NTU Bike Rally 2016 98km

After taking a break from the NTU Bike Rally last year, I decided to join the NTU bike rally this year! For this year, they had two different distances, the 98km route and the 168km route. For me, the 98km route is a good distance as it is not too long to be torturous, and yet long enough to be a challenge.

Bike Rally 2014
Bike Rally 2012

This year, I decided to ride along with my friend who is taking part in the NTU bike rally for the first time. For a first timer, the 98km route should be a good distance that is doable, although it will still not be easy. It was held on 06 March 2016, starting at the F1 Pit.

For this year, the registration and the flag off timing for the 98km and the 168km are separate. This is good as it prevents riders going onto the wrong route like previous years. The 168km riders started off earlier at 6am, while the rest of the 98km riders will move off at 7am. I had prepared and packed breakfast to eat while waiting for the 98km flag off at 7am.

Both of us took our Wheelsport Fantasy mini velos for this ride. This mini velo rides very well and is a good choice for round island rides. Of course, if you want to go faster, a road bike is a better choice, although it can be less comfortable due to the more sporty riding posture.

Wheelsport Fantasy mini velos ready to go! Beautiful scenery too.

My friend's mini velo front wheel felt a bit under-pressured, and so I decided to pump it up using the Lezyne Micro Floor Drive. This hand pump is able to reach 100 PSI quite easily, so no issue there. However, when I was unscrewing the pump head from the valve, the removable Presta core of the valve came out! Seems that it was not tight enough, and it unscrewed together with the pump head.

Valve core of the Presta tube came out with the pump head.

This was a big issue as I can't pump up the tire without putting back the valve core. The last resort would be to change out the inner tube of course. I tried looking for an adjustable wrench to screw back the core properly, but could not find one even at the tool area of the organiser. In the end I had to use two Allen keys like a pair of chopsticks to screw back the core. Not sure if it is tight enough, but I think it will work OK.

After fixing the inner tube issue, it was almost time to go! We lined up at the start point just before 7am, and I was glad to see that the flag off timing was at 7am sharp! Great work by the organisers to be able to stick to the scheduled timing. At this time the sky was still dark and so our front and rear lights were on. This time, I am using the Garmin Edge 510 to track the route, so I will not need to plot the route manually.

7am, Set off from F1 Pit, 0 km

From start point to West Coast Highway

Since I have done the NTU Bike Rally a few times, the route would be pretty straightforward and predictable, even though the route is not disclosed before the ride. From the F1 Pits, we turned towards Shenton Way and went all the way to Keppel Road. After that, we carried on to West Coast Highway. From the start till this point, everyone was very energetic and rode rather fast. We were at 30km/h all the way along this stretch.

The danger area is near the Sentosa entrance, where there is a need to filter two lanes to the right to go straight, past Vivocity. There were a few Cisco outriders with us at this time and so it was not too chaotic.

As always, the first water point is at West Coast Park. We did not go in to rest as it was still early in the ride and we did not need to stop. Besides, it is a good idea to cover more distance early in the morning while it is still cool.

740am, Jalan Buroh Roundabout, 15.5km

Passing by Jalan Buroh roundabout

After West Coast Park, we went towards the Jalan Buroh roundabout (shown by the black dot). This is the point where the 168km and 98km route splits. Although the 168km riders are supposed to have left at 6am, there are still quite a large number of 168km riders at this point. It is easy to differentiate them from the 98km riders from the colour of the number tags.

The 168km riders went left towards Tuas, while 98km riders went straight towards Jurong Town Hall road. I was a bit surprised at this point as I thought everyone will turn left, and 98km route will turn turn at Pioneer Road North towards NTU.

As we went along Jurong Town Hall road, and passed Boon Lay Way onto Bukit Batok road, I realised that the 98km route will not be going to NTU! That was a surprise for me as I thought the NTU Bike Rally will always go through NTU...

805am, Choa Chu Kang Way, 26km

2nd water point on the 98km route

We we planning to go for the second water point, which would be a good time to refill our bottles and grab some bananas. As we went past ITE College West, there were some marshals indicating that the water point is nearby. However, as we turned left onto Choa Chu Kang Way, there were no signs or marshals indicating where the water point is. We thought it was further down the road, and so we went straight. It was only after some time that we realised we must have missed it as it was too far down the road. Later on, we found out from other riders that we had to turn in (at the black dot on the map) for the water point.

Now we had already missed two water points, but luckily we still had water and still felt fit enough to continue without resting. I wonder where the next water point will be...

845am, Start of Mandai Road, 38km

Going up Sungei Kadut Drive to Kranji Way, before coming down to Mandai Road

After passing through Choa Chu Kang, the route brought us northwards towards Kranji Way, before coming back down along Woodlands Road. From there, we turned left to travel along Mandai Road.

At this point, we still had not stopped for a water break or snacks, as we had skipped the previous two stop points. Luckily it was still early in the day and it was not too hot. Mandai road had some up and down slopes, but it was not a big issue for us as we still had energy. The key is to spin slowly and not to mash hard, as it is important to avoid getting leg cramps.

930am, Yishun Stadium, 47km

Stop point at Yishun Stadium

Finally, our first rest stop! This is the third stop point on the 98km route and we finally stopped for a break. We refilled our water bottles and had some bananas for energy. After about 2.5 hours, we covered about half the distance of 98km, which is a good timing. At this rate, we will finish just past noon!

After leaving Yishun Stadium, we continued eastwards towards the Yishun Dam, and onto the two islands named Punggol Barat and Punggol Timor. The sun was getting strong at this time and so I wore my armsleeves and put on some sunblock to protect against the hot sun.

Crossing the two islands towards Punggol

The next stop point was along Punggol Waterway (shown by black dot above), and it was rather well hidden and cannot be seen from the main road. Again, more water and bananas.

The official route would be to continue southwards towards Sengkang, and cross over to Tampines before going to Pasir Ris Drive 3. We decided to take the more scenic (and slightly shorter) route from Punggol to Pasir Ris, which is to go along the Punggol waterway PCN, cross the Lorong Halus bridge before appearing at Pasir Ris.

The more scenic route along the Punggol waterway, and crossing over to Pasir Ris to rejoin the route.

Stop point at Changi Beach, shown by the black dot

Next stop point is at Changi Beach, just after the SAF Ferry Terminal. By now the weather was getting really hot, although it did rain for a few minutes while we were passing by Changi Village. We had lots of water and also kept a couple of bananas for later use.

Route along Changi Coast Road

It was getting pretty tough for my friend as we had clocked plenty of distance by now, and the sun was really beating down on us. After what seemed like a really long time pedaling mindlessly along Changi Coast Road, we finally turned into East Coast Park. We had our own rest stop and had the banana, as there is no stop point from Changi Beach all the way to Tanjong Rhu.

Final stop point is under the Benjamin Sheares Flyover

After successfully navigating the crowded East Coast Park, we finally reached the final water point, which is located under the Benjamin Sheares Flyover. By this time we had already clocked over 98km! Bonus distance as usual...

At this time it was already past 12pm, as our pace slowed down significantly for the second half of this ride. Nevertheless, we were close to the finish point, with just a few more kilometres to go. I was still feeling pretty good even after clocking almost 100km.

1245pm, F1 Pit Finish, 102km

Overall route of 102km!

Final distance clocked is 102km! This was despite us saving a few kilometres at Punggol waterway. It was a really good ride for me, with a decent average speed.

Ride statistics. Average speed of 22.4 km/h, not fast or slow, but a good pace.

In summary, this was a good ride with a distance that I can handle. There was no confusion between those attempting the 168km route and the 98km route, as the flag off timings are different and the signs were clear at the splitting points (Jalan Buroh roundabout and Yishun area). Many thanks to the route marshals who braved the hot sun to direct the participants onto the correct route!

NTU Bike Rally 2014: Ride and Route Details

This year is the third time that I am joining the NTU Bike Rally! I first joined in 2011, followed by Bike Rally 2012. I skipped the 2013 version as they were attempting some Guinness world record, which would have made the event very messy.

So this year, the offered routes were 138km and 188km, which are longer than the previous distances of 128km and 168km. This means that it would be more challenging than previous years due to the longer route. I was also curious to know how the route would be like, as it is rather difficult to achieve these long distances in Singapore without looping back and fro.

Poster for NTU Bike Rally 2014. Credits: NTU Bike Rally Facebook Page

As usual, the route details are not released prior to the event. The location of the next checkpoint will only be revealed once you reach the current checkpoint. This supposedly keeps the ride more interesting as you will not know where you are going next. However, this also makes it a bit more difficult to prepare for the ride. Anyway, the route for each year is quite similar, so there would not be major changes, or would there?

This year, the NTU Bike Rally 2014 is starting from the F1 Pit Building, on 9th March, Sunday. Registration starts at 5am, but there is no need to go so early. Reaching at 530am or 6am is early enough to register and get ready for the ride, which starts at 7am. If you are driving down with your bike, the Singapore Flyer has the nearest carpark, but parking is expensive! The parking charges from 530am to 430pm came up to $33 dollars for 11 hours, as it costs $1.50 per half hour of parking.

Registration counter! Credits: NTU Bike Rally Facebook Page

I have always found it easier and faster to ride in a small group, as it is easier to go through traffic junctions without the group getting cut off. Also, it is easy to make changes to the route without asking too many people.

For this time, we were in a group of 3. Myself, my wife and Badrul. We were all on Dahon folding bikes. I was of course on my trusty Dahon Boardwalk, my wife was on the speedy Dahon Vitesse, and Badrul on his ever reliable Dahon Speed. These were all modified 20 speed Dahon bikes!

Since we did not plan to go for the longer route, we decided to wait by the side and let the speedsters go first.

One of the many safety cars for the day! Credits: NTU Bike Rally Facebook Page

715am: Set off from F1 Pit Building, 0 km
This time, we were in the 3rd wave of cyclists, which set off about 15 mins later than the first two groups. As usual, the route brought us up Bayfront Avenue, down Shenton way and towards Keppel Road. Normally, we would then travel along this road all the way to the first checkpoint, which is West Coast Park. However, this year's route is rather different!

The route actually sent us on a right turn towards Cantonment Road, and then along Jalan Bukit Merah. This is interesting as I don't think I have traveled this area before. Also, the terrain along this road is rather undulating, and there are many traffic lights along the way, which means it takes a bit more effort to keep the momentum going.

After that, we traveled down Alexandra Road, past Queensway to Pasir Panjang Road, before heading into West Coast Park for the first waterpoint.

8.00am: West Coast Park, 17km

 First part of the route: From F1 Pit Building to West Coast Park

This route is actually better and safer as it avoids the Vivocity area, where it can be messy and dangerous, with multiple lanes going to different places. If this was the intention of the organisers, well done!

From West Coast Park, we went along West Coast Highway, past the Jalan Buroh roundabout, and along Jalan Buroh. The next turn off point is actually at the Jurong Island bridge roundabout. This is the point where the route splits. The 138km route will turn northwards along Jalan Boon Lay as shown, while the 188km route would bring them towards Raffles Marina at the far west end of Singapore.

Again, this route is different as the normal turn off point is at Pioneer Road North.

After that, it is a pretty long stretch all the way to the main entrance of NTU as can be seen from the map below. Slightly longer than the usual route along Pioneer Road North.

Second part of the route, from West Coast Park to NTU.

The previous water point in NTU is at the Sports and Recreation Center (SRC), which means a relatively flat ride to the water point. This year, slopes galore! The route actually goes along the perimeter of NTU / NIE, which means going up the long and steep slope outside Hall 7!

Luckily we were rather familiar with the NTU terrain, having cycled here for a few times already. Thus we were mentally prepared for the slopes. Together with our 20 speed bikes, we were able to handle the slopes without stopping.

Many riders had to stop and push as they either did not have the necessary low gearing, or were just not strong enough to pedal up the slope. This must be one of those places where those on a bike with a single front chainring would wish that they had a front double chainring for lower gears!

Water point is at the back of the compound, at one of the NIE carparks. Since we were there pretty early, there was plenty of water, bananas and buns. There was even Red Bull available. I actually left the checkpoint with more food than when I entered.

8.55am: NTU (NIE Carpark), 33.8km

The only complaint here is that the toilet is up this long flight of stairs, all the way at the top and far in. Probably not ideal considering that we just cycled up the NTU slopes. We stopped for about 15mins at this checkpoint.

The next checkpoint would be at the carpark after Kranji Dam!

Route from NTU to Kranji Dam carpark

Riding along Jalan Bahar and Lim Chu Kang road was rather tough, as there were strong headwinds all the way. I could also see many people struggling with the winds and some even had leg cramps so early in the ride. Nevertheless, this road is not new to us and we were able to conquer it (although it was slow).

Yet another surprise near the Neo Tiew road junction! Normally the route would turn right onto Neo Tiew road, before exiting at Kranji Dam. This time, we actually went further down before turning right. This road is actually much better to cycle on as the road surface is smoother, and avoids the speed limiting strips along Neo Tiew road. Once again, nice route planning from the organisers!

10am: Kranji Dam Carpark, 49.4km

By this time, the weather was starting to get really hot and sunny, even though it was only 10am. Nothing special at this checkpoint. Basically it was top up water, eat some snacks and move on. We stopped for about 10mins here.

The next part of the route is the killer part. The planned route for 138km is actually to ride down Woodlands Road, and turn left to Mandai Road. At the other end of Mandai Road, turn left to Sembawang Road and then Gambas Avenue, before going up to Woodlands Waterfront for the next checkpoint.

This would have been really tough, especially with the slopes along Mandai and Gambas. In order to preserve our energy to ensure that we can reach the finish line, I made the decision to cut straight from Kranji to Woodlands Waterfront, as seen from my route shown on the map below. This shortcut actually saves almost 13km, and avoids the slopes. My plan was to actually ride the shortest route from checkpoint to checkpoint, avoiding big detours if possible.

On hindsight, I am glad we took the shorter route as I was really struggling at the end of the ride. As a bonus, this route is much more scenic, as we went past the Woodlands checkpoint, and then along the coastline! The view of the coast was quite amazing, and we could see every building along the Johor Baru coastline. This would be a nice place to cycle and relax.

Additional Info:
The 188km route is much tougher than this! From Kranji Dam, the route would bring the cyclists all the way down to Bukit Timah, along Dunearn Road, and then come up along Upper Thomson Road (I think), then to Woodlands Waterfront. That would have been a huge detour, and add a huge chunk of mileage! I can't imagine myself tackling that extra distance.

Our route from Kranji Dam to Woodlands Waterfront. Standard 138km route (not shown) actually goes along Mandai Road and Gambas Avenue before going to Woodlands Waterfront.

Of course, we took our time going from Kranji Dam to Woodlands Waterfront, using mostly the PCN and pavement and generally going slowly, as we were well ahead of time.

10.45am: Woodlands Waterfront, 58.4km

It was only 9km from Kranji Dam to Woodlands Waterfront, compared to the 22km it would have been if we followed the planned route all the way. The weather was really hot by now, so we took a longer break and of course drank lots of water and snacks. Rested for about 15-20 mins here.

Next stop, Punggol Jetty! From Woodlands Waterfront, we cycled along the northern part of Singapore, to the north-eastern part of Singapore. This was the toughest stretch of the route, as it was really hot and sunny by now, and there was very little shade along this route. I actually felt a little bit of cramps in my hamstring, and took a break to put on some Deep Heat cream. Better to put some as a preventive measure, than to wait till it actually cramps up.

The worst part was along the Punggol Barat / Timor Islands, where it is hot and dusty. The riders were also spread very far apart, with everyone going at their own pace. It must be rather interesting to see three folding bikes going along in a small group at a good pace.

Route from Woodlands Waterfront to Punggol Jetty

12.10pm: Punggol Jetty, 79.9km

When we finally reached Punggol Jetty, we were so glad to take a break from cycling. The sun was blazing hot by now, and there was practically no shade at all at the checkpoint, apart from a few sparse trees. This was also the longest stretch without a waterpoint. Once again, load up on Aquarius isotonic drink, water, buns and raisins. Think we stopped for about 15mins here.

The planned route was to take the road out of Punggol Jetty, all the way down to Buangkok East Drive, before traveling along Tampines Road to Pasir Ris Drive 3. This is again a long detour, which I could not afford given my lack of fitness/training/energy. To make it worse, the road out of Punggol Jetty is actually a long upslope, which I knew from previous rides. This is why it is useful to know the route beforehand, especially from experience, as you can then prepare yourself appropriately to tackle the terrain.

So once again, we took a shortcut by cycling along the Punggol PCN all the way to Lor Halus bridge. The PCN along this stretch is actually very quiet and scenic with hardly anybody in sight, especially under the hot sun at 12+pm. Also, the previous red clay path has also just been paved over and so there is no problem traveling along this route. We took our time along this route as there was plenty of time.

I was quite familiar with this route as I had just cycled there the previous week, so there was no risk of getting lost. After turning onto Pasir Ris Drive 3, we then turned onto Elias Road, which is rather slopey. The next waterpoint is near the carpark at the end, where the roundabout is.

1.15pm: Pasir Ris Park, 89.7km

Route from Punggol jetty to Pasir Ris Park

Taking this route instead of the original route saved us about 6.5km. Not so much considering the entire bike rally distance, but every bit counts when you are low on fuel.

Nothing special at this checkpoint. Stopped for about 10mins to fuel up and move on! We took the same route out and emerged onto Pasir Ris Drive 3.

Going straight down along Pasir Ris Drive 3, we then went onto the PCN and cut across to the side roads at the back. This avoids the slopes along Loyang Avenue, and also meant that we could cycle slowly at our own pace, without jostling for space with the vehicles on the main road. From there, we then turned out from Loyang Way to rejoin the main route along Loyang Avenue.

We then stopped at Changi Village to take our lunch break! This is not an official stop, as there is no Bike Rally waterpoint here. However, we have been stopping at Changi Village for lunch every year for the Bike Rally, and this year is no exception. The good food there is also a strong motivation to stop and take a break.

Route from Pasir Ris to Changi Village

1.55pm: Changi Village, 98.5km

Since this NTU Bike Rally is not a race, we took our time to order lunch and some cold drinks. Roti Prata + 100 Plus is a pretty good lunch, and it was a good chance for us to rest and refuel.

After around 40mins, we set off from Changi Village to continue on our journey. This time, it would be along Changi Coast road, all the way to East Coast Park. It was also along this stretch that we broke the 100km mark.

Route from Changi Village to East Coast Park

Luckily for us, it was not too windy along Changi Coast road. But it was a rather long road that can be rather taxing on the body and mind. Also, our legs had gone cold after resting for lunch, and it took quite a while to get the legs warmed up again.

There was no waterpoint at NSRCC, so we didn't stop there and continued to East Coast Park Carpark F2, where the waterpoint is.

3.15pm: East Coast Park Carpark F2, 113.8km

We were glad to take a break from the long and boring stretch of Changi Coast road. To our delight, there was an ice cream van located strategically just beside the waterpoint! The ice cream man certainly enjoyed good business on that day as I spotted many cyclists buying ice cream from him. We stopped for about 15mins here.

Now, for the last stretch of the Bike Rally! The route is very simple, just travel all the way to the Fort Road end of East Coast Park, exit to Fort Road and then go along Nicoll Highway back to the F1 Pit Building.

Route from East Coast Park to F1 Pit Building

Cycling in East Coast Park on a weekend can be very dangerous, with kids and pets running all over the place. There were a few near misses, and those were only avoided because we had anticipated them. By this time, we were rather tired and not going fast, at probably just over 20km/h.

I even had a stitch on my side while cycling, which I didn't thought was possible. After resting for 10 mins I managed to shake it off and continue on our way.

Exiting onto Fort Road, we linked up with some other road bikes which were also going on the final stretch. It was obvious that everyone was tired by now. In any case, we more or less stayed together in a group all the way to the finish line at the F1 Pit Building. This last stretch was surprisingly fast as everyone wanted to finish the ride strongly.

We were rather disappointed to see that there was no photographer at the finish line. To think that we deliberately slowed down when approaching the finish line to avoid other people and photobombing! The weather was still very hot, which could be why there wasn't anybody stationed over there.

The official timing by the side of the finish line showed 3.59pm when we crossed the line, coming in just a minute under 4pm.

3.59pm: Finish Line at F1 Pit Building, 126.5km

Overall route that we took for NTU Bike Rally 2014. Distance is about 126km.

In the end, the distance covered was comparable to previous years, and at at similar timing. This distance is rather accurate as the plotted distance on Mapometer is similar to that from my speedometer.

From start (7am) to finish (4pm), the entire duration was 9 hours. However, from my speedometer, the moving time was actually only 6 hours and 20mins. This meant that we actually stopped for more than 2 and a half hours. The rest stops certainly didn't seem that long as we only stopped for 10-15 mins at most of the waterpoints, but I guess it all adds up.

Even with the shortcuts, we still clocked a respectable distance of almost 128km, which is the planned distance for previous years of NTU Bike Rally. This year's edition is tougher than usual, as the route had more sloped terrain and was also longer. Also, another factor was the heat. It was very dry and sunny, making it very tough to cycle for the whole day.

My two-tone arm after the ride! I wore armsleeves but not gloves.

By my own calculations, if we had completed the full "138km" route as intended, it would be 126.5+13+6.5 = 146km! That is definitely more than the supposedly 138km route. I can't even imagine how far the 188km cyclists would have to travel.

I am rather happy with this accomplishment, considering that the previous longest ride was 70+km the week before, and no round island rides at all for at least 1 year prior to this event. There were also no mechanical problems at all for this ride, unlike in 2012 where we had a puncture.

Overall, this year's event is well managed as there are adequate signs at the turn off areas to prevent people getting lost. There were also many marshals situated at all the major junctions to direct the cyclists onto the correct route. The route was also well planned, avoiding messy and dangerous junctions, and also minimizing the number of right turns required. No shortage of supplies at the rest points, which is probably also because we arrived at the rest points comparatively early. Well done to the NTU Bike Rally 2014 Organising Committee!

NTU Bike Rally 2012: A Detailed Account of the Ride

With the experience gained from the 2011 version of the NTU Bike Rally, I started the 2012 NTU Bike Rally with confidence! Although the detailed route was not released, the checkpoints were given. The main thing here is to get from checkpoint to checkpoint, the actual route does not matter too much. You can choose a different route other than the official one with guides along the way.


The flag off was in darkness, at 645am sharp. Good to see that the flag off timing is accurate and adhered to! Me and my group was not attempting 168km, thus we did not make our way to the front for the first wave. By the time we set off, it was 7am sharp. Exactly the same time as last year.

Route that we took for 128km, one round around Singapore. Click here for detailed route on Endomondo

7am: Set off from F1 Pit Building - 0 km
After the first bend, we encounter the first slope! The Bayfront Ave bridge. Since it was so early, I could see that most people just power up the slopes, full of energy and enthusiasm. For me and Bernice, our strategy this year is "slow & steady". This means that we will spin up slopes instead of powering up the slopes. I learnt my lesson last year, when I pushed too hard too early, causing cramps for the later half of the rally.

Also, we will try not to stop too long at each rest point. Probably for 10-15mins. Just refill water, eat some snacks and move off. Aim is not to wait too long till the muscles cool down, else it will be hard to get going again.

After Bayfront Ave, we turned into Shenton Way. As expected, some riders just went through red lights, as if being in a bike event exempts the participants from traffic rules. I guess there was not much the organisers can do about this. It is nice to have some outriders on motorbikes clearing the way ahead and allowing us to pass through some junctions without stopping.

Traffic was quite confusing near Vivocity, with cars and bikes moving all over the road. After that, it was quite uneventful all the way till West Coast Park.

Route from Start Point to West Coast Park

745am: West Coast Park - 16km

We entered West Coast Park, circled around the park and exited the other end, without seeing any waterpoints! Only saw a lot of people stop around the toilets, other than that most people were just cycling along. It was only much later, after I asked around that I realised that there was a waterpoint near the stage area in the middle. Unfortunately it was too well hidden and we did not notice it at that time. In any case, we did not really need to top up water so early in the rally.

At Jalan Buroh, it is the 3 slopes again! For us, we cycle along this route quite often on Westie Warriors night rides, so we are familiar with the road and the slopes. Once again, slow and steady up the slopes.

From West Coast Park to Jalan Buroh - Pioneer Rd, along the 3 slopes.

830am: NTU SRC - 30km
This time, I did not make the same mistake and follow blindly all the way to the Raffles Marina Checkpoint! That is needed only if you intend to complete 168km. If not, you should turn right at Pioneer Road North, towards NTU.

Again, just like last year, I heard that quite a lot of people did not realise that and went on to Raffles Marina. That is an extra 15-20km. Apparently, there wasn't anyone directing the riders onto the 128km route, everyone just followed and went for the 168km route. I thought that with the feedback we gave last year, they would have improved on this point.

In any case, we took a slightly different route to NTU. Instead of passing through 2 roundabouts, we turned off early to Corporation Road, and then down along International Road. From there we carry on along Pioneer Road North, as shown in the blue line below. Although this route is slightly longer, it is much quieter and safer as there is less traffic.

The actual route is shown in red. The 168km route is shown in black.

At NTU, we were one of the first to arrive! This was because practically all the cyclists in front of us went to the extension at Raffles Marina. We were one of the first of the 128km riders.

Slightly different route to NTU

930am: Puncture along Neo Tiew Road! - 45km
While cycling through the trail at Neo Tiew Ave, I noticed that the rear tire on Bernice's Vitesse P18-TT seems to be flatter than usual. 10 mins later, it looked almost completely flat! Seems that there is a slow puncture, so we found a little clearing with some shade to check on the tire.

Discovered a small puncture in the tube, caused by a metal pin that poked through the tire. No worries, with spare tubes and the proper tools, we were on our way 20mins later! The tire changing took quite long as I took my time to find the cause of the puncture. Also, it was my first time changing a tube out in the field. Seems that the Schwalbe tires have protected us from punctures for quite a while!

Puncture along Neo Tiew road in the middle of nowhere, around the 45km mark

1020am: Turf Club - 51km
Saw some familiar faces here, including those who went the extra distance to Raffles Marina! They caught up with us after we got delayed by the puncture.

After a brief rest, we were on our way again! The Mandai slopes lay in wait for us! With our slow and steady strategy, we kept on moving, without stopping along the way. This is where some of the riders started to suffer from cramps, we could see people resting along the road or sitting at the bus stops taking a break and rubbing their leg muscles.

For us, with our double chainrings and crank spinning technique, we made it up the slopes with no big issues. We were slow, but we were moving steadily without expending too much energy. Still 70+ km to go from here!

Enjoying the slopes at Mandai, on the way to Yishun Stadium restpoint

1115am: Yishun Stadium - 62km

After surviving Mandai Road, everyone was glad to take a break at Yishun Stadium. There was a small crowd there, probably some of those who went on the 168km route and some 128km riders too. Stopped for only a short while before moving off.

After Yishun Dam, we took a little shortcut across to the Pulau Punggol Barat bridge, instead of following road all the way down and coming back up again. I think this saved us probably 1 to 2 km only. Most people just went across there instead of following the road down.

It was extremely dusty at the Pulau Punggol Barat, with the strong winds blowing a lot of sand into the air. From far, I could see a cloud of dust in the distance, like a sandstorm!

Made it to the other end of the island, and I was pleasantly surprised to be directed into the new Punggol PCN! It was a really relaxing ride along the coast of Punggol to the next checkpoint.

Route from Yishun Stadium to Punggol Point checkpoint

1215pm: Punggol Point restpoint - 75km
The weather was really really hot at this point! And there was hardly any shelter at Punggol Point. Only had a few sparse trees for shelter. Had some water and bread before moving off. I'm glad that we are always one of the earlier ones to reach the checkpoints, this means that there is always an ample supply of food and drinks for us.

It was a really long and hot ride from Punggol Point to Pasir Park restpoint. Along the way, we had to navigate the slopes along Punggol Rd and along Tampines Rd. We saw that some riders lost their way in Punggol, as they did not notice the signs and there was no one directing the riders at critical junctions. They were too far ahead for us to call out to them.

And just before the Pasir Ris park checkpoint, we had to climb up Elias Rd. At that point, slopes were getting really challenging, and we could not have climbed the slopes any slower or we would have fallen off our bikes!

Route from Punggol Point to Pasir Ris Park

135pm: Pasir Ris Park - 93km
It was quite uneventful at Pasir Ris park, other than seeing a lot of tired faces and bikes strewn all over the place. Seemed that many people got really tired by this point!

Went off towards Changi Village. Along the way, there were big slopes at Loyang, sapping us of our precious energy. Although Changi Village is not an official restpoint, it is a good place to rest as you can get drinks or food there. Saw a whole group of LCSG people eating "zi char" at the coffeeshop, shiok la! But if we had eaten, we would find it really difficult to get going after that.

220pm: Changi Village - 101km
Next up, Changi Coastal Road! This is where I felt that our slow and steady efforts really paid off. We were not moving fast, but we cruised along at a steady 20km/h along the whole of Changi Coastal Road. This was a really nice speed that we could maintain at that point in time.

Towards the end of Changi Coastal Road, it started raining! There was no shelter, so we could only keep moving. I was so glad that I had my waterproof Ortlieb Front Roller Panniers with me! With those, I just put everything inside and will not have to worry about rain.

Route from Changi Village to NSRCC. Started raining near the 110km mark!

Estimated time at NSRCC: 305pm - 112km
Reached NSRCC, but hardly stopped to rest. Only stopped to drink some water and got going. We cycled along part of the ECP service road, and some portions on the cycling track inside the park. It was still raining at this point. Slow and steady!

Route from NSRCC to end point at F1 Pit Building

Finish Time: 405pm - 129km

The ECP portion was really long, and it seemed so long partly because we were tired and moving slowly. At Mountbatten Road, we passed so close to Lao Ban that I was so tempted to go and get some! Haha but cannot get distracted. Nicoll Highway was the last hurdle for us.

We completed the Bike Rally just a little past 4pm! Not a fast timing, but definitely a good timing. I believe that there were probably less than 5 mini velos that finished before us. Slow and steady strategy worked well!

This year, the finisher tee is much nicer as the distance 128km/168km is splashed across the whole front of the shirt. Allows other people to see very easily! However, because it is black, it is unlikely that I will wear it for cycling.

Overall, it was a tough but fun bike rally! It really makes you push hard to achieve your targets and do better than what you believe you can do. I would participate again next year!

Preparation for NTU Bike Rally 2012

The 2012 edition of the NTU Bike Rally is taking place soon, in less than 1 week's time! If you have not trained, I'm afraid its too late, haha. For me, I will be taking a break from cycling this week, to ensure that I will be at 100% condition for the bike rally on 26 Feb 2012.

Besides being ready physically, preparing your bike and supplies for the ride is also very important. Although there will be rest stops along the way with water, bananas, bread and other foodstuffs, it may not be sufficient to keep you going all the way. If you arrive late at the rest points, there may be a shortage of supplies! You must bring some supplies yourself and not be too reliant on the rest points for sustenance.

Before the bike rally, do give your bike a thorough checkup to ensure that it will be working well during the ride. Other than the usual bike maintenance like lubing the chain, tuning the gears and pumping the tires, there are some other aspects which you may want to consider for a long ride.

Non-routine Bike Maintenance Tips:

• Tighten all bolts and screws. You don't want your fenders or rack dropping off if a screw is loose.
• Check your frame latches (handlepost, frame, etc) if you are riding a folding bike.
• Check your cables and change them if they are fraying.
• Charge/Replace your lights' batteries.
• Replace your speedometer batteries. You want to know how far you have cycled, don't you?
• Check your brake pads and make sure there is still plenty of brake pad left
• Ensure that your cranks are tightened (yes we have had cranks drop off before!)
• Inspect the entire chain to make sure there are no loose links

 
Tools and Spares:

• Spare tubes
• Pump
• Tire levers
• Chain Tool
• Multi-tool
• Adjustable wrench
• Spare bolts/screws for water bottle cage/fenders/rack
• SRAM Powerlink/KMC Missing Link for 9/10 speed chains
• Cable ties
• Tape

Some of the tools and spares that I will be bringing!

Accessories:

• Additional bottle cage on handlepost. Can drink while cycling.
• Colourful rear lights for easy identification by other riders
• Arm sleeves
• Leg sleeves
• Bike Peddler Take-A-Look Mirror
• Deep Heat muscle rub. Very important!
• Sun block to prevent getting BBQ-ed
• Clip-on sunglasses to provide some shade from the sun
• Wet tissues for a refreshing wipe
• Money for lunch or drinks along the way

 Additional bottle cage, for drinking while cycling

Some protection from the sun and other neccesities

Food and Drinks (2 person's worth):

• H-Two-O isotonic drinks x 3 bottles
• Pocari Sweat powder satchets
• Berry Bliss gummy sweets
• Raisins for extra energy
• Shotz energy gels x ???

 Some of the food and drinks for the bike rally

For food, you can bring anything you like. If you like chocolate, some KitKat will do, although it may melt in the sun. I tried some muesli bar last year, but it wasn't very palatable as it was too dry and this made it hard to eat properly. If you are not in a hurry, you can stop for lunch at suitable places along the way.

The Pocari Sweat powder packets will be very useful as you will not need to carry around bottles of drinks. At the rest points, just get a bottle of mineral water from the drinks station. Pour both the mineral water and the powder into your bottle and you are ready to go! I will not be taking any carbonated drinks this time, after suffering leg cramps as early as 40 km last year, from drinking the 37 Degrees carbonated isotonic drinks.

Remember to carbo load 1 to 2 days before the bike rally, you will need all the energy you can get! For the veteran cyclists, no need to worry. However, for those who are going for the bike rally for the first time, or if you are attempting this distance for the first time, you will need all the support and preparation you can get! Do prepare your supplies early and get lots of rest this coming week.

See you at the NTU Bike Rally 2012!