Bike Bait!

After mocking at Law enforcers, now it's time to praise them... Not all of them though. What a great project:
Bike Bait
Now all we need is #singaporepoliceforce to learn a thing or two.

Follow the law...blindly

This is a cool way to tell the Law Enforcers how wrong they are...were they expecting us to follow blindly?

Cool Ferrari shades by Oakley

Something to look forward to buying to match my Ferrari bikes...Looks cool

I am an Oakley whore, I think I have about 12-15 Oakley frames/sunglasses already, lost count.

Cool fender brake lights

This is an absolutely cool product called the Arc by Revolights. Check out the video and do support them, they have 2 weeks left to ending the Kickstarter campaign.

US's Capital Bike transformation

I never knew Washington DC as a biking city, giving the amount of cars and offices there and of course, the required security for the large amount of people working for the government.
But I was pleasantly surprised by the changes I saw in the city not seen 4-6 years ago when I was there previously.

I found a nice article on how the transformation came about in just under 10 years.

Any chance this could happen in Singapore? Another wishful thinking?
With the price of vehicles going these days in Singapore - yes including Motorbikes; I seriously do not understand why the recent budget did not include more for cycling infrastructure and aggressively push for greater adoption. Cycling being the way of lifestyle more than an exercise should be encourage at the government levels. Perhaps let's start with the government buildings and civil servants!

It's still cold and wet

Been a while since I blog as there are  loads of stuff are happening in my life right now.

Saw this sign recently reminding me what life,... what's cycling is all about, we must keep moving. Portland has been a great sports town, Seattle Seahawks recently won the Superbowl and Portland Trailblazers are playing very well. I've even have my own Trailblazers agent who helped me secure the last few games of the season. 

There is ongoing activities catered to Portlandias who want to keep fit, schools are open in the night for basketball which school indoor court access at $2/entry. Or people still cycle despite the cold and wet conditions - cycling is safe, bikes are safe with lots of facilities to park your bike anyway, no worries to your seat, wheels and just a simple lock would ensure that your bike will still be there for your short trip to the pharmacy or a cafe. I guess this is what attracts people to move here. Things that really matters.

It just gets to you why our we can't do it as well in Singapore. Culture? Perhaps we need another 100 years to evolve to a higher level. But somehow with the constant influx of new immigrants, I would think this would be very hard to achieve. Just being hopeful but dreading the outcome.

Here's an insight to NY cycling scene, was there again recently and saw this Citibike scheme ongoing in one of the densest cities in US. Any hope in Singapore? Government/Corporate intervention I mean....

Happy New Year!

It has been cold...in the -5 to 6 degrees range. Sometimes it rains and the wind is harsh, it's hard to get our butts into cycling in this cold wind. Thus the lack of cycle trails or posts recently. We went to purchase a bike stand online to convert my bike into an indoor bicycle trainer. The only unfortunate problem is my wireless speedometer is usually tracked from the front wheel, but now I needed to track my distance and speed from the back wheel and the wireless range is not far enough to hook the speedometer there. But it's good to get some work out despite the cold winter here in Portland.


Anyway wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and no new resolutions for me...I resolve to remain resolute in living my life to the fullest - Carpe Diem.

By the way just a 2-cent quick thought as I heard Singapore's most expensive expressway at $4.3 billion, opened up to a tunnel full of problems and hour long jams....I think the money is better spent making the roads safer for cyclists and giving more incentives to get people to cycle to work or give companies and buildings to build the necessary infrastructure to enhance the cycling experience such as shower facilities, secured bicycle racks/parking etc. It would be a lot cheaper and a healthier nation with less need for medical resources releasing the bottlenecks in hospitals. I know we probably will get a lot more accidents etc on the road until the society accepts the new way of life that we see here in US, Japan, Europe. Sometimes I wonder why can't we evolve faster and ahead from the lessons learned from other nations. We all need to go through the painful cycle of learning through experience. I guess civil servants cannot challenge the norm and allow the thinking out of the box from within the box.

By your side

Be still and just listen...

Cycling in NYC

Had a weekend to visit some friends and family...and just noticed that the cycling in NYC is actually quite well developed despite the number of road incidents including an unfortunate Singaporean who was knocked down in NY. I guess no amount of danger should stop one from doing what they love.

Manhattan has a Greenway path along the river

Love the show Premium Rush which featured hardcore cycling porn, and somehow wished I was 16 again when I was cycling recklessly around my neighbourhood. Yeah no brakes, no fear.

Cool and Affordable night wheel lights

This is just so cool...now pondering if I should get them?




Now available at The Grommet.

It's starting to rain

We have been advised by many Oregonians that it is about time our fascination and love for Portland should end soon....well at least until summer comes again. Apparently from September till next May, it will be raining and just grey clouds will fill the skies.

The song that comes to my mind from one of my favorite movies starring Brandon Lee, The Crow - Jane Siberry's 'It can't rain all the time'. Well not at least till 8 months after.....

Summer is coming to an end

It is starting to get chilly and the trees are starting to turn color....better get more rides before I need to don a jacket while cycling.

Arty bell..sounds good too

This is such a cool bell...it has a nice sound too...unfortunately, my Ferrari bike already came with a cool looking bell though this is way cooler, but I will give it a miss as I am trying to pull back my online shopping and wait for my other Kickstarter pledge - The HandleBand!

My small cool bell on the bike

Cycling Economic advantages

Here's an excellent article on what a mile on a bike vs a mile on car means to your economy.
Maybe our government should start sitting up and read. Unless you are just planning to line your own pockets for profits?

Copenhagen in Denmark published these results:

“When all these factors are added together the net social gain is DKK 1.22 per cycled kilometer. For purposes of comparison there is a net social loss of DKK 0.69 per kilometer driven by car.” 1.22 Danish crowns is about 25 cents and a kilometer is 6/10 of a mile, so we are talking about a net economic gain to society of 42 cents for every bicycle mile traveled. That’s a good number to have in your back pocket.

A number of factors are included in the equation such as transport costs, security, comfort, branding/tourism, transport times and health.

Since the total health benefit of Copenhagen residents’ healthy cycling habits is DKK 5.51 per km, the annual benefit is worth the equivalent of approx. DKK 2.0 billion.

Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80 percent of its population commutes by bicycle, even in winter. That’s $300 per person per year. Clearly, the reason the new Danish minister of the interior said she’d “rather invest in cycle tracks than freeways,” is that only one of those has a positive return. 

Cycling in Vancouver

Just sharing some interesting pics when I was in Vancouver recently.

As you can see again, cyclists can freely cycle here and co-exist in this city, pretty much like Seattle and Portland....when will Singapore ever embrace and change?

Even on pedestrian/cycling tracks, they made it wide enough to separate the two.

Just keep riding

Rode out into the sunset on Independence Day, trying to find a spot to watch the fireworks.

Portland Bike Scene

Well I hope my insight into one of USA's friendliest bike city can help to benchmark how far Singapore is, from making itself Cycle-Friendly...that is if Singapore wants to. I would think with a 6.9 mil population target, it should start embarking now. Portland is a small city at just under 600k people but I see more bikes here than in Singapore.
Here are some photos showing how bicycles are used, locked in Portland.

Bikes are locked everywhere

Creative bicycle post in the design of a bridge, with tiny cars and trucks on  it!

Normal bike posts easily found on every street.

Bike posts for customers found in the main front of Powell bookstore. (Biggest book store in Portland)

You can park and lock your bikes anywhere...even along the river

 People cycle to work as a form of commute, or a healthier way to exercise. Though cars are cheap and gasoline is easily available and affordable, people choose to cycle in Portland.

There are all kinds of bicycles, and people cycling them...especially on a wonderful Sunday

Cycling to the weekend market in Portland

Cycling to basketball

Smartphone accessory for the bike

This soon to be expiring Kickstarter project helps to make full use of your smartphones.
Will the smartphone sales going at 20% increment every quarter, it would be useful to take a look at this Kickstarter project for your bike.

Out cycling

Nice views and weather to cycle by the Columbia river

Cool night cycling display

This would be so cool if installed on my bikes...