#1
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Singapore Bikes
I was in Singapore last week and was scurrying around locating bike parts that I can't find, or are too expensive, in Bangkok. I came across a shop which appears to be a wholesale depot selling mostly Taiwan or Mainland Chinese parts. Amongst a lot of parts they had some complete bicycles - carbon frame and fork; Shimano 105 group, Ritchie Stem, etc. The hubs were made to use straight spokes - no bend, and front wheels were spoked with radial spokes and the rear with a combination of radial on one side and "cross 2" on the other. What was confusion was that some bikes had the "cross 2" lacing on the drive side and others on the undriven side.... :-) A little quality control problem I thought. The complete bikes had a sticker price of approximately US$ 1100. and likely if one was there, cash in hand, one could negotiate a discount of say 5%. There are also quite a number of cargo tricycles on the streets and outside the really posh shopping areas a large number of bicycles on the roads. Around the subway stations there are government provided bike racks and these are usually overflowing and it is quite common to see bikes chained to light posts and fences all over town. The interesting thing is that there are no bike lanes and no special rules for bikes. Bicycles seem to be treated as just another highway user. You see them peddling along the side of the road, stopping for stop lights and hardly ever on the sidewalks as bicycles and motorcycles are forbidden to ride on sidewalks which are reserved for foot traffic. The idea that somehow you are different because you ride a bicycle to work that I've noticed on various groups doesn't seem to exist and a bicycle is viewed as just another variety of transportation. By the way, no lycra, no foam hats, no half gloves. Just normal attire. The above is the norm during the week but on the weekend the recreational riders appear, booted and spurred, they are very noticeable on the more open highways and in certain areas of the island where there are specified MTB tracks. The idea of "ride anywhere" mountain bikes is abhorrent to the Singapore government and there are serious fines imposed for riding in unspecified areas. Cheers, John B. |
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#2
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Singapore Bikes
On 6/14/2011 7:05 PM, john B. wrote:
[...] The above is the norm during the week but on the weekend the recreational riders appear, booted and spurred, they are very noticeable on the more open highways and in certain areas of the island where there are specified MTB tracks. The idea of "ride anywhere" mountain bikes is abhorrent to the Singapore government and there are serious fines imposed for riding in unspecified areas. Better just a fine than being attacked by a handsaw wielding wacko nut. -- Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731,-83.985007 I am a vehicular cyclist. |
#3
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Singapore Bikes
john B. wrote:
I was in Singapore last week and was scurrying around locating bike parts that I can't find, or are too expensive, in Bangkok. I came across a shop which appears to be a wholesale depot selling mostly Taiwan or Mainland Chinese parts. Amongst a lot of parts they had some complete bicycles - carbon frame and fork; Shimano 105 group, Ritchie Stem, etc. The hubs were made to use straight spokes - no bend, and front wheels were spoked with radial spokes and the rear with a combination of radial on one side and "cross 2" on the other. What was confusion was that some bikes had the "cross 2" lacing on the drive side and others on the undriven side.... :-) A little quality control problem I thought. Mavic Isopulse uses crosses on the NDS and straight on the DS. The intention is to reduce tension on the DS spokes. http://www.mavic.com/en/technology/wheels/Isopulse The idea that somehow you are different because you ride a bicycle to work that I've noticed on various groups doesn't seem to exist and a bicycle is viewed as just another variety of transportation. As it should. -- JS. |
#4
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Singapore Bikes
On Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:28:52 -0500, Tºm Shermªn °_°
" wrote: On 6/14/2011 7:05 PM, john B. wrote: [...] The above is the norm during the week but on the weekend the recreational riders appear, booted and spurred, they are very noticeable on the more open highways and in certain areas of the island where there are specified MTB tracks. The idea of "ride anywhere" mountain bikes is abhorrent to the Singapore government and there are serious fines imposed for riding in unspecified areas. Better just a fine than being attacked by a handsaw wielding wacko nut. It is fine to joke but the Singapore government takes its laws seriously. $500 fine for spitting on the street, probably a thousand for riding in a park. |
#5
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Singapore Bikes
On Jun 14, 8:05*pm, john B. wrote:
The interesting thing is that there are no bike lanes and no special rules for bikes. Bicycles seem to be treated as just another highway user. You see them peddling along the side of the road, stopping for stop lights and hardly ever on the sidewalks as bicycles and motorcycles are forbidden to ride on sidewalks which are reserved for foot traffic. The idea that somehow you are different because you ride a bicycle to work that I've noticed on various groups doesn't seem to exist and a bicycle is viewed as just another variety of transportation. By the way, no lycra, no foam hats, no half gloves. Just normal attire. In other words, Singapore proves that a city can have lots of bicycling without weird multicolored bike lanes, barrier separated "bike tracks," special traffic lights, etc. And people can ride bicycles and feel adequately safe without weird plastic hats and day-glo clothing. Can someone please let the American "bike advocates" know? Start with Andy Clarke, John Pucher and Mia Birk. (Of course, telling them to abandon fear mongering would be like like telling them to abandon their life's work.) - Frank Krygowski |
#6
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Singapore Bikes
Per Frank Krygowski:
And people can ride bicycles and feel adequately safe without weird plastic hats and day-glo clothing. The critical word may be "feel". Looking back upon a misspent youth, I see quite a few times when I was *that* far away from getting shot/poisoned/drowned/beaten to death or whatever.... -) -- PeteCresswell |
#7
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Singapore Bikes
On Jun 15, 8:58*am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Jun 14, 8:05*pm, john B. wrote: The interesting thing is that there are no bike lanes and no special rules for bikes. Bicycles seem to be treated as just another highway user. You see them peddling along the side of the road, stopping for stop lights and hardly ever on the sidewalks as bicycles and motorcycles are forbidden to ride on sidewalks which are reserved for foot traffic. The idea that somehow you are different because you ride a bicycle to work that I've noticed on various groups doesn't seem to exist and a bicycle is viewed as just another variety of transportation. By the way, no lycra, no foam hats, no half gloves. Just normal attire. In other words, Singapore proves that a city can have lots of bicycling without weird multicolored bike lanes, barrier separated "bike tracks," special traffic lights, etc. And people can ride bicycles and feel adequately safe without weird plastic hats and day-glo clothing. Can someone please let the American "bike advocates" know? *Start with Andy Clarke, John Pucher and Mia Birk. (Of course, telling them to abandon fear mongering would be like like telling them to abandon their life's work.) Well, then there is Holland with separate bicycle facilities. If you believe that is the proper model, then current efforts in the USA are woefully inadequate. We should be condemning rights of way to put in extensive bicycle avenues -- maybe through your living room. -- Jay Beattie. |
#8
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Singapore Bikes
Jay Beattie wrote:
On Jun 15, 8:58 am, Frank Krygowski wrote: On Jun 14, 8:05 pm, john B. wrote: The interesting thing is that there are no bike lanes and no special rules for bikes. Bicycles seem to be treated as just another highway user. You see them peddling along the side of the road, stopping for stop lights and hardly ever on the sidewalks as bicycles and motorcycles are forbidden to ride on sidewalks which are reserved for foot traffic. The idea that somehow you are different because you ride a bicycle to work that I've noticed on various groups doesn't seem to exist and a bicycle is viewed as just another variety of transportation. By the way, no lycra, no foam hats, no half gloves. Just normal attire. In other words, Singapore proves that a city can have lots of bicycling without weird multicolored bike lanes, barrier separated "bike tracks," special traffic lights, etc. And people can ride bicycles and feel adequately safe without weird plastic hats and day-glo clothing. Can someone please let the American "bike advocates" know? Start with Andy Clarke, John Pucher and Mia Birk. (Of course, telling them to abandon fear mongering would be like like telling them to abandon their life's work.) Well, then there is Holland with separate bicycle facilities. If you believe that is the proper model, then current efforts in the USA are woefully inadequate. We should be condemning rights of way to put in extensive bicycle avenues -- maybe through your living room. -- Jay Beattie. With a special assessment and then an increased property tax evaluation. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org/ Open every day since 1 April, 1971 |
#9
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Singapore Bikes
On Jun 15, 3:33*pm, Jay Beattie wrote:
On Jun 15, 8:58*am, Frank Krygowski wrote: On Jun 14, 8:05*pm, john B. wrote: The interesting thing is that there are no bike lanes and no special rules for bikes. Bicycles seem to be treated as just another highway user. You see them peddling along the side of the road, stopping for stop lights and hardly ever on the sidewalks as bicycles and motorcycles are forbidden to ride on sidewalks which are reserved for foot traffic. The idea that somehow you are different because you ride a bicycle to work that I've noticed on various groups doesn't seem to exist and a bicycle is viewed as just another variety of transportation. By the way, no lycra, no foam hats, no half gloves. Just normal attire. In other words, Singapore proves that a city can have lots of bicycling without weird multicolored bike lanes, barrier separated "bike tracks," special traffic lights, etc. And people can ride bicycles and feel adequately safe without weird plastic hats and day-glo clothing. Can someone please let the American "bike advocates" know? *Start with Andy Clarke, John Pucher and Mia Birk. (Of course, telling them to abandon fear mongering would be like like telling them to abandon their life's work.) Well, then there is Holland with separate bicycle facilities. *If you believe that is the proper model, then current efforts in the USA are woefully inadequate. We should be condemning rights of way to put in extensive bicycle avenues -- maybe through your living room. Of course, I don't think we need such things. Or rather, we need them only in a few unusual places. In general, I'm pretty fond of the system of bike facilities we already have. They call them "roads" and they already go everywhere a person is likely to want to go! - Frank Krygowski |
#10
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Singapore Bikes
On 6/15/2011 3:33 PM, Jay Beattie wrote:
Well, then there is Holland with separate bicycle facilities. If you believe that is the proper model, then current efforts in the USA are woefully inadequate. We should be condemning rights of way to put in extensive bicycle avenues -- maybe through your living room. Just through my street would be fine. |
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