The Beginning

Like most people (at least I hope), I started riding a 4-wheel bicycle when I was really little. At 7-8 years old, my Mum decided to take off the hind wheels of my bicycle 1 evening and I began cycling in a 2-wheel bicycle naturally in a void deck of Bedok Ave 4 without help. My Dad came back the same evening and found us at the void deck and it became the subject of conversation during dinner that night.

BMX was the rage of me growing up. My brothers and I would pester my parents to buy us BMX Bicycles when we were young. The TV advertisements about a really cool Japanese Guy ridng down the dirt in his BMX was our epitome of cool. My 2nd elder brother, James, got his BMX while me and my 3rd elder brother, VV, got a mountain bike each. It was not BMX but we did not mind because we were Mask Riders in bikes!

Childhood games in the neighbourhood of Bedok was pretending to be Mask Riders in bicycles. VV, our closest friends, Mong and Heng, and I would save the world (at least from Bedok Ave 3 to Bedok Ave 4!)on Saturday mornings. We would ride our bicycles around, avoiding land mines (leaves on the ground) to search for adventure. One night James came back and told us that he rode his BMX to Bedok Reservoir. We were in awe. That was 10km from where we stayed and I only heard of it in legends! The following Saturday he brought VV with him and VV came back describing his adventures to me.

Fast forward 10 years. We moved from Bedok to Toa Payoh and then to Balestier. My craving to ride bicycle was still burning strong. I forgot what happened to my bicycle after the shift but I was pretty grounded with the exception of taking buses and walking a lot. My Uncle visited us and told me that he did not want his bicycle anymore and I could collect from him. I was overjoyed. I had finally found my wings again (and my calling to be a Mask Rider!).

I visited him the following Saturday and collected the mountain bike from him in Boon Keng Road. I happily rode home only to find the rear wheel deflated and the brakes squeaky. It was a good ride nevertheless. Wind in my face, buses roaring by, the smell of car exhaust...

The following Saturday I fixed the wheels and decided to ride into the sunset. I ended up in Arab street from Balestier. It was not my idea of riding into the sunset but it was good.

Fast forward 5 more years. It was through the years of grunge, angst, death and the Dead Poet's Society. My bicycle was forgotten as I was too deep in my thoughts. Riding was limited to a few rides in Pulau Ubin but those rides were good. I would be liberated every time I ride the bicycle. Then I have to serve my country. Tanks, M113s, weapons and war took over.

After my stint in the army, I would ride my bicycle during my first year in NTU. The slope up to my faculty was a killer and I lost subsequently interest. Studies and the lack of money would occupy my mind. I have to succeed. I need to succeed. Cycling just did not come into the picture.

12th Nov 2009, Shanghai. I had worked for almost 8 years. Ivy and I was traveling through China. Prior to the trip, my Colleague Daniel, a cycling enthusiast introduced folding bicycles to me and re-kindled a long lost love. Work had occupied my life and I suffered a tightening of the chest in early 2009 when I was working in the office at 11pm. I worked 7 days a week for months before I embarked on the China trip and I decided to buy me a Dahon in China. After some searching, misunderstandings and haggling, I finally settled on the Dahon SpeedPro. (Ivy gave her thumbs up in the shop by saying that it's yellow and it's"Chio!")

This re-started my riding again and I hope this blog records my rides and the photographs that I took along the way.