All posts by chuwa

A graphical study of “MRT fit” for popular folding bicycles

December 27, 2007 chuwa 10 Comments

Update <2008-12.15>
Since May 2008, the size limited for folding bike dimensions has been enlarged to 114cm X 64cm X 36cm when folded. Practically all the folding bikes listed here can travel on trains all day on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. On weekdays, foldable bikes are allowed on board from 9.30am to 4.30pm, and then from 7.30pm to the end of service.

JZ88 can travel anytime if it is in a bag since it is smaller than the regular luggage size limit (81cm X 58cm X 30cm) when folded.

Brompton - MRT limit
Dahon Curve- MRT limit
Dahon MUSL- MRT limit
Strida- MRT limit

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I was triggered by a recent reply from SMRT regarding the use of folding bike (attached below). It was mentioned that the SMRT luggage size limit is 81x58x30cm. I conducted a graphical study to find out how well are the popular folding bikes fitting this MRT-size-limits.

I put the dimension of the bikes on the top-left corner of each picture, the depth is in italic text. The red dotted box indicates the size limit of 81cm x 58cm. The folded bike pass the test if it fits within the red-box. As can be seen JZ88 and Brompton easily pass the test. Dahon Curve can be consider to pass marginally. Dahon MUSL seems a bit too bulky but I have not tried to bring it into MRT. Strida is clearly too tall. However, I tried once to push the Strida into MRT and nobody stopped me. I was very careful not to cause any hassles to other passengers and the small footprint of the Strida (upright position) is quite acceptable actually, and of cause the SMRT staff were being friendly too 🙂

SMRT replies on bikes and dirty buses
Straits Times Tuesday, December 25 2007, H6 “Forum”
Kuek Chor Ling (Ms), Manager Corporate Marketing and Communications SMRT Corporation

Quote here the part relates to bikes on MRT-
“I REFER to the letters, ‘Allow folded bikes on buses and trains’ by Ms Ng Lai Yien (ST, Dec 17), ‘Allow bikes on trains and build more skate parks’ by Mr Freddie Wee (ST Online Forum, Dec 19) and ‘Study issue carefully before making decision’ by Mr Tan Tuan Khoon (ST Online Forum, Dec 19).
We would like to clarify that large and bulky items such as bicycles are not allowed into our MRT system, as they may cause damage or injury to passengers.
Furthermore, during an emergency where passengers need to be evacuated quickly and safely, the presence of large items could be a possible obstruction.
However, we do allow foldable bicycles without protruding parts during off-peak hours.
The foldable bicycle must be packed in a bag not larger than 81cm by 58cm by 30cm.
Similarly, folded bicycles are allowed on SMRT buses. However, our Service Leaders can use their discretion to stop any passengers carrying bulky items from boarding the bus if they cause discomfort and inconvenience to our passengers.

We thank all the writers for sharing their feedback with us.”

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Other related posts/links:
– How to bring a folding bike into MRT!
– Traveling with folding bike
– Try Jz88 folding bike, 7 days for S$20
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folding bikes

How to bring a folding bike onto MRT?

September 22, 2007 chuwa 13 Comments

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Other related posts/links:
– Bicycle? no, it’s a shopping trolley!
– Traveling with folding bike
– Jz88 folding bike home
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I enjoy taking the MRT but hate waiting for buses. However, many places I need to go is just too far away from the MRT stations and require a connection bus service. If I have my bicycle with me I can easily cycle there without waiting. I start to explore the “MRT+Folding Bike” method a few years back and since then helped others to do the same.

Jz88 folding bike on SMRT platform

There are 3 ways you can bring a folding bike onto MRT:

1) In a carrier bag
2) Carry the bike fully collapsed
3) Roll it in as a trolley

Regardless of which method you choose, you may push the bicycle as far as it is acceptable by others to save time and effort. For JZ88 users, this means you may take the escalator (e.g. City Hall MRT, from grand level to B1) with the bike unfolded. Do make sure you and your bike stand on the left hand side, leaving enough clearance for others to pass. You really only need to “transform” the bicycle before entering the ticket concourse.

1) In a carrier bag
Beginners prefer this method.
Advantage: the package does not look like a bike any more, it transformed into a “luggage”. For JZ88 folding bicycle, it becomes a luggage within the size limit of MRT.
The downside is the extra time required to pack and unpack the bike at both end of your MRT journey. You also have to carry the load everywhere you go in the MRT station.

2) Carry the bike fully collapsed
If you start with method (1), sooner or later you will discover it is too much trouble to pack and unpack the bike each time in front of the MRT station. Even though it is just a 20 seconds affair each time.
The disadvantage of carrying the bike “naked” is now the bike is visible to all, including the MRT staffs. However, I never heard anyone got rejected JZ88 into the MRT. Perhaps the “toy like” appearance and the compact size helps. After all, it is still within the size limit set by the MRT.
Tips: lock the saddle with the nose pointing slightly left and use the nose as the handle to carry the bike. Gravity force will help to keep the bike in folded condition.

3) Roll it in as a trolley

This is really for the experienced user, the so called “trolley mode“. The big deal here is the fact that you no longer need to carry the bike.
BONUS: you can use the “trolley” to carry extra load if you have the front pannier attached. And the whole thing is self-standing.
However, the handling does take a bit of training and practice.
Tips 1: when you need to turn, imagine the handle bar is fixed, e.g. swing the whole handle left to turn right. If you turn the handle bar alone, the wheels will jam together or move apart.
Tips 2: the trolley-mode is also “escalator friendly”. I push the trolley to the left hand side and keep the right side of the escalator clear for others to pass.
Tips 3: if you see the train is crowded as it approaches, fold down the handle bar and detach the front pannier (if you have it). Bring the completely folded bike and the pannier separately into the train cabin. stack the pannier on top of the folded bike to reduce foot print.

If the train is really too packed, wait for the next train as you would normally. The fundamental here is to be considerate to other users. Once you put this principle in mind, you will enjoy the best of both world – clean, reliable and efficient of long distance travel by MRT and the ultimate door-to-door personal mobility of folding bicycle.

Curious? Now you can“ try it risk free for 2 weeks”

Uncategorized

How old are you, really?

August 8, 2007 chuwa Leave a comment

Make your choice and keep clicking the arrow at the top right corner.

Poodwaddle.com

Have you heard of regular cycling will keep your body ten years younger? I was wondering how? Today, by working through this Real Age clock I discover the effect may be accumulative over a number of factors. Compare my “cycling” lifestyle today and my “driving” years before, I discovered my real age is reduced by many factors:

exercise -1
stress -0.5
sleep -0.5
cholesterol -1
blood pressure -0.5
breakfast -1
happiness -1
depression -0.5
anxiety -0.5
relaxation -1
job satisfaction -1
driving -1

Some of the item may seem unrelated (e.g. job satisfaction), but it’s my subjective feeling. It realling feel that way to me. I think what happen is that being more relax in general help me to cope with work stress better. It’s like a small change in my lifestyle trigger a positive spin and it just keep going that way.

folding bikes, Travel

Jz88 featured in Reuters – Singapore fold-up bike goes against Asian tide

December 20, 2006 chuwa 1 Comment

20 Dec 2006 13:03:45 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Gillian Murdoch SINGAPORE, Dec 20 (Reuters) –

JZ88 folding bike in MRT, shopping halls

Chu Wa feels the small thrill of breaking Singapore’s notoriously strict rules and getting away with it every time he wheels his pretend “shopping trolley” through a shopping mall or along a train platform.

The contraption is actually a fold-up bicycle, which Wa designed to look like a shopping cart so he could take it through the many prohibited zones in the city state.

“Singapore is absolutely not fair for cyclists,” said the 46-year old product designer.

After years of biking to work in the Netherlands, Wa gave up and bought a car when he moved to Singapore, finding its motorways and shopping malls bike-unfriendly.

“If you love cycling in Singapore, you have to accept the status of a secondary citizen, many places are ‘restricted zones’ and you are simply not welcome,” he wrote on his blog, www.jz88.com.

At the same time as European cities are back-pedalling from cars to bikes in a bid to clean the air and ease congestion, rising affluence has seen bikes ditched from Beijing to Bangkok. Bikes have been banned from parts of Shanghai as have bike rickshaws in Dhaka, and bikers in Jakarta and Bangkok have mounted protests to campaign for better facilities.

The lack of top-level support makes returning to cycling more difficult than it should be, said Wa, who had five regular bikes stolen from unguarded bike stands in Singapore.

His solution? The JZ88: a thief-proof bike that flips from shopping trolley to cycle in 8.8 seconds.

With a shopping bag strapped over its handlebar, and spokes concealed under clear plastic shields, Chu’s folding bike goes everywhere he does. Weighing nine kilograms (20 pounds), it is small enough to fit under train seats and in taxi boots.

Shoppers stare as he loads groceries into his trolley, and pedestrians sometimes laugh as his long legs pedal the little wheels. But Wa says his bike is more than a gimmick.

“My ideal is to see more Asian cities become bicycle friendly … The hurdle is so high, in terms of road safety, too much effort, or bad weather, that even the authorities can’t do much,” he said. “(But) the folding bike can be a bridge”.

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To read more:

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP281228.htm

Want to try Jz88? just sign up the entry form

folding bikes, Travel

my Taiwan cycling trip

October 15, 2006 chuwa Leave a comment

Cycling from the west cost of Taiwan to Tai Chong. Seeing lots of rice fields, climbing up the slopes, a villege on the highland, passing through the military airport. In Tai Chong I met a friend in his èƒ¡åŒ cafe– a very nice and relax place. Highly recomeneded.
Later I took a train upto Taipei witnessed the 10-10 protest then MRT to meet my friend in Taipei.

I was taking it easy along the way, many photos and trying different local foods. All in all, a wonderful break from my normal routine 🙂

Let the picture tell the rest of the story…

more pictures here:

http://www.jz88.com/copper/thumbnails.php?album=22

JZ88 folding bike blog