Goodbye Paul, RIP, I will miss u!

Paul, the legend and super nice guy. I met him several times on sunday rides and the last being the HP alumni Japan Charity ride. Where I had an honor to try his moulton and we chatted along the ride.... and there and then I made the decision to buy one... was so looking forward to show him.....as a surprise.... 

But today morning...Paul was sitting in a Van and was rear-ended by a car driven by a drunk driver this at ECP. He has sadly passed on.... His wake will be held tomorrow, 1st May, Blk 14 Toh Yi Drive 8.30pm.  Funeral is on Wednesday. My sincere condolences to his family...let's do what ever we can help for his family. 
Update on what happened on the fateful day

Dear Paul, thank you for ur wonderful chats on Moultons and bicycles. Your laughter and crazy ideas will be missed by all. I wished I had met you earlier, experienced your legendary hill climbs and see u spin on a Carryme, smoking a Dahon speedpro. Watch out for us fellow cycling kakis and I will always remember you sir! 

Paul the legend

Paul and his orange Moulton

2nd from left is Paul, with his riding kakis , Terence, Daniel, Gibson and Thomas 

My very own Moulton TSR

Originally a TSR 9, now is TSR20! 

Moulton looking at our laundry

Yes, I  finally succumbed to the Moulton magic....thanks to a ride on Paul's Moulton recently at the HP Alumni Charity for Japan ride. His bike changed my perception of Moulton. Thanks Paul for letting me try his favorite steel horse... I remember he said before I tried his bike... "it is fast but strangely comfortable" => that's a Moulton!

Space frame and cross link front suspension

old school handle bar by Soma

Specially built for my relaxed kind of riding by the folks from My Bike Shop (Tan, Kian Lin and Jai- thank you very very much!).  Featuring on control area - a Soma sparrow old school handle bar, with flatbar shimano shifters. For the cranks and derailuer, they are Shimano famed Ultegra range which makes the shifting so buttery smooth and shiokkkk.  It just rides like a magic carpet(for me)... but still need to pedal and the slopes are still tough haha :)  This is not a rational bicycle and I will not even try to justify it's existence... the feeling is just very unique ride.  I will stop blabbering..... and here are some photos of my new handsome burgundy friend.
More photos here

Oh, I forgot... I like to know what would be a good name for him? I guess I am getting mad...

Ting ting brass bell

Note: For further updates on Moulton, I also created a special blog called MoultonSingapore so I will not bore u on the crazy things people do with Moulton. Also pls contact me if u have a moulton, I like to know why u choose it and how u "soup" up ur ride... 

Reynods 525 tubing means a strong and light frame

purposeful and stylo

World Water way event videos and official photos

Nice parcel from the friendly PUB folks, thank you! It is very nice of you! 

Lovecyclingsg is a friends of  Water!

Fellow riders and friends, I recieved this nice present earlier this week from PUB and it contained CD footage of us riding along the Alexandra canel PCN. Also very surprise is a personal thank you letter and even a framed photo! Wow, thanks PUB! It is really nice to be recognized for our efforts... and this is all possible because of fellow riders friends like you!  Let's make Singapore a even better place for riding!
Now.. NParks if u are watching this... I want to do a lovecycling ride to the Bishan PCN when they are done...we are ready when u are ready :)

Pls click here to retrieve Photos by PUB photographers

Clarence, Gentle giant who loves to ride!

Gentle giant, looks fierce but actually very nice and helpful. This sums up Clarence for u. We met on the first Kranji ride and I guess he must think I was nuts to ride under the pouring rain... 

One of the regular riders on the lovecycling sunday rides, Clarence can be seen, hear in his MTB and techno music blaring away....  He is also one of the unsung heros who took their personal time to do a recce to Desaru /Pengarang, making sure it was all doable and finding out the nice spots to stop and eat. Thank you Clarence for the extra mile and efforts! 

Hong and Clarence at Pulau Ubin 

Clarence leading the flock at Alexandra PCN for the World water way day

chugging along... dun worry I block the wind!

Clarence performing water aerobics!

Lovecycling goes to Desaru - 22nd April 2011

Ready? let's go!

riding kakis

24 friends met at Changi Ferry terminal early morning for a group ride to Desaru. "Are u nuts to do this?" some of my friends asked. Probably but it should be fun.... I hope, fingers crossed. 

Bar ku teh... super!

Distance is estimated to be just under 60 km one way... with some slopes to make it more "interesting." Led by KC, Clarence, Mary and Andrew, we made good time riding smoothly to Pengarang town around. Stopping for some nourishment, we swamped the Bar ku teh stall... food tastes so good when u are hungry! 

bike train to Desaru...hop on!  photo credit Matt 

      Was thinking to myself... "hey it wasn't so bad". Mary looked on grinning.."the fun is just beginning" she smiled so sweetly. The later part was "fun"... I guess it is also due to the hot sun, which makes everything melt... As u pedal, u question urself...why oh why did I sign up for this torture?" I just keep telling myself , what doesn't kill u, makes u stronger.... go go! One crank at a time! The whole group eventually conquered the slopes, the heat and found ourselves at Desaru, Pulai beach resort around 3pm. Not bad at all! We dropped our stuff in the rooms and went straight into

the pool. Lazing around like beached whales... it was relaxing and nice. Ahhhhh... shiok! 

music while we eat

Dinner followed soon, we showed Desaru while we can cycle, we can also eat....more like hungry vultures we whacked everything in! Stressing the BBQ chap doing the beef satay.... Over dinner, we chatted and laughed... talking from bicycles, to bicycle parts to medical information on chicken rice, fried oysters and fried rice. It was wonderful to be able to chat for extended time with my bike kakis.... that nite, I slept like a log...  and my buddy matt had some middle nite snack of Poi chai pills... haha.. :)

going home

4 road kill

The next morning, we had a sumptuous breakfast of nasi lemak, with bread, omelettes, juices, sausages and many more. I tried to control myself as I know the going early on would be tough. Meeting at the lobby, we took our obligatory lovecycling "TW" pose and personal glam shots.. Then we started cranking away. I like to tackle the hills early morning as the heat is not so bad... anyway...groaning and cursing.. ....

the real reason why we ride..  Photo by Matt 

we managed the slopes. Very soon, the crew reached Pengarang.  Nice lunch of lobster, pork and all things good at the good luck restaurant. Highly reccomended place! We also loaded up the biscuits and pastry at the bakery shop for the wifey and girl friends.  Then we headed towards the jetty... detour to have a quick peek at a chinese village, have some coffee and eggs. I really like the feel of the kampong Jawa, sleepy and original. We made it to the ferry terminal very early. Sitting at the carpark, hot and sweaty....but fullfilled.   Many thanks, Mary, Vince, KC,
Clarence, David, Zack, Andy and many other for the efforts.. Wonderful ride with friends... I know I will back! 


More photos here 
taiwoon Flickr
Matt's Flickr



And specially for Mary... 

Francis- Cycling advocate and zenman

Off road @ Pulau Ubin using a JZ88.... steady man!

Francis is the one who got me back into cycling. We met as colleagues at Philips design Singapore. Every morning, without fail Francis would ride his folding JZ88 bicycle to work. Rain or shine... and it was amazing to see him dripping wet from the rain, but still smiley and happy. That got me really intrigued and over coffee breaks, I asked him his "secret". "I used to drive every where and my health was failing me. Doctor say I need more exercise. So when my kids were bigger, I sold the car and started to ride bicycles. It is fun and u should try it..."  So we did. First by venturing out at lunch time with Peikang, Tahching and Francis.  With the bicycle, we could go further then walking and it was a good break from the office. From lunch time rides, we "graduated" to organising lovecycling Sunday rides...to lovecycling.net which is now attended by many riders. Francis is a classic "not the bike but the man" kind of guy. You will see him everywhere either with his trusty JZ88 or his classic Colnago Fixie. His laid back, serene and quiet ways conceal a strong conviction - to make cycling more accessible to all. Recently, he has taken step to focus full time on bicycles and all cycling related activities! That's is true commitment! Thank you Francis, for showing how much cycling can be fun and that cycling is a possible commuting alternative in Singapore.

Ride to eat! Tahching and Francis, founders of lovecycling

When I say bicycle is part of him...I wasn't kidding... bicycle as a chair...

Francis the innovator, tinkerer with his safety sail!

Eddie and Family

Eddie, Sandy, with their boys Marcus and Kenneth

    A family that plays together, stays together. Eddie, Sandy, Marcus and Kenneth is a very cool example of this mantra. I first met them at the first Kranji ride in dramatic conditions. It literally poured just before the start of the ride.. "Erh, maybe u like to wait it out or do this next time" I suggested to Eddie. But the garang family followed me in the rain all through out the ride.... it was amazing to see the boys in action and mummy in tow.  Here are some shots of them in action... Keep on spinning!

Marcus on his Giant MTB,  our future SG National rider in the making

"mummy, u alright?" 

"I am ok!"

"not so fast!!!! Huff and puff... I will chase u all down.... "

Eddie zipping along ... "man man lai" = slowly but surely

29th April, next friday .. something's brewing at Lifecycle...

Helping to spread the word... Come on by to Lifecycle next Friday and see some really cool dude and dudettes... doing their thing!

There's something about Mary

Mary aka Ang Kau Neng  with her Dahon Toughfy  

Mary Ang, one of lovecycling Charlie Angels. Always dressed impeccably, with matching shoes and sun glasses.

However, don't let her appearance fool u...Mary is one hell of a good rider. She recently completed NTU 128km ride and does trekking in her free time. She alternates between a  Brompton P apple green 6 speed and a Dahon D7 souped up with the latest Sram and  kinetic pro wheels - very bling and fast!

Carrying load, especially on the brompton is very easy. Mary uses the standard brompton T bag which swallows all her barang barang(stuff) like a bottomless pit. The bag is also mounted very low on the front and does not affect handling. 

Very friendly rider, passionate advocate of cycling and also one of the regular feature in our Sunday rides. Come on by someday and say hello to our Queen!

 Stylo milo queen, matching acessories right down to the shoelaces!! yeah!

Riding her Brompton in a light drizzle with a fluorescent bag cover 

Can't miss who this Brompton belongs to..

I got toolkit, patch kit, and many many more.... 

Sunblock, moisturiser , wetwipes and my bear bear key fob

Lovecycling goes to Sentosa -17th April2011

Lovecycling crew at Sentosa

young guns...

Derek and Rini smiling for the camera

Zack sharing the points of interest and safety briefing

Everyone wants to try Carryme

Shiok!

Around 40 riders metup at Vivo city on sunday for the Sentosa round island ride.  And I missed this ride again!  Looking at the photos, I can see that everyone had a good time. Led by Zack, Clarence and David, the group traversed the whole island, going up and down numerous slopes.... tiring but all made it. Here are some of the cool photos they taken...keep the cranks turning!
More photos can be seen here, from Andrew , david photo, KC photos  Photos credits to Andrew Wan, David Ng and KC!