It has already been several months since I started cycling around Singapore, and after all the kilometers I have covered, I still wouldn’t consider myself a pro cyclist. In fact, I don’t even think I have that much expertise when it comes to bicycles LOL.
I never really bought a bicycle because I wanted to learn everything about gears, components, speed, or cycling techniques. My reason was much simpler — I wanted something that would allow me to explore my city using my own leg power.
And looking back now, I think buying my bicycle was one of the best decisions I have made for my little wandering adventures.
When I was originally planning to buy one, all I could think about was how exciting it would be to travel around without spending money every time I wanted to go somewhere. Public transportation here is still quite affordable, but when you are someone like me who enjoys randomly exploring different places, those small transportation costs can eventually add up.
Even a short bus or MRT trip costs money. So instead of thinking, “Should I spend money going there today?” I can simply take my bicycle and start pedaling.
Of course, buying the bicycle itself wasn’t free hahaha.
My bicycle, together with some of the accessories and gears that I purchased, cost me around SGD 650. At first, I looked at it as an investment. After several months of cycling, I roughly estimated that I may have already saved more than SGD 1,000 in transportation expenses.
It’s only my personal rough estimate, so I’m not going to bring out an Excel spreadsheet and calculate every single trip LOL. But considering how frequently I travel around the city, I think my bicycle has already paid for itself.
The best part is that saving money was only one benefit.
Cycling has also encouraged me to explore places that I probably wouldn’t have bothered visiting otherwise.
Some days I find myself cycling beside reservoirs surrounded by trees. On other days, I’m beside the waterfront watching the sky slowly change colors. There are also rides through quiet neighborhoods, parks, bridges, and places where I can still see the city buildings standing in the distance.
Those are probably my favorite moments.
Singapore is not a very large country, but cycling makes me realize how different one area can feel from another. I can leave a busy urban environment and, after some time on my bicycle, suddenly find myself somewhere peaceful where the sound of traffic feels very far away.
There is also something satisfying about arriving somewhere and realizing that my own legs brought me there.
And aside from all the wandering, I’m also getting some exercise along the way. Instead of spending the whole day sitting in front of a computer, cycling gives me a reason to go outside, move around, breathe some fresh air, and discover something new.
Looking through my cycling photos now, I feel quite satisfied seeing all the places this bicycle has already taken me.
Maybe I’ll never become a pro cyclist, and that’s perfectly fine with me.
For me, cycling was never about becoming the fastest rider.
It was always about the adventure, the views, the freedom to wander, and the little discoveries along the way.
