I came back from the Ride Of Silence with a quiet sense of satisfaction. I have a feeling that the healthy cycling trend is going to grow bigger and stronger. Which can only be good for Singaporean as a whole.
Photos from Ride of Silence
Category Archives: cycling general
general issues relates to cycling
Ride of Silence 2010
Date: 2010-5-22
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Venue: Merlion Park
Last year, on the evening of May 22nd 2009, 497 cyclists gathered at Merlion Park to ride 20km in silence to promote cycling safety, cycling awareness and to remember the countless cyclists who were injured or killed on the roads of Singapore.
This year, as part of cycling safety month, join thousands of cyclists from all around the world, and ride to raise cycling safety awareness and to remember our friends and loved ones who were injured or killed.
Last year alone, in Singapore, there were over 450 bicycle-car accident resulting in injury or death of 450 cyclists.
Lets try to change things, make it safer for us and for our future.
For more event information, please visit RideOfSilence.sg
To register, please visit RideOfSilence.sg/rideofsilence/Register.html
The Sutton project
With a limited budget of £5 million, equivalent to half a cycling lane in London. The Sutton project has seen a 75% increase in cyclists and 13% increase in bus use and a 2% decrease in car use. These are modal shifts that transport planners in London can only dream about.
According to BBC, the Singapore authority (LTA?) had requested information about the cycling promotion project. It would be nice to see some of the idea also implement in Singapore.
Cycling turns calories into fitness
It’s refreshing to read in the news that a group of 60-84 is on a cycling trip around Singapore (140km). This is a great demonstration that cycling produce fit people. I recall the days in Holland seeing old folks cycling along the high streets, occasionally stopping by the shops, buying breakfast or having a cup of coffee. Street is safe and lively. Most of the older colleagues I know they are rather fit and active. On my first week in Holland, I was surprised to see so many old folks in the Saturday market. “This is a really ageing society!” I thought. Later I realised, most of the elders in Holland are much more active compared to people of the similar age in Hong Kong. They kept cycling to shop everyday.
I remembered that, one day I was surprised to find a drawing of a 14 meters boat on my colleague’s drafting table. Tinus, my colleague, was a TV designer and was about to retire at the age of 65. He was looking forward to his retirement and was planning to built his own boat!
Research find that if people cycle daily, they are physically 10 years younger than their inactive peers, generally living a more enjoyable and productive life. I saw so many people riding a bicycle to work everyday. It is no surprise that the ageing population in Holland is also the fittest.
I look forward to seeing the establishment of the first cycling town in Tampines to be followed by the rest of Singapore. Imagine the productivity gain if most of the Singaporeans become 10 years younger physically, thanks to frequent cycling to work? I am sure the happiness index will increase too, due to higher productivity and sense of self-worthiness.
Learn how to cycle in 30 minutes
(edited 02012011, for my friend Ernest)
If you can walk, you can cycle. See how my niece learn cycling in 30 minutes. This is only the second time she try to learn cycling. There is no painful fall, no need for tiring push or hand holding. The only thing needed is the determination to learn.
The trick is simple, just lower the saddle until both feet can touch the ground, remove the pedal and start ‘walking’ on your bike. Do you know this is actually the original form of bicycle when it was invented in 1818 by a German, Baron Karl von Draise . He wanted to replace horse with his running machine.
The first critical skill you need to learn is to balance the bicycle by the steering of the handle bar. This must be done when the bicycle is in motion. By having both feet on the ground you are sure there is no horrible fall. As you start larning how to ‘walk’ on the bike you also start learning how to balance the bicycle with the steering bar. Once you can manage keeping the bicycle rolling without having both feet touch the ground for at least 2 second, you are ready to move on to the next stage.
Start!
learn cycling in 30 minutes 1/3
The 2nd stage is to learn how to propell the bicycle using the pedals. Now install both pedals onto the bike. Still keeping the saddle low which allows both feet on the ground. Start by pushing one foot against the ground and push the bicycle forward. Once the bicyle is moving try to put both feets on the pedals and start pedalling. Initially the force of the pedaling may affect the balance of the bike. You will learn how to keep the balance while pedalling as you do it more. Just like the video here.
15 minutes later..
learn cycling in 30 minutes 2/3
Little by little, in less than 30 minutes, you will discover you can cycle! Just by doing it more, you will notice you can keep the bicycle balanced without removing your feet from the pedal for a longer time (e.g. 5 seconds). Keep going! very soon you will be able to cycle continuosly.
Finally, don’t forget to learn how to stop the bicycle by the hand break. Now you have confident and the skill, you can rasie the saddle a bit, that will make the peddaling a lot easier.
25 minutes later..
learn cycling in 30 minutes 3/3
Added on 2011-10-20
With the introduction of lightweight pedalless learning bike like Striders, kids can now have much more fun and safer to learn cycling. See this post for details.