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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.