MY BYKE Stories: Carmen Chew

Published by admin on April 13, 2023

I currently ride an Alcott Ascari Lite. Her name is Little Leilah. It’s the only bike I’ve had since I started cycling not long ago, and I’ve grown quite attached to it. Hence, it’s my favorite one so far.

I used to cycle about 10-12 hours a week, but it’s been drastically reduced the past month. I currently cycle only about 3 hours a week. Definitely hope to pick it back up once I get an indoor trainer.

I was inspired to cycle because of my job. I’ve met a lot of friendly people when I stepped into the cycling industry and they’ve been motivating me to get on a bike and start cycling and promised that I would love it. Fortunately for me, they were right – I absolutely enjoy cycling.

I would have to say that my favourite route would be the route that led to Jugra Hill [Rimbayu > Morib > Jugra], which I have only been through a couple of times. The scenery is absolutely stunning, especially right when the sky turns bright in the morning. This route had very few cars and a pretty smooth road.

I carry a little saddle bag with me whenever I cycle. It’s small but packed with a spare tube, allen keys and some bandaids for emergencies.

All cyclists are inspiring in their very own way. The best thing about any sport is that you get people from different walks of life sharing that one common interest. All the cyclists I’ve met are extremely positive and friendly, and that’s why this is such a lovely community to be in.

I think the most important thing I’ve learnt is to have enough sleep and eat enough food when I know I’m approaching a long-distance ride. Outside of that, just make sure that you’re training at your own pace. Cycling shouldn’t be something that stresses you out. My most frequent training route would be the Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE). I feel like this is one of the safer routes to cycle and train.

My most memorable moment was cycling my first 200km. Apart from finishing 200km, I am extremely blessed to have received a lot of support from a close group of friends who intentionally joined me for this long distance trip because it was something that I wanted to achieve personally. They were encouraging and patient, and taught me the strategies on how to conquer such a long distance ride. They took great care of me throughout the entire ride, made sure that I was hydrated, fueled with food, and so on. I’ve learnt a lot about my own body and mind on this journey. Cycling isn’t a difficult sport. With the right support and strategies, cycling is extremely fun!!

The best way to start cycling is to start connecting with other cyclists and get insight into what the cycling community is really about. You certainly don’t need the most expensive bike or equipment to start this sport. At the end of the day, you are your own cyclist, and the only thing you need is a positive mental attitude!

I think you should interview Zack Tay. Zack is extremely passionate about cycling for great reasons. He also has an amazing platform where he caters to a lot of beginners who want to start cycling. Zack is helpful and friendly and definitely adds value to the community. I believe that he is an asset to the cycling community.

MY BYKE Stories is a new feature article series by YAS that highlights the amazing cyclists of Malaysia and their stories.