Monthly Cycling to go on?

Hi Cycling Buddies

Our cycling leader, Yew Kwong is very preoccupied these days and Jade had MIA due to family obligations.  Our 2nd in command, Douglas cannot commit to a monthly schedule but he does not wish to see the monthly cycling die a natural death due to poor response. 

Hence, Ah Nee and I have been tasked with the duty to carry on.  However, sometime, some things might better off be done away with, rather than to continue.  We would like to seek your opinion or vote as to whether we should continue with this monthly cycling activity.  But first, here are some info / history for your consideration.  Cycling activity was first started in March 2006 led by Charles Wee.  There were only 4 of us : Charles, Yew Kwong, Jade & me.

No idea whether you can see the pictures or not.  Uhmmm……. Try clicking on the photo itself.?!

2nd cycling in April 2006 : There were still only 4 of us – Charles, Yew Kwong, Andrew Yeung and me.

3rd cycling in May 2006 : Yew Kwong took over the leading role from Charles.  There were 7 of us – Yew Kwong, Andrew, Jade, Pauline and me + 2 of my friends who were non SHCian.  Pauline was the one who shared with us her account no. with the rental bicycle kiosk which allow us to pay $4 for 1 hour and get 1 hour free and later, plus a bottle of mineral water.  (Today, the standard rate is $5 for 2 hrs – no water and no special privileges.)

4th cycling in June 2006 : There were – Yew Kwong, Andrew, Jade, Pauline and me + 2 of my friends (1 of whom became SHC member much later, guess who?)  Subsequent monthly cycling see changes in people combinations but the number grew.

The number of participants peak in Feb 2009 with 41 (all) SHC members and then the number starts to dwindle.  Reasons I can think of, for the decline :

1.       Non homogenous group – there are advance riders who branched off into “passion riders” doing long distance and in “rough / difficult” terrains including off-shore cycling.  They are into “challenging rides” as oppose to our leisure kind of cycling.

2.       Recent cycling events evolved from leisure cycling as a group, into 2 factions.  The long-distance cyclists and the mid-range cyclists.  This split encourages non-cohesion as a group as the 2 groups did not start nor end within the same time frame.  We didn’t even meet for a meal together at the end of the ride which used to be the norm.

3.       Since Jade no longer involved, beginners have no one to teach them.

4.       Constraint – we are restricted to limited localities due to rental bike facilities available.

5.       Location – as it is always the same locality, the novelty wears off and participants lose interest after a few tries.

6.       Venue – not easily accessible for non drivers.

Do you want us to continue with this Monthly Cycling Activity?  If yes, why?  And would you be willing to be one of our team mates?  Hope to hear from you.

Author: Lily Ho Willocq

Divorced - 1 grown daughter - love dancing.

13 thoughts on “Monthly Cycling to go on?”

  1. Hi Lily

    Thanks for the post and the photos, I am the first few people in cycling, but have leave it for a long long time. You post makes me not only remember the cycling, but also our good old day in SHC.

    If the cycling activity is gone, I will feel sad. But as you mentioned: “some things might better off be done away with, rather than to continue”.

    I don’t have any good suggestion to you, sorry. But like to make a promise. If the cycling activities still on, I will try my best to become a regular participant again. If I can (I am working on Sat, most of the time can snake out, but sometimes cannot), I will join the cycling activities, no matter it has only 2 or 3 people attend, sunshine or rain. A promise is a promise.

    Hope to see the cycling activities continued. Thanks again for the post;.

  2. Hi Lily

    Cycling was one of the activities tt attracted me to join SHC in Oct last year. Somehow, since then, I’ve not been able to make it for the subsequent sessions. I’m still interested, & will do my best to participate. Meantime, will help to think of ideas to ‘jazz’ up the sessions.

  3. When Susan Chang mentioned to me in early 2007 about SHC and its activities, I was very excited! Wow…”got CYCLING huh”, it was because of that, that I joined SHC. From then on I will not miss the monthly cycling unless I am not feeling well or have to attend my office D&D.

    It will be very sad if the monthly cycling activities have to die a natural death. I don’t know why the cyclists have over the time loose interest in the activities, perhaps…

    1) There’s no motivations from the leaders (EOs), 2) The cycling venue is inconvenience for those staying in the West (because I always hear members saying that I stay so far, all the way to the East???), 3) Not sure if the cost of $5 rental of Bike is too much for some (above 45 lah…hehehe).

    As of now, it seems like only Lily and myself are concern about the fate of the CYCLING event. Whatever the reasons, I feel that this cycling event should be led by the guys, simply because during cycling, we ladies are helpless when comes to emergency obstacles, like “cycling railing track”?? entangled lah, Tyre “pong chek” lah, members falling off the Bike lah….hehehe

    Lily….can we have cycling for this coming Sat….one more last wan, hope not…… :(

    Ah Nee

  4. Lily,
    I always enjoyed every cycling. Seriously I oso hope dat this activity won’t tong tong cheng lor..

    Silor, ANee, even if this activity going 2 bo liao, at least, we shd have 1 tis coming Sat lor.. tio bo, har? Lily?

    Cheers… Dolly

  5. Hi Ladies,

    I am sure you can use your womanly talents to persuade the older cyclist leaders to cycle more often. After all they are already such avid and seasoned cyclists.

    I must say I have enjoyed all the cycling activities, especially those to Changi Village and in Malaysia. I have yet to join a overnight cyclin trip. What about Rene? She is as good as the men, if not better and am sure she can lead if she wants to.

    If this activity stops, then others might too. So we have to keep up the interest. Also the rany seaon is behind us and is good for cycling, at least for some months

  6. Hi Lily and all cylists,

    To keep an activity alive is always a challenge. Someone or a group of members will have to take the lead. Following up on the cycling activity, I can see there are few reasons why members join this activity.

    1. They like the company of one another. So, this is a great opportunity to meet up.

    2. Exercise may be the other reason. A few cycling sessions can be an attraction; keeping up at it is a balance between what the heart wants to do and what the body would rather do. Same with all exercise.

    Some years ago, Tim Liu told me one angle of SHC. He said the SilverHairsClub does a great job at helping new members find friends with its many activities. But he added that what will happen is when these members find enough friends, they will break off into small groups, and not stay with the main body. I believe many of you must have seen this trend. Looking around you will see many small groups gather together for their own activities. In reality, I think this trend is natural.

    For the EO, you need to have a lot of energy and understanding to carry on with your interest and build this activity, or any activity. For the cycling, i see it as a vibrant activity, altho the grouping size vary from month to month. Cycling is not an activity where you are together during the activity. It starts together, split along the way, and join together at the end of the journey.

    I can only say that if cycling is your passion, and or you like the East Coast parkway, on a weekend, and willing to pay the $5 rental, then you have the basis for success with this event.

    It is unfortunate Yew Kwong has a busy schedule; but he has done a great job, just because he has the passion.

    I would encourage you and other cyclists to carry on with the activity. Most time, I am not in Singapore, and with my limited schedule, I have not been able to join the cycling event.

    Terence Seah

  7. Hi all cyclists and would-be cyclists

    Cycling is a good form of avtivities. What makes it
    enduring is a different matter.
    By looking back all the past events photos, I came acoss familiar faces like Terence Seah, Margaret, Lydia Chin, Molly Chua, Ronald, Dolly.
    But I have noticed these names do not appear in the lists of the latest subsequent events. For one or other reasons, they have temporarily suspended joining the activity or dropped out for good.
    Perhaps the EO can try to find out why this is happening and come up with new ideas to make the event more sustaining before it sinks into oblivion.

  8. Yes the novelty do wears off, perhap it better to have is on a bi-monthly basis. It’s a good form of exercise and it never enough for folks like us who need to do with some sweating and stretching.

    As with badminton and bowling we do need fresh injection of blood. I was able to hand over the mantle of booking of courts to KK Loh who is still consistently maintaining a regular group of players and I am one of them. For bowling it was good to see King Seng reviving the interest.

    So Lily, in response to your call we just have to keep a lookout for new or regular member to continue the tradition.
    Cycling should continue as it is a good time of coming together for a good reason of shedding the extra burden we all have to contend with. The ambience by the seaside is always inspiring for new member to meet and adjoining to further fellowship over a meal will bond us closer.

    Dan

  9. Dear All,

    Judging from the fb, i think many of us are quite passionate about cycling, but due to some other commitments were not able to join those cycling events organised by the EOs.

    Pls keep this cycling activity alive.

  10. I agree that the cycling is popular and it will be good to keep it going. I think there was an article, today or yesterday where they had shown the cycling paths avilable. Perhaps we shd recce these to provide a change of scene.

    I can help to recce this week

  11. Charles,
    I also like the idea of changing different locations for cycling but like dat hor, if there is no bicycle rental facilty at those PCN, then, only a handful of members with their own bikes can join us leh.. tio bo?

    Maybe, you can let me know abt this rental first lor b4 a recce to be done lor.. ai sai bo? Cheers.. Dolly

  12. I used to cycle at Pasir Ris, that stretch of seaside from Elias to Down Town East whenever I visited my parent. The cycling track is quite short compare to East Coast Parkway, but it’s very scenic, good for leisure cycling. There are a few bicycle kiosks, one situated at Elias car park C / D and another one at the Down Town East Chalets. The Bike rental rate $$$ is a little bit higher than East Coast Parkway. So maybe for a change, we can go there. :)

    Ah Nee

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