Over the past few months I had been thinking of designing a new tandem-single, a full suspension model. But before I went with the idea I wanted to see if it was possible to tour on a long-travel, dual-suspension bike. Through some contacts at Norco, I got in touch with Gilbert Lu in Singapore, the Norco dealer there. The idea was to use the a Norco Atomic frame as a tester. My trip to Singapore was a rather hellish experience.

I arrived at the bus station as ten to nine. Got a ticket for the nine o'clock bus. Waited for forty-five minutes. Went back to the ticket counter. Got put on another bus that is supposed to leave at ten. The bus I’m on ends up parking just outside the station. I sit and wait. I watch the fist bus I was supposed to be on drive past. I go back to the counter. They assure me that it'll leave soon. I arrive in Singapore at five-thirty, two hours longer than it should have taken. Change some money to Singaporean dollars. Hop in a cab. Check out the shop. Meet Gilbert Loo. Buy the bike. Take some photos of the shop. Given a ride to the bus station by one of Glibert's workers. Stand in line. Get told that the bus won't allow me to bring my bike box onto the bus. Wait for the city bus. Get on it after a small bit of pleading. The bus takes an hour to get to the border because of its circuitous route and so many stops. Walk the whole bridge from the Singapore side to the Malaysia side carrying the bike box the whole way. Arrive a sweating mess. Pass customs without paying any import tax – smooth talking and flashing a Peace Pedalers business card. Haggle over the price of a taxi. Give a try at getting on a bus. Succeed. Decide on the midnight bus. Grab my first meal of the day. Wait for the bus. Bus comes late. There's no room under the bus for the bike box. Trash the bike box. The bus leaves at twelve-thirty. Arrive in KL at five-thirty. Take a cab to Matt's. Crashed out cold sometime just after six. Spent the next day swapping the parts from my bike to the Norco frame.

Gilbert Loo’s bike shop in Singapore is fabulous!! – check out the photos! For anyone touring in S.E. Asia, he’s got that hard-to-find item that’ll keep you on the road – at really good prices. Just e-mail him at hupleong@pacific.net.sg, and he said he’s more than happy to mail parts to anyone, no matter where they are.