Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Riding my bike

Puts thing into perspective. Simple pleasures of just cycling and make ur hearts pound! Inspiring!

Monday, November 28, 2011

cycling is not new in Singapore!

Wow! I didnt know this.. thanks Copenhagenize!
http://www.copenhagenize.com/2011/10/subversive-photos-singapore.html
Photo credit Singapore National Archives

It is all about mindset

This is a lengthy article by Copenhagenize.com on cycling and how mindset(on cyclist, ,motorist) is critical to making cycling popular. It also talks about rules.. how effectively rules are to make motorist, cyclists behave and follow(not very well). This is what he wrote...
“Producing behavourial campaigns focused on cyclists only serves to continue the marginalisation of cycling and just hammers home the misconception that cycling is not something for everyone and is still just a sub-culture.Pointing behavourial fingers at cyclists serves no good purpose if you don't point the fingers at the other traffic users at the same time. Behavourial campaigns aimed at everyone remove this focus on cyclists and also serve to place the bicycle on an equal footing in the public psyche.”
Translated into simple English - Cyclists are not weirdos or crazy people. We are just normal people who cycles. Cycle to eat roti prata, cycle to la kopi, cycle to just enjoy our neighbour hood.... Please kindly watch out for us. In SG talk, it equates to saying we are "body wrap metal" while cars are "metal wrap body. One "kiss" from ur steel cages, we will fly... " Pls take care while u drive. 
Another cool article is the Bull in China-shop article, which I can totally relate.. we are missing the "Bull" in the entire process... what a bull! ... Mikael is the man behind Copenhagenize... and he is good! Do read, tell me what u think and pls share! 
Matt and Maegan enjoying a ride.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Dummy @ Peruvian Andes

If you think Dummy / xtracycles (longbike concept) is just a family bicycle.. think again.. this is Jacob Thomson riding through some really rough terrain... amazing. More here 

Riding the Spine in the Peruvian Andes from Jacob Thompson on Vimeo.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Tailwheel concept for Dummy - Good for more compact storage

This is my reference for a tail wheel for my Dummy. Reason being I live in a built up apartment and need to wheelie the bike into the lift. It is ok but I feel that with small roller wheels behind, it can help make it easier for me.
concept - Photo credit to DIT
Rollers installed
Vertical storage 

Aqua-Dummy ....Perhaps the army might consider for their recce team

This gentleman made a inflatable pontoon using the Dummy as a main frame. Things people do on a Dummy and no, i am not thinking of doing this.

Red Bull trolley Grand prix - not bicycles bicycles....but really cool!

Check this out!!!

Brompton adjustment, remove rear tyre- direct from the factory




Wednesday, November 23, 2011

More Dummy mods for children and Dessert Storm style

This gentleman bought the Dummy frame and built up the bike himself. Check out the rear rack he build from electrical cable steel conduit. I love the children footrest he did for his 2 grandchildren.

This is a guy who asked a bag maker to custom make bags for Dummy. Pretty Dessert Storm material if u ask me!

Mobile Art Trike

The internet is amazing trove of information.  I found this gentleman doing something cool with bikes. via Gwadzilla. Wow, I love how he uses trikes cargo bike as moving art displays. Hmm.. this gives me an idea!

Close up of the artworks
multiple photos stitched together to form a photo collage of a place. Nice!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Awesome Balestier ride video by Joeel Lee

This is AAAAWWWWEESSOMMEE !!
Fullset of photos here!
Visiting SG Tarzan hideout off Mount Pleasant road
I am fasssttt! Says resident artist Joeel Lee
Rezal , Cookie monster and her Queen...riding with LCSG escorts! 
from cycling, we became friends
halrow? Who called pager? 
To mars and beyond! 
Look into my eyes and what do u see? 
Real bread

Dutch cyclists talk helmets and bicycles

Rome wasn't build in a day.... how long will it take for Singapore to have a cycling culture? 5,10 or 20 years? Well, lets start building a cycling culture. One brick at a time....  I know we will get there..eventually. Are u with me?
Watch what Dutch cyclist say about cycling and helmets. Inspiring!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Cycling situation in Hong Kong

Coming closer to our home country Singapore. Hong Kong cyclists are also having their share of the problems. Here is a video which to me as similar situation in Singapore. Difference is, they are now being discussed and featured in the news.

Grocery shopping with Dummy - intial ride feedback

It is true, a cargo bike is fun.. is useful and will change ur perception of cycling and how u use bicycles. Think of it as a SUV to carry any and everything. Today I had my wife and momo riding with me to the nearby market.  It was about 3 km away, short by cycling standards but walking there will take a while.  
We tested ride with 2 behind around the void deck, learning to lean together on the turns. Momo the co-pilot was reassuring mummy" relax, mummy... and dont move...is very fun" 
Peekaboo
Momo waiting patiently for Mummy to buy veggies and breakfast
You can see Ah mo is very comfortable with Dummy seating position
Lots of room for barang barang! 
I want to shout!!! Solid lah!!! but shhssssh... not so loud...

Spurned on by Momo sunshine attitude... mummy settled in abit and we went and rolled merrily towards Punggol Plaza. Riding with additional load on the Surly Dummy means that I have to use the middle crank ring, with the rear on the bigger sprocket. The trick is to spin and not to grind on the pedals also expect that the handling will be heavier and slower. Initial feeling is that it will depend alot on the passenger, if they are relaxed and "neutral", the handling will be good. As it a motorbike, if the passenger fidgets... u will know.   
The plus point is that for the first time, we rode as a family... on one bike!!!! This is amazing and I am not by any way a strong rider. Ah mo was chirpy and singing tunes and mummy trying very hard to keep cool and not panic(she never rode on Dummy before). A short while later, we reach Punggol plaza and Kim went to buy the grocery while me and momo stood around Dummy. The grocery was a non-issue as Dummy have super deluxe load carry capabilities. unclip, place stuff. Sit on the plank, we are off. Woohoo!  The return leg was better as mummy was more relaxed and we sang as we rolled...even detoured abit to check out the neighbourhood.  I can see more family time on bikes! Yes, thats why I like Dummy so much!  Try it some day! 

Super PBP Randonneuring sharing by Heng



Momentos from the ride
Omg look... 
22 fellow cyclists came down to Lifecycle@ Punggol for Heng sharing session of the Paris-Breest- Paris ride (PBP in short) . Heng brought along his bicycle, jerseys and alot of memos on the ride. As the talk started, he explained how he was just like us 4 years ago. Riding foldies and zipping around Singapore. Then, 40 km is a big acomplishment... as it turns out, they began to ride further and further(sounds familar huh?) To malaysia, Penggarang, Desaru, Ipoh century and more.  Later onwards, he discovered Randonneuring and a group in Singapore doing it.
Learning about yourself, pushing beyond. Talking helps. Nuggets of real riding wisdom was shared freely. When asked why do it? Heng reply was " it is like asking a mountaineer, why go for mount Everest. Or Marathon runnner why do it? Because it is there...."  And he made pains to show that it is not just about cycling. This ride is a meeting of people. Different people with the same love - cycling... make that long range cycling.  Heng went into the details for preparing for the ride... and all over the shop... I could see the jaw drop... and Uncle KC salivating... It was awesome sharing and if u like to know more. Pls go to Heng's personal blog on his PBP account.
Rest of the event photos here 
Lastly I want to thank Heng and Simon of Lifecycle for making this all possible for our lovecyclingsg team. Now should we be doing a loooonger ride? What say u?