Adventure Travel – Cycling expedition in Asia
Undergrads@Adventure Travel - Cycling expedition in Asia
An undergraduate who fell in love with biking since his first expedition overseas in 2009, carried on his passion for this adventurous sport with his group of university friends in school. In an interview, Kelvin reveals some of his cycling expeditions where he biked across borders!
Name: Kelvin Liew Fulin
Nationality: Singaporean
University: Singapore Management University (Economics and Finance)
So Kelvin, when and how did your interest for Biking started?
I went for my first overseas biking expedition in 2009 with SMUX Biking Team, the cycling club of my university to cycle from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. The experience was fantastic. I made a lot of friends who share the same interest as me and I found that cycling overseas is a great way to not just make friends, but also to explore places and learn more about the culture in that country. From then on, my interest in overseas cycling expedition grew.
Cycling expedition with friends who share the same interest must be much more enjoyable than cycling alone! Where are some of the places that you have been with your friends? And which is your favourite? 
I have been to Batam, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. My favourite place is none other than Taiwan. It is a very cycling-friendly country and there are dedicated cycling lanes on the roads which makes cycling over there a safe and pleasant experience. The local drivers will even wind down the window to shout “Jia You (Cheer on)!!” when they pass us and it is very encouraging, especially when we are cycling an average distance of 100km a day. On top of that, the place is very scenic, and there is at least one night market, which offers very nice local food, in every town.
Wow! You’ve been to many places! Well, you are definitely experience enough to tell us some of the safety tips, especially to a beginner like myself?
Preparation and training are of paramount importance. Participants should train together before the trip to understand how each member rides because we usually ride in close proximity to each other to reduce wind drag and some of the riders may not be cycling in a safe manner. It can be a safety concern if we do not correct each other’s bad cycling habits. Training together can also help in bonding the team members.
Also, much research has to be done about the country. As each country is different in its culture and laws, cyclists who are planning on going cycling expeditions need to find out the things to take note of in terms of safety like communications with the local people, whether the cycling route is heavy with traffic or filled with potholes, and the availability of phone or internet network and hospitals.
Even though safety precaution may be done, there are bound to be one or two dangerous close encounters that many may face on such thrilling expedition like yours. What is one of the major challenges that you and your team face?
One can never be fully prepared for an overseas cycling expedition and that is very true when we are faced with unpredictable weather conditions. 2 days before cycling to Hualien, a major city in Taiwan, my team received news that a typhoon was expected to strike at that city on the day when we were going to cycle there. We had to think of contingencies like alternative lodgings and under what conditions we should stop cycling and seek shelter. Fortunately, the typhoon veered away from Taiwan that morning and there was only a light rain.
If you can choose only one adjective to describe your biking expeditions, what would it be?
Adventurous! Every expedition is a different experience and it is filled with challenges and exciting adventures like cycling up to the peak of a mountain, descending the mountain at more than 60km/h, and riding alongside an elephant. And if I had a choice, I would add an element of “family” to the word “adventurous” because I think an expedition is incomplete without great company.
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