SpokesPeople (2022/issue1)

THE BIKE NOMAD

Tankfully for the wet weather, he wasn’t in any hurry to head out for his daily ride. In fact, he’s in no hurry any other day as he’s retired.

Nomad

a person who does not stay long in the same place; a wanderer.

Uncle Shawn is what I'd call a ‘Bike Nomad’. He can often be spotted with his bike in tow at popular spots like Pasir Ris Park on a regular weekday, and at Marina Bay Sands on weekends. You can say his life is like a ride in the park, or wherever his bike leads him.

He’s a bit of a personality, having been featured on news outlets such as CNA’s ‘Show Me Te City’, Zaobao (早報) and even at one of our National Day Parades. Not to mention the scores of tourists and curious passers-by who love to stop for a photo op with him and his fanciful bikes.

I caught up with Uncle Shawn over breakfast on a Monday morning at Downtown East.

66-yr-old Uncle Shawn was an aircraft technician with SIA for 48 years – the only job he had, until he decided to hang up his tools two years ago. Since then, he has taken up this nomadic lifestyle of biking out on the streets.

Just by looking at his ride, you can tell he’s all set to stay out. If there ever was a Zombie Apocalypse, Uncle Shawn would do very well to survive.

He loves customising his bikes, which he affectionately calls his “wives”. In his words, “My bicycle is my wife, music is my medicine, and mother nature is my friend.” Which explains why he loves to blast his speakers whenever he rides, perhaps to sort of announce his grand arrival wherever he wheels (pun intended)!

His eyes twinkle when he talks about strangers who compliment his music and even dance to it. He’s popular among both kids and adults, and that's why he's willing to invest the time and money doing up his rides to make their day.

He’s defnitely not one who travels light. I asked him how heavy his bike was. Possibly between 50-60kg?

Tink camper van. He practically has his whole house on two wheels. Here’s what he carts around each day – 2 meals (Lunch and dinner), spare clothings, ground sheet, pillow (neck rest), rain coat, towel, frst-aid kid, insulated bottles to keep his drinks hot/cold (he’s a huge IKEA bottle fan), power banks for his speakers, and a ‘fuel tank’ that stores water for washing and cleaning – a self-made contraption he’s very proud of. Having an engineering background has proven to be very useful.

His rides include a Customaxx Harley-style chopper, a Buzzraw, a Figo and two Tsunoda Postman bikes (a male and female version). At the peak of his collection, he tells me he owned 15 bikes, with prices ranging from used ones he got from Carousell at S$500, to a brand new one he bought for S$3,000. Today, he has only 8 left.

Like all proud parents, he has his ‘Champion Bike’ which he reveals to be the Customaxx.

Te next question is of course, “Where do you store all your bikes?” Living in land scarce Singapore with 81% of our population living in HDBs, that’s a very real constraint for every legit bike collector.

Uncle Shawn rents a place in Pasir Ris, while waiting for his Build-To-Order fat to be ready. A few of his more treasured bikes are parked there, while the rest are stashed at various void decks.

He’s not worried they’ll get stolen. “Too heavy!”, he says as a matter-of-fact. “No one will dare ride or steal it.”

Why not motorbikes then? Since his bikes look every bit like one. He explains those are too risky. Bicycles are safer to ride. And with the price of COEs and fuel shooting up, it’s defnitely a cheaper option too!

Well, if you do spot someone cruising down the horizon looking like a dandy cowboy one of these days, make sure you say hi. Tat’s probably ‘ Te Bike Nomad’ himself and his ride coming your way.

bicycle

“My

is my wife music is my medicine, and mother nature ” is my frienD.

,

PROJECT HUFFY RESTO

From ashes to beauty

by Ruiping Tan

Most people pick up strays. I pick up abandoned bikes crying for a second chance. I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdogs, the down-andouts, and generally things or people who have seen a better yesterday.

So, Project Huffy Restore wasn’t something of a surprise. I had done some minor bike restoration projects before, but nothing as extensive (and expensive).

It was like any ordinary bike ride on a regular Monday afternoon, with a friend whom I had made through… yes, another bike purchase.

Our ride took us through the Hougang/Serangoon 1 PCN, along some 2 BTO construction areas. As I was cruising along the pavement, trying to avoid joggers, strollers and other cyclists, a blue bike which was nestled in the light bushes caught the corner of my eye.

I think I’ve seen enough cruisers at this stage to know it when I saw one. So I did a double take, applied my coaster brake and signaled to my friend that I was stopping. She, too, had seen the bike and had the intuition to fgure I had stopped to check it out.

It was a cruiser alright! Even in its dismal state, it was still a handsome sight with a striking blue frame that was missing most of its parts.

All I could see was a beautiful cruiser (an American-brand called ‘Huffy’), a rare sighting in itself, asking for a new lease of life. It was left to rust through the elements that had obviously taken over its bare state. Pretty sad.

PROJECT HUFFY RESTO

As I stood there admiring and feeling sorry at the same time, a few curious onlookers passed some glances over. Two uncles in particular noticed my keen interest in the bike and nudged me to take it home.

I laughed and shot the question back at them. “Why don’t you take it then? Tis would make a really nice ride. Just need to do it up!”, I tried convincing them. Afterall, I was riding my bike and how on earth was I going to lug both bikes back?? And especially when one had a fat rear tire!

We stood there for a few moments, deliberating over what to do with the bike. Tere was no outlet to an exit anywhere in sight. Te next point of exit would be about a few hundred metres away, at least!

After a while, the uncles decided it was too much of a hassle and moved on. My friend and I looked at each other and came up with a crazy idea. We would cycle to the nearest exit and she would wait there for me while I came back for the abandoned bike.

So we did that and before I knew it, I was huffing (no pun intended) and puffing, carting the broken bike on its front wheel – slowly and painfully to where my friend was waiting. Never mind some passers-by were giving me the look, probably thinking I had busted a tire.

And with the help of my spouse (always very supportive and understanding of my ‘exploits’) who came to pick me up with the car and a bike rack, we brought Huffy home and there started my journey of restoration.

Finding parts was a challenge, as the cruiser had rather uncommon parts like a 25mm seatpost (most came in the standard 25.4mm diameter). My search took me all over the internet and across bikes shops around the hood. Inasmuch as I was determined to keep costs low, I realised restoration projects were anything but cheap.

After much painstaking work – cleaning, swapping out parts and tuning, Huffy was all good to go!

Te satisfaction of knowing that something that was left for dead could again be re-purposed for many new rides truly outweighed the costs involved… for the most part.

SHOPPING FOR PARTS?

a cost-effective online platform for small items like chains, tubes, bottle cages, locks, nuts, and even bike tools.

pretty much everything you need – from stylish high-end pannier bags to bike fashion wear, gadgets, gear–you name it!

A massive label that houses a good selection of well-known brands.

have a fab resource to share? or know of a great spokespeople story we could feature in our next issue?

write to us: spokespeople.sg@gmail.com

RUIPING TAN

cruiser rider, collector, aficionado I SINGAPORE

CRUISE CONTROL MODE

SP:

SP: Other than cruiseRS, do you own other TYPES of bikes?

RP: I have a Schwinn Stingray chopper, and a vintage Japanese Tsunoda postman bike.

SP: Does your family share or support your hobby?

RP: Like many others, I got back into cycling during the Covid period at the start of 2021. It was actually my 9-year-old daughter who got me started as she had just learnt to cycle. To join her for rides, I decided to get myself a mountain bike. Shortly after, I chanced upon an interesting-looking bike for sale on FB Marketplace. It was inexpensive but eye-catching with its striking design and colours.

T is became my 1st cruiser –a Nirve Paul Frank Scholastic Women's Cruiser Bike, and like they say, the rest is history! Haha. I remember lugging it home on my car with a bike rack I had borrowed from a friend. It was really heavy and flthy! But after a good scrub and some tender loving care, it was restored to a beautiful shine. It took me awhile to get used to the coaster brake, but once I did, I loved riding it… even more than my mountain bike, which I eventually sold off

SP: Why cruisers?

RP: If you like zippy and nifty bikes, cruisers aren’t for you. But if you have a sense of style, enjoy feeling the breeze and admiring your surroundings while riding, you’ll love cruisers! And because most cruisers are single-gear, they’re ideal for a fuss-free, relaxing and take your own sweet time kind of ride. Defnitely not for climbing slopes or tearing down highways. Kind of like those cool-looking, heavy-duty Harley Davidson bikes, which were modelled after cruisers incidentally. I consider each of my cruiser a statement piece – a work of art!

RP: I think they’ve come to accept my hobby, although I get the occasional comment from my kids, “Are you looking at bikes again?” Tey’ve been mostly supportive and even allow me to park my ever-growing bike collection indoors. And yes, I’ve even got them each a cruiser, just to win them over.

SP: WHICH IS THE ‘JEWEL’ OF YOUR

at would have to be the Schwinn B6 Autocycle – a vintage Chicagomade balloon cruiser manufactured by Schwinn in 1951. I bought it from another collector who had shipped it in from the States some years back.

SP: Any dream bikes you wish to own? Name them.

RP: Oh yes! I’ve a few bikes on wishlist for sure… but these are pretty rare and can only be found overseas. Te more modern range like the Electra Zarape, Felt Hot Wheels, and the classics by Monark, Columbia, Elgin just to name a few.

SP: What is the most rewarding part about your hobby?

I’ve enjoyed meeting like-minded and passionate collectors both locally and overseas on online platforms. Many of them have become friends and it’s always a joy exchanging our latest scores, discoveries and knowledge on cruisers.

Also, I get to enjoy a combination of my passions –design, bikes and photography!

Tell us about your journey into your cruiser collection. How and when did it all begin?

SP: Any funny or interesting accounts since you started collecting cruisers?

RP: I always get a kick from seeing the stunned expression on people’s faces when they realise I’m not a ‘bro’. LOL! It’s funny when I meet buyers or sellers in person and they end up expecting someone else. I guess I’m somewhat a rare breed of cruiser collector/ rider in Singapore as a female.

SP: If your bikes are like your kids, which is your favourite ‘child’?

RP: Oh, that’s a tough one! Like all parents would tell you… “Every kid is their favourite!” Haha.

But we all know there’s something special in the frst child. So I’d say, my Paul Frank is defnitely a fav. But to ride, I think the Felts and Electras rank on the top. Even then, I try to take each bike out on a rotational basis.

SP: What is your hope for the local cruiser community?

RP: I defnitely look forward to the day when cruisers will be as popular as they were in the past. Bike shops like Cheap John and Treknology used to import cruisers brands like Electra and Schwinn, but no longer do so due to the waning interest in them. Te ‘in’ bikes these days are of course the roadies and foldies.

My hope is that as cruisers gain popularity again, there’ll be more cost-effective options available in the local market for buying/selling and trading of cruiser bikes, parts and accessories. And group rides! Love to do those soon too, now that the Covid rules are eased.

Schwinn 1951 B6 Autocycle

Linking people through a common hub.

We’re like the spokes of a bicycle, each one in-tune and connected to a central hub. This is essential to the revolution of the wheel and ultimately, the movement of the bicycle.

A ground up collective for anyone interested in cruisers, vintage, lowrider, custom bikes to share their stories and experiences with other likeminded enthusiasts.

EDITORIAL

Contributors

DESIGN+PHOTO LAYOUT

COPYRIGHT © SPOKESPEOPLE 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechnical methods, without the written permission of the publisher.

SPOKESPEOPLE • ISSUE 1 I 2022

For enquiries, kindly contact spokespeople.sg@gmail.com

BIKE MEETS ART

Here’s her inspiration behind the Round Island series:

“When I frst started exploring our sunny island on my bicycle, I cycled to these popular spots and took (many!) photos of my bike there.

I sent my illustrator the photos for reference and he did an excellent job putting everything together. I also wanted representation of the different types of cyclists - the commuter, the roadie etc, even the food delivery guy!

Ten there’s the man with his dog and foldie. Who’s he? He’s my friend, Hendra, and his brown poodle, Snoopy! Hendra is quite the ‘celebrity’ on a cycling group because of his self portraits with Snoopy and bicycle, and I’m so happy he agreed to be featured in our Round Island illustration.

See if you recognise all the landmarks in the Round Island series!”

Ruiping Tan I Aizad Zakari I Shawn Hong I Uncle Lee I Bill & Amy I Maryann Koh

MARYANN KOH CHALK AND PEDAL FOUNDER, ENTREPRENEUR I SINGAPORE

Meet Maryann – A photography studio owner ( Te Studio Loft) by day and the brains behind the latest cycling fashion label (Chalk and Pedal) by night.

SpokesPeopleSG

Spiffy chic is the game Chalk and Pedal is our name.

comfort never looked so good! @chalkandpedal

SOME OF THE GREATEST JOYS in life

are but little.

Raleigh Retroglide 7 taken at Maxwell Chambers

BILL E.

ELECTRA cruiser rider, collector I OHIO, USA

ELECTRA-FYING!

SP: When did you start getting into cruisers?

Bill: I bought my frst cruiser in 2016 – a 2nd Gen Rat Fink.

SP: Has it always been Electras and why? Do you own other types of bikes or brands of cruisers?

Bill: Yes, always Electras. After I bought my Fink, I was hooked on the brand. Tere’s not another bicycle company before or since that makes bikes the way they do. Te frame designs, paint schemes, and matching accessories make them unique.

SP: How many Electra cruisers do you currently own? Can you name some?

Bill: I currently have 57 men’s cruisers in my e early ones include the Flying Sue, Jester, Hollywood, Revil, Rally Sport, Dirty Rat Rod, Jeremy, and 1st generation Rat Fink, which are all steel frame bikes. Te later ones include the Zarape, Punk, Indy, Mod, Rockabilly Boogy, Lakester, Straight 8, and others, which are all aluminum frame bikes.

SP: If there's only one bike you can save in a fire, which would it be? And why?

Bill: I could never choose just one to save, they’re all special to me. My all-time favorite though is the Jester. It’s an early steel frame with incredible colours: the red, black, white, and chrome look phenomenal together.

about it?

Bill: It’s a showcase of Everything Electra, comprising parts, accessories, signages, display racks and posters, along with all the bicycles.

SP: How do you find time for this hobby?

Bill: It’s a great hobby. I’ve taken many weekend trips in search of Electra treasures!! Many hours spent after work and on weekends searching for and working on bikes.

SP: Any interesting stories/memories in your cruiser journey to share?

Bill: Many great stories, and so many awesome f nds. But one of my favourites was fnding the Zarape on the Electra Lovers Facebook Page. Te beauty was shipped from Australia to Ohio, having traveled over 1,000 miles by van to get to Sydney to be airfown by plane to several countries and arriving within a week!

ElectraZarape

Business Hours:

Monday to Sunday 10.00am – 7.00pm Closed on Tuesday

bicycle. picnic. daily use. craft. wearable

ROLLING WITH THE DOUBLE DICE

SP: WHAT IS ‘DOUBLE DICE CREW’ ALL ABOUT?

Aizad: We’re a family where people from different parts of the region come together and share the same love and passion for cycling, custom culture, and the lowrider scene. We promote togetherness and a healthy living lifestyle via things we love doing the most. It’s a safe space for all our members.

SP: HOW DID the NAME come about?

Aizad: It was in 2014 – a kind of a spur of the moment thing. We were just hanging out one day, fxing bikes and talking about how we can make them better and nicer. Te conversation then went into the topic of accessories.

We thought of using dice because it’s one of the most common items in the lowrider scene. Hence, we started toying with that word. And the next thing you know, my late friend (Hery) and I came up with the name, ‘Double Dice’, and later added the word ‘Crew’, because we wanted it to sound more like a close-knit family which represents all that we are.

CLUB FOUNDER, LOWRIDER, CUSTOM CRUISER COLLECTOR, RIDER I MALAYSIA

AIZAD ZAKARI

SP: WHAT KIND OF BIKES IS YOUR GROUP INTO?

Aizad: We love everything that involves bicycles basically, but we started as a lowrider crew, which evolved and continued evolving with different types of bikes such as beach cruisers, muscle bikes, custom bikes etc.

SP: CAN you share a bit about your community?

Aizad: Our crew members are from Malaysia and Singapore for now and all of them come from various backgrounds. Te community is quite big actually, but we’d like more people to come to know of who we are.

SP: What are some group activities you’ve organised?

Aizad: We’ve an annual ride called ‘Pedal Meet Up’ where all members gather at a selected state to ride and spend time together. To date, we’ve met in Penang (2015), Melaka (2016), Pahang (2017), Terengganu (2018), and Kuala Lumpur (2019), and we were supposed to meet in Singapore in 2020, but this was cancelled due to the Covid lockdown.

It’s been awhile since we last got together, so we’re planning to have one soon.

We also participate in a lot of exhibitions and showcases that involve custom culture and one of the most prominent being ‘Art of Speed’.

Tis is where you can truly see the variety of bicycles that we have and what we love doing.

SP: what are your dreams for DOUBLE DICE CREW?

Aizad: Defnitely for DDC and the lowrider community to grow bigger and better. You don’t have to be affluent to share the same passion. As long as you have the interest, regardless your gender, you can always reach out to join us and learn more.

Young Choppa 12” wheels

the wood

CUSTOM BUILDS

2016 – Best of 26” Award (Art of Speed Malaysia) 2020 – Best Custom Bicycle (Wicked Wallop Singapore)

SP: TELL US ABOUT YOUR AWARD-WINNING CUSTOM BUILD.

Aizad: Te frame was originally known as ‘Boardtracker’, inspired by the 1913 Indian Boardtrack motorcycle. I added a bit of twist and called it ‘Woodtracker’. Te process took me about a month, and the special thing about it is that all the wooden parts were handcrafted. I wanted it to be different from all the other bikes and decided to combine my love for woodworking and customising bikes. Aside from the saddle, the grips, pedals and frame insert, were also handcrafted with wood. It was a painstaking process but an enjoyable moment nevertheless. In the end, it was worth every drop of blood and sweat. I took it to the Art of Speed Malaysia 2016 and the Wicked Wallop 2020 event in Singapore, and I’m proud to say that it won an award at both events.

Schwinn Stingray Chopper + LA Cycles Big Mo Chopper

For the love of chopperS

RIDING INTO THE FUTURE

Anyone living in the heartland of Pasir Ris, or who owns a bike in the hood would know this bike shop called ‘448 Bike Centre’, better known as ‘the bicycle shop behind Pasir Ris East Community Centre’.

Te owner is 62-year-old Uncle Lee who has been running shop since 2004. Te name ‘448’ actually came about from his previous shop location just a short distance away at Blk 448 Pasir Ris where he set up shop in 1995.

Te shop is a refection of its owner – modest and without any hint of pretension. Like a candy shop to any avid cyclist, 448 Bike Shop is a paradise of sorts tucked at the back of Pasir Ris East Community Centre. It’s one of two better-known bike shops in the 15.02km2 town that has a population of around 106,000 residents.

However, Uncle Lee’s bike shop is known far and wide across the island, bragging customers from all walks of life, from as far as Jurong – who travel all the way here for bicycle parts. You see, Uncle Lee’s shop is a little of a treasure trove of vintage bike accessories.

His regular clientele ranges from households looking for their kid’s frst bike, Grab riders who need a bit of a tune up on their rides in-between deliveries, cyclists who have experienced a fat tire and hobbyists hoping to snag an elusive part or two for their collections.

I belong to the last category. Like many, my foray into bikes and cycling started during the Covid era, and saw me as a frequent visitor to Uncle Lee’s shop. Tanks to the pandemic, his business picked up signifcantly over the last two years. Many either chose cycling as a way to stay active outdoors, or simply as a diversion to battle Covid fatigue. I chatted with him and asked how business has been for him since.

In his usual stoic expression and nonchalant tone of voice, he lamented about this being a sunset industry. With the advent of e-commerce, the more tech-savvy customers have pivoted to online platforms like Shopee and Lazada that offered the same products at a fraction of the price.

Uncle LEE bike shop owner I SINGAPORE

For traditional bike shops like 448, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to stay competitive while keeping costs down.

I asked him, “Why not go online as well then?” After all, many food businesses and hawkers have taken this route just to stay in the game. Unfortunately in this brutal digital age, reinvention is the key to survival. You either keep up or get kicked out.

He replied that he did have a Carousell page and had put up some of his products there. Maintaining it, however, was a challenge. Speaking of which, his challenges are not just about staying relevant in a digital era.

A Google search turned up the bike shop he owned. Like all others, Uncle Lee had his fair share of fans and detractors. To these negative reviews, he bluntly remarked that it was impossible to please everyone. Especially those who showed up at his shop with all kinds of unreasonable expectations.

Until recently, pumping air at his outlet was complimentary. “People expect everything to be offered cheap or even free.” According to him, some opportunists would show up in their cars, several bikes in tow and helped themselves to the free service. Now, he charges $0.50 per pump, and needless to say, some have expressed unhappiness at this move.

Re-stocking parts for his shop was another challenge, he cited. A lot of his old stock had already been sold off in the past two years, with newer ones becoming increasingly costly due to the Russian-Ukraine war.

Despite it all, Uncle Lee expresses gratitude at his loyal base of customers who have supported him since his Blk 448 days. What brings them back? For one, it’s the prompt, fuss-free, honest bike servicing he offers. Some even bring parts they’ve purchased online for him to fx onto their bikes.

You can tell this is not something he prefers, from the look on his face. Nevertheless, he still obliges them, and charges a service fee, which may not necessarily be the cheapest around. How else can shops like his continue their survival?

With the majority returning to office, business for him has somewhat reverted to pre-Covid days. On a regular weekday, he sees about 20-30 walk ins (or ride ins). I asked if he had any retirement plans, to which he replied matter-of-factly, “I hope to work for as long as I can.”

Handing his business to his two grown-up kids, both in their 30s, was not an option for him. “Maybe I’ll just move to a smaller place with cheaper rental and just sell parts without servicing bikes.”

I, for one, hope this will not be anytime soon. While it’s true you can always source elsewhere for bicycle parts, it may not be as easy as having a handy bike service centre just around the corner.

community

When it comes to bikes and riding them, there’s nothing like having a community that’s likeminded, passionate and helpful.

One that celebrates your next score and doesn’t judge you for another bike you buy! Here are some we’ve discovered in our hood that you’ll want to be part of.

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS