Of the entire PCN, it is the Changi Beach Park to East Coast Park stretch which I recommend to friends out to get a taste of cycling in Singapore. The scenery is nice and the route is very safe with only three junction crossings. The inland parts of the PCN are less hospitable so is best explored later when their cycling skills have improved and they want to explore. Rental rates are $5/hour.
Pity there is no Pasir Ris Park station though. The stations are at:
- Sun Plaza Park (Tampines)
- Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1,
- Changi Beach Park Car Park 7
- East Coast Park Area G
- East Coast Park Area C,
- Telok Kurau Park
"No need to backtrack to return rental bike," by Maria Almenoar. The Straits Times, 10 March 2009.A NEW spin on recreational cycling has hit the four connected parks on the East Coast.
Six new bicycle rental kiosks strung out along the bike paths now allow cyclists to pick up and drop off their rented wheels at any of these pit stops.
Bye bye to the need to backtrack to the kiosk from which the bicycle was rented, as is the required practice with bike rental stations now.
The National Parks Board (NParks) awarded the tender to run the new service to Lifestyle Recreation, a company which has been renting out bicycles and in-line skates at the East Coast Park since 2001.
Its kiosks can be found at East Coast Park Area C, East Coast Park Area G, Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1, Sun Plaza Park, Changi Beach Park Car Park 7 and Telok Kurau Park. Two more may be set up in the Bedok and Pasir Ris town parks.
Rental rates are comparable to other rental outlets in the area - $5 an hour for a bike and $10 an hour for a tandem bicycle. A cyclist needs to produce his or her identity card to rent a bike.
Lifestyle Recreation is also looking into providing an all-day service in which a cyclist picks up a bike and can return it even after the rental stations have closed for the day.
A cyclist who plans on returning the bike late first books and pays for the rental online. A bicycle number and code to the bicycle lock is then sent to him in a text message.
Ms Susanna Tay, Lifestyle Recreation's managing director, said: 'When NParks opened the new park connectors, we knew that cyclists did not want to be restricted on where they could ride, so this is a value-added service we can provide.'
She added that the company may allow the same rental arrangement for in-line skates if there is a demand.
Photographer Alex Wee, 35, who heads to East Coast Park every two months for cycling, is now game to explore the East Coast's four parks.
He said: 'Usually you don't get to cycle far and see much because you have to backtrack to return the bicycle. They should consider having a public transport link at either end as well.'
9 comments:
Hopefully, the number of kiosks increases, the charges become pro-distance/time rated, convenient renting mechanisms (e.g. membership), advertisers/entrepreneur get involves, etc.
I hope, slowly, it will become a Velib-like system :)
cycling is the healthy habit.I will try it during holidays.
Hi, I stumbled upon this blog upon my research for an entrepreneurial finance. I would like your opinions of a bicycle rental system similar to that and of France, Montreal and Australia. It will be cluster based in the major HDB areas for example the Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, or Bedok areas. RFID, alarm systems, 60 minutes of usage per day and probably a $50 per year registration fee. Why do you think? Email me if you need more details. I mean this is a student project now but if there is such a big demand for it, we don't mind a business based on it.
Hii,
I would likw to know more about the project as iam also working on a similar project as a student. The project is about starting bicycle kisoks along a few MRT lines. could u email me some details on newsarvan@gmail.com
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Regards.,
the bike rental kiosks only open at 10am, so those who are preparing to do some early morning cycling should prepare to be disappointed
there's a new kiosk at pasir ris. it's along the PCN route, almost opposite of Downtown East.
some of the junctions / turns are not very well marked out - for instance (1) changi beach (going to changi village), (2) within bedok town park (not enough PCN signs to guide properly towards bedok west primary school)
anyone can advise which kiosk rents out rollerblades for 2hrs at 1hr rate?
remember seeing it but cannot remember which one.
thanks a million in advance !!
anyone can advise which kiosk rents out rollerblades for 2hrs at 1hr rate?
remember seeing it but cannot remember which one.
thanks a million in advance !!
Just tried renting their bike for a 35km ride on last Sunday.
Good service but wish they could upgrade their bikes to better ones.
What they are having are not very suitable for riding long distance >20km.
I did 35km on their bikes but with half life left...
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