Outdoor cycling in its serene glory has found a competitor in the rise of spin classes. With upbeat music and high-tech production, indoor spin classes take away from the freedom of riding with the breeze against your skin. Cycling has the ability to slow us down and allow us to soak in the beauty of nature while exploring our little island. Singapore is so small, yet many of us have not explored all its twists and turns. Take a breath of fresh air and put on your helmet to discover urban landscapes.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors
Riding outdoors exposes you to various terrain that can challenge different muscles in your body. For example, riding up hills is a great way to build strength and endurance, while riding on flat terrain can help you work on your speed and cadence. Additionally, cycling outdoors allows you to work on your balance and coordination, which can help you become a more skilled rider. Being outside in nature releases endorphins that can boost your mood and calm the mind.
Our city in a garden has a dense network of park connectors that bring the island together. If you want to go cycling, but want to skip the heavy traffic and dangers of cycling on a road, take on a park connector for a smooth and safe way to unwind while surrounded by the peace of nature.
Central Urban Loop
The central urban loop is a 15.6km connector that will take around 2 hours to complete. The loop starts at Toa Payoh Town park and winds through the heartlands to end at Punggol Park. Along the way, find yourself at serene parks to relax, hawker centres to fuel you for the journey, all while you soak in the urban landscape. Getting your foot on the pedal at Toa Payoh Town Park, enjoy the still ponds only disturbed by the dragonflies that whizz by before leaving to the Whampoa Park Connector and cycle through Balam PC to make a pitstop at Circuit Road Hawker Centre.
Eat: Circuit Road Hawker Centre
Circuit Road hawker centre has two sections that are filled with options for everyone. With an extensive variety of vegetarian stalls, they offer creative vegetarian renditions of fish soup, bak kut teh, chicken rice, satay, laksa and more so you can enjoy local cuisine while sticking to your dietary requirements.
For meat lovers, taking a pitstop at the hawker centre, will land you an aromatic plate of chicken or mutton briyani at just $6 at Briyani by Hamidah Bi where those are the only two menu items. At DP Creations Patisserie, enjoy creamy chicken pies and rich beef pies, that will leave you wanting for more.
North Eastern Riverine Loop
The North Eastern Riverine Loop is an easy 16-km route that is surrounded by still waters. Take a trip around Buangkok, Sengkang and Punggol along with Punggol Beach and Lorong Halus Wetland in 2 hours. The route begins at Punggol Park and goes through Sungei Serangoon Park Connector to the Punggol Promenade Riverside walk. Go past Coney Island and loop around Sengkang and Buangkok to Punggol Park.
See: Local Flora and Fauna
As the route lines many waterways, enjoy the native birds and flowers that pepper the scenic landscape. Apart from the common pigeons, crows and mynahs that can be spotted easily across the island, the riverine loop reminds us that there are more colourful and beautiful feathers to be seen in Singapore.
The Collared Kingfisher has a distinct white collar, which is how it gets its name, in contrast to its rich blue upperparts that colour the skyline as it flies. Even if you don’t manage to sight it, you might be able to hear it with its loud, laughing call that echoes through the trees.
The Grey Heron is another bird that is drawn to the water. It feeds on large fish and can be spotted with its grey upperparts and broad stripes at the centre of its foreneck. Its large wings let it glide elegantly with the wind beneath its winds as its orange bill swoops in to find food.
Eastern Coastal Loop
The Eastern Coastal Loop is a 17.5km route that takes around 2 hours to cycle through. Starting at Pasir Ris Park, the loop goes through Tampines Eco Green, Bedok Reservoir, East Coast Park and returns to Pasir Ris through the Coastal Park Connector and Loyang Park Connector. Along the way, dip your toes into the gentle waves at East Coast Park as you enjoy the sea breeze. Make a day of it if you are going for a night cycling adventure by stopping by Bedok Jetty to join the line of anglers.
Do: Fishing at Bedok Jetty
The iconic scene of ice boxes and sun hats on statue-like figures holding fishing rods across the ledge of Bedok Jetty jolts childhood memories. Stand a chance to catch mackerels, herrings, stingrays and catfish as you get your bait in the water. There is an unsaid community that forms along the jetty as each person’s catch is celebrated and joys are shared. Bedok Jetty used to be closed to the public as it was used for military purposes and humanitarian missions. While it continues to be a military base, it is open to all now - for those who want to fish, watch planes go by or simply enjoy the breeze.
Northern Explorer Loop
The Northern Explorer Loop spans 11km and takes around 1 hour to cycle through. The north of Singapore often gets a bad reputation for the bizarre happenings that take place every now and then. Yet, there is lush greenery and natural beauty to be appreciated all around the north. Beginning at the Lower Seletar Reservoir, the route goes through Mandai Park Connector to Woodlands and eventually ends at the Woodlands Waterfront. Let the whole family join in the fun with the Multigenerational Playground at the Woodlands Waterfront Park.
Play: Multigenerational Playground
Give your wheels a break and give yourself a chance to have fun with the whole family. Gone are the days when parents have to roam aimlessly or wait around on benches to wait for their children to tire themselves out. With features that can carry the weight of adults as well as an exercise corner that can engage senior citizens, the park has something for everyone.
Tools and Communities for Cycling
The park connector routes mentioned above give you a quick taste of cycling in Singapore but there are many emerging routes, sights, activities and pit stops that you can discover by getting to know the local cycling community. Cycling in groups can also be safer as members look after each other’s well-being. There are many cycling groups out there but here are a few which you may like to join.
Cycling Groups
- CCK Cyclists
This diverse cycling group has members of a wide range of ages, ethnicities and professions who find common ground in a love of biking. They organise rides throughout the year ranging from weekly fitness and training rides, round island tours, socializing rides, and overseas cycling tours.
- Singapore Joyriders
Interested parties can pay a membership fee and purchase the Joyriders Jerseys for a sense of community. They have different routes with varying difficulty levels to accommodate those who are new to long routes. The pack has a private Facebook group for those who are interested to join.
- Singapore Foldies
Founded as a folding bicycle group in 2014 initially, most of their members have upgraded to more advanced cycles since but continue to grow the community. Whether you have a road bike, mountain bike, or hybrid bike, we open our doors to anyone who is interested in riding with a group.
Cycling Tools
Cycling apps can be your trusted partner whether you are still starting out or an advanced cyclist. It helps track progress by monitoring important metrics such as distance, speed, and time. Discover more parts of Singapore with their route planning features that can help you avoid traffic-heavy areas. If you don’t have a group of cyclists to ride with, apps also provide a virtual community that can motivate you through challenges, rewards, and connections to other cyclists. They help to ensure safety on the road with alerts for dangerous intersections and emergency notifications in the event of an accident. With personalisation features, you can also receive reminders for maintenance checks and links to heart rate monitors. The top 2 popular cycling apps for outdoor riding are Strava and Google Maps.
Strava
Strava is compatible with a wide range of devices, including smartphones, GPS devices, and smartwatches. It is a popular choice due to its social features, route planning capabilities, performance tracking, and safety features.
Google Maps
If you don’t want to download yet another app on your phone, using Google Maps is a reliable and convenient option for accurate maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and real-time traffic updates. Get to know popular pitstops to eat and rest through Google Maps’ interface so that every ride is a joyride.
Riding Safe
Cycling is an agile and dynamic way to get around but can be dangerous if you do not take the right precautions. One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself while cycling is to wear a helmet. Make sure to get a helmet that fits you well and strap it on even if you are going short distances.
When on the road, follow traffic signals and travel in the same direction as the flow of traffic. When cycling in groups, keep to a maximum length of 5 cyclists in a line and avoid high-traffic areas. It's also important to be visible, especially at night or in low-light conditions so you can wear brightly coloured or reflective clothing and use lights and reflectors on your bike.
Keep your bike well-maintained by regularly checking your brakes, tires, and other components to avoid any unexpected breakdowns in the middle of traffic. At all times, avoid distractions such as texting or listening to music while cycling so you can focus on the road.
Bike Servicing
To keep your bicycle in shape, here are a few things which you can do on your end in between service intervals.
Before each ride, perform the following safety checks.
- Inflate the tires to the recommended tyre pressure. Every rim and tyre has a recommended range of pressure. The general guideline is to pump it up to the lower of maximum pressure indicated on both the rim and tyre. For hookless tires, please check against the rim manufacturer’s tyre compatibility chart. More resources regarding Giant and Cadex wheel systems can be found at the following link. Please consult your dealer if you are unsure.
- Check that the quick release or thru-axles are tightened.
- Check that the handlebars are secured by holding onto the front wheel in between your legs and twisting the handlebar sideways. The handlebar and wheel should always be moving as one.
- After your ride, grab an old t-shirt to wipe down your sweat.
Depending on the weather conditions and usage frequency, it is recommended to perform some basic bike maintenance on your own, every 4-8 weeks. A little tender loving care goes a long way.
- Use bike-specific cleaning products to wash the bike. Using automotive products, can either damage your paint job or mess up your brakes (especially those with wax compound).
- Aggravate the grime on the chain with degreaser and hard bristle brushes. Rinse off the drivetrain. Dry the chain with compressed air or a dry cloth before dripping some chain lube.
We recommend a Full Service every 9 to 12 months but your mileage may vary. Consult your mechanic for further advice. Our bike servicing comes in different packages so you can decide how in-depth you need the servicing to be. It can help ensure safety, improve performance, extend the life of your bike, and save you money in the long run.
Riding Comfortably
Apart from riding safely, having a well-fitted and functioning bike makes for a more enjoyable ride. At Tay Junction, we offer both bike fitting services to get your bike dialed to an optimal position. Using idmatch, we use advanced software that incorporates the result of scientific studies and research. With the 3D body scan feature, movements can be evaluated more accurately and the software recognises the joint points and can analyse the length of each body segment. The software determines angles of movement and angular velocities to automatically adapt the simulator setting. With a database of more than 10,000 products, the bike fitting system allows the design of an accurate and comfortable frame for a smooth riding experience.
Get Your Foot on the Pedal
To start or upgrade your riding experience, get tailor-made bicycles at Tay Junction and rediscover Singapore like never before. Make every ride smooth and secure with our wide range of bikes, frames, components, accessories and apparel.