Contribute to the SG Bicycle Parking Project

Colin Leong announced on Love Cycling SG that he "started a Google map of bicycle rack/parking locations because I got frustrated trying to figure out if there are racks near places that I want ride to." Green pins on the map have photos of the parking facility; red pins are either unconfirmed or don't have photos. To contribute to this map by adding locations directly, please email varfie@gmail.com. URL to this map: https://goo.gl/5Kb3DC http://tinyurl.com/sg-bicycleparking also points here.

Mass cycling events in 2015

These are the bicycle events that I know of so far this year. Do drop a comment if you know of  others which are suitable for recreational cyclists.

1. NTU Bike Rally by NTU Sport Club, 08 Mar 2015 [registration closed; bikerally.ntusportsclub.sg]
2. (Re)Cycle 350, World Water Day 21 Mar 2015 [registration open; cycle350.peatix.com]
3. Cycle Asia Singapore, by Spectrum Worldwide, 10-12 Apr 2015 [registration open; http://www.cycleasia.com/singapore]; next year?
4. Aidha Tour de Singapore fund raising ride for domestic workers , 10 May 2015 [http://aidhatourdesingapore.squarespace.com/aidha-tour-de-singapore]
5. Ride of Silence, 24 May 2015; a commemorative ride for fallen cyclists [fb.com/rideofsilencesg; see this blogpost from 2009; http://rideofsilencesg2015.peatix.com/]
6. Heart of Courage, 20 Jun 2015; Teen Challenge (Singapore)'s first charity cycling event and fundraiser for DARE Centre [registration open; tc-heart-of-courage.org, facebook]
7. OCBC Cycle, by OCBC, 29-30 Aug 2015 [registration opens on 09 March 2015; ocbccycle.com]
8. Seen and Be Seen, a safe cycling campaign [seeabseen.com] - ?Sep 2015

No Speeding (cyclists) and No Motorised Vehicles banner campaign in PCNs

The Park Connector Network guides on the NParks webpage state that cyclists should "Keep within the speed limit of 15km/h".

Now there are banners along several NParks' PCNs with two messages, "No Speeding" with a bicycle icon and "No Motorised Vehicles". They were observed along the Changi Coastal, ECP, and Kallang-Bishan park connectors this week.

Widespread and numerous along each of the PCNc, their appearance is the equivalent of a campaign. Good surfaces and greater connectivity have put more and faster moving cyclists on the shared path of our PCNs which also see walkers, joggers, children and skaters.

Lack of a specific figure suggests the advise may be about relative speed, which would be slower than 15km/h on crowded portions of the PCN and faster on empty stretches.

Cyclists are the fastest and heaviest objects on the PCNs. They should thus take the greatest care and look out for others users, the way we hope motorists behave towards us, on the road.

First published on Otterman speaks...

Ride alongside some of the world’s top professional cyclists at the OCBC Parade of Hope charity ride

Ride alongside some of the world’s top professional cyclists on the opening night of OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 at The Parade of Hope. The Parade of Hope is a leisurely 20-minute ride around the F1 Pit Building designed to raise funds and awareness for the event’s four official charities:

• Dover Park Hospice,
• Singapore Children’s Society,
• SingHealth Transplant TRUEfund, and
• the SportCares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Singapore Sports Council.

A selection of the world’s elite cyclists taking part in the Professional Criterium will lead out the group, alongside Team Singapore cyclists Ho Jun Rong, Benedict Lee, Noel Teh and Travis Woodford, as well as sprinter Gary Yeo. Limited slots have now been opened to the public, with each individual entry fee of $10 donated directly to the four charities. Registration for The Parade of Hope ends on Wed 26 March 2014 or when the ride category reaches maximum capacity. Register here.

Wheels of Time exhibition and the Pop Up Store, at the OCBC Centre 10-24 Mar 2014

In the run up to the OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014, an OCBC Cycle Singapore Pop-Up Store and Wheels of Time bicycle exhibition has been set up at the OCBC Centre. Eight iconic bicycles reflect on the evolution of cycling and culture across time at the OCBC Centre Main Branch, 65 Chulia Street, Singapore 049513. Visit from Mondays to Fridays: 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Thanks to Julian Lim, OCBC for the photos. At the "Pop-up store" over the next 2 weeks: 17 to 21 March: The Urban Chic YikeBike by evHUB.

"The radically designed YikeBike aims to be an alternative urban transport solution. The handlebars are positioned behind the rider, below the seat. Some users enjoy its openness and great visbility; others cannot get used to the absence of a handlebar in front of them. Find out how you fare on this modern version of the Penny-farthing. OCBC Card-members get up to 15% off for YikeBike and other accessories. YikeBike photo contest – upload your photo to Instagram or Facebook with hashtag #OCBCCards – and stand a chance to win an mPowerPad Plus 2 (worth $169)! Remember to make your profile and post public. You can’t be in the running if we can’t find you!"

  24 to 28 March: Cycling Gets Serious by Integrated Riding

"Integrated Riding will bring in elite, high-performance brands like Boardman Bikes, along with a range of accessories to help you clock a personal best at OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014. For bicycles and other accessories, OCBC Cardmembers get 10% off. If you are a OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 participant, flash your Confirmation Email and get a free Electron Milli USB Bike Light worth $36. Limited to first 50 participants."

"That last leg can kill you" / Make Clementi the next cycling town - in my lifetime please

See the URA Draft Master Plan 2013: "Cycling For All"

Kevin Lam Koi Yau wrote to The Straits Times Forum page (17 Mar 2014) to say,

Make Clementi the next cycling town

It is a good idea to promote intra-town cycling in selected Housing Board towns. But I am disappointed that Clementi has not been selected among the latest batch of cycling towns.

With its close proximity to the Ulu Pandan park connector - which links with the Jurong park connector, Bukit Batok Nature Park, International Business Park, Dover MRT and Boon Lay MRT - and schools such as the National University of Singapore, Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Clementi could benefit greatly from a well-thought-out cycling infrastructure, which could ease public transport woes during peak hours as well as get our young people to adopt an active lifestyle.

An avid cyclist once told me not to commute to NUS for work, though I live in Clementi, as there are no safe routes.

I urge the Land Transport Authority to consider investing in cycling infrastructure in Clementi to boost safety for cyclists and get more people to take up cycling.

Click for a larger map

That last leg can kill you

Kevin reminded me I am that cyclist who told him not to cycle to NUS. And my advice still holds. There is a great improvement in connectivity in the area compared to the eighties, carved out mostly by NParks' Park Connector Network and enhance by the Rail Corridor which we all hope is here to stay.

While there is a decent connectivity, that last leg can kill you! Approaching NUS via Clementi Road or South Buona Vista is harzadous. This is not recommended for a daily commute.

NUS' U Town has now opened up a pavement route alongside Clementi Road if you are using the Ulu Pandan Park Connector. It is not a fast route, but a relatively safe one. But this will not encourage commuting in an area filled with potential cycling commuters, parking and shower facilities. I have shared these ideas with URA through the National Cycling Plan dialogue but I do think this area is a tough one to begin a cycling infrastructure enhancement project. Not a low hanging fruit.

Still, the Clementi - NUS - Holland Village area needs a makeover. The problems in this area exceed cycling infrastructure for sure. Still, one relief to the daily congestion would be by facilitating cycling.

Will the National Cycling Plan come to town, and in my lifetime, please?

---

URA Draft Master Plan 2013: National Cycling Plan

Intra-Town Cycling Paths - All Towns To Be Cycling Towns

Off-road intra-town cycling paths will allow residents to cycle safely from their homes to major transport hubs and key amenities such as food centres, schools, supermarkets and community centres within the town.

By 2015, 100 km of intra-town cycling paths will have been developed in several cycling towns [Tampines, Sembawang, Bedok, Changi-Simei, Pasir Ris, Taman Jurong, Yishun, East Coast, Jurong Lake District, Marina Bay and Punggol]

.

Another 90 km of cycling paths will be added to more towns by 2020. The aim is to provide all 26 HDB towns across Singapore with comprehensive intra-town cycling networks for residents to cycle to and from MRT stations and neighbourhood centres.

Your Views Wanted

Are you a bicycle user? Do you care about breathing clean air while you are out there on the roads?

Then please take this quick survey.

It is from researchers Chris Zegras and Amalia Holub of the Future Urban Mobility project under MIT's SMART Centre in Singapore.

Why should you bother? 

This research project focuses on a proposal to use portable monitors to gather air quality data as people move around the city. This would generate data for an open local air quality map.

The team has already tested portable particle counting monitors in Singapore and Mexico City. The next phase includes this web survey of cycling communities in several cities.

So, what are you waiting for? Please take the survey!