Tales of the Dahon Jetstream - Part 2

Post-expedition years.. 

The Jeram exploration ride

Spare all the offroad "biggies" that we had indulged ourselves in, we managed to throw in a couple of day-trippers around the Klang Valley, Pahang and Perak.
Since we were no longer considered as members of the "inner-circle" we are pretty much on our own and that is never an issue. 
Living up to it's name, the Jetstream is a versatile folding trail bike that you can pack, stow and transport -- literally to anywhere around the globe.
Although the bike is bulkier than most standard folding bikes, it's made to perform.
Rather than making it compact, Dahon produces the Jetstream with a solid handlebar stem and the EX variant is one of few folding bikes that features a VRO syntace steering system.
Unlike the P8, the EX is more robust and solid when it comes to handling.
But all these came with a price.
It's easier to pack a Dahon Speed P8 and TR onto a regular-sized Dahon Airporter for air transport than with the Jetstream.
In order to fit in the bike, the handlebar stem and wheels had to be dismantled.
Another thing is this: if you noticed the frame geometry, the handlebar stem is shorter than any other folding bikes in Dahon's stable.
The top tube is angled to give it a higher ground clearance as most folding bikes tend to have a lower centre of gravity.
There are no seatpost pumps and to protect the chainring, a guard is placed on the downtube.
To me, the Jetstream is my compact getaway bike and with the full-suspension feature, it can go anywhere at a moment's notice.
In late 2013, we began to explore part of the country by packing the bikes in our car. Most noteable was Taiping where we rode to Port Weld and explored the area.
We also rode to Pantai Jeram from Kapar to look at the trails there.

Port Weld with team Jetstream

Along came the Maxxis tires..

The folded bead before installation

Maxxis DTH on the front fork

Our Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires that came standard with the Dahon Jetstreams provided comfort and peerless puncture protection.
After wearing out the threads, it was time to get a replacement.
The first thing on my mind were the 20" Schwalbe Mad Mike tires. These are proven dirt tires used by BMX bicycles.
Sadly, they are not available in the country and the people here favours the Schwalbe Big Apple.
Our alternative choice were the Maxxis DTH (Down Throw Hammer). These are tires with foldable beads and offers a certain degree of puncture protection.
What's impressive were the M-shaped threads that are grippy and at the same time, has a lower surface resistance.
We tried these by cycling up the Selangor Dam and found that the road-holding qualities are excellent.

Bling-blings for the Jet

Aye-Ups on the Jetstream EX's cockpit area

We started equipping the bikes with Cateye headlights. 
But these weren't enough to endure the rigors of lengthy night rides on the trail.
To get things going, I have outfitted Michelle's P8 with a Sigma Powerled Pro LED headlight.
These are lights powered by rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries.
The lights are great, but there is big flaw on it.
After a couple of outings the mounting bracket broke into pieces. There were no spare parts for this particular accessory and what is more disappointing was the fact that the people who bring them into the country could not give a fuck.
I turned to Australia's Aye-Up lights and have no bad things to say about them.
After a few major expeditions, these low-maintenance lights became my primary source of illumination and since they are powered by Li-io cells, the battery life is commendable.

Indonesia: the breaking point..

Riding on a re-surfaced road in Sumatera

Thule's solution to carrying luggage on the Jetsteam EX

The weakest part on the bike: the Ashima PCB brake levers

The Jet, fully loaded..

Riding in the rural setting, Indonesia

I took the Jetstream EX to Indonesia for a 240km ride from Dumai - Pekanbaru.
Due to the unreliable road conditions in Eastern Sumatera, the Jet was my choice pick to ge the job done.
I had the bike fitted with a Thule Pack 'n Pedal rear luggage rack. These proved to be a vital part of the expedition as the entire weight of the bike's luggage was held together by a piece of flimsy aluminium tube and several pieces of plastic.
Even with a lot of spokes, the bike's kinetic pro double-walled rims could not take the brunt of the weight.
One of the spokes snapped. Despite that, the Jet just kept on going and going and going.. 
Having survived the 200km journey, the one thing that I did not expect was the horrific baggage handlers at the Dumai ferry terminal.
These guys had literally destroyed my Ashima PCB brake lever. It snapped when the workers had tried to pry the bagged bikes and the months that ensued became a thing of agony.
I have say that Ashima has a lousy customer service and their distributor in Malaysia is of no help.
That said, the EX was taken off the active duty list as most of the rides were mainly done on the larger Tern Eclipse S18 bike.

Shimano Zee hydraulic brake system and Rockshox Monarch SL: the Jetstream Life Extension Programme (JLEP)

Ready for more action: the retro-fitted Dahon Jetstream EX

Rockshox Monarch SL rear suspension

Absolute braking power: The Shimano Zee brakes

The Ashima PCBs have to go. That is a fact and I have spent months in search of a suitable replacement.
My first choice were the Shimano Saint downhill hydraulic brakes.
These are not available in the country.
Later, I traced a shop that sells the Shimano Zee hydraulic brake system. These are quad-piston hydraulics with ample stopping power.
 But, the brake lines were white in colour. Bummer! That said, after an exhaustive search, I managed to locate a shop in Serdang that sells the Zee in black brake lines. Problem solved. I also found a pair of 160mm, six-bolt Shimano ICE rotors. 
They have to be installed to pair with the Zees as the Ashima PCM Air Rotors are rendered useless. The next step, was to replace the ageing SR Suntour Epicon E rear suspension. These are smaller 165mm shocks that are not easy to find.
My first choice were the Fox suspension, but these are nowhere to be found, especially in the 165mm configuration. But, luck was on my side as I managed to secure a Rockshox Monarch SL suspension. 
I first had the brakes installed and the broken spoke fixed before assembling the Rockshox Monarch SL rear suspension myself.

Was it worth spending so much for upgrading parts? 

Well, look at it this way: I gave the Jetstream EX the best I could get because it's bound for the foothills of the Himalayas and the Mongolian Steppes.
I wasn't going to waste money on cheap components and watch the bike disentigrate over a short period. Simiarly, I am in the process of upgrading the Jetstream P8's components starting with the rear suspension.
Way I see it, there will be more adventures in the horizon and we are aiming for it with our retro-fitted Dahon Jetstreams. It will be an utter waste to keep a good bike as such as a trophy..

Tales of the Dahon Jetstream - Part 1

The Proud & The Few

Dahon's Jetstream P8 and EX

On a head-count, there are fewer than 100 Dahon Jetstream P8s in the country.
Introduced in 2008, the folding bike is full-suspension ride with an actual suspension fork and a pneumatic suspension fitted onto a swing-arm on it's seat and chain stays.
The Jetstream P8's rear suspension has a 2" travel, which is good enough for some light trail ride and off-pavement cycling.
Even scarcer than the P8, is the 2011 Jetstream EX.
There are fewer than 10 in Malaysia and was one of the most expensive folding bikes ever to be sold here under the "EX" line (Extreme Luxe components).
Dahon's Jetstream EX was discontinued the same year, but the Jetstream P8 remained in Dahon's stable until today.

The early days

I picked up my Dahon Jetstream EX from the dealership and had it rigged as a trail bike.
Tested to the fullest, the EX was used for training (Genting Peras) and exploration ride. 
Straight out of the box, I got the bike which was equipped with a set of Ashima PCB hydraulic disk brakes, a set of Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 20x1.65 tires, the German-A Kilo fork (the fork kit alone retails at USD$600), a KORE seatpost and saddle.
At the time it was produced, the Dahon Jetstream EX was revolutionary. It was way ahead of its peers. The only thing that sucked, was the SR Suntour Epicon rear shock. The version that was fitted on the bike has a fast and slow rebound adjustment and a lock-out lever.
And for two consecutive years, Michelle, my wife and I rode at the Penang Campaign For a Lane (CFAL) event, covering a distance of 84-km round-island.
For what's worth (I paid full retail price before the EX was sold at half it's retail value at an outlet sale), the bike had served its purpose.
Even on an extreme bike like the EX, the components were just above average. The main problem came from the Ashima PCB hydraulic disk brakes (which proved to be a real hassle in the later years) which was poorly tuned. Right from the start, the bike suffered from brake drag. I had the problem remedied by an authorised dealer in Kuala Lumpur who changed a damaged piston on the brakes.

A stock-standard Dahon Jetstream EX

With the brake issues fixed, I continued to ride the EX around the country.
Most impressive, was the bike's ability to be folded and transported on a train. 
I've done a couple of bikepacking trips on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia and the bike's overall weight of 10.8kg wasn't a real issue.

Riding off the pavement

Endurance, performance and reliability..

The furthest I took the EX, was on a 194km solo ride from USJ - Bagan Lalang - USJ. I literally cycled from day to night.
Despite the hardship and test of mental strength and endurance, the EX had lived up to it's expectations. 
It was easy to engage the bike's 27-speed drivetrain which hardly fails. I think Dahon had done a good job by using the SRAM DualDrive II system on the Jetstream EX. It yielded a full-range of gears and was tested to the fullest during some offroad rides that was conducted in a series throughout Peninsular Malaysia.
The bike was built for trail rides and it did just that. The frame is as tough as nails and the components held together during the exploration rides.

The EX lived up to its mark as an ultra-long distance ride

Michelle and her Jetstream P8, which is also her favourite bike

At an offroad trail in Rawang

There has been a lot of negative perception of the folding bike and this ride proved many armchair critics wrong

2011 - 2012: The Golden Years of Offroad Exploration

I must say that Master TT Siang, a folding bike enthusiast and a mentor, had done a great job in opening new routes for offroad exploration rides.
We did a ride from Rawang to Sekinchan and back, covering a distance of 150km with 75% of the journey conducted on offroad sectors.
On the same year, we also explored Kampar's tin mining trails and followed-up with another leg of the exploration ride from Sabak Bernam to Teluk Intan in 2012. And throughout the year, the Jetstream P8 and EX had became a bicycle of choice.

The team in Sabak Bernam

Cycling towards the Bernam River

In Teluk Intan

Riding along an oil palm plantation in Sabak Bernam

The end of an era..

All good things said and done, 2011 - 2012 was the best years we've had on our Jetstreams.
But like any other expedition, all good things must come to an end.
Siang, the expedition leader, has his own following and is pretty picky about who he wants to lead due to an earlier incident where a group was split up by overzealous cyclists.
I can't blame him for shying away from the limelight as the modest man is an accomplished cyclist in many ways.
As far as 2013 and 2014 was concerned, we saw less of Siang and his wife Angela and concentrated on riding our 24" Tern folding bikes. 
In the background, Michelle and I continued to ride the EX and P8 on numerous occasions - basically, on our own.
Even the original crew that I rode with from 2011 - 2013 had split up. They've kept to themselves and that was that.. We never heard from them again...

Next: minor upgrades -- making the Jetstream even better.. 

2014: The year in perspective - Part 2

Touring on a 24" folding bike, a unique experience...

We had our Tern Eclipse S18 set-up and tuned for a cycling tour up North.
The intended destination was Pulau Langkawi.
Michelle had made the necessary arrangements for accommodation while I planned the logistics.
With time passing through so swift, we took off to Kuala Kedah and before we knew it, we were cycling in Langkawi.
The 24" folding bike really takes the cake in terms of reliability and comfort..

At Pantai Tengah

Padang Matsirat

Taiping Foldie's Ride

I kept my word to return to the historical town of Taiping where the locals there had hosted a ride for nearly 50 cyclists.
Only four people went up from Kuala Lumpur and the rest were backed by the Ipoh Foldies.
It was a moment of solidarity as we shared our interest of exploring small towns, having good food and great company.

With Taiping's de facto leader Jamell and Johnny Ng of My Bicycle Shop

Return of the Rogue Rider

I have always wanted to challenge myself and this time, I embarked on a 200-km ride from USJ 26 to Port Dickson and Malacca.
It was a solo ride and I took the Tern Eclipse S18 as far as Port Dickson before getting a ride into Malacca on a chartered car.
On the return journey, I was supposed to board a bus in Melaka Sentral, but my ride was already packed to the brim in it's cargo hold and I had no choice but to ride back to Port Dickson before getting a ride from a local chartered car back to USJ 26.
Done it solo, which was a test of mental strength, physical conditioning and sheer determination. 

Fortune favours the bold

The way home... 

Cycle to work and 2014 World Car Free Day

On the second-quarter of the year, I cycled quite a bit from my home to the workplace.
The company where I am employed is very supportive of the Green initiative and I am pretty proud to be a part of it.
I also did a piece on World Car Free Day, where some of us would cycle to work as a tradition.
But sadly, for 2014, I had only one Rookie reporter following me on the Federal Highway motorcyle Lane.

The article I wrote

Page two 

Page three

A chaperone for the rookie

Advocacy work and Aljazeera Arabic feature on cycling to work...

I was contacted by a broadcast journalist from Al Jazeera who wanted to feature Malaysians who cycles to work.
So, I obliged to a fellow journalist and allowed the person to capture videos of the 23km journey from Subang Jaya to Section 16 in Petaling Jaya.
It ended up with an interview and the segment was shown in the middle-east.

A screen-capture of the interview

Off to work and my dog became famous too!

Bikes aside, making up for the doggies!

We haven't been taking our kidz to events and September gave us the chance to participate in the UPM Dogathon and the following month was a rather interesting event called "I want to touch a dog" which was later deemed as "haram" by the Selangor Religious council. The guy who put it together was reprimanded. Politics aside, it was great to see so many Muslim folks coming out to allay their fears on dogs.. The touch thing is a once in a lifetime experience as it became permanently banned.

At the Dogathon event in UPM, Selangor

Our kidz and friends..

 Carmeggedon

The damaged Samo-mobile mk II

What are the chances of getting hit by a motorcycle twice in two years?
Well, that happened to me.
Case one was a Myanmar national who crashed onto my car's front left bumper.
As a result, the guy broke his leg.
A year later, I received a call from my car insurance company. The claims investigator said the Myanmar man is claiming compensation for bodily harm. He could not be trace.
A week later, my car was hit by an illegal racer on a motorcycle. 
The impact crushed my rear panel and took off the bumper.
I sent it to Nissan's accident and repair department and was slapped with an estimated bill of RM10k.
It was then that I've decided to seek the service of an independent workshop and had the job done at 10% of the cost. I also cancelled my claim because the Nissan people had tried to rip me off.
Later, the insurance people too tried to scam me by asking for RM1.08k for a claim that I did not submit for the accident. The case is pending.

The Malaysian Foldie e-magazine

The Malaysian Foldie turns one..

September was a milestone for The Malaysian Foldie e-magazine.
I was inspired by Kris Gomeze, an expatriate living in Thailand who came up with a bi-lingual cycling magazine.
So, I started a simple magazine specialising in folding bikes which is running into it's second year. I am very proud of this and hope to improve it's design and content if time permits.

Giving back: Ipoh Foldie's Open Day

I collaborated with the de facto leader of the Ipoh Foldies to come up with a ride and a skills workshop backed by my cycling buddies Mohd Radzi Md Nor and Johnny Ng.
Four of us took a train up to Ipoh and joined 50 other cyclists on a ride around the greater Ipoh and this was followed by the skills workshop that took place at the Ministry of Youth and Sports complex.

Johnny Ng handling the bike tuning and maintenance session

The gang in Ipoh

December: Laying off cycling and rekindling with an old hobby

I had nearly two weeks off in December to clear my leave and off-day. 
This was the perfect opportunity for me to give the bikes a rest and work on upgrading my ageing Dahon Jetstream EX.
I managed to source for a new set of hydraulic brakes from Shimano as well as a new rear suspension.
At the same time, I recovered some of my old Tamiya model kits and worked on building three armored fighting vehicles of World War II.

The M4 Sherman tanks I built

After two decades, I finally built this Tiger 1 heavy tank

The 2010 Dahon Jetstream EX experienced a re-fit with new parts 

Good, bad and ugly..

If you can't handle it, the workplace can be a prison

I'd safely say that 2014 has been a decent year without much fuss for me.
Though there were moments where some co-workers of mine had tried to pull some fast ones to prove that I am a ninkapoop who is worthless, my Key Performance Index rating had met it's expectations.
Despite my detractors' efforts in trying to dump shit on my ricebowl, I held on tight and braced for the hard fall. 
This is what I believe: no matter what your detractors say, what is not true cannot harm you. I have worked in three English newspapers for half my life. Began my career behind the camera and now, I am managing people and their workflow.
With the knowledge and experience, I will use what I have learned to help others and make it as smooth as possible when it comes to dealing with crisis.
Even that said, there some ripples along the way and I believe that in 2015, I will be sidelined to pave way for my detractors' political ambitions. So, there are some uncertainties, but I guess I'll just have to mow throw and sit out the shit storm.
There are plenty of shortcomings, but hey, you can't stop a man from being happy.. 
I have plenty of adventures to look forward to in 2015 and with a streamlined plan with less baggage to lug around, it will be fun to see everything come together as planned.