Sunday, January 24, 2010

My cycling in Singapore experiences - My once very improvised bike

Another 1.5 year have passed and still no one wants my bike. A reason I think is it has been quite heavily improvised, but, actually, it is now much more normal looking. If you are interested to look at how improvised it was, sorry, I am not posting photo of my bike because I don't think I have any photos of my bicycle :P you can see a photo here. I also prefer not to do so in case it attracts too much attention to my bike and myself in person. So, let me try to describe what have changed here
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Previously, it had a cheap ($2.50) small (roughly 20cm wide) pink plastic basket tied to the handle bar with thick orange color nylon rope that I had picked up along the road. Now it is mounted with a typical black netted bicycle basket.

Previously, there was an elastic rope with a hook at each end stretched and looped from saddle post to fork post for me to put small bags on the horizontal frame bar. It has been removed after a serious fall due to the fork literally broke up in two pieces, and according to the bicycle shop old man, that was the first time in his whole life he saw such kind of "wear & tear" for bicycles. I suspected the elastic rope could be the culprit.

Previously, I have been using the very old style black rubber/plastic "foot holder" at the paddles that I haven't been seeing for many years as most people use clippers. Now, these have "decayed" away.

Previously, there have been a vertically cut into half disposable plastic cup taped to the end of the mud guard as an extension for better blocking of water when cycling on wet road as the mud guard seems to be designed for blocking mud, not water. Other alternatives have been tried such as carboard, and transparency, which is the best so far in terms of good looking, cost, durability, and effectiveness. Now, no more mud guard as I seldom ride on wet road and the back seat helps to block the water when riding slowly on wet road.

Previously, I have wrapped a piece of bathroom floor mat on the saddle using unwind wire clothe hanger for ventilation purpose. I have just recently changed my saddle to one with spring suspension and haven't or will not be doing the same at the saddle as I seldom cycle for very long distances.

The only quite unique thing that is still there is on the horizontal frame bar. However, due to its uniqueness, I prefer not to mention it since this will be similar to posting a photo online :)

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