Monday, August 23, 2010

How do I start?  


Bicycle is the most efficient human powered machine.  For many years it had given its services to millions but sadly in our relatively hot and humid tropical climate it is falling out of favour to motorised vehicles that can provide a climate controlled cocoon to its occupants.  At what cost?
Fuel prices are so low in this country (Malaysia) that many can afford and do choose to do their commuting by car or motorbikes.
There are very few commuter cyclists on our road today.


In more advanced countries like Europe where fuel prices are being dictated by the free market... hence the far higher prices they are paying, cycling is now an option for commuting.  It provides a safe eco-friendly option to move all those butts around instead of lugging tonnes of extra steel to do so by cars and fat SUVs.   The city of London is spending millions to provide 6000 bikes for hire.  Other cities have opted to do the same way before London with their various models and means.  Some are successfull, a few so so and they are a few downright failure...


Is cycling a feasible option in this country?


In certain setting, I think yes.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Season of Faith


This is blog the first.  What I am going to scribble about I am not sure yet... but scribble I will.  Mostly it is going to be about bikes and commuter cycling...  the practical side of things.


How to start I am not sure.  Lets just start with a question... How many have I converted so far?


Converted into what?


The average guy into commuter cyclist I suppose.


Lets see... the biggest of them all is Akmal, the bear... although he no longer fit in the category anymore because he just does less than 2km a day cycling to work...ha ha ha


Then the is the hi-miler one...Nasir the boatboy.  He averages 20-30km a day.  That is quite a lot for a campus boy.


Then there is Ikin the on and off girl.  she doesn't ride as much anymore, not staying in college anymore. Uses a four-wheel machine plus another for steering instead of a bar!  Used to be quite a girl racer...


Who else is there?  Yeah almost forgot.. the one that has been doing it for more than 4 years... Kwong.  A masters student with one of the best bike in campus.  He is not a hi-miler but whereever he goes, his blue-bike is with him.


There will be more stories and more later...