Maiden Ride with Wheels With Friends

It had been 5 months of just Daddy Lim and I riding. We had found new various routes from time to time and often come across other groups of cyclist. I always wonder how it feels to be part of a cyclist group. Daddy Lim said that he tried once when he still had that expensive road bike. He said that he preferred to be alone then, largely bcos the kids were still young and it was difficult to accommodate to the group's schedule.

I bet there are many cycling groups around. However, most of them are likely to be road bike cyclists and that wouldnt work for us. For the past 5 months, we had been 切 left, right and center by road bike cyclists. There is just no way our humble MTBs could catch up to their crazy speed.

Then, one fine day, while I was doing my motherly duties to help loan some books for the kids at the Jurong West library, I saw a standee advertising about the Wheels With Friends (WWF). The WWF is sponsored by the Pioneer CC. Anything to do with CC gives me a feeling of activities for both young and old. So this riding club shouldnt be too fierce, right? Haha.

We searched for them on FB and found them easily. Our requests to join their FB group was also quickly granted. It was so easy to join them; they even have a whatsapp group opened to keen persons; no permission needed.

There was a crazy list of people on the whatsapp chat but only a few active contributors. Still, we were all advised to mute the chat and had been warned that the conversations can sometimes go 24/7.

Before long, we were informed about this morning's ride. The whole journey was supposed to be about 65km - all the way to Mandai and back. We checked and double checked that they wouldnt go too fast. They confirmed and assured that it was a leisure ride and no rider would be left behind. Their training rides happened on a weekday morning where they will go crazy speed but this one is easy.

The meeting time was set at 6.30am Saturday morning at the JW library entrance. I was so excited that I dreamt that we overslept and missed the event. The dream woke me up and made me crawling off to check the time - 5am. Zzzzzz.

While getting ready, we realised that we could see the 1st rider from our balcony. Ok, not from this pic bcos the rider had just switched off his lights.

Before long, we met up with the group, there were 8 of us, some on road bikes, some hybrids, 1 on a single gear bike (young chap) and us. The oldest member, a 68 YO grandpa was also on this ride, on his hybrid. The coordinator, J, told us that the group is usually small of about 8 to 15 pax. We rode off after a round a quick name introduction.

We took the road: JW Central - Chinese Garden - Lakeside - JE - Spiral Bridge - WCP - Pasir Panjang and down to Labrador park before turning back. The part until WCP was familiar route for us. While it was indeed a "leisure" ride for them, we were "chasing" them most of the time. Lol. I had to use a bigger gear, one that I have never used while on our own. I had it much easier than Daddy Lim, whose trail bike only has limited gears. He was chasing like crazy even whej he had the biggest gear on. Hahaha.

After the U-turn at Labrador, we stopped for bfast! Yeah! That was when the better understanding took place. They shared with us their different rides and the uncle told us how we can ride on PCN from JW all the way to Changi (40km)! Many of the bike enthusiasts were talking about their OCBC experience, most of them not very pleasant though.

We continued the ride back and broke off back at Jurong East while the rest continued their way to Mandai.

In total, we clocked 30km at 19.8km/hr average speed; we have not rode so fast before.

It was a nice 1st experience riding with a group. We would probably join them again.

Strangely, while we pant and huff during the ride, we didnt feel that tired after the ride. I even went for a 3km treadmill after that. Haha. However, for the rest of the day, my legs were jellyish.

Mummy Lim