More emails

We at Singapore BMX love getting emails. We reply to every email we get. Here is one we got recently:

Hey,

My name's (name withheld) and I'm 16. I came across your site a couple of days ago and have actually been really interested in taking up BMX for more than a year now. I've seen a BMX race on TV before and have watched YouTube vids and all. However, with school and all that, I never really had the time and didn't know where to start. I'm Singaporean and have been living overseas for the past few years because of my parents jobs. I just finished my O levels (school year the august - June) and now am on summer holidays and in Singapore for 2 months. With these 6weeks left, I don't want them to go to waste and would like to pick up BMX. So, can I have some advice on getting started? Where could I get a bike? should I buy a bike and just self teach myself? or is there any place where I could get lessons?

Thanks so much (: ,

Some UCI BMX news.

Got this in my email recently

The UCI introduced on 1st August 2006 a permanent number system for Elite Men & Elite Women. With this system, riders can choose a “career number”, which they have the exclusive right to use for their entire Elite class career. This will give riders a possibility to market themselves and to give media and spectators an easy way to identify riders. Now for the 4th time, riders are given an opportunity to apply for number not yet occupied. Rider’s which number has expired (not scored any UCI points in the last 2 seasons) will become vacant again. Rider’s may re-apply for their number, although it will be subject to the normal procedure mentioned in the UCI rule book. The National Federation shall submit a list of all their (Elite Men & Elite Women and Juniors moving up) riders born 1991 or earlier, wishing to receive a permanent number before July 15, 2009.

More interested emails

We get lots of emails and we love receiving and replying to them. I got one such email from this gentleman yesterday and I can tell you, I know how he feels. Here it is:

Hi,

I happen to chance on your website when I was reading up on the local bmx scene. I'm a working adult by the way and started mountain biking about 6 months ago (have ridden market bike around Singapore when I was younger, when I had not much money at that time). I've watched the Olympics coverage on bmx racing and am amazed by the speed and grace the riders are tackling the track. Sad to say, the local track in Tampines is in shambles and it is not even a complete circuit. I tried the track when I'm mountain biking in Tampines trail and find that you've got to improvise to do laps on it as the ending point leads to the side of the starting gate. The YOG is next year and since Tampines is the venue for BMX and mountain biking, I'm not sure what plans the authority has to spruce up the place. Will the track be of international standard? I sincerely hope so.

That aside, I'm still heartened to see locals using the track. I hope more people will be more aware of the various disciplines in BMX after the YOG and more young people will step up and be involved in the sport. I myself have taken an interest and would like to know more.

As I wish to try out the sport, I would like to seek your advice on what bike I should get. I would prefer to get a second hand bike and wouldn't want to spend so much on it as I'm just trying out. There's some people selling their bikes in the another forum and I'm interested in getting any Haro bike there. Although I'm more inclined to the racing element, I'm also interested in the freestyle and would like to learn a few tricks myself. Been trying wheelies, stoppies and bunny hops on my mountain bike and hope to do more stuff on a bmx bike.

Another thing. Are there any middle aged or young adults group where I can learn from? I thank you for reading my e-mail and hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks for the email and letting us know how you feel. And to all out there...keep those letters coming in!

More emails...this time from Brazil!

Everyday, we get lots of emails asking us all kinds of questions about BMX and the scene in Singapore. This was one I received today or was it yesterday? No matter because we have this guy writing from Brazil. Here is the email:

Hi folks, I'm writting from Brazil and I'm a former pro BMX racer and still ride for fun. Since I'm moving to Singapore in the next few weeks I'd like to know if there's a scene of BMX racing and track to practice and race and if there are any bike shops that carries BMX bikes. I'd appreciate if you send me some info.

I sent this guy and email and asked him to give me a call when he gets here but unfortunately, our local BMX track does not look anything like a race track and I already told him that we cannot get much BMX parts here in Singapore. Sure, one can get parts for freestyle bikes but race bike componentry is a little hard to get. But no matter. He will be our guest and we always look after our guests.

Send us an email anyday! Our email address is admin@osbmx.com

Looking for a bike for a drama set in 1985

Got this email today. Looks good that this is coming up!

I am helping a friend to shoot a Malay TV drama set in 1985 and we're looking for a 1985 BMX bike. It has to look relatively new. The shoot is only for 1 day. This drama is about a group of kids growing up in the 80's.

BMX was predominant in the 80's and this is proof of that! In any case, I sent him an email so hopefully one of our valued bikes will be in the drama!

New bicycle boutique at Dempsey

I read an article in The Straits Times this morning entitled Dempsey - White hot or too hot? and I also saw the article here

A $2 million lifestyle complex called 6ix and 7even @ Dempsey, comprising restaurants, bars and retailers taking up 11 units. The master tenant for this part of Tanglin Village is Forward Alliance, a logistics and warehousing company making its first foray into the food and beverage (F&B) industry. It is now sourcing for tenants to rival the two other nearby clusters of restaurants and bars in Dempsey Hill and Dempsey Hill Green. Forward Alliance has a few tricks up its sleeve. It plans to bring in restaurants that will serve food that is new in the neighbourhood such as fusion cuisine; ‘live’ music joints are also on the cards. It is planning to have a bicycle boutique housed in a 300 sq m space as well – a one-stop store for bicycle enthusiasts with a cafe, bicycle racks and services like showers and limousine transport home for tired cyclists and their wheels.

I wonder...will they cater to BMX riders as well or is it going to be just for mountainbikers and road-bikers? That remains to be seen. I have seen instances where bike-shops look down on BMX bikers. I hope that they do not do the same.

What is coming to YOG as far as BMX is concerned

I read it with disbelief. I do not know who is the one that proposed it but for all you BMX riders out there, here is what you are going to face.

Three Men and a Woman = One Team
The Youth Olympic Games format for Cycling is a mixed team competition for the Junior riders category 17-18 years old (i.e. born between 01/01/1992 and 31/12/1995).

Each of the three junior men must compete in one of the three disciplines: MTB Cross Country, Road Individual Time Trial or BMX (one rider from each team in each discipline). Each junior woman must compete in all three disciplines. Finally all three junior men in each team must compete in the Road Race.

This is absolutely stupid. I wonder who came up with this hare-brained idea. I have too much respect for the UCI to even think that they would put forth an idea like this. A BMX rider having to ride a road bike? What the hell are they thinking? Rode bikes and BMX bikes use different skill-sets, different muscles and different bikes! 20" wheels to 29" wheels! This is what some riders have said upon learning about it:

its just such a stupid lame brain idea..... might as well tell the Tour de France guys that they have to take part and get rankings in BMX before we allow them to do the tour. This will make people laugh at BMX when it's hard enough getting people who don't race BMX to understand what a tough sport it is. Hey, lets tell the IAA to make Usain Bolt do a marathon relay... 3 men and a gal.. in the spirit of the games... I'm definitely gonna give the YOG a miss if this team crap is true.

The other comment I got:

Very confusing in all of it - but then both the 2008 Olympic Games BMX and the now 2010 YOG BMX was never to well thought out from the start...

Back in 2007 when the IOC welcomed the idea of the YOG things should have been laid out to the Tee for what is what and what is not, that is where it is messed up at.

There should have been a base date line via the IOC and the UCI to have all of this laid out way before now. BMX qualification for the YOG, It will be the lack of time in knowing is what we all will see... That is being seen now.

So SACA, WhyOhGee, Singapore IOC, can someone please tell me that this is not a joke? Because if it is, you guys will be the laughing stock of the BMX world!

Some new emails today.

I got this email yesterday.

I am (name withheld) from (company name withheld). I have visited your website many times and I am to find useful and knowledgeable BMX news.I am interested in working with you.I hope we are able to exchange link in our website.I hope you are able to link my website from you website.I will also do the same. I look forward in your reply.I hope you are able to support the BMX scene in Singapore. Have a great day!

This got me thinking. Do people around us wonder if we, Singapore BMX support the local scene in Singapore? Or are people thinking that the local BMX scene in Singapore is all about stunts? That is what made me do a double-take on this email. This person wrote to a BMX-specific website and asks if we are able to support the BMX scene in Singapore. But what BMX scene is he referring to?

To answer that question, we have been doing (i.e supporting the BMX scene) that since the year 2000, and even before the website was started. BMX started off as BMX racing, which is what BMX stands for - Bicycle Motocross. So in a nutshell, yes, we do support the BMX scene in Singapore. But this is not a silly question that this gentleman asked me...it is a great question because it made me realise how people perceive BMX to be.

The bureaucratic hurdle

This is the title of the letter posted to the Straits Times Forum page located here. The full excerpt is below, courtesy of The Straits Times

SINGAPORE will host the inaugural Asian Youth Games this year and the inaugural Youth Olympics next year. We should be celebrating. But there are some signs that the sports scene in Singapore is not that rosy, especially sports management. While there has yet to be a resolution of the Singapore Table Tennis Association saga, the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA) has entered into a controversy of its own. It was reported recently that SAA has disallowed some national athletes from participating in a track and field competition ('Not going to Pahang meet', last Thursday). The reason was that SAA did not receive any invitation - although the club the athletes belong to did. Does it really matter who received the invitation? Is it not more important that our athletes have the opportunity to participate in regional competitions to hone their skills in preparation for the coming South-east Asia Games? Are we letting bureaucracy get in the way of sports development? Until we address such problems, we are putting hurdles in our own way.

Seetow Cheng Fave

He was talking in part about the STTA or Singapore Table Tennis Association. I am referring to SACA. They are not that different. They are all reporting to the Singapore Sports Council. This person Seetow described something that happened in 2003 or was it 2004. Some of the boy received invitations to the BMX Grand Nationals in Perth, Australia. We had to beg to the sports council for funds to let these boys go and finally, they relented. Our boys flew up to perth, two of them in fact, both brothers. They were the best of the best here in Singapore, practicing their BMX craft on a track that is laughable by world standards. The long and short of it, they did not qualify but they did get the experience of racing at the worlds. And the powers that be? Lambasted them for not bringing home a medal, saying that money was wasted.

So this writer Seetow says "Are we letting bureaucracy get in the way of sports development?" I would say we are. The SSC did not care about BMX then but they have to now because BMX is part of the Youth Olympics in 2010. And remember the WhyOhGee issue? They have yet to send me the questions that they want to know about BMX!

Wellgo pedals

There are lots of pedals out there in the market that one can use for BMX. Even thought lots of BMX racers swear by clipless pedals, the flat pedal is what most ordinary folk like you and me can use to pedal our bikes for all-around usage. I wish Shimano was still making their DX pedals from back in the day. The closes I have come to getting a pair of pedals that are like the Shimano DX are the wellgo pedals that are made in Taiwan. They are relatively easy to find and are inexepensive. Most bikeshops should have them in stock. Use them and abuse them. Good value for money.