cycling on nothing (for now)

To my friends who have registered earlier on for this event but have not made any arrangements for the bike equipment yet, please be made aware that the adult bike rentals are now fully booked.

Yes, fully booked even though their FAQ states that “…bike rentals will be available on event day”.

I dropped an email to the event organizer on 16 Dec and a lady named “Kate” replied on 18 Dec with the following email:

Dear XXX

Thank you for your email.   We will not have any more adult bike rentals. You may wish to purchase our official bike instead.   Should you have further enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact us at 6377 5322/ 6377 5323.

Best regards
Kate Ang
Team OCBC Cycle Singapore

So is this the evil plot? Deliberately choose not to inform participants about the “first-come-first-serve” rule for bike rentals and “subtly” suggest victims (like myself and my fellow team mates) to purchase their official bike (assuming the victims couldn’t find someone’s bike to loan).  This is not the way to generate sales leads and encourage sales for the OCBC Cycle 2010 edition shimano bike.

Have just replied her requesting for other solutions.. hope she can do something about it. *cross fingers*

Quite disappointed with the planning for this event currently (don’t get me started on the registration form the usability is.. *shake head*). Considering this is done by Spectrum, if I may quote from their website “… a leading event management and experiential marketing company operating in the Asia Pacific.”, I was expecting something esle.

wheels spinning good fun (with some strange incidents)

The OCBC Cycle 2010 (20KM Community Ride) with the peeps was great fun (Bok, wished you could make it!)! Plus some of the folks who ain’t riding came down to support us too! *feel the love*.

Anyway the actual route seems so much easier to ride as compared to our training at ECP. Perhaps the actual road was in a better condition? Or is it that our weekend training sessions are paying off? hahaha!! Anyway, I’m looking forward to next year’s. In the meanwhile, do hope that organiser fix some of the issues for next year.. for e.g.

1. Bike rental (mentioned this before). If it’s while-stocks-last, please state so! Don’t come back and tell me nonsense that “sorry we ran out of rentals, why not you buy the OCBC shimano bicycle at 300++ instead?” Hello? Sign up 30+ for this event and need to top up 300+ for the equipment? Which smart alec come up with this formula? Doesn’t work this way ok! Si bei nonsense. FAIL!

2. Nana wasn’t given the Jersey even though we signed up as early birds. The organiser said the jersey will be mailed to her 2 weeks later. But what’s the pt? The pt is to wear it during the event and not AFTER? Besides, this event is by registration only, shouldn’t there be sufficient stocks for everyone? Don’t early bird subscribers get priority? Totally unacceptable. FAIL!

3. Then Nana tried to get a cold compress (like Ice) and anti-septic wipes for her cuts and bruises from the first aid tent. Guess what? They don’t have. First aid? No such supplies? Huh? WTF? So only treat the super seriously injured and those not as serious let live? No logic. FAIL!

4. Shape Run 2009 has 8,000 runners and OCBC Cycle 2010 has 9,000 cyclists (not to mention all that publicity). With an event of such a scale, participants tend to look forward to the goodie bag, and let’s see what did we get?
1 x ocbc wet tissue
1 x male shaving cream
1 x pkt of shavers (for man)
1 x small tube of sunscreen
1 x tiger stick-on plaster
1 x parkway health brochure
1 x ocbc credit card brochure
1 x medal (that falls apart easily. I saw alot of participant’s medal falling apart mins after wearing them).

What can I say? It’s a very sad looking goody bag. It targets neither male nor female of any specific demographic. You have pros, the amateurs, the kids, and the family and this is all you can think of? Don’t you have plenty of sponsors? That’s quite pathetic. Marketing team, try harder? Shape Run’s goodie bag is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than yours hands down. The only saving grace is the free-flow of Ice Mountain and 100Plus. If not for that.. the organizer BOLEH!

5. Understand that the pros have the timing chip. But will be nice for the 20KM community riders to know what’s their timing like. 20KM is also quite a distance…

till the next ride. :)