We first attempted this 'digital nomad' ride a couple of weeks ago.
And since we hadn't quite figured where or what the best place was, we decided to begin with Suntec City, which, if we go by bus is a straightforward route.
By bike, however, there're a couple of routes one can take if you're cycling from the East Coast Road side (as we were)
My friend suggested we consider the PCN route.
But as much as it was safer and more scenic, I didn't feel like going the entire round of the Marina Barrage just to get to Suntec City, so I declined.
The first time we biked to Suntec City we got a little lost after turning into Kallang Airport Way as we forgot to turn out and so ended up in Kallang Riverside Park with no inkling how to get out..
Somehow we got back onto the main road then went along Kallang Road towards Victoria Street before turning into Jalan Sultan and Beach Road, then turning back out towards Suntec itself.
The next time we biked to Suntec City, we decided to go via National Stadium- which, in any case, was an excellent decision.
The route- which you take going straight from Old Airport Road- is cleaner, devoid of heavy traffic and you get a slightly scenic view of the water. There're a couple of circuses you have to turn, of course, but it's generally smooth and (to my surprise) I didn't find it hard to turn out onto Nicoll Highway.
I'd originally imagind it to be a very difficult one.
But traffic on that late weekday morning was light, and I didn't have much of an issue keeping to the last lane all the way past Nicoll Highway MRT station until the first turn into the Suntec City car park.
It's one thing to cycle for leisure.
It's another thing, however, to cycle as a digital nomad.
There're many things to consider- like where do you park the bike, how much of a cleaning/makeup kit do you need to bring- and then there's all your work barang barang with you.
Shoutout to the MUJI backpack which I used a while back (and which I almost, but didn't throw away).
There's ample space, the support's great and whilst it does keep the perspiration on your back the same way any backpack will, it does not linger on the fabric, thus making it very easy to clean.
The only beef I have with cycling to Suntec (so far) is the trouble of the return journey.
Because whilst it's possible to go on Nicoll Highway in broad daylight with little traffic, it's not possible to do the same thing on the return route where all the bottlenecked evening traffic begins from the Concourse and where every other vehicle is speeding back eastwards on the highway.
The first time we went back via the Beach Road route.
The second time we decided to go via the park that's behind the Flyer.
But chances are, we'll take the Beach Road route in future.
It's a little dumb to take the latter route where- if you're going via Kallang Road towards Geylang, you have to exit onto Crawford Street right next to Beach Road anyway.