When I was studying in New Zealand for four years, I was exposed to a lot of things that were unfathomable to a 14-year-old mind, like drugs and sex and all the other crazy sh*t.

People in Singapore are very spoilt and sheltered. They’ve been pampered from the day they were born.

They grow up in a bubble… the bubble that is their parents’ house.

I first pestered my mom about getting myself a tattoo when I was 18. Of course, she scolded me. When I decided to get it done a year later, she didn’t speak to me for a grand total of one and a half days after that.

I couldn’t get an apprenticeship because of National Service so I ended up teaching myself and started tattooing halfway through it.

Seeing Hounds come together before me was crazy. It has become a lot more than I thought it would be. I’d always wanted to open my own shop because working for somebody was just not working for me. It took me a long time to save up.

I thought about setting it up in Australia but the traditional barber concept was already being done to death there. I’m not the kind of person who will open a shop in a saturated market and take away other people’s business so I decided to start up here, where I was raised.

Local people’s reaction to Caucasians is crazy. Every time people saw a white guy cutting hair, they’d freak out.

Singaporeans lack good morals. The people here stab each other’s backs and climb all over each other, and it’s truly dog-eat-dog.

There’s so much animosity and hate in our society.

I know people that can date their friends’ ex-girlfriends with absolutely no guilt. They just don’t care about friendship.

Everyone here’s just crazy and yet they claim to be religious, which is retarded.

I’m not religious at all. I feel like somebody who’s a good person without the influence of religion is  better than people who behave well because they’re scared of going to hell.

I don’t believe in love. Real love is a bond between two people that doesn’t involve sex. It’s like the relationship between yourself and your parents, best friend, dog or even Vespa. Anything other than that is just lust and obsession.

Freedom to do anything I want makes me happy. Going to the beach, visiting Universal Studios and hanging out after hours at the shop with the boys, a couple of cigars and glasses of whiskey—though I don’t smoke or drink.

I get drunk on vibes.

What’s the story behind The Good Beer Company?
I’d often wondered why you couldn’t find good beers in Singapore except at pricey bars and restaurants. They certainly couldn’t be found at local hawker centers, where you can drink them as you enjoy local food. When I got retrenched in 2011, I took the plunge.

Why a hawker stall?
There’s far less financial risk in setting up a hawker stall as compared to a full-service bar. The other reason is the sheer novelty factor—bars that sell beer are a dime a dozen, but a hawker stall selling some 60 beers and ciders? We’re pretty much the first. In fact, we’re still the only one, though some kopitiams offer a wider variety of beers now.

Any unusual patrons so far?
Interestingly, we attract a lot of people who work in technology start-ups (otherwise known as geeks, which I say in the most affectionate manner). We’ve hosted a casual party for Microsoft and a regular hangout for Googlers, and even had folks from Evernote drop by when they’re in town. Singapore Redditors meet here often as well.

Do the “boutique prices” of some of your beers deter patrons?
Not everyone would pay for premium beer and we accept that. We’d rather go for a demographic who’d be happy to find a Stone IPA or Rochefort 6 going for $10, which is reasonable considering the prices out there.

What does the local beer industry lack?
Beer knowledge. Many bars and bistros have begun to sell craft beer, but they don’t know enough about it to support so many specialty beer premises.

If you could invent your own beer, what would it be like?
I love my beers, but I’m not interested in being a brewer. If I really had to do one myself though, it’d be a golden ale that incorporates chrysanthemum flowers and dried winter melon sugar. It would be a session beer—something very drinkable so you can have a few each time—with flavors the local palate is familiar with. I’d call it Yellow Gold (黄金), a play on the color and style of the beer.

Let’s face it. Singapore isn’t known for trendsetting—we’re more we-like-it-if-you-like-it kind of folk. But we do pride ourselves on being green. And in shape. We don’t like falling behind in world rankings. And we certainly don’t have a problem throwing money and manpower at something if we think it’ll add to the country’s appeal. So the fact that cycling here is largely relegated to weekend warriors and hipster kids on their fixies is truly baffling. There’s no shortage of cyclists (the upcoming fifth edition of OCBC Cycle Singapore is expecting some 12,000 participants), but a real dearth of day-to-day cycling; the kind that makes you think, “You know what? I’m going to start biking to work, too!”

Over the past decade, cities like Copenhagen, Portland and even London (which not too long ago pretty much viewed bicycles as a public nuisance) have embraced urban cycling—and in particular cycling to work—as the kind of eco-friendly, health-promoting,  good-news-all-round initiative worth promoting as much as possible. And, in so doing, those cities have been transformed. To visit them now is to accept cycling as part of the essential infrastructure of any great city—there are bikes everywhere and (seemingly) everybody bikes. Yet, here in Singapore, cycling remains resolutely a recreational activity. The city features on precisely none of the world’s best cycling cities lists, despite being far less congested than London, flatter than Amsterdam, smaller and easier to navigate than Paris, and with lower petty theft rates than pretty much anywhere on the planet. Most people here look at you in bafflement when you suggest cycling to work; yet they’ll happily chew your ear off complaining about MRT breakdowns, unavailable taxis and extortionate COE rates. Why is that? Inertia, laziness—or something more fundamental? And what can be done to turn all this around?

In our view, there’s an opportunity here for Singapore to lead the region in promoting a truly green transport solution and building a happier, healthier city; but it’ll require a concerted push, and a change in attitude from both the government and you, the people.

On the Bright Side

It’s true that there are some (sort of) encouraging signs. There’s already a fairly extensive network of cycling paths on the island; with more to come. By 2014, seven outlying towns will be equipped with 50km of intra-town cycling path networks that will connect riders to key public transport hubs like MRT stations and bus interchanges, amenities like markets and schools, as well as the existing Park Connector Network (the Ministry of National Development also promises that network will increase from 200km to 360km by 2020). The trouble is that, to make cycling to work viable, it needs to be visible. Which means it needs to be downtown, too—what popular local blogger and cycling advocate Mr. Brown describes as “a Park Connector Network that actually takes us somewhere we need to go.” Contrast that with London, where tourists can ride on dedicated bike lanes close to central landmarks like Oxford Street, Hyde Park and Leicester Square. So it’s encouraging to hear that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and National Parks Board (NPB) to implement a network of cycling paths in Marina Bay, also expected to launch next year.

Further efforts have come from the LTA over the past year, with over 4,000 new cycle parking spaces added to 10 MRT stations like Admiralty, Chinese Garden, Simei and Yishun, with even more to come. The Housing Development Board (HDB) is also on the case. They’ve already installed a two-tiered cycle parking system at Singapore’s first eco-friendly HDB estate Treelodge@Punggol and are planning to do the same for Yuhua.

Tyred Excuses

Bike paths and bike security are only part of the story, though. Two issues come up time and again when you ask people why they don’t cycle here: careless car drivers and the sticky, sweaty heat. But are we really willing to give up that easily? (Don’t answer that.) Until more people are seen biking to work, those in charge are unlikely to see that steps need to be taken to encourage even more to do it.

The weather itself isn’t going to change any time soon, global warming or not. And whereas cyclists in Amsterdam, New York and elsewhere regularly contend with rain and snow on their commute, on a good day they can at least go straight to their desks when they get into work. Here you’re pretty much guaranteed to need a shower by the time you arrive. Given how few office spaces here offer shower facilities, it’s surely that we should be lobbying for, rather than bemoaning our equatorial misfortune.

Infrastructure of a different sort is going to be crucial, too. Other cities that have successfully reinvented themselves as cycling centers have made bicycles themselves much more widely available—and affordable. Public bike sharing schemes have proven hugely popular elsewhere—Hangzhou (the world-leader) boasts more than 61,000 bicycles available from more than 2,000 stations, while Paris, often seen as the progenitor of the scheme in Europe (despite only launching in 2007 and with a similar scheme having been trialed in La Rochelle as early as the 1970s), has made some 20,000 two-wheelers available.

These bikes might not be (scratch that, never are) all that hot in the looks department, but the system works: there’s almost always a bike available nearby, you don’t have to be an expert to ride them, and the rental system is straightforward. In London, for example, you pay £2 for a day’s access to the scheme (or up to £90 for a year), then a fee depending on how long you’re actually out on the bike. The first half-hour is free, an hour is £1. Anyone over 14 years old can rent one of the bikes, fondly (and only sometimes disparagingly) referred to as Boris Bikes, after Boris Johnson, the mayor in charge when the scheme was launched. And the scheme has been so successful that, on a single day during the Olympics, close to 50,000 (!) rentals were made. (It’s sponsored by Barclays Bank. DBS, we’re just sayin’…) These schemes are also a boon for the tech-minded. Cities like Washington D.C have seen subcultures spring up to take advantage of all the data generated by bike sharing programs, to build smartphone apps, map efficient routes and identify gaps in the infrastructure. It’s the kind of big, civic-minded data project you’d figure/hope young Singaporeans would love to tackle.

But if it’s hard enough convincing Singaporeans who’ve been brought up to believe they need to own a car to show the world they’ve made it that a bicycle can also be a worthwhile investment (good luck adding a sixth C, for cycle, to the Five Cs), having them share a saddle with other users is yet another hurdle. Bike sharing, though, is only one way to go about it. Another success story out of the UK is the Cycle to Work Scheme, a government-assisted program whereby employers (who are encouraged to sign up in order to boost their CSR cred) can purchase bikes (and bike accessories) tax-free, and loan them to employees for a monthly fee so long as they’re riding at least part-way to work.

Two Wheels Good

So, if there were some government will behind this, the models already exist for how to make it work. Rather more challenging is the change in mentality that would be required of other road users. (Though it’s worth saying that until you’ve been a cycling city as long as somewhere like Amsterdam, road safety remains a real problem, even for the likes of London.)  Absent dedicated bike lanes, there’s no getting around the fact that cyclists are treated as second-class road users. Motorists in Singapore rarely practice basic road courtesy and safety when encountering cyclists (though accidents involving cyclists here did at least fall 17% from 2008 to 2011) and according to Mr. Brown and founder of amateur cycle racing club Joyriders Joyce Leong, this can be attributed to a lack of education. “The exposure to cycling from young is next to zero. Kids here are so precious; they’re used to being chauffeured around. When they grow up, they will have no idea what it’s like for cyclists and won’t know how to react to them,” Leong explains.

“People are clearly interested in bike-sharing facilities, but cyclist safety is a big concern,” says Francis Chu, co-founder of local group Lovecycling.net and director of Isuda Bike Share, which launched its pilot project at one-north last year. “We had many users sign up, but they gave up after a week or two because they didn’t feel safe sharing the roads with cars and trucks.”  

“This scheme whereby cyclists share footpaths is pretty good, but it’s not promoting the safe usage of the roads, which is where cyclists should be, not on the footpaths harassing pedestrians,” says Alan Grant, a writer and editor who himself rides to meetings all over the city. “What we need are bike lanes on the roads and things like colored boxes at traffic lights and junctions that cars can’t enter. There should also be traffic lights allowing cyclists to move off seconds ahead of motorists.”

Both Grant and Chu agree that while the authorities are becoming more aware of the need to help, they’re not moving fast enough. Chu is still awaiting a response to the Lane Width proposal he submitted last year and in a parliamentary debate earlier this month, Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim continued to cite problems with, and not solutions for, on-road cycling. It seems the government is unlikely to change its stand, which Dr. Faishal put in stark terms in last September's debate: “In Singapore, land is a scarce commodity and, I dare say, road space is even scarcer… Most of our roads today are optimally sized for traffic conditions… Given our circumstances, we have therefore prioritized off-road cycling, which is safer and can cater to greater numbers of people… the Government is unable to accommodate all the wishes of all small communities, but must think of larger, overall needs.” (See the full response on the MoT website)

Chris Robb, MD of Spectrum Worldwide, who are the massive OCBC Cycle event organizers and recently carried out the Safe Cycling Campaign for  the third year running, urges cooperation not confrontation. He points out that “Cycling has absolutely exploded in Singapore over the past five years.” But, he says, "we need to recognize that we’re in a tight space here in Singapore and work with what we have.”

Read the full interview with Chris Robb.

Now, not 10 years from now, is when we should demand that this start to happen (it’s taken at least that long for it to take root in all the cities mentioned in this story). There are enough shoots to feel vaguely optimistic, but it’s still odd that there aren’t more and louder voices agitating for action. This really isn’t an issue that should get stalled by debate, disinterest or indecision. God forbid there be lengthy feasibility studies and limited roll-outs. (Mr. Brown again: “How long till we get there depends on the political will of our government. As it is, we're not very far off.”) Spend any time in cities like Portland or Paris and the question is not, “Why are they all cycling here?” but “Why the hell isn’t everywhere else?” Do we really want to be the last ones to the party?

As a child, I was always picking my nose and spacing out. People had to try hard to get my attention. My mom used to have to say, “Earth to Ian” three or four times because I’d be lost in my own world.

I was really angry. There was a bit of bullying in my life; in school and during tuition. That was how I got into martial arts. It helped—I learnt how to fight back.

When I was studying in a university in California, I was insecure and oversensitive—I felt like there was a lot of racism, when there really wasn’t.

Dad said, “When someone says something you don’t like, wait a moment to question the guy’s true intentions and breathe. After that, if you feel you still need to react, do it. But it probably won’t be necessary.”

You are not better than anyone. A good person is a good person, regardless of where he or she comes from. F*ck you for thinking you’re better.

If I woke up one day and realized I’d gained 10 pounds, I’d probably take a sh*t and carry on with my day.

Weird things happen on cheat days, but I’m okay with that.

Ice cream makes everything okay.

Ritual is the biggest thing I’ve ever helped create. The process was tiring, aggressive and beautiful, all at the same time. To me, it was and still is an epic quest.

Waking up is hard for me, too, when I don’t get enough sleep. But once I’ve done some deep breathing and joint mobility movements, and had a cup of coffee, I’m so happy I get to do what I do.

The crew that I hang out with, the Orange Kettlebell Club, inspires me. They do what they do well and with more heart than anyone I know. Everytime I travel with them, I come back a better person, with a clearer mind.

If I could be a published author, my book would be about exercise and nutrition, and I’d call it We Don’t Know Sh*t.

I try not to look at success as an end goal. I try to succeed every single day.

I would do what I do now for free because I find great enjoyment in helping people realize their goals, learn about movement, feel inspired and inspire others.

I have a lot of respect for everyone that is trying to make a positive change in their lives.

People take life too seriously.

When I seek pleasure and attain it, I never feel guilt. I realize this might be a flaw.

I need to work with someone who has a rational mind because I can be quite a purist. I’m stubborn—things have to be the way they should be. But there are too many constraints for that.

It’s difficult to stay true in the world we live in now.

I would rather not be bound to one country. I’m working on automating a good amount of the work I do so that I can spend my time traveling and living in multiple places around the world.

The only thing that’s keeping me in Singapore is my family. I’m not too worried about friends. They’ll travel.

If I were stranded on an island alone, I’d want a good knife, a flint and a hot girl with me.

What have you observed about the growth of the cycling scene in Singapore?
Cycling has absolutely exploded in Singapore over the past five years. That’s across all categories whether it be road bikes, foldies, fixies or any other groups.The emergence of a large number of cycling clubs and teams has also been great to see. That’s cyclists who meet on weekends and ride together – that element has grown massively in Singapore and continue to grow. More Singaporeans are also traveling to other countries to cycle. Weekend cycling trips to the likes of Bintan,  Malaysia and other parts of the world are proving hugely popular.

What are the three key factors that make a cycling city? 
The first key factor is having that established respect between motorists and cyclists. Cyclists must be able to feel comfortable riding their bikes on Singapore roads for us to truly be considered a "cycling city". A lot of cycling cities have a countryside close by where cyclists can easily escape to in a short ride. That’s obviously challenging in Singapore but places like Bintan and Malaysia are still very much accessible for the weekend cyclist. A cycling city also needs to accommodate its cyclists in a social sense. A big part of a cyclist’s ride is the socializing afterwards. Singapore is really suitable in that regard. There are thousands of hawkers and cafes all over the place to pull in off the road, park your bike and sit down for makan or coffee.

What role can the local cycling community play in helping the cause?
The cycling community can play a big role here by respecting the fact that they must share the road with other parties. There are countless stories of run-ins between motorists and cyclists on Singapore roads. If we’re going to improve the situation, cyclists need to take the moral high ground. Someone has to because the vicious cycle happening now will get us nowhere. With regards to legislature, we need to continue educating the public and working in collaboration with the government. The government is putting some great infrastructure in place, such as the off-road park connectors, and cyclists must take advantage. We need to recognize that we’re in a tight space here in Singapore and work with what we have.

What are the core safety rules—both on the road and in terms of equipment and gear—when it comes to commuting primarily on wheels?
There are a number of rules but it’s often the simplest ones that are the most effective. "Keep left" is a simple one to remember. A lot of it comes down to common courtesy. Realize that you need to share the road responsibly. It’s essential that you select a bike that fits you. A general rule is that you can touch the ground with your feet while sitting on the bike seat. Wear a helmet at all times and make sure you wear fluorescent clothing so you’re highly visible to all other road users. If you’re riding at night, make sure you use lights. Before any ride, make sure that your tires have sufficient tread and if you’re setting out on a long ride be sure to stay hydrated. And know your limits!

Tell us about the “Respect” campaign.
This is the third year of our Safe Cycling Campaign. In previous years, we’d used "Sharing Saves Lives" and "Share the Road". This time around we wanted to use a tagline that was short and simple, something that would resonate with our audience. Respect is also a key ingredient if we’re to improve the current relationship between motorists and cyclists on the road. Both parties need to show mutual respect. We launched this year’s campaign at CHIJ (Kellock) in front of 900 young schoolgirls, with OCBC Pro Cycling Team member Timothy Lim and Singapore national cyclist Dinah Chan staging a safe cycling clinic. Reaching a young audience is crucial for us this year and we plan to stage similar workshops at other schools this year. We produced 1,800 official safe cycling jerseys and thousands of decals, the bulk of which we gave out at our annual Safe Cycling Day on 24 February. The ‘Respect’ tagline will be showcased by the thousands wearing the jerseys and displaying the car decals, and we also have various marketing channels to promote the campaign.

What's your favorite cycling path?
I love riding in Mandai, crossing the water and passing by the vegetable farms.  Out behind Seletar Airport is also a great ride. Basically, anywhere peaceful!

The OCBC Cycle Singapore 2013 happens April 26-28 at the F1 Pit Building.

Need a powerful hybrid bike for a cycling trip in Bintan? See our review of the Storck Multiroad.

Headspace
Blink and you’ll miss it. This quaint shophouse nook looks nothing like a salon. No shiny surfaces here; just hand-drawn walls, ceiling lamps and a handful of propped up wooden box shelves. Run by Loh Yahnee, who left her banking job of eight years to pursue hairstyling, this little salon serves just two at a time (and provides free Wi-Fi for you to stay connected). Haircuts from Headspace lean towards the quirky side (think asymmetrical pixies and blonde tails), so be quick with that booking if that sounds like your thing.

Hounds of the Baskervilles
Named after the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle crime novel, this charming old English-style collective serves up the ultimate in luxurious men’s grooming: straight razor shaves with the quintessential hot towel treatment and immaculate haircuts (that take forever but are so worth it). Run by the dapper Feroze McLeod and his team, the real kicker of the salon is that some of their Australia-trained barbers are also professional tattoo artists, and the shop gets visits from guest inksmen around the world. Appointments are recommended.

Premium Barbers
Another barber concept that has received a warm welcome from discerning local folk is Premium Barbers. On top of providing what all true traditional barbers are good for—hot towel ($35) and hot foam shaves ($35)—Premium Barbers also has haircuts (from $29) and shoe shining ($10) on the menu. Feeling a little showy? Get your hair colored or even some hair tattoo art done.

Who came up with the nifty idea?

It came from a conversation I had with INSEAD Asia Campus contact Chua Seng Teong, who’s now the vice-president for strategy at Kezaar. We both had our own networks of vivacious and multi-talented friends who always made time outside of their day jobs to develop skills such as sports photography and even wine pairing. We called them “amateur-sionals”, and thought it’d be great to come up with something where they could showcase their talent.

So Kezaar is a skills-sharing platform?

It is, but it’s also a great way to give back to society—with every booking made on Kezaar, we’ll contribute 50 cents to a charity the user has selected. It adds a feel-good element to the user’s overall learning experience. Users can pick up new skills and contribute to a cause they care about—how cool is that?

Women in business—what’s your take on it?

For a start, I don’t see myself as a female CEO, just a CEO. Why should women be straitjacketed in this way? I’m “gender blind”—to me, merit speaks loud and clear, be it in pants or a skirt! I’ve never felt different from a man in terms of starting and managing a business and I’m not particularly sensitive about my gender; I focus on my expertise, experience and vision. The only circumstance where my gender gets more attention is perhaps in the technology sector, but that’s only because a tech-based business is expected to run by a roomful of software engineer-type blokes in T-shirts and jeans.

What kind of mad skills do you need to have to be an entrepreneur?

Plenty! Entrepreneurs need to be “shameless”—not take “no” for an answer—and be prepared for grueling hours. They need to have lots of stamina and tenacity.

Any role models?

I admire Olivia Lum a lot. She started building Hyflux at the age of 28, and it turned into a billion-dollar regional business. In addition to an inspiring personal background, Lum challenges the notion of women slanting towards “softer” industries, as Hyflux deals in water and chemical infiltration.

Starting a fun initiative like this must be hard—what’s been the biggest challenge so far?

We faced many skeptics from the investors’ circle, who had difficulty visualizing our product and understanding our hybrid business model that supports charities. We recognized the positive impact Kezaar could have in the social enterprise and learning space, so we went ahead without external funding.

How do you define success?

I’m very unimpressed by the clichéd definitions of success out there that are almost always related to financial achievements. Our lives are multi-faceted. There are many who have accumulated great monetary wealth but are emotionally bankrupt.  It’s not about what we own, but what we do with what we have. To me, success is about how strongly a person’s positive impact can be felt after his demise.