Rider Profile Shaun Chua

1. Tell me about yourself
My name is Shaun. Still a relatively new roadie as I just started cycling properly around Feb of 2015. Most of my rides are planned because I want to go to a certain spot to snap some pictures!

2. How did you start cycling?
My earliest memory of getting on a bike was about when I was still in primary school. My parents thought it would be a good idea for me to learn to abandon the 2 training wheels and ride a proper 2 wheeled bike when we were at a family gathering at pasir ris park. It was probably the earliest proud achievemnt of my childhood when I was able to cycle with my mother chasing me behind.

ET phones home... the most iconic BMX  

I had a BMX bike when I was slightly older. Me and my sisters would often cycle in the void decks playing "catching" when we're not doing a few laps around bishan park. Mind you, this was before the internet so we spent quite some time on our bike saddles instead of a chair. The bike was eventually stolen when I left it unlocked outside our HDB flat and I did not cycle much after that.
Fast forward to my army days, I used my first SAF pay to get a cheap hercules mountain bike that costs <$200. I still have it to this day. 
After my ORD, I was starting to pay more attention to my fitness. I've only been running in terms of exercise. My Dad helped me pick out a Cannondale quick 4 hybrid bike. The first ride I had with it was at punggol PCN. That ride was the first time I felt the wind blow past at speeds which I never rode at before. Adding on the beautiful night sky with some music, it was amazing. 

2 months later, my dad decided that I should upgrade to a road bike while he will ride the cannondale. We looked around and I eventually got a Trek Emonda ALR 6. I stepped on the pedals and here I am :)
I've since tackled various challenges like triathlons, duathlons and my proudest achievement is finishing the 168km bike rally where I rode with Mike, Stanley and a few others. I'm now currently one of a group of riders who assist Stanley and Peggy in conducting the friday round island rides.

LCSG RI Leads and angels! 

Cycle and watching the sun go down

3. Why do you like cycling?
What I like most about cycling is the different world that you experience whilst pedalling. Its different. You get to see so much more as compared to walking and you get to soak in the surroundings better than driving. Cycling allows me to cover so much more ground that I ever thought was possible. Cycling has allowed me to travel to marina bay sands, sentosa, woodlands and jurong for free! Most of the time spent on my hybrid was exploring new places and snapping some pictures to share with the facebook group.

Cycling has solved 99% of my problems and its the best medicine in my opinion.
However, the best part about cycling is that I get to eat anything I want! XD

4. When you met LCSG ñ How was it like and how you meet us?
I first chanced upon the LCSG via its FB group . Funny thing was I wasn't accepted within the day and I pm-ed all the admins which got me a response and I was accepted into the group the following day. So much nice pictures were shared by other members and it gave me ideas and motivation for my next ride. Sharing my picture after my rides was my favourite thing to do and everyone is so kind and positive that it made me look forward to my next photoshoot/ride :P

My first ride with LCSG was the first round island ride on friday evenings. Me and my buddy took on the challenge even thou we weren't sure if we could complete and we haven't rode that distance before. The atmosphere is friendly and I loved my first experience riding with a pelaton. The 105 kilometers was suprisingly fun and not actually that scary. We than joined some of the riders for supper at the nearby coffee shop as we were sure we needed some ba chor mee! The organisers were very nice and controlled the pace very well which led to my future participation in future ri rides.

After the ride, my eyes were opened and I remember telling my buddy that I have a new perspective on fitness. The riders were all so strong and some of them don't even appear to be tired at all. This motivated me to keep coming back to improve on my cycling and the ride has gotten easier and easier as time passes.

5. Your steel horses ñ names and more details
The bikes that I currently still own is my old and worn hercules mtb, a cannondale quick 4 hybrid and my trek road bike.

6. My favourite cycling kakis
The regulars who make it for the friday round island ride! You guys make every ride fun fUN FUN!

7. Where is your favorite stretch to ride?
I honestly like punggol PCN when there is little human traffic. I've since taken to the roads after I deemed the pcn to be too crowded. I do enjoy mount faber and I would say its my favourite place to ride.

8. Other things to share. Life motto etc
Cycling is the closest to FLYING! Other than plane rides of course :P