What S’poreans need to know before buying their first bicycle

First consider: Where do you want to ride, how long do you want to ride, and how often do you want to ride?

| Nigel Chua | Sponsored | September 16, 2021, 02:00 PM

It’s no surprise that cycling has been one of the fastest growing sports in Singapore recently.

After all, it’s a unique form of exercise that allows you to stay fit and healthy while getting out of the house, and gives you the opportunity to discover new places that might be out of your reach if you walk or run.

If you’re interested in making cycling part of your lifestyle, it would only make sense to buy your own bicycle, as rental bikes and bike sharing can only take you so far.

But choosing one’s first bicycle is not an easy process.

I spoke to Eric To, the supervisor at Rodalink Jurong East, to get some tips for first-time bicycle buyers.

Rodalink’s showroom at TradeHub 21. Photo by Nigel Chua.

These days, there are a lot of choices out there. Just at Rodalink, bicycles can cost anywhere from S$400 to around S$10,000.

To kindly agreed to share some of his advice for this article, and suggested three questions new cyclists should ask themselves before committing to a bicycle purchase.

1. Where are you riding?

This might seem like a simple question, but it’s an important one.

For example, some first time cyclists may be keen to get into mountain biking because of their friends, but may not fully understand the demands of the sport.

Mountain biking is much more physically demanding than riding on paved roads or park connectors.

First-time mountain bike buyers should familiarise themselves with mountain bike trails, with one good way being to actually go and see it for themselves.

They could also watch a video of trail riding, so they are fully aware of what they are getting themselves into.

GIF from video by Rodalink Singapore on Facebook.

If this looks uncomfortable to you, it might be better to start off with something easier, and slowly progress in the sport.

New cyclists can get acquainted with the sport by riding on park connectors and footpaths.

These riders would probably be happy with a hybrid bike, which is generally lighter and thus more energy efficient than a mountain bike in the same price range.

Polygon Path 2 City Bike (S$649). Photo via Rodalink website.

Mountain bikes are for specialised terrain

Generally, mountain bikes are designed for unpaved, uneven terrain, and aren’t necessary on the paved surfaces of park paths and park connectors.

You might have noticed that mountain bikes have wider, more rugged-looking tyres, but these are only really necessary for a handful of trail routes in Singapore.

The typical patterned tyre treads on a mountain bike. Photo by Nigel Chua.

In fact, at critical moments such as sharp turns on wet roads, a heavily-textured mountain bike tyre would actually offer less grip than a smoother, slimmer tyre.

This is because the surface area of a mountain bike tyre that comes into contact with the road (also known as the “contact patch”) is smaller than that of a smooth tyre.

On the other hand, mountain bike tyres are designed to dig into soft ground and provide traction, and are thus not ideal for riding on pavements and roads.

Mountain bike tyres (left) and hybrid bike tyres (right). Photos by Nigel Chua.

What about a road bike?

Road bikes from Polygon’s Stratos series. Photo by Nigel Chua.

Road bikes — characterised by slim, aerodynamic tyres, and special drop bars (handlebars that allow riders to “drop” into a low position) — are not recommended for those riding in an urban environment.

These aspects of road bikes’ design allows riders to go faster, but they are best ridden almost exclusively on roads.

To start with, the slim tyres on a road bike may get stuck in the gaps of drain covers, which can lead to a bad fall.

Also, road bike handlebars, being built for speed, handle best when riding fast.

If a road bike rider has to slow down to walking pace (for example, when negotiating bends or turns on narrow sections of a park connector), it can be harder to manoeuvre around, as compared to the flat handlebars on a hybrid bike.

That brings us to the next question that first-time bicycle buyers need to ask themselves:

2. How far (and how often) will you be riding?

For those who plan to use their bikes for exercise or commuting, and want to ride several times a week, a bicycle with better components will last longer.

You might think that this requires splashing out on a more expensive model, though that might always not be the case.

For example, the Polygon Zeta 2 at S$799 uses gear shifters from Shimano’s fourth-highest tier “Tiagra” range, only behind the competition-standard “Dura-Ace”, “Ultegra”, and “105” ranges.

The Polygon Zeta 2 (S$799). Photo via Rodalink Singapore.

With its smaller wheels, the Polygon Zeta 2 also offers the advantage of being lighter and easier to handle.

The same advice of paying attention to bike components applies when looking at a mountain bike for frequent use — especially if one intends to ride on mountain bike trails that weave through forested areas.

These trails can be muddy, and regular washing will quickly wear out critical components on a lower-end mountain bike in the S$500+ range, such as the bearings in the wheels.

Thus, a bike in the S$800+ range would be recommended for someone who plans to ride on such trails frequently.

A lower-end bicycle would be sufficient for recreational riders who just want to ride around the neighborhood occasionally, for short distances, even if you have set aside a relatively high budget.

After all, it’s most important for a bicycle to suit your needs.

3. Can one bike do it all?

After you’ve figured out the kinds of paths you would like to ride on, how far you plan to ride, and how often, you might still be unable to decide on one bicycle.

This is because some riders are interested in more than one type of riding.

For example, someone who plans to ride on park connectors most of the time might also want to ride on the rougher trails of Coney Island, or even Pulau Ubin.

Such riders might be looking for one bike that can do it all, though this involves accepting some compromises.

For example, some hybrid bikes — such as the Polygon Heist X5 (S$999) — have front suspension for a more comfortable ride on unpaved trails, and even light gravel trails. However, this might entail sacrifices in terms of weight.

Polygon Heist X5 (in orange) and Polygon Heist X2 (in blue). Photo via Rodalink Singapore.

Another “do it all” bike would be the rugged Marin Nicasio 700C (S$999).

The Marin Nicasio 700C (S$999). Image via Rodalink website.

Many lightweight entry- and mid-level bicycles are made of aluminium.

But the frame of the Marin Nicasio 700C is made of chromium molybdenum, a type of chrome-alloy steel.

This makes for a lightweight bike that can also take the rough and tumble of gravel trails, and carry loads.

However, as it does not have suspension, riders may feel more bumps and vibrations.

For those who can’t accept these compromises, the other option is actually to get two bikes, each of which is specialised for its intended functions.

Accessories

Besides choosing a bike, one may also want to consider accessories to go along.

For those who plan to ride in the early morning or late at night, lights are essential.

Photo by Nigel Chua.

Helmets are also really important for those who plan to ride on the roads.

Photo by Rodalink.

A mount for your phone might also be important for navigation, if you are planning to discover new locations while riding.

A twist-mounted handphone case. GIF by Nigel Chua.

And of course, you’ll need saddlebags and pouches to carry gear, or snacks.

Saddlebags and pouches of various sizes. Photo by Nigel Chua.

Make sure to learn basic maintenance

On top of choosing a bike, first-time bicycle owners should also learn the basics of bicycle maintenance.

When first-time customers buy their bikes, To and his team take care to ensure that they learn how to do two essential maintenance tasks: keeping their chains clean and lubricated, and keeping their tyres inflated.

Clean, lubricated chains will make changing gears smoother, and prolong the life of the gears and chainrings, as well as the chain itself.

Keeping tyres inflated at the right pressure is also important. Riding with tyres that are too soft can lead to a “pinch flat”, where the inner tube that holds air in the tyre is pinched between the road and the rim of the wheel, causing it to rupture.

On top of these, Rodalink customers are encouraged to bring their bikes for monthly check-ups, so that any potential problems can be identified and addressed before they lead to breakdowns.

The workshop area in Rodalink’s Jurong store. Photo via Rodalink.

While these monthly check-ups may seem like a burden on To and his team, he explains that it actually saves them trouble in the long run.

Regular check-ups and personal maintenance by customers help to avoid situations where consumables (such as spare inner tubes) run out.

Thus, he advises customers to bring their bikes back to the shop regularly, or once something starts to feel different.

Take your time to decide

He also shares that when interest in cycling picked up last year, he could tell that customers generally knew what they wanted.

As it turns out, many of these customers were seasoned cyclists looking to introduce the sport to their friends and family by purchasing bikes on their behalf.

But To encourages first-time cyclists to learn about the different options themselves, rather than just “listening to friends”.

He says that for a customer who “knows nothing about bicycles”, around two to three visits might be needed to view (and test) different types of bicycles before making a decision.

While first-time bicycle buyers might be feeling some urgency to make a quick purchase so they can get moving, he says that at Rodalink, they do not rush their customers.

“What I feel is, if you get the correct bike, you enjoy your ride more. And the bike will serve you better. Don’t rush into buying, go and find out more.”

Rodalink online shop

Besides having two physical outlets at Jurong East and East Coast, Rodalink also has an online shop (www.rodalink.com/sg/) offering 99 per cent assembled bikes, along with free home delivery.

This option allows you to get your bicycle with a faster processing time as compared to buying in store, and there’s even a next-day delivery option for those in a hurry.

Do note that you will need to do that final one per cent on your own, with video guidance from Rodalink if needed.

You will need to install the pedals, and align the handlebar, which requires you to have the right tools.

Rodalink Singapore locations

Rodalink Jurong East

Address: 18 Boon Lay Way, #01-98D Singapore

Contact: +65 6795 4320

Opening hours: 11am to 8pm from Mon. to Sat., 11am to 4pm on Sun.

Rodalink East Coast

Address: 166B Upper East Coast Road Singapore

Contact: +65 6242 8330

Opening hours: 11am to 8pm from Mon. to Sat., 11am to 4pm on Sun.

This sponsored article by Rodalink reminded this writer to keep his bicycles’ tyres inflated, and their chains lubricated.

Top images by Nigel Chua