Rider of the month

When did you go on you go on you first cycle adventure? ..

When I was about 2 years old…..in the garden….on a tricycle.

Before there were bicycle tour operators we tried to develop our own routes and booked our own accommdation.

Our first self developed tour was back in 1978 in Ireland – it was a great trip but it was hard to organise – thank goodness there are now there are cycle tour companies!

What countries have you visited by bicycle?

We lived in the UK for a number of years therefore explored a lot of Europe including Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Czech Republic and of course the UK. Now that we are living in Singapore, we have a new view of the world, and have biked Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia.

Where do you live?

We will be living in Singapore, but only for another year! So we are keen to fit in as many visits as possible.

What do you look for when you are choosing a trip?

We look for tours that are over long weekends/public holidays that do not use up too much precious annual leave, in destinations that are not too far away from Singapore and where the itinerary looks interesting.

What do you enjoy about bicycle touring? 

Local knowledgeable guides that can take you to places that you wouldn’t find yourself, meeting like-minded people and the fact that all the trip research has already been done for you! We especially like being in the great outdoors, on a bicycle and eating the delicious local food in the authentic local restaurants. I think the most significant thing about doing on an organised tour is how knowledgeable the guides are. It is also great not having to follow a map – it saves arguments.

How much training do you do before a ride?

I am sure that I could do more, but I like to think that the holiday is exercise in itself! I do not like to hurry, I am always happy to be at the back!…

Do you have any advice for someone that is looking to go on a bicycle tour for the first time? Think about packing, as you will only spend one night at each hotel, and would not want to repack each time..think how you may want to carry your camera, as there are fantastic photo opportunities around every corner.