Thursday.. Friday.. Saturday.. Sunday.. Whoooaah!  A whooping four long days of non-work festive holidays for this Chinese New Year (CNY)!  For many of us, the duration of the holidays is long enough to make us sit down and ponder “so, how shall I spend my Saturday and Sunday?” after the yearly ritual of visiting relatives (and vice versa) during Nian Chu Yi (first day of CNY) and Nian Chu Er (second day of CNY).  Well, there are a few things that you can do.  You can choose to visit your (more distance) relatives (we hope that we are not getting some frowns).  Or you can choose to get out of Singapore to Bintan Island for a short getaway....

For most cyclists (including myself), it seems that plying on the same cycling route on that weather-beaten bicycle will soon become a stodgy activity in no more than a couple of weeks.  Continuing with that same path is likely to familiarise you with the typical timings that the elderly couple from your adjacent apartment will be walking their Jack Russell Terrier.  Somehow, novice and avid riders alike, we cannot seem to stay put in the same place doing the same thing.  As cyclists with a ride-hard-and-play-hard attitude, we have a penchant for new stuff.  Anything.  As long as it is new to us.

Here at Togoparts, we have uncovered 5 ...

The Internet is pervasive. It gave birth to “almost free” music, “almost free TV” and ,yes, online shopping. But what is the difference between global online retailers and local online retailers/aggregators?

Plainly, local online retailers such as the Togoparts E-store operate locally and support only local distributors and dealers of your favourite toys. Global Online Retailers, as the name suggests, have global operations and generally only have presence in “important” (profitable) markets.

We share our top 5 reasons why some of us might insist on buy from local online retailers.

1. Delivered Right to your Doorstep - Fast
We underst...

If looks could kill…it’s a material world

The very first thing other cyclists or even non-cyclists would notice is the appearance of your bike. Some may even judge you based on the type/brand of bicycles you use. Sure, most of us will drool at the sight of the latest Pinarello Dogmas, Specialized S-Works Venge or Cervelo RCA but when was the last time you ‘wowed’ at a truly artistic marvel of a bicycle?

Although most might say beauty is only skin-deep, going custom really allows you to truly determine the geometry, colour, finish and even details of your two-wheeled machine. If you desire high-performing bicycles which are also mobile ar...

Above image: Dean Koh

Saddle selection is an area in the bike building process that should never be taken lightly. Choosing the wrong saddle will give you an uncomfortable ride or worse, cause impotence.

So many cyclists have spent hundreds of dollars trying to find the perfect saddle, manufacturers have resorted to providing a multitude of variants that attempt to meet cyclists’ needs.

A quick look at any saddle manufacturer’s website, and you will be bombarded with gel variants, cut-outs, plain carbon saddles, and even uniquely shaped ones.  Below are a few examples:

Above: Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle (note the big cut-out...

Above photo: http://thepeopleofsantopoco.blogspot.sg

For those of us who had been mountain-biking for a while, the venerable 26 inch mountain bike has been around for the longest time and many honed their handling and riding skills on the 26 inch platform. Then about a decade ago, the very first 29 inch mountain bikes appeared which received a less than enthusiastic welcome to those who were so used to 26inch mountain bikes. Fast forward today, almost every bike company has a 29er model and improvements in ride geometry and availability of related accessories make it an irresistible choice for those considering a new mountain bike.

Anoth...

Given that this is your first road bike, and assuming that you are only owning one set of wheels, you should aim for a best set that money can buy that suits the terrain of routes you are likely to take most often. 

Before we get to wheel selection though, let’s take a broad look at the three types available to you, starting off with the box section wheels.

Box section wheels

With cycling fast gaining popularity as a form of sport and recreation in Singapore in recent years, it is common for cycling enthusiasts to participate in events such as the OCBC Cycle Singapore and even overseas cycling events in neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. However, embarking on a long-distance cycling event may be daunting, especially for beginner cyclists. Having the right preparation and training for such events is crucial to reduce the risk of injury and knowing how and what to eat before, during and after the ride is important as well.

In our email interview with the kind folks at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), we sought a...