# Singapore. Fixed.



## usna00 (Feb 25, 2003)

Its hot. Its crowded. Its small.

But its perfect to go fixed and I like it. Pictures of the ride to work coming soon, but here's the chariot that gets to fight the taxis and buses on a daily basis...

42x16 fixed with the recent addition of the front disc to deal with the rainy seasons..


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Looks like a nice ride.*

Are those wheels 700C?

How hilly is the area.

When do we get to see some pic of the area? I would love to see what it is like.


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## usna00 (Feb 25, 2003)

700c they are......White Industries front hub, Paul rear hub, both on Planet X DN6 rims.

Unfortunately Singapore isn't known for its hills. If I count correctly, I think there are 3. ha! And hopefully i can get some photos to prove it....but the pictures will come when I can grab a few minutes from my commute...


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## usna00 (Feb 25, 2003)

*Singapore. Fixed Up.*

So I snagged the camera today and gave myself a little extra time on the way to and from work. Some pictures went ok, most ended up in the bin....

My ride takes me through the Central Business District, through the "rough part" of town (if there could be one here) and out towards the airport. Mostly photos of the city since there isn't much to see on my route elsewhere....


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*That doesn't look bicycle friendly.*

A few questions;

Drive on the left?

Who is that statue of?

Are there many other bicycle commuters?

Is it fun?


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Wow, nice tight bike lanes. I'm assuming driving on the left due to British influence? The traffic didn't look nearly as jammed as I expected. How bad is it normally over there?


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

usna00 said:


> So I snagged the camera today and gave myself a little extra time on the way to and from work. Some pictures went ok, most ended up in the bin....
> 
> My ride takes me through the Central Business District, through the "rough part" of town (if there could be one here) and out towards the airport. Mostly photos of the city since there isn't much to see on my route elsewhere....


Shite! I was in Singapore for two weeks for business a couple of years ago and stayed in the hotel pictured in your last pic (Westin? the tall one). I wouldn't ride there for anything! If you aren't dodging the crazy taxi drivers, you're pouring buckets of sweat.

NIce pics -- you've got nerves of steel.


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## usna00 (Feb 25, 2003)

MB1: Its not bike friendly...compared to some other south east asian cities though, it isn't really that bad. We drive on the left. The guy is Sir Stamford Raffles who is more or less the guy who founded modern Singapore, although not the modern modern singapore that we know today.... I am starting to notice more commuters, but its a tough gig, i showed that one picture of the bus cutting me off, and that isn't out of the ordinary. Sometimes its a bus, sometimes a taxi, or other times just some clueless "auntie" who forgot how to drive her car. One last point, it is fun....i wouldn't do it if it wasn't, but its not the sort of fun that responsible people like parents and spouses like to hear about. 

Ridgetop: good point......i'm not good at taking pictures while riding yet so i only took them when i wasn't fearful for my life.....so you get to see the less crowded places. But yes, the roads are crowded. 1 little island, 4 million people. 

Gripped: I think the hotel you stayed in was probably on the left in the second picture....its now called the Swissotel, but has gone by the name of the Westin at one point or another. Once the tallest hotel in the world, but not anymore.... the buildings in the last picture are all owned by the banks as they're all right in the financial district.

At the end of it all, it is fun, it is hot, it isn't the most ideal situation........but, you go with what you have. Its been a while since i've had the pleasure of riding on roads with phat shoulders like back in the states, but for now its not a bad setup. If you really want wide open empty roads here then you just take a little jaunt across into malaysia and you're all set.......just beware of the demon motorbikes. ha!

OH yeah, it is hot.....1 season. HOT. I sweat buckets everyday and there's no escape...but i suppose it beats riding in snow.


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## EmmCeeBee (Mar 10, 2005)

Brings back memories! I lived in S'pore 10 years ago, for 3 years. Back then, there were about 10 bicycle commuters on the island, plus your usual 100's of old guys pedaling stacks of cardboard around.

First year: I lived in Yishun, commuted down past the Reservoirs and Lornie Road to Alexandra Road area. About 25km one way if I remember.

Second year: I lived near Braddel, commuted around Little India to Bendemeer Road. About 6km.

Third year: I lived near Eunos, commuted to Bendemeer -- about 8km.


God I miss that -- the ride to/from Yishun was epic, the reservoir area is (was?) by far the best riding, with little traffic and a tropical canopy tunnel. Lornie road was like an airport runway, I've never been in such good shape, trying to keep up with traffic. The last 3km to Alexandra road, I had many close encounters with buses, motos, lories, taxis. The traffic is something to remember.

One of the toughest days riding I've ever had is the first day I got on the road in S'pore, it took me a month to get the nerve to do it. It takes a razor-sharp awareness, quick reflexes and good brakes. I had to bail out onto the 'kerb' a few times. I've got stories....

Best memory is riding the island on the day of Lunar New Year. Deserted, empty, completely shut down. There weren't more than a dozen cars on the road -- freedom! Also a tough day to find a restaurant, carry food 



usna00 said:


> [...]gone by the name of the Westin at one point or another. Once the tallest hotel in the world, but not anymore....


This was a typical S'pore logic twist: they took the two hotel towers, added up all the floors and, going by the total, declared it the "tallest" (by floor count). I don't think anyone was fooled, expats at least.


Good luck, usna00 !

-- Mark


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## limzjun2002 (Oct 22, 2005)

Hi there usna,

Nice pics. The 'feel' of Singapore is as close as one can get to my home country across the Causeway. Seeing those pics is good after being away from M'sia for some time.

For those thinking abt cycling in M'sia. Don't even bother. The only way one can survive on roads there is to be in an 'actual' vehicle. Malaysian motorists give no space to bicyclists. Besides, most of the connecting roads linking suburbs and areas of major cities (like KL) are all highways or large roads filled with 'crazy' motorists.

cheers


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## usna00 (Feb 25, 2003)

Funny you mention that Malaysia isn't any good for cycling.....thats where we go when we want to get some decent miles in. Granted, you really do have to stay out of the cities, but once you're out its great. Even near KL is nice.....the roads up to Frasers Hill and Genting and fantastic for those who love hills, and even just out of KL to the east there are some great little routes. The best part is rolling through some small kampong and having all the kids start cheering like you're a superstar......hah!

They've even got some great races all throughout malaysia....Malacca, Port Dickson, Putrajaya, Frasers, Genting, Ipoh.....the roads are generally in very good condition and the support from the police is normally very good.....


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

usna00 said:


> Its hot. Its crowded. Its small.


cool. I was there in '00 for a week and have a tattoo from Johnny Two Thumbs to prove it  Stayed at the Orchard Hotel. Whenever I was out n' about I kept thinking "there's no way in hell I'd ride the streets here!", like others have expressed. So I rented a mtb and went to a local park (w/ the wild monkeys?). Kinda strange riding by a few monkeys and thinking "everyone just be cool..." Was humid and I sweat my ass off but had fun on the bike - and off the streets.

at the time there was a pretty cool core group of mountain bikers. And now more singlespeeders too I hear.

I had a great time. Very clean, very safe, very rich city. Thanks for posting.

Jeff


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## usna00 (Feb 25, 2003)

Lots of monkeys. The funny thing is that you don't even need to go off road for that either... True, you can spot the monkeys (and the monitor lizards, and the peacocks) if you go to the right trails, but it isn't that uncommon to have some close encounters with the little guys out on the roads. 

Oddly enough, i stopped at one traffic light (along Mandai Rd near the zoo, for those who are familiar) and watched one wait for the light to turn his way so he could cross....... turns out even the monkeys obey the law in singapore! haha...


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