Things I Never Really Knew About Owning A Bicycle

While it's all fine and dandy owning a bike, zipping around the park connectors and using it as an alternative mode of transport for getting to work, there are so many things about owning a bike that I never knew.

Of course, this is partially due to the fact that I've never owned a bike before, plus my purchase was an impulsive and not very well thought through buy.

Not that I'm regretting it or anything. I love how it feels to have the wind in my face, and I enjoy being able to explore different parts of Singapore that I would have been to lazy to do so on foot. I also love how portable it is, allowing you to fold up and stow it away when you need to board a bus or hide the bike under your desk.

Not to mention the possibilities of taking your ride with you when you travel overseas.

But..

1. The bike gets *so* dirty. Perhaps it's the rainy weather we've been experiencing, but my bicycle just seems to be a magnet for dirt and mud and sand and leaves and all sorts of icky stuff. And mind you, I'm riding along the park connectors on proper cycling roads. I shudder to think how filthy my bicycle would get if I took it out on the trails.

2. My lady-bits feel pummeled and sore. I'm no long distance cyclist, but the ride to work is about 8km and takes me 45min or so. So on a day that I cycle to work, my lady-bits get a full hour and a half of being pressed against a hard saddle. Let me assure you that it's not as erotic as it may sound. Lol. Sure, there are cycling shorts but...

3. Cycling shorts are so ugly. Yes, I've done my homework and read up on how there is a cushioning and how it makes the ride that much more comfortable. But, I'm not that keen on looking like I'm wearing a diaper. Not yet anyway.

4. Apparently I need to keep pumping the tires of my bicycle. Ok, this may be common sense to most, but for someone who has never owned a bike or car or anything with wheels, I just assumed you bought the bike and could ride it forever. So now I'm really paranoid about my tires, cos everyone tells me a flat tire = no good. Which reminds me that...

5. I need to send the bicycle for regular check ups. Ok, I'm sure there is a proper word for it- maintenance? repairs? tuning? Whatever it is, all this talk about tires and air pressure and flats reminded me vaguely of what the guy in the shop said about bringing it back. Now I wish that I paid more attention to what he was saying. Hmmmm.

Crap.