Wanderlust Cycling

Bad, bad year

2010-09-05T00:20:00.003+08:00

2010 hasnt been very kind.
I got dengue for the second time earlier this year which meant no sports for 2 months. Dengue is also known as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, this means if I were to injure myself, the blood would not clot and I may bleed to death. Also, the doctors kept telling me that the second time is usually worse than the first.
In short, no cycling.

Then I overworked myself and strained my wrist, shoulder and knee. This was made worse when I hit a curb while learning to ride a motorcycle and fell. Stubbornly, I ignored the injuries and carried on coaching kayaking until the pain became unbearable.

Now that Im better, school is taking up most of my time.

Probably wont be posting anything till November, if the desire to ride is still in me...

Detour

2010-07-10T21:14:00.003+08:00

Found an alternative route that avoids the ridiculous Bendemeer junction on my commute to Kallang.
From Upper Serangoon Rd, turn into Wan Tho Ave and use these small roads to reach Macpherson Rd where the Royal Sporting House building is. From here, I will still need to go through the construction detour, however, I need not filter lanes and can stay on the left side.
Just need to watch out for the PIE exit when approaching Bendemeer Rd.

On the subject of commuting, anyone noticed that they're paying quite a bit more for the bus fares? My bus fare to school has increased by 25% since SBS changed to the new distance fare rates on 3rd July.
Bastards.

For the handyman commuters

2010-07-01T22:25:00.002+08:00

For those of you who unlike me are more technically inclined, here's an interesting project you may be interested in.

How to make your own box bike or "Bakfiets" in Dutch. Saw quite a few of these in Amsterdam.

how to build a cargo bike - More DIY How To Projects

Long time no commute

2010-06-20T01:08:00.004+08:00

I havent been commuting for a really long time. I believe it has been 5 weeks.
However, by not cycle commuting, I've actually been able to enjoy the food at my favourite nasi padang stall in the army market after coaching/paddling at Kallang. I also dont have to worry about where I lock my bicycle. Its more sociable this way too since I get to go makan with friends.

Suprisingly, I dont miss cycle commuting all that much. But of course, public transport can still be a pain at times. My interest in cycling seems to be waning.

Its a scary world out there

2010-05-06T18:34:00.003+08:00

I've witnessed my 5th accident involving a two-wheeler in 2 months.

One must remember, to actually see the scene of the accident, I've got to be at the right place at the right time. I must be pretty damned lucky, or jinxed. Depending on how you look at it.

Of the 5, 4 of them invovled bicycles and one invovled a motorcycle.
The first incident was the one where Ben Mok was struck near Ngee Ann Poly.
The 2nd one occurred a week after on the opposite side of the road.
The 3rd happened a week later just outside SIM.
The 4th and 5th happened at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and 6 respectively.

The accident I saw today invovled an old man who was struck by a taxi along AMK Ave 6. His whole face was covered in blood. I know that the head bleeds alot even from a small cut, but still. His WHOLE face was bloody.

Cycling across pedestrain crossings: Is it legal?

2010-04-25T18:39:00.004+08:00

Below is an excerpt from a parliamentary debate held on 19-10-2009

WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

TRAFFIC OFFENCES AMONG CYCLISTS

1. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many cyclists have been booked for traffic offences over the past 12 months; (b) what are the common offences; and (c) what is the rule for vehicular traffic when cyclists ride their bicycles across pedestrian crossings.

Mr Wong Kan Seng:

1,312 summonses were issued to errant cyclists for cycling offences between July 2008 and June 2009. Of these, the largest number of 615 summonses were issued to cyclists for cycling on the footways of roads. Other common infringements include failing to ride in an orderly manner such as not keeping a proper lookout and not giving way to traffic with the right of way, riding on expressways and riding against the flow of traffic.

Cyclists are not prohibited from riding across pedestrian crossings but must do so in a safe and orderly manner. Those who do not and cause danger to others commit an offence under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rules and are liable to pay a composition fine. If they ride in a rash or negligent manner that endangers life, or in a manner that is likely to cause hurt or injury to others, they can be prosecuted under Section 279 of the Penal Code. If convicted, they can be fined up to $5,000 or imprisoned up to one year, or both.

When approaching pedestrian crossings, a driver is required to keep a proper lookout for other road users, slow down and proceed at such a speed which will enable him to stop his vehicle before reaching the crossing. Failure to do so may result in the driver being liable for a fine of up to $1,000, or imprisonment for a term of up to three months under Section 131 of the Road Traffic Act.

Source: http://www.parliament.gov.sg/reports/public/hansard/full/20091019/20091019_HR.html

Now the only problem with this is that its illegal to cycle on the pavement. Sometimes laws can be damn confusing. But then again, this reply is by Wong Kan Seng, you know, the guy with the million dollar salary who wasn't held accountable for Mas Selamat's escape and lost all respect from Singaporeans.

A little too much

2010-04-13T18:45:00.002+08:00

Spotted this interesting post on togoparts made by Humongous. He has 3 bike profiles on Togoparts, which I think means he is a paying member.
Its about how he was followed by another cyclist thinking he was a bike thief. The cyclist took it upon himself to interrogate Humongous which included asking why he was not in "proper attire" and why he was not using clipless pedals.

Er.. I've been commuting in sandals and "non-proper attire" for the past 2 years. Oh dear! Would be interesting to meet this guy on the road though. Especially since I usually carry a camera with me :)

"There are also over zealous self thought pseudo "police" scizhophrenic man on the prowl. And i happened to meet one last week.

I was riding my wife 14" XS Kona Kula Primo and stop at the junction of Singapore Expo and ITE college East, and a fellow cyclist riding a Orbea HT with RS SID coupled with CK hub with Mavic 717 pulled up next to me. And start asking where i got the bike, and why am i riding something not fitting to my size. Plus I am not properly attired, how come not wearing clipless, he specifically state that he suspect that the bike might be a stolen bike, and asked me to produce a receipt or proof of purchase.

I replied i got the frame at tay and set it up 3 years ago at L&T, as to why i am not in proper attire, i was delivering some aquatical stuff to my wife who happen to work in Xin Lin . I told him that the bike was fitted with platform pedal how to wear cliplless shoes...

I told him i have the bike in a online webby TGP profile with some upgrade not updated and if he is not satisfied can always call in the men in blue... , he replied maybe the bike profile is alter to suit the loot.. i am bewildered by his condescending tone... and proceeded with my errand, and he tailed me all the way to my wife workplace and threatened to called the cop. I replied why dont you Just Do It?

After which i returned and stop by outside Bedok NPC and asked that stalker whether to go in and lodge a report. i will gladly do so if he was dead sure that i am a bike thief.... if not just leave me alone. He murmured some @#$%^&* and rode off.

It is good to be vigilant but to such extent.... it is over the hill...."

Missing Out

2010-04-12T03:10:00.003+08:00

The group I was going on a cycling trip to Malacca with were all using bicycles with 700cc wheels. Being new to long distance cycling I didnt want to slow the group down, so I bought myself a road bike.

The first vid supposedly shows All-Mountain riding and the 2nd one shows Free-riding. My currently in progress XC bike probably wont be able to do the Free-riding, but clearly I have been missing out by riding a road bike.

Obey traffic laws!

2010-04-10T00:47:00.003+08:00

Looking at the title and looking at the surroundings, this happened really near my place.
The uncle tried to cycle across the road illegally when the light turned green while he was barely halfway across.
Then he gets almost run over by a Mazda. Real lucky to be alive.

Mermur Bike, another bicycle commuter blog

2010-04-07T01:14:00.005+08:00

Another local bicycle commuter's blog!

Mermur Bike

This guy has 4 bicycles in his arsenal one of which is a motorised foldie which he has successfully taken onto the MRT with no interference from MRT staff. During off-peak hours of course.
He also sees local drivers as a considerate bunch and says Singapore bus drivers are very friendly and road concious. Quite a refereshing point of view.
His photo taking style is also quite funky. They've been edited with some vintage effect.

The blog has been added to the list of "Cyclist Blogs" on the right.

Cycling In Switzerland

2010-04-05T11:35:00.006+08:00

Long overdue post.

Here's some pics of me cycling around in Kandersteg, Switzerland.

First snowfall!

Heaviest snowfall in Autmun

Transporting bedsheets by bicycle

And here's some pics from a 72km bike ride from Kandersteg to the capital, Bern using the bike paths that connect the entire country! Kinda like our PCN, only better. Imagine if the PCN connects you to Orchard Road from Jurong.

Bikes on a train ride home

Akan Datang

2010-03-30T10:35:00.004+08:00

Coming to an offroad trail near you.
Have all the parts except the shifters and brakes. Quite disappointed to know that the Avid BB7 with Speed Dial 7 levers will cost me close to $250 which is out of my budget :(
On the bright side, I'll be getting an XT front shifter from Wei Jie for free! Still have to find one for the rear though.

Strange behaviour

2010-03-30T01:13:00.004+08:00

Went to Fernvale LRT to collect some bike stuff from UncleAhPei aka Alex and did some "unplanned exploration" on the way home when I missed a right turn. I finally got myself onto Upp Serangoon Rd and passed a guy on a blue MTB just before Hougang Plaza.
I noticed MTB guy perk up when he saw me and after passing him, he promptly jumped off the curb onto the road, overtook me then went back onto the pavement. I was only cycling at 25km/h. He must be so proud of himself.

I couldnt help but think of the dogs at Lim Chu Kang that chase you when you cycle by. Its not the first time it has happened though.

We lost a good one.

2010-03-25T13:34:00.005+08:00

We stand, as it were, on the shore,
and see multitudes of our fellow beings struggling in the water,
stretching forth their arms, sinking, drowning,
and we are powerless to assist them. - Felix Adler

Benjamin Mok avid cyclist and bicycle tourer was hit by a drunk driver while cycling along Clementi Road. It was reported in the Straits Times today that he has passed away.
What saddens me is that the driver who hit him was a doctor, but instead of rendering aid, the good doctor chose to flee the scene. So much for the hippocratic oath.

Here's a scan of the newspaper article.

I may not have known him personally, but anyone who has read his blog would know that the cycling community has lost a good guy. He was even nice enough to leave a short encouragement when I blogged about having doubts on cycling to Malacca.

Rest In Peace.

Damned rain

2010-03-21T18:08:00.004+08:00

Grrr.. It had to rain during my Saturday commute when I cleaned my drive train the night before. Now its all dirty and grimy again.

On another note, I've been reading the blog of a fellow bicycle commuter who goes by the name of El Wey. His blog is titled Bike Commuting in SG

He has also been added to my link list of cyclists' blogs on the right for future reference.

Freeloaders

2010-03-19T13:52:00.007+08:00

Wheel Power
http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/Motorworld/Story/A1Story20100315-204775.html

Two Singaporean women have a dream: to spend five years cycling around the world.

Miss Tan Xin Hui, 25, and Miss Tay Siang Hui, 31, have sold off most of their possessions and ended the lease on their rental flat.

They are ready to hit the road but there is just one snag: money.

They have raised only $1,905 - from their garage sale last weekend, during which they sold off things such as furniture, clothes and books at their two- bedroom walk-up apartment in Tiong Bahru.

That sum is only enough to get them to their starting point of Taiwan.

But undeterred, the duo, who are former television producers of independent company Simply Is Productions, are now tapping sponsors for support.

So far, they have lined up sponsorship deals with companies such as health club Fitness First and sports label Puma.

They are also canvassing the public for cash: They will hold a 24-hour cycling challenge on Thursday, where companies and individuals pay to adopt one minute of the cycling, which will be streamed online.

In addition, their website, www.ibelievethatdreamscancometrue.com, asks the public to donate directly.

But some people find the push for sponsorship deals and funds a little too freewheeling.

"My first thought was, you're asking me to support your lifestyle?," says assistant manager Selena Ang, 51. "But if I had a daughter who wants to do something like this, I would give her a chance to prove herself.

"I think people are supporting them because, for the sponsors, it might gel with something that they've always wanted to do, but did not. So it is like supporting them to live through them."

The duo plan to cycle across Taiwan, Japan, the Americas and Europe. So adamant are they about going that Miss Tan says: "Even if we have to go on just this amount, we'd still go. We cannot sit and have a discussion to plan the trip - we'd get too scared."

It is a determination that has resonated with some firms they have approached for sponsorship. Fitness First, for example, gave them a two-month membership each and personal training sessions.

Its marketing manager Sarah See, 34, says: "We are supporting them because it is fitness related. We did tell them at first that we do only charity-related sponsorships but we saw that they needed help and fitness advice in preparing for the journey."

She adds: "For us, there is value in these sponsorships because they are doing publicity for us as well."

The women have documented their experience with the health club on their website.

For sports label Puma, which has given the women a pair of sports shoes each and six sets of Dri-Fit attire costing more than $800, it was the aspect of fulfilling a dream that caught its eye.

So basically these former TV producers want you to fund their round the world cycling holiday. They have only raised $1095 and want you to donate.
I've been following the blog of a relatively lowly educated man compared to these 2 women. This is a man who wears PCK yellow boots for work and had his motorcycle stolen just before he his trip. http://singaporedream-rtw.blogspot.com/

Source: http://singaporedream-rtw.blogspot.com/2007/12/big-mess-giving-away-throwing-away.html

I dont see why two TV producers cant fork out their money but instead get sponsors from Puma, Fitness First and Rodalink. No fucking way they earn less than a guy who plants trees and bushes. Seriously, $1905 is all you two have? Or all that you're willing to part with?

Not that I want to shatter your dreams, but you two seem like spoilt brats looking for a free ride.

All I can say is BALLS TO YOU TWO.

My True Nature

2010-03-13T20:28:00.005+08:00

I've come to realise I prefer to ride solo. Why? For a few reasons. Mainly self-preservation. In a group, there is a tendency for people including myself to do stupid things. This might invovle running a red light or squeezing between cars all for the sake of staying with the group.
After commuting for some time, I've come up with my own set of principles. I follow ALL traffic laws. This means I do not run red lights even when there are no cars or pedestrains in sight, I dismount when going on the pavement and when crossing the road. I do not pick and choose what laws are convenient for me.
It really defeats the purpose of cycling with a buddy especially when said buddy runs a red light and there I am waiting for it to turn green. Or when he squeezes between cars to get ahead while I queue patiently behind.

I've also come up with my own set of rules when cycling on the road. For example, I cycle on the double yellow line and move farther out only when there is a slip road ahead. At traffic lights, I take the lane and queue up like any other vehicle instead of squeezing my way to the front. And if there are heavy vehicles like buses or trucks that are unable to pass because of me, I usually move into a bus stop or anywhere safe to let them pass. Its better than having the driver behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle getting impatient.

Maybe Im just too "kiasee", but hey, Im not trying to be badass like fixie riders, weaving in and out of traffic on the road in the city area for god knows what reason. Or like the racer today at the junction of Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Elias Rd. I was waiting at the red light watching this guy stray into the middle of the cross junction. Not wanting to unclip from his SPDs is the only reason I can think of for his stupid act. At least his 2 other friends were sane enough to unclip and wait for the light.

Bad air

2010-03-10T12:37:00.004+08:00

The air quality has not been good recently. The air smells of smoke at night and its really annoying. Cycled to Lower Seletar Reservoir yesterday morning and it was not too pleasant as well. Lots of drivers doing stupid things like squeezing me out of the lane or speeding past me without really giving much leeway.
There was lots of construction going on near Seletar airport and I didnt have my glasses on. Ended up with grit in my eye which was really annoying. But once I went across yishun dam and into Yishun ave 1, the change was remarkable. I could smell the fresh air and it became much cooler. It was a nice change. Will probably wear my buff the next time I cycle that route.

My Look and Bernard's Cube LTD

My Look at Water-Venture (Lower Seletar)

Unfortunately, there was construction going on at Lower Seletar Reservoir Park, so it wasnt that nice.

Thoughts on the Timbuk2 Classic Messenger

2010-03-05T13:08:00.005+08:00

I've been using the Timbuk2 Classic Messenger for more than a year now and thought I'd give a report.
Messenger bags were way cool 2 years back when fixed gear was the craze and cyclists were buying into the fixed gear culture. Non-cyclists were getting them as an alternative to the commonly seen Crumpler. Timbuk2's popularity has now led to its downfall and people are switching over to Manhattan or Chrome for the exclusivity.

I got myself a medium size and it suited my needs with 26L of storage capacity. The materials used in the bag were good and kept my stuff dry during a rainy commute. The bag also comes with removable reflective tails which are a nice touch since they increase visibility in low light conditions. Another excellent feature is the stability strap that prevents the bag from swinging around as you cycle, this was a really useful feature. I thought I could do without it, but after an annoying commute with my bag sliding all over the place, Im a firm believer.
However, the bag is not perfect. It is basically a bucket bag and you dump stuff in. Irregular shaped objects might feel uncomfortable when you wear the bag and tighten down the strap. When I loaded the bag with approximately 5kg of stuff, it felt really uncomfortable and lead to abrasions on my chest as seen in my previous blog post

One other thing that annoys me is that the bag lays flat against my back. This leaves it all sweaty and damp after a tough commute making it kind of disgusting to carry around after having a shower at my destination.

Overall, I'd say that the Timbuk2 Classic messenger is a trendy bag to have, but not necessarily practical.

Visibility

2010-03-03T23:48:00.006+08:00

At the moment Im using a reflective vest (like those you wear when you kena CWO)during commutes before and after sunset.

As you can see, the vest Im using is actually a cheap version that doesnt come with the 2inch thick 3M reflective stripes, but I'll make do.

I found these really cool website, dealextreme.com which sells lots of random stuff. What caught my eye was the free international shipping.
Thinking of getting a 1W flashlight with strobe function and reflective wrist strips with LEDs for commuting. These supposedly are made with 3M Scotchbrite reflective material, so its good stuff.

Source: http://www.dealextreme.com/photogallery.dx/sku.33012~seQ.1

I can put these reflective LED strips on my ankles to increase my visibility! Besides the ankle bands and flashlight, Im also thinking of getting a brighter rear light. My current $2 one with 5 LEDs have been serving me well even in the rain, but the brightness leaves much to be desired.

Culture of Fear

2010-02-23T01:00:00.000+08:00

I have often griped to friends about the culture of fear that is being bred in society today. Then I found this really interesting 5-part article in Copenhagnize about how this culture of fear is being brought to cycling.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Hold Fast pedal straps

2010-02-22T20:52:00.004+08:00

I found out that a LBS sells HoldFast pedal straps which are like the Resistant ones in my previous post.

Source: http://www.holdfastordie.com/

They are going for $100 at TR Bikes which is located somewhere near Tanjong Rhu. OMG, So expensive. For those of us who dont have sugar daddies/mummies, I've found some sites that give examples of DIY pedal straps.

Japanese Site
Wired Magazine
Peonfx

Pedal Straps

2010-02-21T21:34:00.000+08:00

Source: http://powergrips.com/product.php?section=product&item=fixie

I've been using toeclips on my bike almost right from the very beginning. But recently, I've been pondering the viability of using pedal straps like Powergrips. These should be easy to DIY with some nylon webbing which are easily available and therefore would cost a fraction of what I pay for toeclips.
The Powergrip style requires you to rotate your foot in the strap to "tension" it so to speak, locking ur foot in place. Its sorta like clipping in and out of SPDs.

However, I've seen other types of pedal straps such as the Resistant pedal straps.

Source: http://resistant.exblog.jp/12472150/

These straps are different because you dont rotate your foot, but rather tighten with the velcro. Sorta like toeclips. Wonder which design will be more suited for commuting purposes.

There wont be toe protection as with toeclips but with the front wheel clearance on my MTB, that shouldnt be a problem. Just wondering about the safety aspects. I assume with these, I wont grind the pedal straps on the road if I pedal on the non-strap side. Since they are soft, they shouldnt present much of a risk.

Worried

2010-02-17T03:45:00.004+08:00

Today's commute was a little bit worrying. I cycled to a friend's home in Ang Mo Kio and was feeling tired before I even reached AMK MRT! Could feel the burn in my legs and tightness in my chest as I pedalled and used a really easy gearing to prevent over-straining myself.
My bike handling skills have also deteriorated.

I've also not been able to commute to school due to being down with dengue fever.

This is worrying.

Nice Quote

2010-01-30T14:25:00.002+08:00

"Does having a public campaign to promote turning your light off for an insignificant amount of time and using a candle instead make us any greener? Why not ride a bike everyday instead if you are serious about green" - El Wey, http://bikecommutinginsg.blogspot.com

Seriously unfit

2010-01-25T03:11:00.002+08:00

Im seriously unfit now. Not only have I lost my tan, I've also become flabby. Its puzzling how I could have lost 2kg, an inch around the waist and yet still be flabby.

Since I plan to take my IPPT in June, I gotta buck up and start exercising. Will start off the regime by cycling to school 3 times a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The 40km round trip should get me up to speed with my cardio fitness.

Will see how it goes.

Back on the saddle

2010-01-19T11:56:00.003+08:00

Joined mipoint for a leisure ride again after about 6 months. Went up Mt. Faber and could barely make it. Used to be able to do 5 loops in a night but could barely survive after finishing 2 loops last night.
Have to work on my stamina.

But still, it was nice to join the group again for a ride. They are super fast now. We used to ride at about 30+km/h to Faber, but this time we hit 47kmh/h. Everyone has been improving while I was away!

Bike Climb Bike

2009-09-25T18:44:00.002+08:00

Met these bunch of mountain bikers while rockclimbing at Sunnbuel, Switzerland. They were also there to do some climbing. On grade 8 climbs. Hardcore.
To get where I was, they had to cycle 2km from the village with an altitude increase of 600m.

Amsterdam!

2009-09-09T22:39:00.004+08:00

This is what a bike friendly city looks like:

Dedicated bike lanes

Multi-storey bike parking

Practical bikes

Just a thought though. If all bikes are to be cycled on bike lanes, that would mean they aren't allowed on the roads.
So where do those triathlon and ironman wannabes train? People who use the bike lanes travel at about 18km/h. Come to think of it, I've only seen 2 guys training on road bikes while wearing cycling attire.

Bicycle Capital

2009-09-02T11:18:00.001+08:00

Im leaving for Amsterdam on Sunday!

Bicycle vs Taxi

2009-08-30T22:25:00.000+08:00

Overslept and took a taxi down to Kallang today. The journey took 20min and cost me $9.
My bicycle ride to Kallang takes only 30min.

What the hell? I know that cycling is faster than taking a bus after factoring time spent waiting for the bus. But, I never expected a car to be only 10min faster than cycling. Score one for cycling!

Back to Midpoint

2009-08-06T12:50:00.004+08:00

Joined Midpoint for a ride again after a long hiatus. Really big group this time and everyone now seems to be going really fast.

Mandai Shell

Yishun Dam

Domino Effect

2009-07-28T19:42:00.000+08:00

I've recently taken up some coaching assignments at Kallang that end at 1830hrs. This means cycling home during peak hour. Bumped into an uncle riding a Harris full-sus bike this evening along Kallang MRT stretch of road. Was stuck behind a car and wanted to get to the front of the long queue by squeezing in the gap between pavement and the cars. Didnt check my blind spot as I was moving off and bumped into the uncle. Lucky my reaction fast and I quickly apologized and gave a wave. So not much happened, the uncle gave an angry look and nodded his head.
But this was just the beginning. I started thinking of this incident as I was pedalling and forgot to signal my right turn while in Sims Drive. Lucky I stopped day dreaming in time and noticed there was a van behind me and a motorcycle on the opposite side trying to make a turn too.

Well, from then on I more or less focused on my riding till I got home. There was this nice indian man riding at abt 15km/h on his bike infront of me along Upp Aljunied, I didnt overtake since got too many cars. So I slowly pedalled behind him. At a red light, he stopped to the side and let me go in front! Nice guy.

Today's events remind me that I really need to be focused on the road. Riding through traffic is not the time to have my mind wandering.

Riding the PCN

2009-07-09T23:05:00.004+08:00

Did a leisure ride on the PCN for the first time yesterday. Met up with Kian Wee and Jun Jie at ECP Macs before heading towards Changi Village. A nice leisure ride.
Think I need to adjust my saddle forward alittle. Rode without cycling tights and my butt was getting sore.

Relax lah..

Illegal tent village

Kian Wee was saying he used to cycle down to Kallang from Boon Lay, coach, then cycle back home. He even went to Mersing and back. Hardcore lah.
My commutes and Malacca trip pales in comparison.

Weasel

2009-07-02T10:52:00.003+08:00

Q: What do you call someone who takes your bike out for a ride without permission then acts all buddy buddy with you?

A: A weasel.

I left my bike in the storeroom of my workplace and a weasel took it out for a spin in the courtyard. When I returned, the front tire was flat, the solenoid for the cyclometer was pushed inwards and the rear light was mounted backwards.
From the looks of it, the bike took a hit on the right side that caused all the accessories to move out of place.
That weasel still has the cheek to tell me the bike was fine when he returned it back to its place.
Will be locking my bike in future.

Lost my nerves?

2009-06-22T21:55:00.003+08:00

Today was my first time cycling during daytime on a weekday after long while. I had been doing slow paced short distance commutes at night or on weekends.

During my commute back home from Kallang today, a bus and many cars passed me very closely. Got shocked a few times. Am I losing my nerves? I found the road conditions stressful and got "bullied" into cycling at a faster pace to assert myself on the roads.
Hate this kind of riding, feels like going into a battle zone.

In Need Of Some TLC

2009-06-07T15:23:00.003+08:00

The RM22 tires that were bought during the Malaysia trip need to be changed!
I've ordered a Michelin Speedium 2 from Chainreactioncycles and am waiting for their arrival. At $21, thats $7 than the cheapest tires found locally.

The Vee Rubber tire has gotta go after surviving about 2200km.
First, a nail punctured the tire, leaving a small little hole which I patched up with some duct tape.
Then there was another puncture few weeks back while cycling home from Toa Payoh.
And today, it caused a slow leak. Was cycling to Kallang and when I finally reached, the ride become really bumpy. Looked down and realised the tire was really soft. Managed to cycle home though.

Now that I have more free time, I've gotta do some bike maintenance.

Change new rear tire
Due a full bike cleaning
Replace bar tape

Self-Righteous Cyclists

2009-06-04T03:09:00.002+08:00

Had to share this.
I guess most of us come across like the cyclist in the strip to a certain extent.

Updates on Critical Mass (Cycling Club)

2009-05-26T18:46:00.004+08:00

Benoit of Ride of Silence fame has found a way to work around the law. By registering as a club, Critical Mass can carry on w/o having to apply for a permit. So now its the Critical Mass Cycling Club.

Critical Mass can carry on as usual, provided no laws are broken. So Im guessing there wont be blocking of the roads and stuff.
This however, doesnt mean there wont be hooligans there. Heh.
But looks like its worth joining now.

Just a note.. its every man for himself out there. Nobody's responsible if you get hurt.

There's a facebook group now in addition to their website. For legality sake, I think its best to join the facebook group before turning up for the ride.

Critical Mass Singapore

2009-05-25T00:03:00.005+08:00

From the guy that brought you Ride of Silence, we now have Critical Mass.

"Critical Mass is a bicycling event held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. The idea of the ride is to draw attention to how unfriendly the city are to cyclists. The purpose of Critical Mass is not formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and travelling as a group through city or town streets on bikes."

The main problem I have with this is that its a self-fulfilling prophecy. Drivers are already not that tolerant ot cyclists, so you piss them off even more by blocking the roads? Im pretty sure that will make pple unfriendly. Especially when you do things like this:

I sincerely hope that this does not happen during Critical Mass Singapore.
I once heard someone say: "Never underestimate the power of stupid pple in big groups". Which I found to be true.
Its like how zombies always win when in a horde.

Anyway, here's the URL for more info:
http://criticalmass.sg/criticalmass/Critical_Mass.html

Read up and make your own decision.

Light, lighter, ridiculous.

2009-05-22T21:50:00.003+08:00

Hmm.. there's a thread in the SMBF forum where pple are discussing about lightweight bottle cages.
Some are 25g, some 18g and someone mentioning one that weighs 5g?
Interesting to note that a Minoura Dura Cage weighs about 36g and costs $12, while a Arundel carbon cage weighs 25g and costs $60.
All that $$$ for 11 miserable grams???

Minoura vs Arundel

I seriously doubt an extra 11g worth of bottle cage weight is gonna slow you down that much even if you are a racer.

Ridiculous.

Last ride?

2009-05-16T23:43:00.005+08:00

I only ridden my bike to school once this semester because my class was shifted to the 1st floor, which is actually more of a basement. The main lobby of SIM Management House is on the 4th floor, so Im actually at basement 2.
Now, the annoying thing is that they locked the stairs that are meant to be fire exits according to the fire escape plan.
First of all, thats just dangerous! Secondly, I cant bring my bike down to class inconspiciously. I've gotta bring it down the main staircase in full view of everyone.

Bike at the back of class

Today was my2nd time riding this semester and hopefully it'll be my last ride to Management House. It sure does make a huge difference, riding on a Saturday morning is so relaxing! Was only pedalling at about 20-25km/h and the 14km journey took me 45min.

Anyway, I realised there's a shower cubicle in school. Damn it. I find out only after studying at SIM Management House for the past year.

For potential bike commuters out there, the shower is located in the toilet located next to lecture room 4.01. This is for the male toilet btw, I didnt go into the ladies to check :)
If you're at SIM HQ, there's showers in the toilets at the 2nd and 4th level. There's also a bike rack in the carpark, so you dont have to lug your bike into class.

Filtering lanes

2009-05-14T23:26:00.003+08:00

One thing I really cannot tahan is cycling on roads that have a left turn lane which is 2 lanes wide. This means I have to filter right to avoid getting channeled into the left turn, assuming I wanna go straight ahead.

There's one along Lornie road thats really quite annoying. First, there's a left turn at the PIE at the end of the Lornie Road and the beginning of Adam road. I have to filter lanes to keep on going straight. Then a short distance away, there's another one going into the PIE again. I have to filter 3 lanes across and that can be freaky on bad days.

Another one I frequently go pass is the one along Braddell road, there's a 2 lane left turning into Toa Payoh. Traffic moves quite quickly along that stretch cos of some cars coming out of the CTE. Filtering lanes can be quite a hair-raising experience!

Luckily the driver behind me today was a decent guy/gal. He/she let me filter lanes and didnt overtake or horn me when I took control of the lane to prevent anyone from cutting me off. Drivers like this make commutes less stressful.
A big thanks to whoever you are.

Damned juvenile delinquents

2009-05-10T22:25:00.003+08:00

Was cycling home from Pasir Ris Park today, moving at about 20km/h or along Tampines Road. After passing the junction of Hougang Ave 3, some young punks on their BMX and market bikes who were on the pavement saw me and dashed out onto the road and chased after me. Ignoring those little brats I carried on at 20km/h, however, due to the traffic I waited at the side of the road so I could filter lanes.
As I was waiting there, one of them decided to play chicken with me. He sprinted towards me and the rest followed, swerving off just inches away from me.
Seriously... I cycle on the roads alongside cars wand buses moving at 60-80km/h. Didnt even flinch.
Damned juvenile delinquents. Fucking scum. They should be taught a lesson.

Thoughts on Bike Commuting

2009-05-07T23:54:00.003+08:00

Here are my thoughts on bike commuting thus far.

Starting with the thing that annoys me most. Sweat.
By the time I reach my destination, I always end up sweaty. I used to cycle to school once a week but that sticky feeling even after wiping down in the toilet just gets to me. Some might say a change of clothes would be sufficient after a wipedown, but no, I still feel sticky and my hair gets all oily. I need to shower.
Nowadays, I only commute to kayaking. I wear my wet attire and cycle. Sweating like a dog wont matter since I'll be getting wet anyway.

Second on the list. Commuting speed, I used to pedal a quite fast, going at about 28-30km/h. Until I realised it only saves me a few minutes thanks to all the traffic lights.
Been reading about the slow bike movement and have tried cycling at 20km/h and I must say, its a much more comfortable pace, that is, if you dont have to filter to the right before making a right turn. Can you imagine pedalling at that speed while trying to filter lanes? The cars are just speeding by you, travelling at least 3 times of your speed.

And the thing that bugs me most? I still perspire, even when I cycle at 20km/h! Argh! The humid weather sure isnt helping.

A weekly affair?

2009-05-07T01:00:00.003+08:00

Its the 3rd time in a row that I've gone for the Monday hill climb up Mt. Faber. Quite a change from the cycling I normally do. Used to go for distance rides, long but at a comfy pace.
Climbing Faber actually works the heart, can feel it pounding. There's been improvement though.
Starting out with only 2.5 rounds the first time, I then did 3.5 rounds on the second week, followed by 5 rounds on Monday.
Pumping up the tires seemed to have an effect, climbing was not as draggy this week.

Also to make the most out of the climbs, I've been trying to improve my bike handling. What I've been doing is going down the bends with minimal braking, taking the corners at speeds of 25-30km/h.

Having done this, the fear of slipping while cornering on a mtb using slicks seems irrational. Im doing turns using 2cm tires, while they use 1.5inch tires. Rubbish.

Stolen Bike

2009-04-29T20:49:00.002+08:00

Btw, my red Aloeca bike got stolen on from my void deck at Block 720 Hougang Ave 2.
I last rode the bike on Saturday night around 7pm and discovered it missing at abt 11am on Sunday morning.

Some notable features:

Red bell on left side of handlebar.
Stem is covered with a decorative knot tied in white string (like the ones boy scouts wear). Almost impossible to untie the knot.
Bike has reflective tape pasted on fork, top tube and seat stays
Right side pedal platform broken only got the axel.
Chances are it'll be seen at the Kovan/Hougang MRT areas.

Hope those living in the area can help keep a lookout.

Draggy climb

2009-04-28T20:46:00.002+08:00

Monday came and the Team Midpointers are climbing Mt. Faber once again. Slower ride to Faber this time cos Terrence wasn't around. Unfortunately, the tires were slightly soft and I forgot to pump it! Felt quite draggy going up.
Was thinking to myself that it wasn't so hard climbing up the last time. Still, I managed to do 3.5 loops and hit a max speed of 64km/h. Awesome feeling, awesome workout.

DIY goodness

2009-04-22T20:47:00.005+08:00

Saw some pics of people using O-rings to mount flashlights on their handlebars.
The batteries in my cateye blinker died and since I had a bunch of flashlights and some almost depleted batteries, I thought I might as well use them.

So, saw how people used O-rings to mount their flashlights on the internet and decided to do it with inner tubes!

Basically I took a length of inner tube and cut out the center portion.

Flashlight and inner tube with center portion cut out.

Put one end through

Wrap round handlebar and put through other end

LEDs rock, put in a seemingly drained battery into the LED flashlight and they still work.

Initial D

2009-04-21T01:14:00.002+08:00

Just back from a Mt. Faber ride organised by Team Midpoint.
Only one word to describe the experience.

SHIOK!

By the time I reached the top, I was totally drenched in sweat. Awesome feeling.
The downhill part was definately worth the climb.
There are 2 "M" shaped bends though. Quite dangerous.

But still, I managed to clock a max speed of 60km/h on the way down! Damn good feeling.
The downhill part really reminds me of the movie Initial D. All the curves and bends.

The bike handled great at those speeds, very stable. Probably due to the weight. I reckon its about 10.5kg when I add my bottles and pouch.
I think I better adjust the brakes a little though, they werent that effective at those speeds.

After all that climbing at Mt. Faber, cycling on flat road was relatively easy. My speedo showed speeds in the high 30s most of the way to Balestier where we had tau huay.

Bike Extremists?

2009-04-19T21:51:00.002+08:00

Saw this on the Togoparts website.
If a huge group turns up, I can imagine a bunch of extremists, cycling slowly in town. Secretly happy they are pissing off drivers.
And we have the drivers who dont expect them to be there getting pissed off at these cyclists for jamming up the roads.

But hey, no such thing as bad publicity right?

Ride of Silence - Singapore
17th Apr 2009 3:16 PM - NewsAgent

Join cyclists worldwide in a silent slow-paced ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

The event will be taking places in hundredths of cities across the world.

In Singapore, it will takes place on May 20, 2009 at 7:00 pm, starting from Merlion Park

The ride will be 19Km, slow paced ( <20km/h>

You can see the detailed map here: Google Map

Dress in White - Helmet Mandatory

For more information:
rideofsilence.sg@gmail.com
www.rideofsilence.org

Bike commute in style!

2009-04-19T20:14:00.003+08:00

I found this cool little site about cycling in Copenhagen called Copenhagen Cycle Chic. Apparently, its quite popular there. In fact, it seems everyone there rides, not on fancy bikes, but flying pigeon style bikes.
Read through the site and apparently, the average speed for commutes is 15km/h. Think they can do that because of the dedicated bike lanes there. I'll be sticking to a relaxing 20-25km/h for my commutes.

Quite an interesting site. Their concept is to get any bike as long as its the right size and decent enough not to fall apart. Dont think I'll bike around with a flying pigeon though. Think its gonna be too slow or tiring for longer distances, like my occasional trips up to Malaysia.

Currently looking out for a value for money mtb to use as a commuter cum touring bike.
Would a stock GT Avalanche 3.0 hold up for longer distances? Can get a lightly used one for $350.
Upgrading would definately push the cost up.
Or should I hold out for a bike with upgraded bike with higher end components and of course a higher price tag.

6 months and a stupid mistake

2009-04-12T23:23:00.003+08:00

Its been 6 months since I got my bike and according to the cyclocomputer thingy says I've cycled 2233km on my bike.
Been noticing an increase in top speed recently, back on Friday I broke my max speed record by cycling hitting 53km/h along Loyang Ave. Being a fairly lazy person, I usually dont bother sprinting down slopes. Then today I noticed a top speed of 47km/h, never hit such speeds during a commute unless I do it conciously. I guess Im getting faster? The big chainring doesnt wear me out so much these days.

Made a really stupid mistake today. Forgot I had to wait for the right turn signal before turning right when coming out from the Geylang bus terminal. Almost caused an accident when I just cut through a line of cars moving in the opposite direction. Could have been fatal. Luckily the drivers were a forgiving bunch.
A stupid and potentially fatal mistake.

Cycling in the rain

2009-04-07T00:49:00.003+08:00

Yesterday was the first time cycling to school this semester. Took a different route back home instead of following the bus service 74 route. Cut through Braddell Rd to Upper Serangoon instead of going through AMK.

Can see the route here
Saved myself 1km and a few right turns. Much more convenient.
Still sticking to the same route for going to school because cycling along Upper Serangoon in the morning isn't a good idea and filtering 3 lanes to make the right turn to Braddell will be quite tough.

Unfortunately, the terrain is not as flat. And it rained while I was few hundred meters away from Upper Serangoon Road.

It was pouring, there was lightning and it was uphill. So I decided to take shelter at the nearest bus stop.
I swear, that had to be the wettest bus stop in Singapore. There I was sitting at the bench and rain was flying in straight at me. Just sat there for 20min waiting for the rain to ease up and the lightning to go away.

This is the 5th time I've cycled in the rain since March. Quite exciting really. Just that its too freaking cold even though Im wearing a jacket. The jacket blocks windchill, but I can feel the cold when the raindrops hit me. The jacket is really thin.

Back to school

2009-04-01T21:43:00.004+08:00

Today was my first day of school after the holidays. Ended up in the morning session, so its gonna be quite crazy to cycle to school. From past experience, traffic is bumper to bumper and when I get to Lornie road, I need to be very assertive so I dont get cut off by drivers.
The riding conditions are way too stressful. Cant really enjoy the ride, so I will just squeeze with the rest of Singapore in a bus.

For this semester, my class has been split into half and instead of a huge lecture hall I am now assigned to a small classroom. I used to put the bike at the back of the lecture hall through the back door which leads to the carpark. Most of my classmates never even realised there was a bike.
However, in this small classroom, I've gotta carry the bike up a flight of stairs and put it at the side of the class where its impossible to miss.

Maybe I'll just ride to school on Saturdays and hope the lecturer doesnt mind the bike being in class.

Bike Commute Day?

2009-03-31T21:16:00.003+08:00

Instead of using my usual route of cycling to Crawford St, cutting thru Kallang Riverside Park and using the bridge to get to SDBA, I cycled through Geylang Bahru to Upper Boon Keng Rd and went past Kallang MRT instead.

While doing so, I saw 2 old men on MTB commuting as well. They were on another side of the road so I didnt get a good look.
But on the way back home, I think I met ran into them too. I cycled behind them for a period along Sims Ave till I turned off into Sims Dr while they cycled on. The uncle I was behind was using clipless pedals!
Couldnt say hello because the road was quite busy and I didnt want to distract him.

Later on at Potong Pasir I cycled past another uncle riding a black MTB with a rear rack mounted. Looked like he was cycling home.

There were LOTS of other cyclists along the way too. More so than usual. I remember seeing at least 6 on the way back.

Pengerang to Desaru (Almost!)

2009-03-28T21:25:00.006+08:00

Went cycling with Lawrence and one of his friends, Alvin.
Damn expensive to ride like that. $9 per person, $2 per bike. That's one way.
When coming back, its the same price unless you try to get on a boat at after 4pm. Those bumboat drivers are like taxi drivers, we waited for an hour and no boats turned up. Only at 4.05pm did they come and "offer" their services.
With an added premium of course. They are working OT! For their inconvenience, you pay $2 more.

Well, the ride was pretty uneventful. Cycled at about 15-20km/h, Alvin was using some no name full sus bike and had trouble keeping at a decent speed.
We turned back 10km away from Desaru because Alvin had cramps and we hit our turn-around timing.

Endless roads

Turning point

Had originally planned to do a leisure ride from Changi - ECP - Tanjong Rhu - Kallang - Home, but after that agonising 1hour wait for the ferry in the stuffy terminal, I decided enough was enough and I'd go home.
Judging by the way things have been going today, chances are I would have crashed into some kids along ECP or get run over by a car along Kallang.

The only good thing I suppose was the lunch. It was cheap, but remember.. I had to pay $23 to get there and back. Lunch consisted of sambal kang kong, butter lobster, oyster omelette, hot plate tou fu and wild boar meat.

Replacing the fats I've burnt

Really loved the oyster omelette. It was the old school type with the small little oysters. The butter lobster was great too! Shiok shiok. RM8 for 100g.

Rest of the pics here

Cycle Corner

2009-03-26T15:46:00.002+08:00

There's a really really small bike shop at 25 Lowland road which is near my place. I've been cycling past it for ages without realising it was there.
Went down to take a look today and had a little chat with the owner. Nice old man who has done some touring. Apparently he only opened the shop last year.
Prices are roughly the same as C2C and the bike shop in Bishan, so Im probably gonna stick with this guy.
He says most of his business comes from bike repairs, so I wont have to contend with people trying to by stuff from him. Easier to make friends and convenient to boot.
He opens till 11pm!!!

A budget commuter?

2009-03-25T15:58:00.003+08:00

My bike has been given to commuter status. Using it more for commuting than leisure rides.
Now Im thinking Im better off with a MTB. Racers are more efficient and all that, but its near impossible to find a cheap one with eyelets to mount racks.
Touring bikes cost a bomb. A new Surly LHT will cost $1800 w/o the rack.

Currently thinking of getting a GT Avalanche for a commuter cum touring bike. Would probably handle my rough riding much better. Im not exactly a speed demon so I doubt 26" wheels and knobbies would be a problem. Max speed on my racer to date is 51km/h. There are probably some MTB that have gone faster.

I dont think my racer is too happy about me riding over grass patches and uneven ground.
Have had the front wheel skip off the ground on a few occasions due to bumpy road conditions too. The carbon frame means I have to be extra careful too.

Commuting daily (almost!)

2009-03-19T16:54:00.002+08:00

Its been a busy week, I've taken up coaching job assignments almost everyday from Lower Seletar to Kallang to Pasir Ris. And the best thing is, I've been cycling to all the coaching venues.

The route one takes on commutes really makes a difference. Got a few examples from the trips to and fro the coaching venues.

For example, it is about 16km from my place to Lower Seletar but I take the same amount of time to get there as compared to going to SIM which is 13km away from home. The route is relatively flat and free of traffic, making it an enjoyable and stress free ride.

Another example is Pasir Ris, similar distance as Kallang, but due to the more ulu roads I take, it is more enjoyable than riding to Kallang, where I have to squeeze with all the cars. The best thing about the route is that I barely break a sweat in the morning! Its that relaxing!

Stiff Neck

2009-03-10T02:24:00.001+08:00

Damn. I went to get my seatpost buffed to clean away the corrosion and didnt put the saddle back in the original position.
Now, the riding position feels abit cramped and Im getting a stiff neck from riding. Must find that sweet spot again if Im gonna ride comfortably for long distances.

Hell of a ride

2009-03-07T13:38:00.003+08:00

Finished my exams yesterday and decided to join Midpoint on their Friday night ride.
It was just a simple west loop about 75+km.

Things went bad right from the start. I got cramps in my left calf on the way to Toa Payoh. We then set off and things were ok for the first 50+km. My calf muscle was tight, but it wasn't much of a hindrance.
During the rest stop at AJ Mart in Sungei Kadut, I bought a bottle of 100plus, my asthma acted up after drinking. Had some difficulty breathing.
I went along slowly so I wouldnt exert myself too much and pretty soon, my breathing was back to normal.
Unfortunately, my seat post was not fixed on properly after I cleaned it and it was rotated off towards the left abit. I think this caused my legs to be in a slightly awkward position and I ended up having cramps in my right thigh. Was reduced to cycling at 20-25km/h, incredibly slow speeds.

Need to start cycling more again...

On a more brighter note, I may have found a less hilly route back home from school.

Bigger is better?

2009-03-02T18:11:00.002+08:00

Being a slacker who likes to take things easy, I have been using the small chainring to pedal all this while. One other reason why I've been using the small ring is because the acceleration is much faster. Sure beats cranking hard and trying to pick up speed at the traffic light, especially if there is a slight upslope.

Since I had to ride to AMK MRT yesterday, which is a total distance of 8km for a return trip, I decided to use the big ring all the way. Well, it was faster, but much more tiring. Looks like I have to train more to get used to it.

Slow Riders In Hougang

2009-02-28T10:22:00.003+08:00

There's this group of riders in Hougang that formed a group in the Togoparts forum. They are the "Slow Riders In Hougang" and they do ride slow. Bunch of nice people and relatively slow.
They go at 25-30km/h at the beginning of the ride and slowly tire out till they move at 20km/h somewhere from the middle onwards.
Agonizing if you want a speedy ride, but great if you just wanna chill out. Which is exactly what I wanted today, a slack and slow ride.

At ECP

We started from Hougang MRT bright and early at 6am in the morning, headed to Changi Village for makan, before going coastal, ECP and back to Hougang using Still Rd. The entire thing lasted 4hrs and we covered 48km, a real slack ride.

Met some guy who rides a $16,000 bicycle 0.O Can probably buy a nice motorbike with that amount. Its only 7kg though. The saddle is full carbon! Very cool.

Chain Problems

2009-02-14T01:15:00.002+08:00

Back in December during the Malacca ride, my chain broke. Since the pin was missing, I got to a bike shop and had it fixed for RM4.
Ever since then my chain would come off when going upslope. As time went by, it became worse and eventually, I was reduced to riding my bike as a single speed.
Decided to get to the root of the problem today and discovered a chain link that had been spread apart. It is proably why the chain kept skipping and auto-shifting. Hope the problem is solved for now.

Family Bonding?

2009-02-01T21:19:00.002+08:00

For the first time in many many years, I did an activity with my sister. Cycled a total of 20km from home to Punggol End and back. Slack ride before coming home to do my assignments and sleep.

Commuting Speed

2009-01-29T22:30:00.002+08:00

Today's commute was great. I went at a leisure pace and still managed to get myself to school within 45min. Realised that there isnt a point in speeding all the way because I'll still be stopped by traffic lights.

Going down the Adam Flyover is always fun, 45km/h without pedalling.

Today was also the day I did my commute home from school in the night. I left SIM HQ at abt 9pm and it was a nice leisure ride home. Best thing was I did the ride home without shifting gears at all!
Used the small chainring with the 5th cog. Felt the burn in my butt when going along Lornie Road, but that was about it. Awesome man...

Will probably need to change my chain. Everytime I go for a ride it slips off at least once.

Muscle strain?

2009-01-16T18:26:00.002+08:00

While cycling up the slope to enter the carpark in SIM, I think I strained a muscle. Kinda hurts. Not crippling, but the ache is there.

Quite a windy day, had a tail wind for one section along Lornie road and was moving at 45km/h without pedalling. Free boost for about 1.5km...

It wasn't all good though, some SUV or MPV, can tell the difference. A big ass car was trying to get into Lornie road from Thomson road. Usually cars give way to oncoming traffic and I would simply cycle pass the waiting car and move to the left so any other cars getting into Lornie road will pass by my right side.
Instead of giving way, this driver sped out. So there I was cycling at 45km/h in the 2nd lane from the left, next to the driver seat and he wanted to filter to the right lane -.-"
Ended up slowing down to let the driver overtake, so I can move to the left most lane.

Team Midpoint's 1st Overseas Ride

2008-12-26T09:55:00.002+08:00

Team Midpoint finally had an overseas ride! 7 of us rode up to Kota Tinggi Waterfall and played there for a while. Awesome!
Total distance for a return trip was about 175km.
The trip leader is suprisingly fast. He led the way at 40km/h on the way there. WTF! And he's just using a beat up Giant TCR, with maybe just an upgraded wheelset.

To Malacca and Back (Summary)

2008-12-23T23:24:00.003+08:00

560km in 4 days. Log of my suicide trip.

Day 1: Singapore to Batu Pahat
Day 2: Batu Pahat to Malacca
Day 3: Malacca to Batu Pahat
Day 4: Batu Pahat to Singapore

Pics from my camera available here

Day 4: Batu Pahat to Singapore (160km)

2008-12-23T13:02:00.003+08:00

Had to drag myself out of bed. Starting to feel fatigued and my legs are getting stiff. Forgot to stretch before sleeping last night.
On the bright side, we start when its brighter and warmer. Really cant tahan the cold early morning wind. My brain shuts down in those conditions.

Group photo in front of Darren's house

Left Darren's place at 0720hrs and went to the same coffeeshop for breakfast. Cycled on a boring road again and Varun had a flat at 0905hrs. Fixed it and went on our way. Unfortunately, he didnt realise that his tire was damaged. Something puncture the sidewall of his tire and there was a hole. His tubes were deflating slowly and we had used up all our inner tubes. Luckily, we patched up the tubes that could still be saved the night before.
We stopped at some kampung with a motorcycle shop and a eating place. First to fix the bike then have lunch. The motorcycle shop was located next to a workers' quarters. We drew the attention of some of them and they came to observe us.
This included one guy who was sharpening a knife before we came. Suddenly he walked over with knife in hand and asked where we were from. -.-"
Varun who was busy changing his inner tube struck a conversation with him not realising he was holding a knife when talking to us. Then he told us he was from Bangladesh and his brother is working in Singapore. Most interesting encounter of the trip...
Lucky nothing happened. Really looked as though he was about ot rob us. Haha.

Gunung Ledang in the background?

Rare pic of Varun front the front

It was pretty mundane after that. Everyone was just trying to get home ASAP. Things started to get more exciting when we were on the highway trying to get to Woodlands checkpoint. Really stressful to ride in those conditions. Cars speeding by you left and right. But, they give way!!! Its amazing. These people are are driving at 80-90km/h yet they give way, unlike the local drivers who are kings of the road.

We reached the JB checkpoint at 1620hrs and came out the Singapore side at 1640hrs. Much much quicker than trying to go in. Finally reached the end point in Rosyth Road at 1840hrs.

Glad to be home (:

Day 3: Malacca to Batu Pahat (130km)

2008-12-23T12:30:00.001+08:00

Met up with the Malaccan Rovers at 0730hrs for breakfast at the roti canai store nearby, started later because we stayed up late the night before for supper at the burger joint. Officially set off at 0805hrs. 24km later, got a flat on my rear tire.
Finally reached Muar again at 1024hrs. Just passing through this time. Roads were very busy and we were weaving in and out of traffic. Probably because its a Saturday morning.
The lot of us decided to try taking a more scenic route that goes through Bakri, adding about 10-20km.
Stopped somewhere in Bukit Bakri for a quick lunch before carrying on. Nothing much to talk about here cos its mainly boring straight roads where we can cycle for 40km without seeing a traffic light. Varun got a flat at about 1408hrs, fixed it and carried on again. More boring roads.

Fixing the flat

Getting my chain fixed

Just after we crossed Sungei Batu Pahat, my chain broke! Was about 500m away from a bike shop, so just let them fix it for RM4.
Finally reached Darren's house at 1640hrs. Much later than expected due to all the technical problems. Very tiring day.

Darren brought us to dinner and then we drove up to Yong Peng to attend a campfire. Not very interesting... But got to eat ice kacang and chin chow at a dessert stall there! Yong Peng is predominently chinese.
The original plan was to cycle here but due to lack of accomodation, we ended up staying at Darren's place in Batu Pahat instead.

Day 2: Batu Pahat to Malacca (105km)

2008-12-23T11:18:00.001+08:00

Zhe Yin did not join us for the ride to Malacca because his legs still hurt so he did a "cultural immersion" with Darren. He stayed with Darren's family and followed him to KL.

The next morning we left Darren's house at 0645hrs and cycled to a nearby hawker center for breakfast. It was simple fare of fishball noodles.
After breakfast we heading down to the Batu Pahat Padang which had this big monument of a stone and chisel. According to Darren, Batu = stone and Pahat = chisel.

Batu Pahat Padang

From Batu Pahat, we headed towards Muar which was our lunch stop. Along the way, Austin fell into a pothole and crashed somewhere along Sungei Balang. Lucky he only got a few scratches and no damages to the bike. Probably wouldn't have been the case if any of the racers crashed.
We arrived at the Muar bridge at around 1035hrs before having and early lunch at an indian food shop.

Muar Clocktower

Left an hour later and headed to Malacca using the new AMJ highway. The last 10km or so before Malacca was quite hilly. Upslope, followed by a plateau and upslope again. Reached Malacca at about 1335hrs.

Being a short ride compared to the first day, we were way ahead of schedule. The Malaccan contacts didnt expect us to be so early and we ended up waiting and hour before they turned up. Our service apartment would not be available till 6pm so we decided to walk around till then.

The fort we visited

Visited some fort and people were probably wondering why these bunch of guys are walking around in tights.

Finally got into the service apartment at 6pm, showered and went out for makan at Jonker Walk, nothing special here. Food taste just like what we have back home. Atmosphere is also just like Chinatown.

Jonker Walk with Malaccan Rovers

Eye on Malaysia

Went to sit the Eye on Malaysia after dinner and had supper at a burger place which sold very hard and dry burgers. Yuck! Not really lucky with food in Malacca.

Day 1: Singapore to Batu Pahat (165km)

2008-12-23T10:56:00.001+08:00

The lot of us started of early on Thursday morning. We met at Serangoon Stadium at about 0530hrs and left around 10minutes later. For this trip, we will be covering the most distance on day 1 and day 4 with about 160km to clear.
Among the 5 of us, 3 were using racers and the other 2 using hybrids with 700cc wheels.

We only took about an hour to reach the checkpoint that morning probably due to the adrenaline and excitement of this trip.

Serangoon Stadium

When we reached the checkpoint, we tried to go through as pedestrains but were told to use the motorcycle lane instead. The new checkpoint is annoying since its upslope and has lots of turns here and there. Worse, there are drain covers that road wheels will slip into. Clearing this section was very slow, taking almost an hour to get through the JB side.

Once through, we hugged the coast heading towards Skudai and had breakfast somewhere along Danga Bay.
Cycling along the road to Skudai, we were making good progress and decided to enter a Pineapple Museum but it was closed.

Pineapple Museum

We continued on towards Pontian where we had our lunch break. People are still quite segregated by race in Malaysia and the people were probably curious why some chinese guys and a sikh are eating at a malay joint.

Back on the road again and my tire punctured less than an hour away from Batu Pahat. Zhe Yin developed serious cramps at this point and I stayed with him while the rest looked for our contact in Batu Pahat.
We eventually met up with Darrent the Batu Pahat contact and he led us to his spare house in Bukit Banang where we would put up for the night and on Saturday night. Was about 1810hrs by the time we arrived.

Suicide Trip

2008-12-17T23:45:00.000+08:00

I leave for the Malacca cycling expedition tomorrow. Many have said its dangerous or like a suicide trip. As the day draws near, Im kind of feeling the same way too. Yikes!
As usual I have doubts at the last minute and this inner doubt is a real problem. It has lead to anxiety attacks in the past where my heart beats real fast and I get all flustered.

Packing List

2008-12-15T14:26:00.000+08:00

Other than the tools and spares, am I missing out anything? The stuff doesnt weigh much thankfully.

Waist Pouch
Passport
Wallet
Camera
Powerbar
Pen
Camera Charger
Pump
Inner tube
1 tissue packet

Dry bag
1 Cycling tights
1 jersey
1 shirt
1 singlet
1 berms
3 underwear
2 pairs of socks
1 scarf
1 towel

Tote bag
1 windbreaker
1 cap
1 toiletries bag
1 sunblock
1 moisturiser
4 powerbar
1 gatorade bottle
1 tissue packet
1 pair slippers
1 ziplock

Weighs about 5kg in total.

Yet another one...

2008-12-15T00:40:00.000+08:00

Did round island cycling again, this time with the Midpoint gang. Mixed group of MTBs and roadies, but the MTBs were on slicks. Pace was fast compared to the scout group. Speed was about 30km/h most of the time. Only slowed after I bonked out at East Coast. Need to load up on food these few days in preparation for the trip. Seems I bonk out after 60km or so. Was feeling just fine till then. The powerbar gave me a temporary boost till I reached Changi Village for Nasi Lemak.
Got no reserves to burn for long distance.

Steel!!!

2008-12-11T11:54:00.000+08:00

Just got to ride a Colnago Master Olympic with campag parts. Damn power lah! The steel is damn shiok. The bike is very stable... Must aim to get one in future. The guy told me he spent $5000 though. And its 2nd hand.

Round Island

2008-12-11T04:52:00.001+08:00

Did my first ever round island. This is actually to prep us for the upcoming Malacca trip. Jia lat, I dont think I have the mental drive to complete it. Kinda got bored after 50-60km. The fact that I skipped dinner didnt help much either. Bonked out at the 50km mark. Lucky I brought gatorade.
Felt much better after makan at Lau Pa Sat but by then knees abit aching from repetitive movement. Back also strained due to the set up of my bike.
Will have to try removing some spacers so I can get into the drop position more comfortably. Right now its set up so that the handlebar is same height as the saddle for a more comfy position when holding on to the hoods. Convenient when commuting as I can easily engage the brakes.

It took us 5.5hrs to complete the 118km. However, all of us are fresh save for Varun who did 100km yesterday.
Have to try riding tomorrow to simulate day 2 of riding . Will do 4 Punggol loops totalling 80km.

At Lim Chu Kang

My dinner cum supper

At Changi Beach Park

Speedo reading

Ride with SMBF cyclists

2008-12-04T20:22:00.000+08:00

I wanted to gather some Sengkang, Hougang pple for a ride and organised a ride to Changi Village on the SMBF forum. 13 pple ended up coming!
When we reached Changi Village, the newbies probably didnt feel much of a kick. We were going at about 20km/h the whole 16km to CV.
We decided to go to Changi Coast Rd to try speeding before heading to ECP. This prolonged the ride by another 20km or so. Still not fit enough to use the big chainring for spinning. Max speed only 37km/h after drafting a guy riding at GT Avalanche. -.-" End up getting cramp somemore. Paiseh.

Most interesting bike that night was a Surly Pugsley with super fat tires. Like a motorbike!

Great Alternative

2008-12-04T19:20:00.001+08:00

Tried the alternative route home from Kallang today. Much better. The only place with high traffic is along Sims Ave after Kallang MRT, but its only a short section. This route totally bypasses the insane traffic at Bendemeer and Serangoon Road and uses mostly smaller roads.
Wonderful.

Near Miss

2008-12-03T17:59:00.000+08:00

I need to find a new route to get back home from Kallang. Bendemeer road is just to busy. Risking my life everytime I need to filter lane. Will try using an alternative route going through Sims Ave, Upper Aljunied and Wan Tho Ave before joining back with Upper Serangoon Road just after Potong Pasir MRT.
This route will allow me to bypass 2 danger spots. Bendeemer Rd where I need to filter lanes to get into the turning lane leading to Serangoon Road and the new road diversion under the PIE. Way too messy to filter lanes.
Instead, the new route will consist of cycling in small roads such as Sims Drive, Lichi Ave and Wan Tho Ave. Should be ALOT safer.

COLNAGO

2008-11-24T10:41:00.000+08:00

There's a Colnago bike with 49cm cromoly frame on sale in Togoparts!!! Dura ace crank, fizik saddle, formula racing 7 wheelset and cinelli drop bars for $900!!!
Should I get it???

Cruising

2008-11-23T20:57:00.000+08:00

Discovered that my average speed is about 25km/h. With a little more effort I can hit 30km/h.
But I really slow down when climbing slopes hitting only 20km/h. Downslopes are better. Max speed to date is 49km/h !!!

Night Snack

2008-11-23T01:07:00.000+08:00

Went cycling with Benny... The original plan was to pedal to Punggol End, let him smoke and pedal back. But he really got no experience riding on road and had difficulty hitting at least 20km/h. Ended up eating supper at Selegie Soyabean.
Saw a bunch of young punks with expensive downhill bikes there too...

Experimented with the gloves and the rubberized palms make my palms really sweaty. Shouldn't have thrown away my old sailing gloves. Sigh.

Enlightenment

2008-11-21T23:43:00.000+08:00

Events that led up to the fall.

Tires hit pavement and started to rub against it.
Jammed the front brake.
Tried to steer away from pavement.

What went wrong

Jamming the front brake.
Jamming the front brake locked the wheel.
Steering with a locked wheel.
When wheels are locked, steering ability is lost.

What went well

Usage of front brake.
Front brakes provided 70% of stopping power in an emergency braking situation

Learning points:
Control my fear and do not panic! Modulate the front brake to prevent the wheel from locking.
I experienced difficulty steering away from the pavement because my wheels were locked. Had I stayed calm and modulated my braking, I might have been able to steer away and prevent the fall.
Imagine if it were disc brakes! Probably would have flipped over the handlebars.

Road Rash

2008-11-20T15:27:00.000+08:00

The Chinese have a saying, "马路如虎口". Literally translated, it is "road like tiger's mouth", this actually means the roads are dangerous.
Well, had my first crash today. Looked back to see the vehicles zipping pass me and my wheel ended up hitting the pavement. Managed to survive that, but as I was going too fast, the wheel just refused to turn. Lost control of the dropbar and fell. Tried to save my precious carbon frame and ended up getting a mild case of road rash.
Gotta start wearing those gloves instead of leaving them at home!!!

I'm lucky these are my serious injuries.

Messenger bags aren't as cool as I thought.

On a lighter note, I went to C2C and got myself a mini pump and a speedometer. $32 for speedo, $28 for pump. $2 discount and Im $58 poorer.
The shaft of the pump looks quite shoddy though. Personally, I think it'll start to corrode due to sweaty palms when operating it, so I wrapped some duct tape around it.
Tried pumping my tire and it was decent. Didnt take too many strokes to inflate it to a reasonable pressure.

Commute to Kallang

2008-11-17T16:07:00.001+08:00

Cycled to Water-Venture Kallang. The route there is easy enough. Smooth flowing on a Sunday morning. The problem is the return journey. They seperated the roads along Upp Serangoon after Boon Keng. I didnt know this and ended up at on the wrong road... Grr... Had to push my bike on the pavement till the next bus stop because of the construction and barricades which prevented me from going onto the road.

Also tried out Rudy's Giant TCR3 with Ultegra components. Compact frame feels alittle small even at size 50. His aerobars where damn comfy and I can imagine riding for long stretches like this. Unfortunately its just not practical for commuting since I'll be stopping at traffic lights quite often.

Lost Confidence

2008-11-17T15:24:00.000+08:00

After cycling home on a wet, grimy road on Friday evening, I felt like taking the bus to school on Saturday morning.
The damn bus decided to break down 3 stops away from school :(

Scam?

2008-11-16T07:53:00.000+08:00

Someone is trying to sell a 2006 Cannondale road bike with Full Dura Ace setup at only $700.
He even claims to have ridden it for 3 times and about 15miles only.

Here's a list of parts and a picture:

Bottom Bracket: FSA MegaExo
Front Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Dura Ace
Shifters: Shimano Dura Ace
Handlebars: Cannondale Fire, 31.8 mm
Stem: Cannondale Fire 3-D Forged
Headset: FSA Alloy integrated
Brakeset: Shimano Dura Ace
Brakelevers: Shimano Dura Ace
Saddle: Fi\'zi:k Arione Mg
Seat Post: Cannondale Carbon-wrapped
Color: Silver.Rear Shock: N/A
Rims: Mavic Ksyrium Elite
Hubs: Mavic Ksyrium Elite
Spokes: Mavic Ksyrium Elite
Tires: Hutchinson Top Speed foldable, 700 x 23c.

But there's a catch. The guy claims to have moved from Toa Payoh to Penang due to work and will use a 3rd party to deliver the goods.

Here's part of the email correspondence:

"Am from Toa Payoh area but currently working here in Penang Malaysia i got posted some few weeks back. Got my new scooter so need get rid of this baby. So looking for someone back home who is interested in.

Asking price for this bike is $700 with delivery inclusive.
If interested you can get back to me with your full details where that can be done. I will arrange with the service incharge and they will contact you on when delivery is possible. All payment should be made to them.
You will have 2days to cross check that the bike is ok, if you are satisfied then you will ask the service to make payment to me, if you are not satisfied all your payment made to the m will be refundable. They only act on third party for us both in other to make the transaction good."

Bumpy Ride

2008-11-14T21:00:00.000+08:00

While cycling to school today, my handlebar felt like it was pulsating. At first, I thought it was due to the stones on the road due to the road widening effort. However, I soon realised that there was a rhythm to it.
Couldnt figure out what was wrong so I just pedalled all the way home. It was one heck of a bumpy ride!
Turns out the tublar tire was misaligned. A poriton of my tire was no longer sitting in the groove of my rims!
Check out the pics.

Genesis

2008-11-14T20:04:00.000+08:00

Decided to start a blog to log my cycling activities.

Here's the list so far...

19th October 2008: Bought a 2nd hand racer
1st November 2008: Went on 1st cycling trip, 66km
2nd November 2008: Cycled in the rain!
8th November 2008: Cycled to SIM
14th November 2008: Cycled to SIM

About Me

2006-11-14T20:10:00.004+08:00

Im a leisure cyclist who bought a bicycle in October 2008 to join my friends on a 4 day cycling trip to Malacca and back. Haven't done anything fancy since then and my bicycle is mostly used for commuting these days.
This blog serves as a way for me to post my thoughts and opinions on cycling issues and other stuff.