Bike to work – Dennis Cheong's way

Dennis works at Clinical and imaging research centre(NUH) and he been cycle commuting for a few years. 

He has also been featured in Razor TV on cycling issues in Singapore. He clarified that for the effect of the program he was asked to wear office clothes which he doesn't during the commute.  This is his story. 

Dennis with his MTB urban ninja bike . Scroll down all the way to see more info

Screen grab from Razor TV 

Talking about the issues for cycling on Singapore roads 

My trip is between Toa Payoh and NUH, on multiple routes depending on mood, time, weather, and mostly, the traffic light colour when I reach a junction. (See heat map attached) I should say that I am "lucky" as Toa Payoh is very near the geographical centre of Singapore. I mainly ride on the roads (no PCN between these two places) but nowadays I try to use quieter and wider lane roads and don’t mind climbing stairs (thanks to the lighter bicycle weight).

I have been using a Tern Link C7 stock folding bicycle with fenders since Apr 2013. Attire is sandals, Bermuda, Uniqlo Airism with a luminous colour with reflective stripes safety vest. Changing, simple “showering” and rinsing cum “turbo” initial drying of shirts in one of the many fully equipped wheelchair friendly toilet. Further drying with the help of a USB fan.

Crucial items to me are a spectacles frame mounted Peddler Take-a-Look rear view mirror, a simple jockey cap, a USB rear light (always on) and a battery rear light, a USB head light (always on) and a simple battery head light, two phones serving as front and rear cameras, a simple hand pump, some Allen keys, a spanner, a Phillips head screwdriver, a bamboo clothe peg and some plastic bags.

My bicycle commuting started small, in 1995 for short commute between Clementi West and NUS Science Faculty. Traveling full trips wasn’t the initial intention, but an accidental discovery when I rode from Clementi to Tanjong Pagar and realized that on a 24” hard MTB, it took me only 45 minutes! Since then, cycling has become my main travel mode in normal attire. My previous main commute bike is a 26” old school hybrid that is still around. Some previous bike to work destinations are TTSH, NTU (only once weekly and in PT attire), TJC, TP, NYP, RVHS@West Coast, and Peace Centre.

Here is Dennis ultimate urban ninja commuting bike to minimise theft. I think that extremely creative and practical. :)
You can also find more commuting ideas via a group which he setup here  

Rust is real, not painted on or decorative. It helps to blend into environment

Soft PU slippers help to give addition cushioning and visually demoralise any ideas 

He simply oils the chain ONCE in a year... and it still keeps on going

Noel's Part time commuter, part time racer

Can speed mix with commuting? Well, for Noel it sure can!  I also love the way the Tern is photographed in a very Singapore living context. The HDB Void deck! 

Photo credits Noel Tan

Bike lanes from all over the world

Bikelanes are happening everywhere. Have a look at the contributions by fellow lovecyclingsg folks when they travel to different places...  Ok, I know we shouldn't be blindly copying but on the same note, we should be stubborn and blindly keep things as it is.
I will keep adding more places that have bikelanes, paths to share with all. Including LTA and our MOT pple.

Paris - note how the tile creates a seperate bike path

KaoShiong Taiwan - Painted lines   - Photo by George Lim

San Francisco - USA  - Painted line with bicycle logo - Photo by Ro

Penang, Malaysia  - Painted line with bicycle logo   - Photo by Boon

Even in Penang, Malaysia!!! Ok, if bikepath takes up too much space, what about bus/bike lane.  This is not a new idea... we have seen this in Perth! Thanks to Bro Al for providing the photo.

specific time which allows the bicycle and bus to use the left lane only.  Photo by Al 

New York has it too! - Photo Credit Newyork times

Munich, Germany. Using the pavement and painted line  Photo credit Huffingtonpost.com

Zack Cycles to work

Zack and his sense of humor!

Why do I cycle to work?

Three simple reasons;

Money – I save money from taking public transports for a distance of 12km per trip.

Time – If I cycle to work, it will take me about 40-45mins journey at a pace of 20kmh instead of public transports that takes up to 55mins (depending on traffics).

Healthy – I get to exercise to maintain my fitness.

Does my workplace have bike friendly facilities?

Yes of course my company has bike friendly facilities. My company encourages employees to exercise and has many exercise programs for the employees. We even have a cycling team which rides on every Wednesday.

How to get started...  

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. All you need is planning and recce for the best route to start your first pedal.

When did I start cycling to work? 

I started cycling to work in 2011 after I sold my car of 4 years.

How often do I cycle to work?

I try to cycle often to work as long as it does not rain.

Any advice for people thinking of cycling to work?

It actually takes times to get used to it. I took months of hard decisions before planning and recce for the best route to cycle to work. For me, I choose a safer route but of longer distance instead of a shorter

Zack's Commuting route

 

Jel's Commuting Story

Jel and one of his nifty item which makes it a safer ride... Rear Mirror 

Jel's Advice... dun squeeze

I must say that cycling to work here in Singapore is much more enjoyable and safer compared to the Philippines. I used to cycle to work back in the Philippines using my 20kg Mountain Bike clocking 15kms one way where 40% of the way is uphill. It’s a must to wear a heavy duty mask unless you want to suffer some upper respiratory diseases in the future. The only upside was that the drivers are skillful and considerate.

Singapore is much cleaner, cooler and a lot more enjoyable in my opinion. My decisions to cycle to work are:

-       Forces me to do cardio so I can concentrate on weight training

-       Saves transportation costs

-       Lessen my carbon footprint

-       Help improving the image of cyclists here in Singapore by strictly sticking to the rules (at least the ones that I know of)

-       Meet new friends (which I did)

My first bike was a S$60 Aleoca folding bike which we bought on a sale in VivoMart. The day I bought it I tested it as soon as possible in the house. It didn’t go well as the rear tire goes flat and chain was broken.

I went back to VivoMart the next day using MRT and I must say just lugging it around gave me a workout. At some point I wanted to just throw it in the garbage and be done with it. I decided to replace it with an S$100 Aleoca MTB so I topped up S$40. I used that the next day but 15 mins. out the rear derailleur gave away. At that time I’ve got no skills or tools to fix or remove the rear wheel to take a cab so walked all the way to the office. On top of that I’ve got an upset stomach. I was pretty upset myself. Called Aleoca and after 3 days they picked up the bike at the office for repairs and they returned it after 3 days as well. Some lessons I learned:

-       I need a quality bike that can fit in a cab during emergencies

-       I need basic tools and skills for fixing a bike

-       I need to stay dry during a surprise rain shower

Before I joined LoveCyclingSG a friend referred me to Filipino Cyclist in Singapore where I found out about an affordable folding bike called Dahon Eco C6 where I got to test ride during my first weekend ride with them. The difference in rideability between my Aleoca MTB is so obvious that I immediately sold my MTB for S$80 and convinced my wife into getting the last piece of Dahon Eco C6 in L&T Cycles in Tampines.

Now I’m ready for an all-out commuting to work with my trusty folding bike. Below is my routine:

Monday – Take public transport to work so I can bring all my stuff for the week at one go which includes long sleeves, slacks, socks and boxers. That way I will be forced to cycle to work the rest of the week since most my work clothes are already in the office. We have a locker in the office so the things that I leave there for the long run are 1 belt, 1 leather shoe, antibacterial wipes, perfume and hair spray. I make sure that I have another belt and leather shoes at home just in case I decided not to cycle to work for any reason like movie dates and the likes.

Another option is to install a front truss and mount a waterproof bag or a rear rack with waterproof pannier so you can bring your change of clothes every day. Based on experience I’m not a fan of backpack while riding since it stinks up the bag itself due to sweat although I do have a backpack with rain cover in it just in case. For now I use it during weekends as a baby bag.

Tuesday to Friday – I shower before riding. The only thing I bring here are the basic tools like multi-tool, innertube spare, pocket jacket and hood, spanner, front lights (just in case I leave at work late at night) and waterproof phone mount. I arrive at the office around 8:30am to have enough time wipe down sweat, get changed and have a hearty breakfast. The beauty of having a folding bike I was able to bring it inside the office without worrying of leaving it outside the elements. There’s also a possibility that our office will be moved to Changi which is ok for me since we have shuttle services in Sengkang and I can simply cycle to Sengkang and bring my folding bike up the shuttle bus. One word –Flexibility.

What I wear?

I made sure to get a lot of free OCBC jerseys so that every morning motorists gets to see the 1.5M signage at the back. I alternate shorts and cycling shorts. I bought Keen Newport since it’s waterproof and anti-bacterial as well. Good for sunny and rainy season. Its sole is stiff so that helps in pedaling.

That’s all there is to it. So for those who reached this paragraph and still deciding whether or not to cycle to work the trick is not to overthink it and just go for it. As the old saying goes “If there’s a will, there’s a way”.

Noel Tan Cyclo commute to work

Noel Tan 

Noel Route

I would like to share my experience of cycling to work. Here's the route http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/bedok-to-bishan.  
Bikely is a useful tool to plan routes. I see some LCSG'ers are using them too.

Mode of transport: Tern Verge P18

Why cycle to work?
The thing that makes me chose to commute via bike is because of my job. I'm a programmer and there is never a 9am to 6pm day.I wanted to incorporate exercise into my daily regime but it's difficult when I have to work past 6pm everyday. So I decided that by biking, I can take those time I use to sleep in the bus and use them for exercise!

Cycling attire for the commute
My cycling attire is a t-shirt and cycling pants. To transport my stuffs, I carry a back pack. But recently I purchased a front bag to put my stuff as it's much more convenient. If you sweat a lot like I do, your back pack will stink of sweat. It also takes of the load you carry on your shoulders without a back pack. As for work clothes, I'm lucky as I do not need to wear formal, so Monday and Friday, my back pack would be the heaviest, other than that, it's usually just extra shirt, packed lunch.
Monday: Extra Clothes, Milk & cereal pack: breakfast for the week, Jacket: cold in the office
Friday: Jacket and dirty clothes.
I will leave my pants in office so I don't need to transport them everyday. (Jeans no need to wash every day, haha).

I ride my foldie to work and the routes consist of half road and half PCN. On the roads, I usually try to stay on bus lane, which is much more safer, or not. I cycle at a pace of 25km/h - 30km/h. I ride faster when I need to cut across to avoid cars having to drive in front of me to turn to the left, but sometimes I just ride fast to see how much can I go. One time I manage to go up to 58Km/h on straight roads. The first half of my route is roads, so I take that as my training ride. When I head into the PCN, I just relax and enjoy the scenery, especially Bishan Park. Usually If I take a bus, my whole journey will take me 1 hour and 20 minutes or more. By biking, If I want to go fast, I can reach office in less than an hour, but usually I will just take it slow when I reach PCN, so total journey is about 1 hour.

Office Situation not too bike friendly...
My office does not have a shower point. I use a trick widely adopt by fellow commuters = Baby wipes!. I will first cool down at the last few KMs to my work place. When in office, I first wipe down with a wet towel, then use baby wipes to clean any dirt, leaves me smelling good. I also apply deodorant and that's it, I'm ready to work. There's no sticky feeling or whatsoever. As I really sweat alot, I'm initially worried about how uncomfortable I will feel, but it didn't affect me much after a proper wipe down. So baby wipes = approved! I leave the wipes, deodorant and a small sports towel in office, so stock up on these things to avoid transporting them up and down.

My experience on the road is good, as I can see a lot of drivers are quite considerate. There are some more aggressive drivers (driving to close, refuse to give way), but I will make sure to give a signal when I'm about to turn or stop. Also I always try to ride defensively, slow down when required and give way when needed. Just have to beware of other cyclist, especially the banglas, as they don't stop at the red light. I was stared a few times for stopping. Sometimes, I make mistakes as well, but just have to be aware of the surroundings and be safe. Do bring a pollution mask as it might get bad cycling beside trucks and buses. I use one from daiso.
For my ride back, I just change to my cycling pants and wear the shirt I wore for work. I only bring one shirt to change after my morning commute, and ride back in that same shirt. As cycling pants dry quick, I can wear it again when I leave work. Always remember to bring back the sweaty clothes or your drawer will stink.
I'm quite new to commuting by bike (past 1 & 1/2 months), so there is so much more to know. However I really do enjoy cycling to work as It wakes me up for the morning. However, it's not an obligation to bike to work, sometimes when I'm tired I still take the bus. But I would say that cycling to work is the first thing I look forward to in the morning. :)

So that's my experience for cycling to work. Hope it can help others to start doing the same.

Thanks and regards
Noel

Steve Tan's Commuting story

No problemo!

Route from home to work

Introducing  Steve Tan of Handonsbike Blog and fellow lovecyclingsg Team mate. He works for as an R&D Engineer and walks the talk by cycling to work. Yes! It is really possible in Singapore and this is his story…

Why do I cycle to work?
Because it is fast and convenient! By bike, the journey takes 40 mins of cycling at a reasonable pace (22-25km on the flats), including a detour to get the newspaper in the morning. This is the door-to-door timing, starting from my lift lobby to my office lobby. No waiting for MRT or bus, no traffic jams, no sardine experience.
By public transport, it will take me at least 50 mins door-to-door, assuming no waiting time for the MRT or the feeder bus 255. Including waiting time, it will usually take me about one hour to get to work. 
What other benefits do I get for cycling to work?
Besides the convenience, I also get to exercise or train at the same time. On a lazy day, I just ride slow and probably take about 5-10 mins more to get to work. On some days when I feel like chiong-ing, I will push at a good pace and reach maybe 5 mins earlier.There is no need to find time outside of work to cycle or exercise. The journey to and from work is also my exercise time. Most importantly, it is fun! 
Does my workplace have bike friendly facilities?
I must admit that my company has to be one of the few companies in Singapore that actually encourages employees to cycle to work. No one bats an eyelid when you arrive on a bike in full cycling gear. Some facilities that I feel are important for people to consider cycling to work are ample and secure bike parking, proper shower facilities and a viable cycling route.There is plenty of bike parking available at my workplace. Also, we have a single shower cubicle at the nearest washroom so there is no problem there. As for the cycling route, I have tried many different routes and finally settled on a route that is relatively fast and safe. I don’t cycle to work every day of the week, because of various reasons. On average, I make 2 complete trips to and from home every week, although the to and fro trip may not be on the same day. On other days I just take public transport as I am not going straight home after work or because of rain.
How to get started...  
Start by planning how you want to cycle to work. Do a bit of recce to find out the best route (may not be the fastest or shortest). Think of how you plan to bring your change of clothes or other work documents. Does your bike have suitable carriers for commuting?

Total distance is about 12 km one way. The majority of the route will be on roads, with small sections of PCN and pavement. For example, near Lakeside, there is a very good PCN running beside Yuan Ching Road (5 to 7km mark), and thus I take the PCN which is safer, compared to the narrow 2 lane road. From the 10 km mark till I cross under AYE, I have no choice but to take the pavement as the traffic at Pioneer Road North is very heavy even at 645am in the morning. Also, there is no other way to cross the roundabout safely on the road. A little bit of bike pushing and carrying needed there. The return trip is just a reverse of the route shown here.

When did I start cycling to work? 
1 year ago

How often do I cycle to work?

How is commuting via bike different from competitive cycling or leisure cycling?
The first thing to realize is that you are not in a race! There is no need to get the lightest bike with the fastest wheels. The best commuting bike is a bike that can carry things (such as work clothes) for you, as it spares you from having to carry a sweaty backpack. Rack and mudguards are always useful to have, for carrying stuff and to help keep your bike and yourself clean. I usually wear cycling gear as it is more comfortable for cycling, although you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

Any advice for people thinking of cycling to work?

Always have a plan in mind. What if it rains? What if I get a puncture on the way to work? Think of how you will handle these situations and plan accordingly.

Don’t stress yourself by forcing yourself to cycle to work every day. Start by cycling to work once or twice a week to get the feel of it. If it works out fine, consider increasing the number of trips per week. The key is to enjoy cycling to work! If it rains, it is OK not to ride. If you are tired, it is OK not to ride. If it is not convenient due to any reason, it is OK not to ride that day. No need to force yourself if you don’t want to.

Depending on your situation, you may need to start earlier in order to arrive at work on time. Plan to arrive about 20 mins earlier to give yourself time to cool down and take a shower. You will feel refreshed after cycling to work!

For more information on bicycle commuting and safe cycling tips, please refer to the links below.

Mr Brown’s Guide to Bicycle Commuting

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2008/07/mrbrowns-quick.html

HandsOnBike: Safe Cycling Tips

http://handsonbike.blogspot.sg/2012/01/how-to-have-safe-and-pleasant-cycling.html

Slowly but surely....

Lady rider @ Junction of JTC hill towards Creative

I meet this lady almost every day on my way to work. Riding a simple mini velo with her handbags on the rear rack. Stopping at the junction, she looks on to the road traffic. Green-man lights up, she steps on the pedal and in a few pedal strokes effortlessly zips pass pediastrians to her work place. No fuss, no branded bicycles.. no ra ra show. Just a really nice way to travel to work.  Times are changing.... it is really possible to cycle to work. Have you tried it?

Think our train system can be better? now is ur chance to speak.

http://talk2lta.lta.gov.sg/ideas 
 Ok ok, I am with u... I also don't know why they need your home address and phone number while on the other hand, they hide under the LTA umbrella. U try to find anyone about it... there is not contact number, face or email..... but still I would give it a shot, and a open mind. :)
If u are shy about it... can also post on our lovecyclingsg facebook wall. We will help to convey the message. :) Thanks!

I long for a day......

this is what we see at our train station... 

This is a photo by Jok kwang and I was told taken outside Euston Underground. I look forward to the day when our very own MRT will be embrace the folding bike customer. I think, even if there is additional charge required for bicycle(take up some space), many would still be willing to pay. This would be a great way to resolve the last mile issue.
SMRT, and my friends... what do u say?

In chinese by Kim,
希望有一天
这照片是我朋友Jok Kwang 在伦敦尤斯顿（Euston）地铁站外所拍摄的。我真心期待有一天，我们的地铁服务也能接纳与照顾骑折叠单车的乘客。
我想，即便是地铁公司为此要征收多一点车费 （毕竟折叠单车还是会占据车厢的一些空间），很多单车骑士还是会愿意接受的。这未尝不是很好的“最后一公里”(The Last Mile) 解决方案。
SMRT（新加坡捷运公司简称）和骑士朋友们，你们的看法又如何呢？

George rides to work video

This is the riding route footage by our very own George Lim on his way to work.  To George, cycling is not just a recreational activity but a way of life. He rides to work daily and he loves the ride. I looked at the footage and there is just something about it. Haunting black shadows with the rythymic pedalling motion. The silence just makes the video more powerful. I like to find more folks who ride to work...anyone else?

In chinese translated by Kim
爱骑单车去上班的佐治
这是我的朋友佐治（George）骑单车上班沿途所见的风景. 对佐治来说,骑单车不止是一种休闲活动,更是一种生活方式和态度。
佐治天天骑单车去上班,很享受这段时光。他的录像里有一样东西深深吸引住我:黑黑紧随的身影,规律地踩动着。 无声的世界却有超强的感染力! 朋友,你也骑车去上班吗?我想认识你!