SpokesPeople (2022/issue1)

Riding Into The Future

UNCLE LEE – Bike shop owner (SINGAPORE)

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’.

The 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.

The 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.

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 fix 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.