Learning from Toshi @ Aoyama - 21st July 2013

You can bring ur bike anytime, but u got to bag it

I had to travel to Japan for work (2 weeks) and while my work is confidential. I can share this wonderful time I had with Toshi Maeda at his home ground on 21st July 2013 Sun morning.
I had to take a 50min train ride from Yokohama to Tokyo but I felt it would be worth the effort.

3 years later. I am back at the same spot

Most important reason to be there was to learn how they have managed to get the cycling education going in Japan. And also have spend time with Toshi san to learn about his creative community at Aoyama.

learning to ride 

While the kids practised, they also educated the parents the importance of cycling safety

Teaching the kid how to deploy the stand

demonstrating if they don't get it... 

An honor to be standing beside the selfless legends

he is no. 50. And been doing this for over 30 years!

 It was really a humbling experience and talking to the Japanese Cycling Association (JCA) volunteers who have been tirelessly helping for many years. Toshi helped me translate my questions and shared really interesting details. The cycling program was only possible because of the Royal family(for the grounds) and Keirin racing association for sponsoring the bikes and equipment.  This has continued for at least 50 years and when I asked how did people know about this cycling program. He just shrugged and said.. “they have been doing this for a long time. Everyone knows.”

Toshi and his friend showing me around.

 

 tokyo streets

  

cycling route in Aoyama

simple instruction with no usual BS 

In a way, I could see the similarities we have done for Lovecyclingsg. Toshi san shared more how things were all linked and with the right attitudes and passion. There could be wonderful synergy with many people. Not for status, not for money. Just a simple dream to make their neighborhood a nice and homely.

 

Toshi insisted I come here... 

It looks so beautiful

Also shared with me this super hidden from view cafe called OVE. I love it.. the environment and the people. I learnt a new word over there. SenSo.... it hard to describe but Toshi san said..... “it just like Zen. Go where ur heart follow”.

slow down, have a tea

Ove is a mixed place. I can’t point a finger what it is.. . Its not a bicycle shop, nor it is design place. It’s like a place where artists, musicians, craftman can gather. Do a small exhibition, show and tell kind of place.

relaxed environment to chat 

totally vegan but very nice!

after the vegs.. coffee and ice cream

Tanada san fixing Toshi bike

super nice guy and hope can ride with him one day. Jpn or SG also can

if u like to see more... this is the location

I had a really wonderful experience to learn about Toshi‘s neighbor hood. I could tell that Aoyama is very precious and important to him. Thank you Toshi san for your time and generosity. I learnt a great deal and been very inspired.

I will see how I can use this ideas for Singapore!

More photos of a nice day here

Dummy good rolling fun with kids

Just some photos of me and my princess riding with the cool folks of lovecyclingsg. This is the sunday ride which was kindly led by Eddie Lim and team Carrymes. Oh yes, we also ferried Cayla too.. .

Rider profile Brian Ong

Brian Ong and his elder son

Eco friendly "bikecar"

My cycling adventures started during my childhood days. I have some early memories of me riding a tricycle with a rear basket when I was under the age of 5. I was in living in Indonesia then and cycling was confined to the close proximity of the house.

I also fondly remembered riding my hand-me-down chromed bmx bike (which I always kept shiny by polishing it with Autosol) with 2 of my primary school friends around my neighborhood back home in Singapore. It was great fun and I always looked forward to riding my bike. One of my friends had a brand spanking new blue color GT performer and boy, was I envious of him. That was like the crème de la crème of boyhood dreams. J Riding my bmx gave me the freedom to explore the neighborhood.

When I went to secondary school, I dropped cycling altogether only to get reacquainted with the 2 wheel contraptions during my polytechnic days when I met my best pal Shiva who was a bmx nut. I was always ogling at the Bmx Plus! magazine then and dreaming about the radical tricks that the pro riders could achieve.

After Polytechnic, I started working that that was the end of cycling again. I did try riding the mountain bike but gave up halfway through as I did not have any cycling kakis to go riding with. Fast forward 10 years down the road when I was working in Indonesia and boredom made me take a look at riding bicycles again. Well, having a bicycle shop near to my office didn’t help. I started owning too many bicycles over a few short years and had to have a room just to store them. I have not looked back after that day.

My family and I are now back home in Singapore. I have less(er) bikes now as HDB living doesn’t really allow for having too many. But I’m now a complete cycling nut and not a day passes by without me thinking of riding a bicycle. 

Cycling is a way for me to relax my mind. The constant repetitive action of pedaling, the wind blowing at my face and the exploring of far away places that you don’t normally visit in a car is my escape from the stresses of everyday life. I love cycling for the fact that I can find freedom, meet nice people along the way and get my workout at the same time.

I too do love riding my folding bike to run my errands or to meet friends. I would just ride to the MRT station, fold it up and take the train to where I would like to ride. I have found myself on several occasions riding to my favorite watering hole at Brewerkz for a nice ale on a hot afternoon. On one particular occasion, I had even cycled to meet the MP during his weekly meet the people session to tell him how filthy my estate has become over the past few years.    

Sometime this year, I had a group of about 20 cyclist friends whom I had gotten acquainted with while I was working in Indonesia visiting Singapore. A few friends and I hosted them throughout their 3 days cycling adventure in Singapore. That was real fun. I also had the opportunity to ride with these Indonesian friends in Jakarta (of all places) and in Bandung. I am now looking forward to their next visit to Singapore. 

Brian elder son getting the hang of things 

Brian with his friends

I have 2 young sons and I recently taught my elder son who is four years old to ride a bicycle without trainer wheels. Understandably, I’m very proud of him. He is now also very much into cycling (as he is into transformers) and he looks forward to riding with me on my longbike. I have a Surly Dummy, which is essentially a mountain bike with a longer wheel base and a cargo cum seating area behind the rider. I had to think real hard before buying it as storing it would be a challenge. There were no regrets getting the bike as my elder son and I look forward to every ride together along the park connector near our home. Cycling with my son is now possible as he sits behind me on the cargo rack. He loves going fast and having the wind blowing onto his face. This is the best way to bond with your child.

I do hope my short personal story of my cycling life will inspire someone who has never ridden a bike for many years to begin riding again. It’s the simpler things in life that are really fulfilling. Family. Friends. Food. Fun. Fitness. Cycling is what gels these 5 Fs together for me. Cycling is for everyone. Do try it. J 

Cheers

Brian Ong

Bikeability scheme in UK

When I saw this on the internet.. I was blown away... wow.  Bikeability
It is a cycling proficiency program done in a National level and give more confidence and skill to the cyclists for them to be able to cycle safely on the roads.  Yes, I have also shared this with the LTA folks.
Read and poke around the website and learn how UK approaches the cycling issue.
Also check out UK's Transport for London design guides for cycling 

Add caption

Hi tech way for kids to learn riding... and more

Gyrowheel attachment for kids to learn cycling  -- Photo credit Gyrobike-Europe

http://www.gyrobike-europe.com/   << in case u want to learn more
And surprise!! u can get it in Singapore too! https://www.facebook.com/thelittlebikeshop/posts/176045819168582

This is First Rider and momo "got the balance" from this bike!

Found this online which is a Gyro wheel that supposely makes it easier for children to learn cycling. You can even modulate the gyro forces so that the child can slowly "wean" off the aid.... hmmm
Well I think it just might work! But frankly it is more than the products that will make ur child cycle...
Equipment aside, the most important element is love and patience. I know as Daddies, we like to get the little one as quickly up to speed to cycle as possible.  So much so that we sometimes give so much advice and pressure... it can put them off.  I was guilty of that too :)
But kids will always be kids and they learn in their own way. That's thru play and if u make every ride fun... they will come back for more.  A little trick I do with momo, I get on my Carry me and we play "Catch" that is to ride around, near to their speed and "chase each" other... sounds stupid but she loves it.. esp if she is the leader and she will bring me around the blocks and pillars.
Enjoy the moment, even if the learning process is abit slow. And when the magical moment happens... you will be super happy!  Happy cycling!

Give me the space and I will follow the rule

Daddy sending daughter to school in an eco way... 

This is Francis article in Chinese papers which I highly recommend you read.


 "Yesterday when I went home, I saw a father riding a bicycle and carrying two kids, one in the front and the other at the back. He yield slowly at a junction, checked there is no car around and he ride across the junction quickly. He continued on the pavement carefully. I snapped a photo and upload it to the Facebook, many friends share their memory of being carried by their father/ mother's bike when they were small.
"It's really an enjoyable moment, wind blows in my face, talking and chatting to my father. Watching the street scene flow by while sitting between the large arm of my father, I felt excited and warm."
A friend told me. Others shared that's how they bring their kids to school, as a parent, they all enjoy this "moment of two" with their children on their journey.
However, this affordable, eco friendly and healthy way of commute is being marginalized. If you want to avoid the danger of cars, you need to ride on the pavement, and which is illeagal (except Tampines). It is also illegal to carry people on your bicycle.
To someone, a father using his own effort, carefully carrying his kids between home and school is breaching the law.

Recently there is an article publiched in ST <> the author, Ignatius Low, list many wrong doing of cyclists in Singapore. He share his experience in UK and feel that the cyclist in UK is much more decipline than the local cyclist. The article striked a sensitive chore in the public and many readers write in to suport him. Many agree that there are many "ruleless cyclists" who don't respect the laws.
As an "Bicycle-Master", I have more than 7 years of driving and cycling experience in Singapore. I feel Mr. Low does not have a real taste of riding in Singapore. He doesn't understand why sometimes it is necessary to make an illegel move. e.g riding on pavement (to avoid car), or riding across pedestrian crossing (to reduce exposure to the danger of cars).
Mr. Low listed 7 sins of the local cyclist:
1) riding on pavement
2) riding their bell threatening the pedestrian
3) carrying people on bicycle
4) riding across crossing
5) riding against traffic
6) no front and back light at night
7) not wearing helmet.

Only (2) is really a bad behavior and should not be allowed, and I agree there are a few cyclists belongs to this group. The rest, technically illegal, but he is pushing too far when he said these behavior are "endangering" car drivers.

About the helmet, there is no law to force cyclist to wear a helmet, it is a personal freedom that each person can decide for himself. In fact helmet law does not exit in all advanced countries with high population of bicycle. They generally agree helmet doesn't add to the safety of the rider, but increase the burden for cycling.
If cyclist really is the "King of the road" as claimed, than we shouldn't see cyclists being forced onto the pavement. I feel local cyclist more like the "Orphan of the Road", they don't have a space they belong (no bicycle lane), they don't have proper protection (law does not protect them well). When confronted with (car) danger, they just have to jump here and there to avoid being hit.I don't agree with the view of Mr. Low. However, at the end of his article, he asked a very valid question:" Is it unwillingness on the part of Government to lay down the law clearly for cyclists and provides the necessary cycling lanes and other infrastructure that will engender orderly behavior?"
Francis Chu

Cycling amongst giants... I want!

Time to change negative attitude towards cycling - By Gordon Reid

Taken from Todayonline.... I am glad we are not alone in our thoughts.! Thank you Mr Reid for speaking up for cyclists in Singapore!
"Given the recent problems with Singapore's public transport, I would like to draw attention to the negative attitude here towards cycling.

For such a developed and green-friendly place, there are practically no safe bicycle parking areas, besides a few parks and Mass Rapid Transit stations.

If, for instance, I want to commute by bicycle to the shops or to work, there is nowhere to safely lock my bike. This includes any form of bike racks.

And for a place with little crime, there seems to be a disproportionate level of bike theft. Obviously, there is a crime racket stealing bicycles, even ones with expensive locks.

While sticker IDs are now available, what is to stop a thief from removing it? How would the police track the stolen bike?

Singaporeans are constantly complaining about crowding on public transport and the peak-hour traffic jams. I am surprised then that encouraging commuters to cycle is not a national focus.

Instead, there are blogs shaming cyclists because they lock their bicycles to signposts or fences. Due to the lack of facilities, just where can cyclists lock their bikes?

Public housing estates have inadequate and unsafe areas for securing bikes. Residents are not allowed to lock them in common areas on their floors, but if you use the old-style bicycle racks in an unprotected void deck, there is no guarantee of the bike's safety.

To expand Singapore's wonderful public infrastructure, I suggests that government officials visit places such as Tokyo, Melbourne and Copenhagen to see how bicycles are used to commute to work, school and the shops.

Please Singapore, bicycles are not just for the poor."  Gordon Reid

http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC111219-0000044/Time-to-change-negative-attitude-towards-cycling

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!