTB inspired. The saddle, the shifters, the handle bar grips, the tyres, everything has changed. True to the MTP inspiration, the tyres have gone a little thicker. 700 x 37c

Another angle

Same with Schwinn Sporterra

The new saddle looks sleeker, and definitely is a welcome change. As before, the seat post comes withn a suspension. The quick release now comes with a rubber think on top. Welcome change again.

The bar tapes have now been upgraded to rubber grips on handlebar, which again is a nice thing. The shifters, though the same , looks differnt in their 2011 version.

The rear alivio derailleur on Searcher sport , which is ofcourse the same as it used to be in 2010 version.

TFN - Day 5

2010-12-27T22:44:00.000-08:00

The day was supposed to start at 8 am, but it has been drizzling since the time I got up. This being a day of long descents, organisers didn't want the riders to ride on wet roads. The schedule start was pushed to 9 am. The rain however, didn't stop, and instructions on efficient braking and speed controls, we were out on the road at 9 am. I had my rain jacket on; it was still drizzling. But my body heated up pretty soon, and it felt nice to ride in rain. The terrain was rolling to start with. I was super careful on the descents and were testing my brakes every now and then. However, the rain stopped as we closed towards pykara lake. That made me confident on the descents, and I started enjoying it. This was definitely my longest descent.

Soon I passed the first service station, hit gudalur , and was off into the tea estates.The terrain became rolling again, the landscape breathtaking. I stopped every now and then to take pictures. The road has been pretty good with lots of down hill too. But towards the end I realised I was running behind time. I pushed a little hard towards the end, and made it to hotel Green Gates, Kalpetta by around 6.30 pm. Overall, a nice and long ride, with the best vistas so far in the tour. Heard later that one of the riders crashed on the ooty, and had to return back to bangalore the next day.

Riders waiting for the rain to stop

On the ouitskirt of Ooty

A waterbody couple of kms down the pykara lake. Definitely worth a breather.

Riders zooming past

More greenery

Mansij - the blogger, and Jas- the volunteer trying to reach the bike mechanic to help out a rider in despair.

After neduvattam, on the way down from Ooty, the road was surrounded by mist and fog

The fog started to thin out after a couple of km though

A cyclist passes through the eucalyptus forest.

Came across Boni and gang on my way to Devala. Turned out the hanger that Boni had fabricated in Ooty wasn't really able to take the load. So boni is in the middle of converting his bike back to single speed.

Riders ride through the tea gardens around Devala.

Tea gardens and hills where ever you look at

More tea gardens

Ravi breezes through

Ankur rides up at one of the small uphill sections. At this point it was close to 4.30 pm, and I had more than 55 km to be covered. I decided to push it a little hard ride non stop .

Is that the chembra peak?

Around meppadi, the landscape gets a new life. The hills are now closer and bigger, and some of roads seems to be merging right into the hills. I was definitely running out of time, but thought I won't do justice to the place if I don't do a pic stop here. Our destination - Green Gates hotel, kalpetta was around 20 km from here.

TFN - Day 4 (rest day)

2010-12-25T00:45:00.000-08:00

So after 3 hard days of ride, one thing was sure. Nobody wanted to ride their bike on the rest day. Some riders decided to trek doddabetta, some went bird watching, some were busy cleaning and lubing their bike, and some went chocolate shopping. Places offering massage was very high in demand too. Myself, Sunil and Paul drove down to Coonoor.

Rakesh Nair giving his bike a good wash.

Myself, Paul and Sunil stop at a viewp0int on the way to Coonoor.

We met Jacob at the very laid back Coonoor town. He invited us home for a cup of coffee, and played host for a wonderful lunch at Coonoor Club, an even more laid back place.

Inside the Coonoor Club

After lunch, Jacob led us to some sight seeing around Coonoor. This picture is at the lambs rock. We were hoping to spot some bisons, but no luck

Jacob, Paul and Sunil

Came back to hotel by 6 pm. Came to know that Boni had a fabricated a derailleur hanger for his bike, and his fuji is now back to multispeed mode.

TFN - Day 3

2010-12-21T09:59:00.001-08:00

When I accepted the TFN invite this year, I knew this has to be toughest day. More than 50 km of proper climbs, out of which around 26 km being relentless. I knew I had to train for this, but that never happened. Will I be able to do this climb? I don't know. It was too late to even think about the question.

My left shoe had been biting my little finger, which was becoming a challenge for me. I decided to ride with my floaters today. The floater had a very soft sole, which is going to be a major disadvantage, especially on the climbs, but I didn't have any other option for now.

We had our briefing in the morning and was told that this being forest territory, we will be riding in small group. There were couple of leopard sightings yesterday, and elephant sighting too is pretty common. We started from the Bush Beta resort at 8.30 am, and rode though the bandipur forests. It felt really nice riding through the forests, and we decided to take it slow enjoying the surrounding. We spotted lots of deer, and also a bison which ran across the road. I was hoping to spot some elephants, but it didn't happen.

We soon crossed the forests area, and reached gudalur, from where the climb starts. I gave it everything I had. It was very steep, I guess, the initial couple of kms part might be 7-8% , and soon I ran out of energy. There after, it was breaks every few minutes, franatic spinning at my lowest gear combination, and persuading myself that this is doable.

Through the Bandipur forests. Vinay, Gokul, Amit and others stop for the other riders to catch. I use the opportunity to take pictures

Lots and lots of deers grazing in the forests. They seem to be very used to the tourists. Gokul can't resist capturing them.

A nasty speed breaker follows a nice and long downhill. Amit, who hasn't topped up the air pressure enough, gets a pinch flat. We replace the tube and pump in some fresh air.

A monkey steals a packet of enerzol at the first rest station. He manages to open the packet very efficiently and savours it.

Nice long downhill follows after a climb. Amit and Gokul freewheeling

A very scenic part of the route as keep riding towards gudalur.

The Ooty climb starts. The first 25 km from gudalur was really stee, I had to take very frequent breaks. Vinay giving it his all.

The scenery was worth admiring though. The road, the mist, the greenery's - couldn't have been any better.

Around 10 km into the climb, we come across a very scenic stretch with giant eucalyptus trees both side. The smell of the eucalyptus leaves was very refreshing

Riders ride through the eucalyptus firm

I kept taking breathers

The slopes were really steep, and I realised I was massively under trained for this kind of terrain. However, the frequent breaks contributed to many photo opportunities

Around 4 km after service station 2, and 26 km from gudalur, the terrain got much better. The relentless climbs were replaced by rolling hills. Unexpectedly, we were even rewarded by some nice downhills which did wonders to our spirit. In this picture, Chidambaram climbs up.

The route was serene and scenic .It was 2 pm, and I took a 15 min power nap on the thick carpet of green grass on the other side of the rail.

Stopped at the a small bridge on the way to service station 3, and listened to the water gushing by.

Reached the service station 3, and this is what I saw when I laid down my back on a mat.

I ultimately reached YWCA at 5 pm, 89 km of days ride. But mentally , this was the most challenging ride I have ever done. I was told almost80% of the rider finished this ride, and King of the Hills was Amrish, who completed the whole ride by 11.40am. Paul and roopak finished by 12.30 pm. Boni completed the ride earlier than most of us in his now single speed ( broken derailer hanger). He plans to fabricate a hanger at ooty.

TFN - Day 2

2010-12-19T10:57:00.000-08:00

Day 2 was tough and long, the toughest day so far in the tour. Distance wise, it was 157km - not too long. But very tough indeed. Partly due to the climbs, partly due to the hot afternoon sun, and partly due to some very bad roads, and partly due to my shoe biting into the little finger of my left feet. I am glad that I completed the ride. Some captures below

Early morning second day - bikes waiting for the riders. While riders were getting ready for the day, I clicked some pictures of the machines

Anand's BMC

Paul's Pinarello Dogma

During breakfast, we were handed the day's route map.the last 15 km of the map is on the other side of the paper. To bandipur, 157 km ride.

Riders starting for the days ride.

The day didn't start off well for me. Myself, Sunil and Deena started together. 2 km into the ride, my bottle was out in the ground. Realised, the bottle cage is done.

Another 5 km into the ride, one of the rider overtook me in a hurry, came in front of me, and braked hard as there was a bus coming from the other side. I had to suddenly brake, and in the hurry to uncleat, the pedal bounced off and created a deep mark below my knee. Stopped, washed my knee with help for villagers, put some band aid, and carried on.

At around 20 km mark, deena wanted to take a break

While Deena stretched, I used my camera to take some pics. Pradeep and his wife in the frame here

Me and Deena reached the first service station , at 40 km mark.

Vandit, Sumit in the frame

Around 20 km further into the ride, I stopped to take a pic. Deena kept going, and I couldn't catch him there after.

By now, my my left shoe was giving trouble. It was biting my little finger, and I had to stop and take of my shoes for 5 -10 min after every 45 min. Heres Hrishi Nair, TFN's youngest rider and her mother Rossana rides through as the official TFN photographer captures the moment.

Another break, another rider

Going down a hill

I kept taking breaks to take my shoe off, and the pictures flowed

Service station 2 - villagers checking out our bikes

These and much more on offer at ST. And the peanut butter is real yummy

Volunteers in action

I was riding alone at times.

While I take my shoes off and give me feet a breather, 2 more riders pass by. This was around 1 pm, and it was getting tough, especially with the climbs.

98km covered, and the sight of service station gives a relief. It is also the lunch station. It is 2 pm.

Volenteers and riders taking some rest. I had my lunch, waited till 3pm to avoind the afternoon sun, and then started my ride. This time, there were around 5 more riders with me. But breakes every 45 min means I will have to ride alone in short while anyway.

Around 20 km down, road marking showing the right way. The sign of home though was illusive and 35 km away from here.

At last we reach gudalur, and take the left turn at highway. I was running out of time( it was 5 pm already, and i had to cover 3o more km), and the sight of the smooth highway after those bad roads did wonders to my morale. I caught up with Ankur here, who is in this frame. On the way, we caught up with another bunch of 8 riders, and we rode the rest of ride together.

Close to the our resort in Bandipur, we spotted lots of deer. One of the bunch here, although the autofocus didn't work properly. Reached resort at 6.30 pm, and it was already dark. Dead tired, but happy on completing the ride without being picked up by the sweeper truck. Heard later than only around 60 odd out of 100 completed the day's ride. Also came to know later that Paul had spotted a leopard 10 metres from him on the same route.

TFN - Day 1

2010-12-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

So the much awaited TFN ride started today morning. 100 riders starting together from the Koramangla sports club was sure a spectacle. A few nasty crashes (the riders are doing fine though), a few punctures, a broken derailleur hanger, and of course sore legs - thats the story of the first day. If theres one more thing that needs mention, it has to be the support stations and the route marking, which was precise at any point that had diversion. Glimpses as below

Around 25 km from start, kumar has a puncture. Mark helps him out with the tube swap.

Vandit gets some tune up down. Boni, Saravanana and Sumit completes the gang. Later in the day, I came to know boni's had small accident ( he is all fine) that broke is RD hanger.

The much awaited first support station at around 80 km mark. Stocks a bike pumps and lot of gooodies like biscuits, chikkies, maaza, minute maids, enerzol. And the volenteers were owesome.

I happened to ride with Kumar ( rides a KHS) and his friend for around 15-20km. They took a break before the 3rd support station, and I carried on.

Sunil had taken a wrong turn somewhere in the first 50 km, and wandered off quite a bit. He caught me up at the 3rd service station, where we reached just at the right time for lunch. We met randel too there who was riding his bianchi via nirone 105. But it started pouring and we had a tought time getting a shelter. We set off when the rain eased off. I managed to hang on to Sunils wheel for the next 35 km till our final destination.

The sun came out soon, and we stop to take our rain jackets off.

Sunil rides through one of the more scenic routes , around 30 km to kollegala.

Our acc for the day - kollegal yatri nivas. I finished the day with my 162 km ride, a major part being a nice downhill:)

Trek bikes at TBA

2010-12-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

We received our first lot of trek bikes early this week. Here are some snapshots

Trek it is

The Trek 2.1

The Trek 4300 with hydralic disks

The spinner fork of 4300D

Maninder can smell treks from far away. He was at TBA even before
Raman came to pick up his 2.1

Raman taking the first ride of his new bike

Coming up - Organised Biking trips from TBA

2010-11-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

We have been skirting the vicinity of Hyderabad in search of some good weekend biking destinations . Pics from some of the exploratory rides in and around Vikarabad here

The red soil is probably about to get layered by tarmac.

The trail just disappeared to the end of the hillock into the forest s down below

On a trail inside ananthgiri forests

The early morning sun filters into the forest

If you are stressed out, hit the road from dharur to kotepally

The Kotepally lake

The backwater ride around kotepally lake. Paradise for bird watchers.

Around Kotepally Lake

Some exciting trail riding opportunities inside the forest

Going down a small hill

Negotiating our way after getting lost in the forests.

A break

Gary takes a breather.

One of the trails that we took ended abruptly.Negotiating a climb to the top ,in the hope to connect to another trail.

Kaustub relishes the forest view.

Your ticket to MTB Himachal

2010-10-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

Feeling lucky? You could get yourself an all expense paid ticket(includes event entry, airfare, stay) to MTB Himachal. Interested? Heres what you need to do - Participate in the Hercules City Challenge.

So what's the event all about?

Its a treasure hunt. It's gonna take you around your city, on your bike, in search of clues. The event will end with you heading to the finish, after you have uncovered all the clues and collected your tokens from each location. The first 2 riders finish successfully will win a free trip for the first 2 days of MTB himachal.

Others Details as below :

Date : 10th October 2010
Venue : BSA Go Somajiguda
Time : 5.45 hrs
Registration Fee : Rs 200 ( includes some free accessories that would be given away at the event day)

Registration can be done at any of the following bike stores
1. The Bike Affair
2. BSA Go Somajiguda
3. BSA Go S.P. Road

More details in link below
http://hcc-hyd.doattend.com/
Note : Riders without helmets won't be allowed. Participants below 18 years aren't allowed.

The Schwinn Cutter

2010-08-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

There's a new kid in the block . And unlike others in TBA, she is slightly different. She takes out the complexity from you life. No shifters, no derailleur to crib about the shift quality. Just get on an pedal away. And what do you do when you come across a steep hill? Stand up and pedal:). If that's not simple enough ,feel free to convert her to a fixie. For those who haven't yet been hit by the fixie wave yet, here's the definition from wiki.

'A fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed-wheel bicycle, commonly known in the USA as a fixie) is a bicycle that has no freewheel, meaning it cannot coast — the pedals are always in motion when the bicycle is moving.
The sprocket is screwed directly onto a fixed hub. When the rear wheel turns, the pedals turn in the same direction.[1] This allows a cyclist to stop without using a brake, by resisting the rotation of the cranks, and also to ride in reverse.'

Talking about the bike in question, the Schwinn cutter is not exactly light weight with its high-ten steel frame, doesn't have quick releases for the wheels, and isn't as glamorous as some of her other cousins. But still, she could just be enough to unleash the fixie man in you:)
Specs and pics below
http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/Products/Urban/Fixie/Details/1377-S10CUT-Cutter

The Btwin Hoptown 20

2010-07-30T02:41:00.000-07:00

Recently , we received our new stocks of Btwin bikes. The stocks included a few first timers in TBA. But none is more interesting than the Btwin Hoptown 20 - a 7 speed folding bike with 20 inch wheel. Interesting , because of the promise it brings as a affordable no nonsense folding bike. The time of launch is interesting too , with Dahon set to launch in a month. Accessories like side stand, fenders,chain guard, rear racks, ergo grips, rear LED light(not a blinkie though) comes as standard along with the bike. Some innovative design means there are 2 small wheels on the rack, which are supposed to aid you roll the bike along while still folded. It is too early for me write a review of the bike based on a 2 min ride that I have taken, so just some pics for now.

The Hoptown20, folded and unfolded

The first fold is right at the top of the headset

The seat post slides down

Folds at the centre of the frame.

Pretty compact once folded

The pedal uses a press fold mechanism. Basically, you press the pedal in certain direction to release the lever, and fold it

The rear rack , the luggage strap, the LED non blinkie, fenders - all part of the package

The ergo grips are very comfortable, and looks much better than what you see in this pic. The 7 speed shifter feels different, but shifts smooth.

Plush saddle with nice graphics

The 20 x 1.75 Kenda Quest

Night Trails and the Sigma Karma Pro

2010-07-29T04:12:00.000-07:00

Note : This ride was done in the May 2010. Somehow could get it posted only now.
_______________________________________________________

We have been dying to try out the Sigma Karma Pro that we received a week back. This is one of the high end Sigma Black Series lights. The website calls it 'The attractive night ride specialist'. Well, at 35 lux of light output, it has to be much brighter than anything that I have used till date.

The Tiny Sigma Karma Pro

The light came in an attractive box packing and contained the following

• A lithium ion battery pack that can be attached to the frame using a velcro attachment (included).
• A battery charger to charge the Li Ion battery.
• The Light itself, which is surprisingly tiny , and uses the patented click assembly mounting for attaching itself to the handlebar.

More details can be found at
http://www.thebikeaffair.com/Accessories.aspx?id=13&category=HeadLights
or
http://www.sigmasport.com/en/produkte/beleuchtung/powerlights/karma_pro/?flash=1

The least that a light like this can do is to open up an hitherto unexplored territory – Trails at Night. Karthik, Saravanan, Girish and Devraj were game. Devraj had a powerful enough light with him, and each of the other 3 bikes were set up with whatever other backup lights we had.. Plan was to ride to Osmansagar, taking the trails as much as possible.

The Li-Ion battery pack

9 pm : Ride started from The Bike Affair store, and in no time Saravana was guiding us through some pitch dark trails towards gachibowli, which I had no idea of. This part of the trail started around 500 metres from TBA store , and was dusty at times. We soon reached gachibowli and went the Microsoft way. Once passed Microsoft, we took the trail again. It felt very different riding a bike under the stars. It wasn't one of the full moon nights and there were a bit of cloud cover too, meaning you can't see much apart from the areas lit by your light. That intern added to the fun.

The Sigma Karma Pro was doing its job splendidly. A few observations on the Light.
1. The beam pattern consists of a very bright spot at the centre, followed by a dimmer and bigger circle encompassing the central one. The bigger circle was lightning up the edges of the trail.

Karthik's rockrider lit by the Sigma Karma Pro (high power mode)

2. Although the eco mode is just about enough on half decent to decent tarmac, the trails need one of the other 2 modes.
3. In the high power mode, the light was very bright and was lighting up the unevenness of the trails pretty well from a distance. Meaning one can maintain a decent speed and still ride with confidence.
4. The light tends to get heated up if kept in the ‘Power’ mode( the high output mode) for long time. But this was generally less of an issue because based on the terrain I was switching between the different modes.

By 10.20 pm we were at Osman sagar. In between though, we had stopped quite a few times for snaps, and Devraj was the voluntary cameraman. At Osmansagar, we were the only souls. We enjoyed the cool breeze for some time and then reluctantly headed back. It was a Sunday night, and everybody had to go to work the next day.

The group lit by Karma Pro from around 10 metres

This time, Karthik guided us through a slightly different trail, and this was one of the nicer parts of the ride (sadly on one of our follow up rides we discovered the trail is about to give away to a nice tarred road). This part of the trails, although rocky, was firm, and we enjoyed zooming through it. Some places it had sharp turns, and I would by instinct look towards the turn only to realise the light is not following my vision :). That’s when I realised the need of a helmet light.
We were back at the starting point little after midnight. It was a great ride, and we hoped the next one wasn't far away.

Fresh arrival of accessories and spares

2010-02-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Have been getting enquiries on accessories, and since it is taking a bit of time to update the website with the details, I am taking a short cut here. Recent stock includes lot of new accessories like shoes, clipless pedals , bike hangers, map holder different kind of helmets, etc. .Meanwhile , we are working on updating the site with details of the acccessories

Btwin Comp Racing Helmet White Black - Rs 2499

Btwin Women's helmet White Pink - Rs 1499

Btwin Rockrider 5 Helmet : Rs 1699

Btwin Pannier Rack : Rs 1599

Rockrider 6 MTB shoes (SPD) : Rs 2999 Sport 5 shoes (SPD) : Rs 1999

SPD with cleat Pedals : Rs 1399

Pedal - Duble Function : Rs 1199MTB pedals aluminium : Rs 499

MAP Holder : Rs 199

Wall support bike Hanger for 2 bikes : Rs 799Bike Hook (Roof/Wall) to hang bike by rim : Rs 249

Brake and gear cable kits : Rs 599

Handle bar gel tape black : Rs 399

Handle bar grip 123 mm : Rs 349

Kickstand seatstay : Rs 399

Choosing the right bike

2010-02-12T05:25:00.000-08:00

This blog is dedicated to those who are on the lookout for their first bike. Hope it will be useful.

1. See what type of bikes suit your need : Primarily 3 kinds :
a )Mountain bikes (called MTBs) : Designed and built for off road riding. Characterised by fat knobby tires for grips on off road conditions . Example, Cannondale F9, F8, Fe, etc or our own Hercules Act105, Hero Thunder MTB, etc
b) Road bikes : Designed for speed and distance. Comes with drop bars and sleek tires . Eg, cannondale CAAD series or our own hero hawk.
c) Hybrids (also called city bikes) : Falls somewhere between Mountain bikes and road bikes. Designed for city usage. If you are looking to buy a bike primarily for commuting or long distance weeknd rides, but might also want to do an occasional trail riding( easy ones), this would be the bike. Eg, Cannondale Quick 5, Merida crossway 20V, Schwin sporterra, or hercules act110.

If you are new to cycling and finding it difficult to decide what kind of bike will suit your need, it will be a good idea to ask the sales person to let you try the different kinds.

2. Fitment: Once you know the type of bike suiting your needs, next step is Bike Fit and Size. Most important thing here is the FRAME SIZE. For a rough estimate refer the following link.
http://www.evanscycles.com/help/

Most Indian bike comes with the standard frame size which might suit somebody between 5’5”-5’11”. So if you do not fall in the range, you should be more concerned about the size of your frame. All international brands available in India, like schwinn, cannondale, trek, merida, kona, giant etc comes in different frame sizes though.

Please note there is much more to bike fitment than frame size. It’s not the last thing as far as bike fitment is considered. Refer the links below for more on bike fitment and why you need to consider things beyond the frame size.
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html
The geometry of the frame varies with models and brands, even for the same size of frame. For example, the top tube can be longer in one, meaning you might need to lean forward a bit more than one with a shorter top tube. For more accurate fitment, you can refer one of the fit calculators available online. One of them is
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

So it makes sense to consider the whole geometry of the bike rather than just the frame size. Also, it’s always a good idea to test ride the bike to see if you like the fit before buying the bike.

3. Above 2 points taken care of, you now need to select bikes based on quality of frame and components. Few pointers here to so your first bike do not turn out to be a junk bike.
Note that the points mentioned below are generally standard features for any decent bikes. But worth checking out if you want to go for something cheaper.

• Alloy frame and alloy components: Aluminium alloy will not let your bike rust. And they are much lighter than the steel framed bikes. Ensure the handle bar and the seat post is also of aluminium alloy which are generally compromised for steel stuffs in lower end bikes. Again, there are some high quality steel bikes that aren’t too heavy, and they generally also come with an excellent paint job to avoid rusting. However, those wouldn’t be any cheaper than any good aluminium frame.
• Aluminium alloy rims - avoid steel or chrome plated steel rims. This will translate into very poor braking power under wet condition. Even under normal dry condition, braking power is considerably lower when compared to aluminium rims. Even 4-5 times.
• Brakes levers: Make sure the levers aren't plastic as they flex badly. With regular use, they will just snap very soon
• Cartridge bottom bracket: Old adjustable cup and cone bottom brackets are poorly sealed and are prone to coming loose.
• Hubs: While riding a better bike, the bearings in the wheels will allow to coast while others have to pedal to keep up.
• Aheadset or thread less headset: Much better bearings and more reliable than the older quill stem and threaded headset.
• Disc brakes: Disc brakes stop better in the wet but usually add cost. Don't go for discs over other essential features (like alloy frame, alloy rims,etc). And a decent rim brake is much better than cheap disk brakes, as the later will keep annoying you to no end. If you can’t do without discs, ensure they come from one of the established brands like Avids, hayes, shimano, etc.
• Full Suspension bike : Avoid, unless you are ready to spend. Full suspension at the lower end of the market (at the least below 25k) is heavily compromised. They are very heavy, undamped, and pulls down the more essential specs elsewhere.
• Beware of cheap bikes: Good bikes mostly come with components from Shimano, SRAM, Compagnalo, or other established brands. But the important thing to note is these components comes in various models/versions. So it’s not whether it is Shimano, but whether it is Shimano Tourney or Shimano Alivio or Shimano Deore and so on. If the bike says, "shimano equipped", that’s a crap bike, because it doesn't mean anything. These kind of bikes tend to thrive on the customers ignorance. Good bikes don’t have any stickers saying "shimano equipped".

References:
Bikeszone has an excellent article on bike selection and fitment, written by vandit. Perhaps one of the best you will ever come across. Please refer the link below
http://bikeszone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3268

Tips on selecting an LED blinky

2010-02-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

We all know that an LED rear blinker can be life Savior. Here goes some tips to help you choose the right one

1. Quality matters: Its not the number of LEDs, but more to do with the quality of the LEDs, how they are positioned, the quality of the lens and reflectors used. I have seen some lights with 5 LEDS that doesn't have even half the visibility or brightness that some others with lesser number of LEDs .

2. Visibility: Is the light bright enough to be visible from a distance? At least from a couple of hundred metres? This is very important as you would want the car and truck drivers to notice you from a distance, and not when they are right behind you.

3. Side Visibility: Does the light have side visibility? This is useful when you are at a street intersection.

4. Waterproofing: Will the light be able to withstand rains and an occasional splash of water?

5. Mounting Options: Does it provide multiple options for mounting? Say on the seat post, on the seat stay and on your rear rack? Can it be clipped on to your saddle bag or on your shirt? You may not need all of them, but still worth considering based on your requirements.
6. Mounting mechanism: Is the mounting mechanism good enough to withstand the rigours of the toughest off road ride that you might be doing? There are numerous cases where people have lost their lights on a ride.

7 Battery life: This is generally not a constraint for LED rear light, but still worth checking .

The merida 2010 bikes

2009-12-27T09:43:00.000-08:00

We received the first set of merida 2010 bikes this saturday evening - the merida 10V, 20V, 40V and crossway 20V. The bikes look stunning, and based on the first look, the specs seems to be upgraded quite a bit. On the MTB front, prominent were the the fork, the tyres and the brakes. Gone are the Suntour forks which have now been replaced by the RST forks. The brakes are now Avids instead of promax, and the tyres Merida instead of CST. What has gone down though was the shifter for Matts 40V, from acera rapidfire to EF50.
The crossway 20V combines looks with a pair of kenda 700c tyres, a reasonably light weight frame and lockable front suspension, and might be the kind of bike you are looking for your daily city rides.
A bit unfortunate, but not exactly unexpected are the prices - yes you guessed it right, they have gone up(refer below). Meanwhile, some pics ( Thanks to Malik for lending out his camera and helping me frame the pics, and to Karthik for his patience).

Details of the Merida 2010 adult bikes available in India at the moment are :

Merida Matts 10V (Rs 18.5k) : http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_INT/Bikes.Detail.82
Merida Juliet 10V Rs 18.5k) : http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_INT/Bikes.Detail.114
Merida Matts 20V ( Rs 22k) : http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_INT/Bikes.Detail.81
Merida Matts 40V (Rs 23.5k) : http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_INT/Bikes.Detail.77
Merida Matts 40MD (Rs 27.5k) : http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_INT/Bikes.Detail.74

Notable absentees from last year's models are merida 5V and 20MD.

On a World Tour

2009-12-21T05:30:00.000-08:00

The other day we had an interesting visitor at the store. Ed Hurst is a tall and cheerful 29 year old New Zealander, a civil engineer by profession. He is like most of us, except that he is on a world tour on his bicycle.
Ed used to be backpacker, and had backpacked across various countries, but realised he wanted to see the planet in a manner that would let him appreciate the journey rather than just visiting a few spots. By July 2009 he had quit his job and had flown down to Bangkok with his bike, where he started his world tour.
1. Ed rode across Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, and then flew down to Kolkata from where he stared his India chapter. He loves and misses the Cambodian food.
2. Ed has been in India for the last 3 months, and appreciates the diverse culture. Loves to meet and chat with locals, but finds the food a little too spicy.
3. He had ridden trough the alleyways of Kolkata, jungles of Kanha and Panna, the ghats of Varanasi and the orange orchards of Nagpur. He stopped over Hyderabad for 3-4 days, visited Golconda and came down to The Bike Affair store to pick up some accessories and spares. His tentative next destination is Hampi.
4. He likes to keep things simple. Doesn't use a GPS. Likes to ask people to check if he is on the correct route. He has also picked up a few Hindi words, but complains locals don't understand his Hindi.
5. He plans to ride to Chennai, Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, and then come up through the Western Ghats to Goa to Gujarat, and to the Himalayas. He keeps it flexible after that and would like to either take Pakistan- Afghanistan-Iran- East Europe route or Nepal-Tibet-China-East Europe.
6. Ed rides a Marin MTB sort of model (don’t remember the exact model name...might also be a custom made) bike loaded with tubus racks and ortileb pannier. He carries a tent weighing 2 kilos.
7. Doesn't cook. Tries to find a budget hotel for the night, and if he doesn't manage, puts up his tent where he spends his night. Always keeps some bread and Jam in his pannier for such occasions.
8. Not fussy about food and eats whatever he can find on the way.

9. Says that once he got used to his brookes saddle, its like sitting on a sofa.
10. He wants to cycle tour for 2 years, but again keeps it flexible and says he might stop if he gets bored.

The Bike Affair wishes him a sound and fun filled tour.

Some useful accessories

2009-12-18T05:22:00.000-08:00

Often in TBA, somebody buying his or her first bike would ask advices and suggestions on the essential accessories. So here’s a brief list that we thought could be helpful for people who are just about getting into cycling.

Most essential - and is better to get them along with the bike itself

1. Helmet: Will save your head and life in case of a crash. Look for a branded one as they go through different kind of stress tests.
2. Gloves: Will cushion your palms on bad roads, enhance grip on handlebar, and will save your palms if you crash.
3. Lock: Essential if you are going to park your bike in a common place like at your work place, gym or at the common parking of your building
4. Side Stand: Not quite super essential, but makes life so much easier when you have to park your bike in a public place. Most bikes we stock, apart from Merida, come without side stands.
5. Tail light: Very essential if you riding at night, especially on stretch that are not well lit. Will help car drivers notice you from distance. Important to get a good tail light that’s visible from far (50-100m at the least).
6. Head lights: Required if you riding on an unlit road after dark. They also act as safety light by making you visible to cars and mo-bikes coming from the opposite direction.
7. Bottle cage: Will hold a water bottle that will keep you hydrated. Generally most 1 litre pet bottles will fit in.
8. Spare tube: Especially if you are planning to join one of the group rides. In case of a puncture, it will save time for the entire bunch, as you can just swap the tube rather than fix patches.

You might as well get these - Will save you lot of trouble.

1. Portable pump: Essential when you have a flat middle of nowhere and want to replace yr tube/fix the puncture. In a group ride, you may have somebody carrying one, but not always. Will save you the trouble of looking out for an auto rickshaw and paying him some absurd amount to give your bike a ride.
2. Puncture kit: Essential when you are going on a ride to the countryside, where you may not be able to find a repair shop easily. Considering it is difficult carrying more than 1 spare tube (but you may end up puncturing both the tubes), it is essential to carry a puncture kit (tyre lever, glue and patches). Again, you might just be able to find somebody carrying one when you are on a group ride.
3. Allen key set or mini tool: Will need this at every step. Almost anything you want to tweak on your bike will require Allen keys.
4. Floor pump with gauge: It is important to check and inflate tyres to the correct tyre pressure every time you go for a ride. Riding on tires that are not fully inflated will lead to extra wear on both the tires and the rims. Do refer the ratings mentioned at the sidewall of the tyres while filling up the air.
5. Cycling shorts with padding (chamois): Very helpful for long ride. Prevents chafing and skin irritation.
6. Anti Pollution mask: Very useful if you ride through traffic and pollution. It’s much different from riding a motorbike in traffic because when you riding a bike, you tend to breathe harder. Get a one which is specifically designed for bicyclists.

Optional – Makes life so much easier, and cycling much more fun.

1. Cycle computer: Will show your speed, distance covered, max speed, average speed etc. Also helps when you are training. The display acts as a charm and will motivate you to keep going.
2. Dry fit cycling jerseys: Will help you from getting soaked up in sweat. Will also have pockets at the back to hold your valuables and snacks.
3. Water bottle: Will keep you hydrated on a ride
4. Saddle bag: To hold your valuables (like spare tube, Allen keys, puncture kit etc). Sits beneath the saddle
5. Mudguards: Is helpful in rain , especially if you are using your bike to commute.
6. Trouser clips: Very useful if you ride to work in office clothing. Will prevent your trouser bottoms getting caught in the chain ring. They generally also come with a reflective strip.
7. Hydration bag: Will keep you hydrated, without needing you to take your hands off your bike. Useful on a longer trip or while training too where you do not want to stop often to fill up your bottle
8. Rear rack: Essential on a multiday bike tour, relieves you from carrying a heavy backpack. Useful for people commuting on bike too.
9. Pannier: Useful for cycle touring. Helps divide the load in a symmetrical fashion.
10. Car racks: Fits on to the top or back of your car like an attachment. Can carry 2 or more bikes. Useful if you want to transport your bike, or drive down to a nice trail to ride.

If you need a reason to bike

2009-12-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

This is for all 'would be cyclists' who haven't yet been able to convince themselves to start riding. So here goes a list of positives that you might be able to benifit yourself with once you take up cycling.

1. Good for heart and health: Cycling is not only good for your body but for your heart as well. Risk of high cholesterol, High blood pressure, diabetes and obesity is also reduced.
2. A fun way to lose weight: Sure, you can get rid of that tummy you always wanted to. And what can be a better way to do so than joining the HBC guys on a weekend rides? You meet like minded environment conscious fellows, get to see the green and beautiful countryside, and lose some pounds, all at the same time. Check out http://www.meetup.com/HyderabadBicyclingClub/ to know what’s happening on HBC.
3. Low stress exercise: Cycling is a low stress exercise compared to many other sports, which means there is very less chance for you to pick up any serious injury while you ride a bike. This makes it a good exercise at for people at any age group
4. Stress buster: Cycling, just like other forms of exercise, is known to release endorphin which is known to cause pleasure in you and thus wash away the bad mood. It is because of this that one feel relaxed and refreshed even after a long ride.
5. Good for your lungs and eyes: While cycling outdoors, you burn calories, like any other aerobic exercise. But the bonus is you get to breath in fresh oxygen and see your green country side and explore your town as you do so ( provided you start the ride early in the morning). If you haven't tried it already, join us in one of the Hyderabad Bicycling club rides.
6. An inexpensive commute solution: Riding a bicycle to work can not only reduce your carbon footprint, but can provide you with much need exercise in your otherwise busy schedule. Besides, most of the time, when the traffic is busy, a bike commute is as fast a car.
7. Gives you time to appreciate simple things in life: Bicycle helps you appreciate the subtle things of nature and see it from a different angle. While on a motorised vehicle, a lake is just a water body that we drive past, on a bicycle, it’s a place where you can hear the water ripples breaking the sound of silence, its a place that fills up your lungs with fresh oxygen, a place where you can watch the colourful kingfisher dive for his prey as you inhale the earthy smell of the soil after last nights’ rain.
8. Towards a greener planet: Together we will help reduces the demand for new roads and might just be able to stop paving the earth with asphalt and concrete.

Cannondales and Schwinns in TBA

2009-12-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

In line with our promise of multiple international brands under the same roof , we now have the Cannondale’s and Schwinns with us, along with Merida and Btwin bikes. In fact, we have been stocking Cannondales for the past few weeks (and as usual I couldn't manage updating the blog), but have received our first stock of Schwinn less than a week back.

Well, Cannondale is one of the premium international brands and are already in India for the more than 6 months. In fact, quite a few of our cyclist friends have been riding Cannondales. So I don't think they will need any intro here. On our first set of Cannondale order though, we were pleasantly surprised when the bikes arrived. All the bikes were first packed in cardboard boxes ( the usual bicycle boxes), which again were enclosed in an wooden cage like structure to avoid any damage. While the cardboard packaging was common for all the brands we deal with, not the wooden cage.

If you have noticed, Cannondale, Merida, Trek and other established international brands have very few models below 20K. What Schwinn will try to do is to fill this gap up and provide Indian consumer a choice of quality recreational bikes in the 10-20 k range in particular. And some of the bikes that are already in our shop do look amazing value for money. Check out the Schwinn Spoterra Comp in particular, and you will know what I mean.

Bicycling gloves - why?

2009-12-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Experiance cyclists know the value of a pair of good cycling gloves. However, people new to cycling many times ignore the importance of a pair of cycling gloves. So heres an attempt.

1. One of the primary reason to wear gloves is the cushoning they provide.This is especially helpfull in indian conditions. Built-in cushioning in the palms absorbs road vibration and shock thereby reducing discomfort, and general fatigue.

2. From a safety perspective, they are probably the most important piece of apparel after an helmet. On an event of a crash, a good pair of gloves will save your palm. Last year I had one of those when I landed straight on my palm and skidded through. My gloves were part shredded and I couldn't move my wrist for the next few days, but they saved me from something that could have been much much worse.

3. When you are riding for long, your palm will tend to get sweaty. This will affect your grip on the handlebar. Most gloves will absorb sweat from your palm keeping it dry, in the process improving your grip.

When trying on gloves, open and close your fist to see how they feel. A good fitting glove is snug but not overly tight.

Reference :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_glove
http://bicycling.about.com/od/bikeequipmentaccessories/a/bike_gloves.htm

Merida MTA 510A - A quick review

2009-10-21T10:11:00.002-07:00

Couple of weeks back I had the opportunity to take the 27 speed MTA 510 (17 inch frame) test bike for a 40+ km ride, part tarmac and part trail. Me and Karthik rode from Kondapur to Osman sagar via khanapur. On the way back, karthik guided me through a trail which I think lasted for around 4-5 km. While it was all fine on the tarmac, the bike actually sprung into life when we hit the trail.

A good bike is a combination of a good frame and good components. So lets talk about the frame first. The frame , which Merida calls 'advanced alloy frame', is very light, but still gives a solid feel. The frame geometry is however vastly different from the Merida Matts 20/40 series bikes. The top tube is a on the shorter side, providing the rider a more upright position. From people who have test rode this bike in TBA, we have seen beginners generally enjoy a relatively upright posture and hence like this bike a lot. That probably also explains the plush and broad saddle. This could also be a very good frame for people with shorter torso. Although the bikes doesn't come with any disc brake, the frame is disc compatible.

The components - they are very very good for the price. And together they make the ride very very smooth. Me and Karthik( who was riding a firefox target) swapped our bikes for a few km, and in his words "Wow ! Its is liking riding a honda city after a maruti 800". To me, apart from the deore shifters and derailleur’s, what makes this bike stand out are the RST Gila Pro Suspension Fork and the FSA headset. These two together combine to make this bike very responsive. Handling this bike is a pleasure, particularly on the trails, and gives the feeling of "Always in Control". Gear shifting was smooth and without trouble too. Unlike the Acera Rapid Fire shifters(that comes with Merida Matts 40 series bikes), the Deore shifters do not have the number marks to let you know which chainring/cog you are on , but this is something which is just about getting used to. The bike also comes with truvativ cranks, and CST tyres.
Overall, I found the bike a pleasure to ride. At less than 30K , this bike is steal for people comfortable with its frame geometry.

The Btwin Rockrider Bikes

2009-10-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Lot of biking enthusiats have been enquiring us about the Btwin rockrider series of bikes. And we have them in stock now - the rockrider 5.1, the rockrider 5.2 and the rockrider 5.3. And we have them in various sizes for the right fit. In fact,we have them for the last 2 weeks and I am late with the post, as usual:)

Last saturday I took quick rides on the Rock Rider 5.2 and Rock Rider 5.3.

1. The bikes rode smooth, and the most attractive part is the pricing. Check www.thebikeaffair.com for details.
2. The configuration for the SRAM drive train is especially good and generally comes only much more expensive bikes.
3. Very light weight.
4. In rockrider 5.2, we have a decent bike for starters, who doesn't have a budget of trek 4300 or Merida 40V, but would like to have a few more features than what a basic trek or merida offers. Of course, all this assuming he is not brand conscious.

Actually, theres nothing much to complain about if you keep the pricing in mind. Because anything better will surely increase the price. But still, a few points worth sharing.

1. Most of the components,leaving out the drive train and the brakes, are either Btwins own stuff or from hetherto unheard brands. Not that they aren't good, just that they are sort of unknown entities for me. But again, have come across only good reviews of these bikes so far. So, the componets should be pretty decent.

2. Wished the suspension fork was little more responsive.

Ok..so that about it for now. Now that you know where to get the rockrider bikes in Hyderabad, and that you also know a litle bit about the rockrider bikes too, only thing remains is coming down to TBA for a test ride!

Its been a month now

2009-10-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well, its been a month since we last updated the TBA blog. Long days at work, responsibilities at home, busy weekends...blah , blah....lots of excuses.
So I thought we should give you an update first.

2 months since we started. Thanks to you all, we are getting a response which is way better than our conservative estimates. We started with Merida bikes. In course of time, we added Btwin bikes and lots of accesorries. Ofcourse, we still do not have good quality LED lights, mini pumps, the clipless pedals and shoes, and loads of other stuffs. Working towards solving that bit of the gap.

In the meantime, we have also relocated to a new place. Oh ya, agree the update is quite a bit late, considering many of you have already visited us at the new place. Blame it again on this lazy soul.
The new place is around 2 km from the original place in Kondapur where we were operating from, on the gachibowli miyapur road. Its an old indipendent construction, and resembles a bike shop just a tad better than in-apartment mode we were operating till date. Check the following link for the exact location
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=the+bike+affair&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.358024,56.162109&ie=UTF8&cid=15190755266798750726&hq=the+bike+affair&hnear=&ll=17.514743,78.364449&spn=0.129653,0.219383&z=12&iwloc=A

Time for a quick review of the new place. First the good things
1. Right on the ground floor and hence no stair climbing with bikes.
2. Now we have enough space to cater a truck load of bikes. Just need to sort out the finance aspect :)
3. Open area and ample parking space around.
4. Easy to locate, especially if you have checked it in advance on google maps.
5. No stern stares from apartment residents anymore.

And now, well the bad ones.
1. Asbestos roofing, meaning a hotter than normally hot hyderbad summer. But we have a few months in our hand to sort this out.
2. The place looks more like a workshop than a showroom, and I am afraid we will have to live with it:(
We are still in the process of settling down at the shop place. So please bear with us.
And do keep riding. Together we can make Hyderabad greener.

Offers on Bikes and Accessories

2009-09-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

We have been giving away loads of free accessories along with Merida bikes. Please refer below page for details. This offer is valid only till 13Aug2009
http://www.thebikeaffair.com/deals.html

There are also some cool promotional offers on Btwin range of accessories and apparels. This is valid only till 06Sep 2009. Please refer below link for details.
http://www.thebikeaffair.com/deals-acc.html

So hurry up and make the most of it!

TFN 2009

2009-08-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

For those who do not know already, TFN stands for Tour of Nilgiries and is a multiday tour spanning around 900 km through hills and forests of South India. While it started as a casual discussion in an online bicycling forum, it became a huge success right away and drew a lot af media attention. This year’s TFN is the second edition and has been promised as bigger and better than last year. Check out their website
http://www.tourofnilgiris.com/
Registrations are ongoing, and not many places are left. So hurry up, and grab a seat for yourself in case you haven’t already!

Unpacking the test bikes

2009-08-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Last week we received our first stocks. The launch of The Bike Affair was planned for 15th August, on the occasion of the Freedom ride organised by Dina & Co. and the plan was to get the test bikes assembled beforehand. This would have given us a chance to get a feel of the bikes we were going to sell. The fact that the only merida bike I had ridden was a Merida sub 40V (for not more than a few hundred metres) made this even more necessary. But things didn’t go as planned. Lot of last minute things popped up, and we could only start assembling the bikes on 14th morning. We had ordered 3 bikes – Matts 5V, Matts 20 MD and MTA510A as dedicated test bike. We picked up the Merida Matts 5V as the first bike to be unpacked.

Unpacking the carton, we found the bike was neatly packed , and the shiny gray colour looked fantastic. Soon,we had our mechanic Krishna assembling our first bike, after which we filled up the tires. The bike was now inviting us for a test ride. So , in no time, we were on the street. Amit took the first ride, and I followed soon.The bike felt suprisingly smooth for an entry level MTB.

I had taken the day off, but Amit had to leave now. Next was the turn of the Red and Silver MTA 510A, which comes with Deore shifters and deraileurs. After checking out the specs online, I was eagerly waiting for this one. More so, as there isn't much details available online. The bike definitely looked good. The deore shifters looks cool, and the RST Gilla suspension fork looked way better than what the Matts 40V/MD comes along with.

I called up my Bro-In-Law, who works in ISB and stays close by. He used to ride a Schwinn road bike while he was in US a few years back, and has been without a bike since then( not to mention that I have succesfully done an implant on his brain and I feel the day isn't too far when he is going to get himself a bike). He was happy to join me for a test ride that lasted for around 8-9 km. We only rode on the tarmac, with occasional rough patches. Initial impressions are given below

Matts 5V: The bike rides amazingly smooth for an entry level MTB. The ride quality was good , the posture easy, and the saddle comfortable for the posture. Gear shifting was without any trouble. One thing that confused me was the revo shifter for the front derailleur, which unlike the others I had tried so far, shifts in small increments. Not sure if this is an advantage or disadvantage. It could be useful for minute deraileur adjustments when it rubs against the chain. But a mark on the actual shifter postion where it shifts the chain would have been useful.

MTA 510A : I only did a very small distance on that. So I will cover the gear shifting and drive train in a later review. But even then, the ride was smooth. The posture, again, was easy. Over all, could be a good value for money bike (refer http://www.thebikeaffair.com/ for specs). Just one minor glitch. Though this model has been launched for the Taiwanese market, I would still have loved to see an english literature in the box.