Cycling from home to office

[sumitmcasgsits]

Hi,

I am moving to singapore at end of December and would like to know are there any restrictions for cycling on roads while commuting to office?

Also if someone can point me to link/shops where I can purchase portable cycle.

Thanks,
S

[nakatago]

yes; motorists will not respect your "right" to use the road and will act accordingly.

[sumitmcasgsits]

Thanks. But if I drive safely and take care, as per laws no restriction on bicycle riding?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I thought all cycles were portable. You get on it and pedal. Instant portability! Oh, you meant Folding Bicycles!

On a more serious note, it depends on what you are looking for. Basic transportation or high end 10K Treks. We have them all here. In fact, like a dummy I went into a recently opened bike shop way at the intersetion of Yio Chu Kang Road & Serangoon North Ave 5 yesterday. Now I'm thinking should a 63 year old who past his prime trade in his old Iron Horse & get a new bike. The wife will kill me or divorce me probably. Anyway, the shop specializes in Trek & Gary Fischer Bikes as well as an assortment of other mid & high end bikes.

If you are looking for folding bicycles there are several places but a good starting place to get info would be here:

http://maps.google.com.sg/maps?hl=en&ex ... a=N&tab=wl

[longstebe]

Who was saying we are all lazy now, hey!!!!
Thats 1 and counting...........

[sundaymorningstaple]

Wrong thread.

[x9200]

Thanks. But if I drive safely and take care, as per laws no restriction on bicycle riding?

No restrictions. With one or few exceptions you are only allowed to cycle on the roads/streets - not on the sidewalks.

[sundaymorningstaple]

You cannot cycle on limited access expressways either. But that's the same most everywhere I think.

[Grumpy77]

Hi mate, don't listen to the nay-sayers

If you are a serious bike-commuter, then you will love it here.

All the roads are in great shape, there are few hills, and once you get used to the driving patterns, it is quite safe. I bike commuted in Vancouver for many years and find that there are fewer 'heart in mouth' experiences here. You'll always find mental-midgets and visually challenged drivers, but Singapore is certainly no worse, and I think it is far better than Canada. But I have also mellowed with age so I might be a bit less volatile in how I deal with traffic than I was back home 20 yrs ago.

I've been commuting consistently maybe 3x per wk from Clementi to the city (a good, hard 20 minutes) for 16 yrs now and with only a few problems have quite enjoyed it.

The only downfall is the climate so if you ride further than about 50m you will need a shower on the other end.

Really, don't waste your time with a portable bike, get a real one - they slide into the back of taxi's just fine (you have to call for the larger new models with deep boots, but the $3.50 extra is no big deal if you want to move your bike around).

The bike doesn't need to be expensive, remember that fitness is the goal so a moderate $200-500 bike is a much better workout than a $5k model. You can find great 2nd hand deals from expats departing. There is low crime so your bike is not a huge target, but if you buy an expensive model, there is always that fear. I'm onto my 3rd bike, I finally got a nice one (but not too nice) and never had a problem with theft or vandalism.

Get a gym membership near work and use it for the shower, should cost a few dollars a day which is offset by savings on your commute. Buy a small wardrobe or large hanging suit bag for your office, or just take 3-4 shirts in once a wk in the taxi.

If you want there are top shelf bike shops springing up everywhere but I use a small local bike shop that doesn't charge an arm and leg for every visit. My guy always has a cold beer in his fridge and for adjustments and small stuff simply won't take any fee - good business as I'm a loyal customer for more than a decade now.

And mostly keep your head up, eyes on the road, and a smile on your face, it makes dealing with traffic so much easier.

There are a lot of biking clubs and such popping up for weekend rides but I'm just a commuter so don't get involved in the weekend processions, you can find them through any of the higher end bike shops or online forums. Buzz if you have any questions, more than happy to help when you hit the ground.

Cheers,

[rudolf]

I'll chime in a bit here. I have been living in Singapore for 4 months and haven't commuted yet. I live in Chinatown and work in Tuas so the ride is a bit long. However I was here in April and I logged 54 miles in 2 days, riding both in the sun and the rain. I rode downtown several times did a long haul my last day from Robertson Quay to Tuas to Seletar Hills. Much of that ride from Tuas to Seletar Hills was in heavy to moderate rain.

Anyhow I spent years commuting to school and work in the US riding both in the summer and winter snow. Based on my experience in april I have to say that commuting here in Singapore was no problem. Everyone that knew that I was going to buy a bike and ride around told me that I would surely die or that only foreign workers rode bikes in Singapore. The drivers here are better than the drivers I have encountered in the US and there seems to be less road rage. The bicycling rules here are the same as in my home state, that is a bicyclist has the same rights as a car and must follow the same rules.

In case you are looking for a inexpensive bike but not a piece of junk I strongly recommend the bike shop that I bought my bike from. Here are some notes I made after my return from my April trip to Singapore.

Purchased Hercules Maxis from Song Seng Chan
434 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427648
for $149 sing.

Bike $115, metal pedals $18, quick release for seat $6, cable lock with key $16

This bike shop has been in business since the 1930's and has stuff packed the ceiling. Did I mention that they know their trade like the back of their hand. I have built at least a dozen bikes over the years and modified many more and I was truly impressed with this shop.

The only thing I was disappointed with was that they only had relatively small frames. They modified the bike with an extra long seat post and we rolled all handle bars forward to make it the most comfortable it could be. It now lives with the girls 'rents', her mom claimed that she would ride it around but it just sits collecting dust like the day I oiled the chain and dropped it of at their house.

[Barnsley]

Thanks. But if I drive safely and take care, as per laws no restriction on bicycle riding?

No restrictions. With one or few exceptions you are only allowed to cycle on the roads/streets - not on the sidewalks.

I am not sure the pavement rule is an enforced one ...... There are more bikes on the pavement than on the roads in Pasir Ris/Loyang!!

[asia singapore]

Hi sumitmcasgsits,

Welcome to Singapore. You can cycle on the roads except the expressways and I had no problem with cycling on the sidewalks. Although it is not as convenient as i.e. Holland, it is still possible. But note that this is a tropical island and you can easily get wet both by rain and prespiration.

You can take folded bicycles to the bus or MRT but check the size limits before buying one.

The real problem in Singapore is bicycle theft! Never park it on the streets, otherwise it will eventually vaporize:

Edited by moderator

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi mate, don't listen to the nay-sayers

If you are a serious bike-commuter, then you will love it here.

Most of what you said I agree with whole-heartedly.

I've never had an accident in the US in my 1st 36 years (an accident with another moving vehicle that is). However in the past 28+ years here, I've been knocked down 3 times now by a variety of vehicles and crowded off the road once.

I was hit by the 103 bus on Jalan Kayu, I was hit by a 75 y.o. man on Picadilly Road inside Seletar Camp because he was looking at the driving range instead of where he was going and he turned into me while I was along side him. and I was hit by a Taxi trying to do a illegal roadside pickup on orchard road just before Centrepoint for the same reason. I've had to drop the bike, jump off the bike, put the bike in the ditch a number of times.

Fortunately, I've always be able to not get hurt other than a couple of bruises. Some of my old riding buddies weren't so lucky, and a couple have even been killed. Most of the time cyclists are hurt is because of being blindsided by cars that are abreast of you and don't bother to look out the left mirror or left side of the car so don't see cyclists and cyclists are not in a position to see a blinker light either (of course, that's a bad habit here as well - most don't bother to use 'em anyway).

[lisalisadc]

The Bike Boutique in Chinatown offers bike storage and shower facilities if you commute by bike. It's near the CBD.

http://www.thebikeboutique.com/our-stores.php?store=sg

There are loads of bike shops in the East Coast and Eunos.

The roads here are really smooth. I have not encountered potholes like the monster ones in the US. The drivers are not as aggressive in SG as in the US. However, bikes and people on bikes are an afterthought for Singaporean drivers. There is not a lot of awareness of cyclists and their rights.

The safety issue and awareness of cyclists will come in time.

My main frustration with cycling is the lack of bike racks. I find it impossible to run errands on my bike because there are no bike racks at shopping centers. Cannot willnot attach bicycle to post in front of building! No parking for bikes in garages/car parks, either. Ironic, since 99% of Asia commutes by bike.

Also, lock your bike up. Apparently, it is acceptable for Singaporeans to steal bikes.

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Singapore's cycling culture is improving, no doubt, but it still has a way to go. I'll never get on a bike here again. I used to ride my little guy to Nursery school but was brushed, side-swiped and 'nudged out of the way' (this from a cabby, explaining why he felt it important to hit us) too many times.

My husband, an avid rider has had 2 major accidents over the years. Most recently he was broadsided in a crosswalk by a driver who ran a red light (and kept going to drop his 8 year old at school. He was late you see, and you know how demanding the academic life of an 8 year old is). Miraculously no major injuries, lots of bangs and bruises and scrapes though.

Not so lucky in 2003. Was hit by a bus and saved by his helmet. Broken collar bone, ribs, thumbs, and neck. You should have seen the dent he made in the bus - impressive! The only thing salvageable on his bike were the gears.

But it is getting better, and for those who wish to commute by bike, I think the only practical solution is if Singapore introduces the station to station bike/scooter rentals. Get off the MRT, swipe a card and pick up a bike or scooter to get you to the office. If I were the Queen of Singapore I'd raise the COE and eliminate some of the cars so we could have proper bike lanes.