Rider Profile Michael Wong

Tell me about yourself
I'm a senior, love DIY since young. Never got bored reading or watching technical stuff on TV. 
Outdoor activities are my favorites, now narrowed down to golfing and cycling. My career background is in Marine engineering. Married to wife, Jenny and son Adrian lives in Australia.
How did you started cycling and why do you like cycling?
I started cycling when I was about 11.  At this age, boys are expected to know how to swim and ride a bike besides catching spiders . At 16, started cycling to school.  Was lucky had a Raleigh bike handed down from my uncle. Sometime later I also had a Legnano road bike from a friend. That was when I really started cycling.  Stopped cycling when I had to pursue my career in marine engineering (sailing onboard merchant vessels). When I returned to work onshore, I discovered that my Legnano bike which was left with my buddy was gone. That was when I stop cycling for a long while.
I only started cycling again in 2010, after visiting my son in Melbourne. He was cycling to work.. wonderful. I told myself.. hey start cycling again man.  So when I came back, I bought a A-Bike on-line because I was carried away by the awesome advertisement.  It's a nice bike for riding around the neighborhood. No good for sloops and can't bring me too far.  Then I bought a foldie from a factory in China. It looks like the Dahon MU7 and I like the geometry. Soon I discarded all the "junk" components and customized it. Named it Special Kit.
I like cycling as it gives me a sense of freedom and roam around nice places. Besides that it also help me keep healthy and fit and gives me the opportunity to meet new friends.
Why did you make your own bicycle instead of buying?
Well, I took it on as a challenge as I always wanted to achieve something special in my lifetime that I can call my own. It's also the passion. The new generation of carbon bikes are awesome, but somehow I still preferred the classic.  So I started to Google for information on bike building. Found this particular frame builder Suzy from Australia. She share her frame building experience on her blog Little Fish. That really inspired me to give it a go. She  gave me some advice which were helpful. I'm very glad that the bike came out as expected.  I named the bike Michaux, after Ernest Michaux, inventor of the modern bicycle and better known for his "bone shaker"  More WIP here 

This is handmade by Michael!!! 

check out the details

I am not kidding.. he did this in his HDB home.... 

When you met LCSG - how was it like and how you meet us 
I was looking out for riding Kakis. The ones I found did not suit me as most are "chiong type". I had enough of that when young. I preferred recreational cycling and it was when I stumbled on your blog Smallwheelsbigsmile that I came to know LCSG. It was in June 2011 when I had my first ride with LCSG. It was from Punggol Park to CV lead by Nparks. I met so many wonder people, young and old.....  I found the right riding kikis and will try my best to participate as much as possible. My other riding Kikis are with Classic Mercedes friends.
Taiwoon,  sincerely thank you and your team in LCSG for sacrificing their weekends in organizing rides for it's members, awesome. 
Tips to share with fellow riders
Well besides road safety, it is also important that one knows basic cycling technique. Most beginners overlooked this aspect and that is where accidents arises. Ride to your ability. If you ride with a fast group, be sure you can keep pace otherwise, doing "catching up" will endanger yourself.  If on-road, apply defensive cycling, never take for granted even if you have the right of way.