I Cycled Everywhere in Singapore for a Week to Save Money | TBH

Workplace was about 11km away. Taking public transport of bus, train->train, bus/walk takes around 55 mins, doorstep to doorstep. Cycling using PCN and road took around 40~45 mins, eventually 25-35mins once I built my fitness, got more comfortable riding on roads and upgraded to a road bike. Tried commuting that way for a whole year and it was a liberating experience, not to mention the great benefits for health.

After going on a study exchange in Rotterdam for 5 months and using a bicycle everywhere I go, the one major difference is that the weather here is too damn hot for me. And it also helps that on every roads, there is a dedicated bike lane there.

the bike seat height, gear change and power efficiency are very essential when it comes to cycling. clearly the bikes Matilda has used are mainly single speed and heavy.

This was the best short documentary I’ve ever watched on cycle commuting. It was great that a novice did it instead of some jacked up extreme cyclist that’s being doing for 10 plus years. I’ve been commuting to work for about 11 years and the first months were difficult and you convey perfectly what it’s like when first starting. Well done and this channel has now gained a subscriber.

The only thing i dislike about Singapore is how car dependent it is. Which is crazy for a city state.

I am an avid Anywheel cyclist lmao, you can get their pass then you can ride for free for under 30min. Biggest pain is to find the bikes and parking spots (don't trust their GPS and the app lags too).To me, cycling is only for short distances <2.5km, any more and you are better off taking public transport, unless you ride on the road but also possible to be another accident statistic. Getting your own foldie is also a great idea, but need to maintain and I don't think their small wheels can handle rough terrains well.

Was really enthusiastic about cycling to work especially around NS; since peak fitness means no issue with distance ~15km. So, gave this a try. But there were times where this gets really dangerous especially for stretches where you are forced to be on the roads with rowdy drivers…

I tried this for 3 months! Helps that I was in between jobs during that period so timing was more flexible to avoid peak hours. Some tips to make it more feasible. 1. Bag attached to bike with extra t shirt and towel (carrying a backpack is always a bad idea as it'll trap heat and cause u to sweat.) 2. Shower before going out so u don't feel sticky if you do sweat a bit 3. Cheap bike with decent gears and full size wheels. Fumbling around find a secure place to lock is actually when I sweat the most. Being able to lock anywhere and not worry if it gets stolen helps! People always say our weather doesn't permit cycling, but a 5 min walk in the sun is worst than a 5 min cycle and it's open up so many more options of food and places where ever you live.

I'd like to think Singapore has great potential to become a cyclists friendly nation. Unfortunately, the biggest hurdle to be overcome is people's mindset: 1. Motorists need to remind themselves that they don't own the roads, even though they had paid a lot for COE to drive the car, that doesn't mean they are the only people allowed to use the roads. 2. Pedestrians need to understand that not all cyclists ride bikes for fun or for showing off. There are people who use the bike to get to places. 3. Cyclists of course need to remind themselves it will take time (if not forever) for above two groups of people to come to terms about sharing the roads and sidewalk. Unfortunately no amount of money or technology can help achieve the above.

When I used to live in Copenhagen using bikes as first and last mile transport was super convenient as their trains had entire carriages that allowed you to bring on full sized bikes, not just foldables. Although the population density is much less than Singapore.

For most people, cycling the whole distance between places is unfeasible (as demonstrated from the first few days). Cycling as a first & last mile mode of transportation would be the option for most people (as Vareck mentioned in 14:39). I think using a personal bike is feasible only if you're travelling within your town - you need to bring it around wherever you go, so it's inconvenient for long trips (as shown by the multi-modal challenge). So bike-sharing would be the best option - you can get on and get off pretty much anywhere you like, and you don't have to bring the bike around. Cost-wise, it really depends on how often you use it - in the video, Matilda used the charge-per-ride option (which is currently $1/30 mins for both Anywheel & HelloRide), so it can add up pretty quickly. A better option would have been to purchase their passes, which allow you to have unlimited rides.

There are many factors when it comes to using cycling as a mean of commute; where you live, availability of cycling infra (PCNs) and the type of bike you own. A hybrid (bike + public transport) would be more feasible method, where you ride to the mrt, fold up your bike and bring it with you onto the mrt and afterwards cycle another 5 mins to the office. I live in Kovan and I prefer to travel to nearby places (Hougang, Serangoon gardens, Serangoon North, Kovan hawker center) by bicycle because taking public transport would take far longer and also carparks are usually full during lunch hour, hence it's must easier to park my bike, eat/tapao then cycle home.

As a commuter who uses public transport and Anywheel shared bikes for cycling, a Bicycle Pass can go a long way for making cycling a lot cheaper. I was very fortunate that I got the 360 day pass for $66.66 some time back as part of their 6th anniversary sale, which makes the charge for the first 30 minutes free and then $0.50/30 mins afterwards. If you do a lot of short last-mile commutes, you accumulate points which can be used to redeem $1 ride coupons. This would effectively make additional trips under 90 minutes long free. In 60-90 minutes you can easily travel within a 10 km radius (i.e. between the city and Clementi/Ang Mo Kio/Hougang/Bedok), which is good enough for many short-to-medium distance commutes in Singapore! Possibly even time competitive if the public transport alternative requires multiple transfers.

I have been riding to work for the last year or so and the rides home when there is no rush to be somewhere is just really amazing. Anyway, we stay in the same area and I would recommend you to go by Chai Chee Street so that you do not up the hill at Decathlon. That path is so steep and the path is so bumpy, hence the other way may be a bit longer but it's an easier ride. Furthermore, at Paya Lebar where the PCN kinda veers off the straight route to Aljunied, I would turn right rather than go straight get to Aljunied. The paths there are easier to cycle rather than going through the shophouse areas. I would also recommend a trifold bicycle because when it rains or you're just not feeling it, it would be much easier to carry the bike onto public transportation and head home with the bike. It was my greatest consideration when I decided to buy a bike. You can also do mixed commute because of how portable it is. You can also park the bike under your desk and not worry about leaving it outside and having it get stolen. Of course a good trifold is not cheap, but you could start off buying a cheap second hand one off Carousell and once you get into the lifestyle and enjoy the health and mental health benefits, invest in a good one. That's when you die die also must cycle since u paid so much for it and once it becomes a habit, it's hard to stop. The dopamine hit when you leisurely ride back is enough to make you want to ride. On my days off, I will still want to take the bike out for a spin even just to go down to the market for a meal. Have fun riding and let me know if you want to have a feel of riding a trifold. We can meet at the multi-purpose hall down below and you can have a test ride. Cheers!

From kembangan towards chaichee, that uphill dam xiong . First few weeks will be a challenge, after that will be very enjoyable. Instead of riding to work, just try riding back home. When riding on the road, you got to be very defensive and alert; side mirror is a must have. There are many angry and impatience drivers and also many blur and careless cyclist. There was a few times when i actually did a count when i went cycling with my toddler son (on baby chair). While waiting and trying to push the bicycle across a ZEBRA CROSSING, 7-8cars went by with no intention of giving way. Yes it can be that bad. But it is what it is, especially during peak hours, everyone wants to go home fast.

Keep it up. Gradually you improve onto it. Bike handling practices, route of taking, flexibility, on bike ride experiences gaining for each time, and many many aspects.

Ha! That's so cool. I came across Vareck's video from Melbourne where I live, and subscribed to his channel, and I thought I just randomly got recommended this video because of the mutual topic of cycling in Singapore, but actually he's a guest in this one too!

WOW I have always wanted to try this! Kudos for sharing your experience on video.

Well done!! Great attempt and definitely a hard habit to start! :D wait till you try night cycling when its cooling ~

I bike around 8000km a year, and love commuting to work on my bike when I can, but it's definitely not as convenient as driving. It's fantastic for people with regular office type jobs and getting your exercise in every day without having to fit it into your schedule. If I lived in a big city, I would make it my default mode of transportation.