Ride Everywhere

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

Hi guys, I'm Nathaniel, you can call me Nat. Some of you might recognise me from my days at Chapter 2 Cycles. I was the mechanic for Chapter 2 Cycle for about 12 to 13 years before I decided to venture out and start OneBike Asia (@onebikeasia). Having my own place and starting my own business was always my dream since I started cycling 18 years ago. 

What sparked your interest in cycling? 

Like most of us, friends got me started into cycling as a leisure weekend hobby, and soon before I realised, it became a part of my everyday life. It was fun, and help took my mind off work, and gave me a sense of freedom that I wanted to share with others. Back then, with Ben Cheong, we started regular group rides from Ang Mo Kio where we were based. From there on, the love for solving everything bike related issues gradually helped me to start OneBike Asia. 

Couple of years back, a chanced meeting with Christian from Para Cycling Federation of Singapore led me to join their team as a volunteer mechanic, many of which are run fully by volunteers from different platforms at that time.  

What motivated you to become a volunteer with them?

Because, it was just something that I got out of riding, and being able to explore places I don't usually get to go, and experiencing different terrains such as the mountains in Taiwan. I wanted to be able to share these experiences with others, and also as a way to give back to the sport. 

What was your most memorable event throughout the years of volunteering for Para Cycling Federation?

That is a tough question. Having travelled along with the team for the Para Sea Games and Para Asian Games, I would have to say the most memorable one would be the first as I got to travel with cyclists like Ang Kee Meng, Calvin Sim, Sarah Tan as well as other para athletes Emily Lee and Jackson.

During the Para Asian Games, we had the opportunity to stay in a Sport Village, which was a first for me. We got to meet bigger, stronger teams of para athletes teams from various countries like China, Japan and Korea. I had an equally memorable experience for both events. 

I thank my ex-boss Ben Cheong for guiding me into cycling as a sport and into this industry. I met many good friends along the way through cycling, and Calvin Sim was one of them. Although I was already good at cycling at that point, I found my calling as a bicycle mechanic as I felt I could never attain their level of cycling (laughs). 

What is your choice of apparel when it comes to cycling?

My priority when it comes to apparel choice ever since I started cycling has always been comfort and cutting. Most of the time, what you pay is really what you get. I may choose a lower price range for my group set, tires or wheels, but I would advise anyone who is into serious cycling to consider proper good quality items for helmets, bibs and jerseys as these are items with the most direct contact with your body, which are essential for a comfortable ride. 

My favourite brand for cycling bibs for the past 7, 8 years is ASSOS of Switzerland, which in my opinion is the benchmark of quality for bibs. For jerseys, there is a wide range of choices for various body types. Although I am not really fussy, as long as their cutting is the right fit for me. Cutting for jerseys is everything, just like how important it is to have a nicely fitted shirt, material quality being second. Velocio is my top choice for jerseys, as their cutting fits me best. 

How do our interested readers engage in services of OneBike Asia?

We are active on social media, with most of our contact details on our website at www.onebikeasia.com. We are also reachable via our Whatsapp, email, messenger (FB), DM, PM. Do check out our FB (@OneBikeAsiaSG) , IG (@onebikeasia) for frequent updates. 

It’s in early May, Singapore is early into Circuit Breaker. The outlets are closed, and we are all stuck at home. Velo Velo is still operating online but with limited capacity as we can only pack and ship twice a week. Never thought that I would miss the interaction with everyone else this much. The weekly zwift rides were fun, but nothing beats meeting up in person. This was when my friend YZ sent me a link to customize shoes on Whatsapp. 

Interesting story about YZ. Well I met him at OCBC cycle’s expo when he and his wife were just starting to cycle. Then we became friends and later colleagues. We’ve worked on many projects together, many made it past the drawing board; some really good like our Velo Velo club Kit and Tesserae 1 and 2.The collaboration with him was often enjoyable, fun and stimulating and often took many days or even weeks but the process became more fluid as we got to know each other better.

YZ and his family moved to the USA towards the end of  last year and the Covid19 pandemic struck shortly after his transition. I can only imagine how challenging it is for him and his wife with a newborn to assimilate into a new environment and culture usually, now made worse by the outbreak and racial tension. I have been keeping in close contact with him to catch up on events in his life. And yes, I do miss the easy banter and the brainstorming we had over teh-oh peng (iced tea). 

A while ago, we just completed a custom team kit for OneBike Asia, and he started experimenting on designing podium shoes.

Yz: “So how? (Is it) Nice?”

Me: “hmm, do you have other designs?” 

Well, like any business owner, I wasn’t adapting to the Circuit Breaker well and feeling worried and anxious on what awaited.

Yz: “ok, how about this?” 

He knows me really well. Seems like he is well prepared with plan A & back up plan B; saving the best for last.

“Love it! I want it!”

It’s hard to explain; but when you see THE one, you just know it.

After some to-ing and fro-ing on choosing the brand to make the shoes for us, we decided to make a pair for everyone in the team. And Vans shoes were our choice for comfort and design (as with when choosing any cycling jersey house to carry). I really wanted to find a way to cheer the team up during these trying times. Since it was possible to customize the shoes individually, YZ communicated with everyone in the team to give each of them the option to showcase their individual style. Almost all of us chose the doodle graphics which was hand drawn by YZ a while ago and one of the most fun one we made together. He even doodled on the wall of the shop as a gift before he left for the US. 

Welcome to the Velo Velo team. We’re showing off who’s the proud owner of which design. Share which design you like in the comments! We might make a limited run for all our special customers. 

Cheers,

Jon

Velo Velo:

How about a short intro? 

Choon Huat:

Hi friends, it's Choon Huat here, most know me as Ah Huat or Donaben. I’m a full-time cyclist and have been racing professionally for Terengganu Inc. TSG Cycling Team for the past 6 years.

Velo Velo: 

How are you getting through this period? 

Choon Huat:

Honestly, the whole CB has been rather boring. Prior to CB, most of my time were spent abroad racing and training, and that’s pretty much the nature of my profession. This couple of months is actually the longest stretch I’ve stayed at home in Singapore in the past 5 years. Training goes on for me, with bulk of it being switched indoors with trainer and Zwift sessions. 

Velo Velo: 

We recently spotted you doing 10000M elevation on Zwift in a single ride! How did you do it?! and Why?

Choon Huat:

Oh ya, the Everlasting ride. I got inspired by Mark Cavendish and the other pros. Honestly, I had no idea how hard it would be, but always wanted to give it a go. I figured this challenge would let me know where my fitness stand at this moment. It was mental, and painful to say the least, but was very fortunate to have friends who supported me virtually, and special shoutout to those who bought Zwift accounts and rode through the pain with me. It was deeply encouraging and kept me powering through the entire 11.5 hours.

 Velo Velo:

Share with us what are your hobbies other than cycling? (We were told you treat your coffee seriously....)

Choon Huat:

I’ve been dipping my hands into coffee recently, come to think of that, CB did gave me plenty of time to perfect my coffee shots and latte art. But I really do enjoy the entire coffee making process every morning.

Velo Velo: 

Any general advice on cycling kit or apparel?

Choon Huat:

Different brands offer various cuts and silhouettes, you should definitely try them on to feel the difference. But do go for one that you feel comfortable in, as you might be in the kit for a short to long while. Ultimately, I always go back to the lighter weight options, they do well under our humidity and heat. I would also advise using chamois cream, it does help especially for my long rides or races.

Velo Velo: 

Champgranola - Your recent endeavour, tell us about it, and more importantly, how do we order?

Choon Huat:

Champgranola is a small home based venture that started off in my own kitchen. Granola has always been a staple part of my diet, having to watch my calories and what I consume carefully. Initially, I baked them mostly for my own consumption, it always fills me up for long hours, and also suppressed any urge to snack uncontrollably. Friends who tried it suggested that I should offer them for sale, and that’s how it started.

The ingredients I used are all natural and unprocessed, the sweet flavour comes from honey, instead of syrup. All these in the  hope that it remains healthy for everyone and become a potential replacement for unhealthy snacks like photo chips.

Currently, it is available in 2 options, Classic ($18) and Premium ($20), both in 500 grams packages. Premium cost slightly more with the addition of macadamia and cashew nuts. I am exploring having them made into smaller bars so it can brought along for rides. Stay tuned and order via DM at @Champgranola.

Velo Velo: 

Any last thing to say to our Velovelo friends/fans out there?

Choon Huat:

I hope everyone stay safe, it has been a difficult period for everyone. But let’s all do our part, and work towards battling this pandemic. Hope to see you guys on the road riding, and do say hi if you see me.

This Velo Velo Care Pack is to show gratitude to you for showing us support during the circuit breaker period. 

Paying it forward, we hope this gesture extends support to similar businesses like ours.

Items enclosed in the Velo Velo Care Pack have been carefully selected from unique independent companies that we love. We hope these items provide you much-needed sustenance during these trying times and also support small local businesses offering their services through passion for their craft. 

Drive you nuts, perk you up and touching you.....softly.  our way of saying thank you.

Champgranola is home-baked by local champion cyclist Goh Choon Huat (IG@Donabengoh) and his buddy. By using their secret nutty ingredients to provide awesome nutrients and protein, satisfying your breakfast is filling your body with much-needed energy to see you through the day.  

Ready to kickstart your day. 

Perk Using only the freshest, quality beans from Africa and Hawaii, these beans are roasted weekly in Singapore, sent out to all consumers within 48 hours.

They are strongly committed to an ethical, sustainable product by paying farmers directly above fairtrade prices thus supporting their local communities. 

We get your caffeine fixed and fuel your soul through the day.

Assos activewear cleanser from Velo Velo is an antibacterial treatment that is formulated to clean your clothing, keeping fabric colour vibrant while maintaining the elasticity and softness of the fabric. Best of all, it is PH-neutral and skin-friendly too!

Soft and sensational.