"A couple of days ago, a kid walked in with his
Dad and after some advice, I sold them a Fondriest racing bike. In
my heart, I told
myself, 'I bet he didn't know how lucky he was!'
"
You see, I had to work for my first Italian racing bike - not because
my parents didn't have the money, but they were against the idea of
me cycling. Very dangerous, the need to study and all that...??? So,
ever being the "go getter", I decided to work to pay for
it... but at 16, I didn't know where to start! School was out for 3
months as I was waiting for my GCE "O" Level results, so
I had plenty of time to "work" to earn my keep.
Job #1:
"
At a construction site near the current location of Cycle Worx, I had
to shovel sand all day just to make $10. "Chump change" by
today's standards, even the Bangaladeshi workers got more!!! So after
a week, I quit because I had blisters the size of fifty-cent coins
on my palms and I couldn't ride my bike after that! Kinda defeats the
purpose of working anyway 'cos if you can't ride your bike after that,
why work to buy it in the first place!
Job #2:
" This was at a garment factory in Ang Mo Kio. All I had to do was to
arrange long rolls of fabric, stack them up to about 12 inches and
cut them with a power cutter... easy lah?!... I thought then. Until
one day a friend of mine accidentally chopped off half his index finger!!!
You guessed it - I quit again after a month! No fingers, no brakes,
no bicycle, forget it! Not worth it!!!
Job #3:
"
I worked the graveyard shift at a low-down 3rd-class hotel behind Orchard
Road. It's gone now, torn down. Now this job, I liked. I even stayed
there for the longest period. You see, I could finish work around 7
a.m., go home to sleep, wake up at 3 p.m., then go down to Newton food
center to meet the guys, train with Jamal (a.k.a. "The Cycling
God") at 5 p.m., go home after training, eat dinner and then go
to work at 11 p.m. In other words, I was actually enjoying myself 'cos
I was doing what I loved to do, and at the same time the work was kind
of fun.
" After the months of working my butt off I finally had enough money
for my Italian racing bike!!! I rushed down to Ah Wee's shop to buy
that bike. It was an OLMO Competition with full Campagnolo Super Record,
(the cranks and brakes had Olmo 'engraved' on them - it was a trend
in those days?!), Clement Criterium tires, Fiamme hardox rims, Selle
San Marco Concor saddle and Benetto bar tapes! It was paid for in cash
and I rode home smiling like an idiot! Maybe that's why every time
I passed a bus stop people would give me a weird look!
"
The next day, I went training with my bike - and guess what - I CRASHED!!!
Oh well, so much for that first bike. But even today, I still get excited
over new racing bikes, be it my own or my customers'. I "get off" on
racing bikes, I admit it... so what gets you off???"
