According to the United Nations, “World Bicycle Day draws attention to the benefits of using the bicycle — a simple, affordable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation”. The UN forgot to mention the benefit of meeting new people and becoming friends.

This year Mary and I were in Singapore for World Bicycle Day. We celebrated by riding our Bromptons throughout the day!

When I tell people that I have just returned from riding Singapore, the usual response is one of surprise that it is big enough to do multiple days of bike riding. As you’ll see over the coming posts there are plenty of cycling opportunity in Singapore. This is certainly helped by the strategic encouragement of folding bikes as an integral part (first kms and last kms) of city journeys. Further, it is supported by the amazing Park Connector Network which

is an island-wide network of linear green corridors linking major parks and nature areas across Singapore. With more than 380 km of trails, the PCN presents a diverse palette of recreational green opportunities, provides avid outdoor enthusiasts with enhanced accessibility to nature spaces across the island, and serve to enhance ecological connectivity between our natural habitats.

The the first part of our World Bicycle Day celebration we decided to ride part of a the “Central Urban Loop” route. NParks has already prepared a number of loop rides that show off the PCN. The bad news is that they are presented as PDFs, which are really not compatible with my GPS Bike Computer. I did, however, prepare a number of GPX files that the the best of my ability follow the PDF published route. These might help you:

• Central Urban Loop
• North Eastern Riverine Loop
• Northern Explorer Loop

The Central Urban Loop started from Kallang MRT. This gave us the option of taking the MRT to the start. But it was, after all, World Bicycle Day so we decided to ride from the Tiong Bahru Bakery (yes riding is better with some pastry in your belly) to Kallang MRT. I’m glad that we did this pleasant 9km trip- as you’ll see from the photos below.

We followed the Central Urban Loop along waterways and parks for a further 13.5 kms before the heat of day politely suggested that it might be time to stop riding. We saw many of the HDB public housing estates, local hawkers centres, shopping centres, and other local life.

With an MRT station always nearby and folding bikes encouraged on public transport, it was no trouble at all to fold our Bromptons and make a beeline to the National Gallery of Singapore after a quick lunch in the Buangkok Hawker Centre in Sengkang Great Mall.

Surveying culture in an air conditioned environment is recommended in the mid afternoon!

World Bicycle Day is clearly best celebrated with friends. Riding a bike is actually a great way to meet people and become friends. Riding a Brompton Bike is even better. Riders around the world of Brompton Bikes are generous, friendly and engaging. Travelling with a Brompton, is in my view, the best way to see the world.

About a week before we arrived in Singapore, I left a message on the Brompton Singapore Facebook Group about our imminent arrival. Steve reached out and said he and Poh Leng would arrange a ride for us. There was no better way to celebrate World Bicycle Day than with our new Singapore friends (and a little drone).

A ride down the river and through the financial district, a shared meal and then the illuminations of i Light Singapore, there was no better way to celebrate World Bicycle Day. Thank you!

After the lights at Marina Bay the gang rode back up the river for some late night snacks at ABC Corner. What a great day!

I look forward to riding with our new Singapore Brompton friends again – Here in Australia, somewhere else overseas, but most definitely I’ll be back for another ride in Singapore, perhaps this time fully around the island!