Looks like it is official...the Tampines Bike Park is going to go

This was featured in Channelnewsasia and it looks like the Tampines Bike Park is going to make way for development. Looks like the new place will be designated as Tampines North. This Tampines BMX track, which is part of the Tampines Bike Park, has been around since 1998. It seems that the Singapore Sports Council is working together with the HDB to see where they can build a new park at an alternative site. Now I do not know if that is a feasible idea but I suppose we can take comfort in the fact that the SSC is doing something at least for our cyclists. The article in ChannelNewsAsia is posted below:

SINGAPORE: A bicycle park in Tampines will soon make way for development, but there may be plans for a new one.

Located along Tampines Avenue 9, the park was built three years ago for the Youth Olympic Games' mountain bike events.

It is now making way for a new town, Tampines North.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said earthworks have begun at the site.

The 60-hectare park has one of the country's four mountain bike trails, and is used by some 2,600 bikers every month, on average, according to the Singapore Sports Council.

People that MediaCorp spoke to said casual mountain bikers would be affected by the redevelopment.

One biker said: "Usually they will come down here for a quick (biking) trail and then go to work. So if you close this trail, I don't think they will have time to go and ride (elsewhere)."

Another added: "The Ketam Trail at Pulau Ubin, the Bukit Timah Trail -- I mean these are more advanced. For us starters, this is the place we go to. So if they take down this place, where do we start?"

HDB told MediaCorp it is working with the Singapore Sports Council to identify a suitable location for a new bike park.

- CNA/al

BMX Asian Cycling Championships on 17th to 19th May 2013

Apparently, this event is happening net month and there is hardly any news from the relevant people with regards to this event. There is one individual that put forth an impassioned plea to the powers that be i.e. the Singapore Cycling Federation. Yes. It has sunk this low:

So let us just see if this event happens...if it happens at all. All I can say is that we at Singapore BMX are very, very disappointed with the Singapore Cycling Federation

There goes the Tampines BMX track

This is old news for some but it looks like the days are numbered for the Tampines BMX Track and maybe even the Tampines Bike Track. It seems that it will be making way soon for housing development to house the projected 6.9 million people that Singapore will be hosting soon. Does not look good for the cycling sport in Singapore, especially for BMX. I just hope that an alternative place can be found

Eastern bikes and their cool / crazy-looking dropouts

Cool or crazy? Well, it depends on your point of view or course. Could they have taken a leaf out of Cannondale's book by sanding down the welds? I have no idea. But for me, it looks pretty cool. Check out their page for more info

BMX memories of the 80s on TV hopefully?

Got this from a TV producer. Looks good!

How are you? My name is *name deleted*, director from *company name deleted*
We have been commissioned by *name of TV program deleted* to produce a series of 60-second videos for television that will be aired in Asia. This series focuses on Singaporeans’ memories of 1980s. From the first BMX bicycle to the first MRT train, each of these short stories will be a nostalgic walk down memory lane for many.
We believe you may have a very interesting memory of the 80s through your involvement in bmx. You have been part of the BMX movement, almost from the start. We would like to invite you to share it with the viewers of *name of TV program deleted*.

As the director, I'm interested in your story from the point of view of 'a lifelong love affair that began in the 80s'. Of course this can change when I eventually do get a chance to speak to you.

Filming will only take half a day of your time and we will try our utmost to schedule to your convenience as i really want to do a BMX story as I ride a bike myself.

I'd really appreciate if you can give me a call at *telephone number deleted* so that we can have a chat about this.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Looks pretty good that is all I can say. Heaps of BMX memories...that I have. Stand by for education folks!

HOPE making BMX parts?

I had to do a double-take when I saw this. Hope, the brand synonymous with mountain bikes, making BMX stuff? Apparently yes! I got this image from Fastlane BMX Magazine and I must say that I am really happy to hear about this. According to the article on Fastlane BMX:

The Hope hub has been in design for a while now, but has taken a while to be actually be made. The picture shows it with a shortened freehub and a standard cog but the production one will have an international standard 6 bolt fixing and a choice of cogs from 15 tooth to 21 tooth, and also a 9 speed integrated cog. The production hub's will have an 80 tooth pick up. The rear hub will come in a 10mm or 14mm bolt option, with a bolt either side aswell as a 14mm nutted option. Hope are also going to produce a matching front hub to complement the rear ,which will have an option of a 10mm bolt like the rear or with a 20mm bolt through option .

I do not know about you guys but to me, that is pretty cool. Hope is to the UK what Profile Racing is to the USA. Great products that will last.

New VP of BMX in Singapore

That was quick. In October, I had news that there was a VP of BMX in the Singapore Cycling Federation. Now I find out that there is a new VP of BMX. Maybe the old VP had reasons for resigning the post...it is not an easy post and I can vouch for that but can we in the least get a VP that was a BMX rider before? It is not so hard is it?

And the reason an ex-BMX rider who has actually raced would be a good VP is because he has seen it, and done it. He knows what the race is about and he knows what to make of it. He knows the ins and outs of the BMX system and the BMX community in Singapore would be better with a such a VP.

In any case, those are our thoughts on the VP of BMX here in Singapore. Lets hope some good comes out of it.

Merry Christmas 2012

We here at Singapore BMX would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers throught the world a very Merry Christmas. Ride safe!

Tampines BMX Track closure until further notice

I was informed about this recently but a post on Facebook confirmed it all. Looks like it will be closed and once again, our youth who want to take part in races and want to practice will have nowhere else to go for that. Once again, sports takes a back seat to money. To be honest, it was not surprising

Profile 22mm spline drive sprocket

We were taking a look at some of our BMX Twitter feeds and we saw this new one from Profile Racing on their Twitter account. This was about four days back and it is simply titled: "The birth of the Profile 22mm spline drive sprocket". Interesting. No more sprocket bolts!