Biking At Bukit Timah

The Bukit Timah Mountain Bike Trail at Singapore’s famous nature reserve is one of cycling’s true icons. Abbreviated to BT by biking enthusiasts, the trail offers hugely variable terrain within an enviable area of natural beauty. Technical climbs and dangerous descents across jungle terrain mark the trail as ranging from Intermediate to Double Diamond, as rated by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA).

The trail was Singapore’s first mountain bike course and opened in 1997; the 6.5km track loops around Bukit Timah hill. There are various entry points to gain access to the trail but the most popular are Hindhede Road and Dairy Farm Road; both of these locations offer ample parking for visitors.

Part of BT’s appeal is that it offers similar design features found in larger tails in other countries. It provides an exciting cycling experience with steep climbs and tricky descents with more restful sections of cross-country riding. There are adrenaline inducing narrow ledges carved into rock face and precipitous downhill drops to test even experienced mountain bikers like Stefan Masuhr, who was previously a regular rider in Singapore.

Highlights include a small double drop after the tunnel which provides some excitement in an otherwise easy section of the trail and can catch out people unfamiliar with the course. At the right hand side of the trail, just before the Quarry, the ‘A’ Line Rock Garden is another interesting section. Even the climb from the car park at BT’s official starting point is a famously tricky part of the course.

Despite being a relatively short biking trail, Bukit Timah is renowned as a challenging course. It is a physically and technically demanding track with obstacles designed to test skills and strength. Experienced cyclists and regulars at BT agree that a slower, more thoughtful approach to the course can be crucial to conquering the trail.

Bukit Timah is a stamina testing trail deserving of its worldwide reputation. For most riders, once around the course is sufficiently testing. However, many mountain bikers simply can’t wait for a second chance to face the obstacles on this tropical terrain.

Public Transport In Singapore

Singapore is a small island populated by 5.6 million people. It has enjoyed vast growth since its independence from Malaysia in 1965 and scores highly in numerous international rankings for finance, technology and education, to name but a few. The city is a world leader in commerce and attracts businessmen like Stefan Masuhr from around the globe. Its transport infrastructure is similarly enviable, necessitated by restricted land capacity at odds with its significant development in recent years.

The Singapore government has long recognised the need to restrict private car ownership in order to fight congestion. Motorists are subject to many requirements in order to be legally road worthy. A Certificate of Entitlement (COE) must be bid for before purchasing a car, and the vehicle growth rate is restricted by an annual COE quota to control how many cars are on Singapore’s roads. In addition, peak time driving on weekdays between 7am and 7pm is restricted by the latest scheme to encourage drivers to limit usage of their cars. The Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC) Scheme offers rebates against the COE charge.

To offset the restrictions on car ownership, Singapore has an impressive public transport network. The government’s policies to restrict the vehicle growth rate do not apply to commercial vehicles and buses. In fact, Singapore’s Land Transport Registry is continually investing in public transport in order to maintain the city’s enviable reputation. Singapore has been rated as having one of the most cost-effective public transport systems in the world.

Bus travel remains the primary mode of public transport in Singapore. Despite heavy investment in rail links, daily bus travellers still exceed rail users with 3.9 million people riding the buses each day as opposed to the combined figure for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) totalling just 3.1 million. The four main bus companies cover over 300 routes with more than 5,000 vehicles.

The opening of the MRT in 1987 signified a major development for Singapore’s railways. The current network now consists of 5 main lines covering 198.6 km. The first LRT trains were introduced to act as feeder transport from the suburbs into the larger MRT stations in the town centre. The Land Transport Authority aims to expand Singapore’s growing railway networks so that many buses are eventually replaced. The enviable public transport infrastructure looks set to expand with carefully calculated ease.