The Amazing Race, but on bikes

Participants of the Design Circuit will ride around town on oBikes, completing tasks and tasting snacks and drinks at "fuelling stations".
Participants of the Design Circuit will ride around town on oBikes, completing tasks and tasting snacks and drinks at "fuelling stations". PHOTO: NAIISE

Spontaneity rules for accountant Rayson Low most weekends, during which he goes for impromptu jogs or cycling sessions, followed by a meal with a few of his colleagues.

And tomorrow, the group will be at it again, only this time, they have a plan. Their cycling tour was planned almost three weeks ago, they will be making pit stops at pre-selected locations and they already know what they are going to eat.

Local design and lifestyle retailer Naiise has teamed up with bike-sharing service oBike to organise Design Circuit, a 10-pit stop cycling trail that has about 200 participants cycling on oBikes to various design and heritage spots, to complete tasks such ascreating their own latte art and scents.

The riders can choose their own routes within a 2km radius from Orchard Gateway in Orchard Road, making pit stops in areas including Marina Bay, Bugis, Clarke Quay, Rochor and Bras Basah.

Participants must have an oBike account, but will be given a one-day complimentary oBike pass where the $49 refundable deposit still applies. It usually costs 50 cents to ride the bike for 15 minutes.

Each rider will also be given an event guide, map and checklist and, for the first 100 registrations, a Race Survival Pack, which includes antibacterial wipes, a Naiise tote bag, snacks and drinks.

Riders can register, begin and complete the trail any time between 3 and 9pm.

  • BOOK IT / DESIGN CIRCUIT

    WHERE: Naiise, 02-02 Orchard Gateway, 277 Orchard Road

    WHEN: Tomorrow, 3 to 9pm (participants can register and complete the trail any time in this period)

    ADMISSION: $15 (individual), $26 (pair) and $60 (group of five)

    INFO: Go to bit.ly/DesignCircuit

However, the first 10 participants who return to Orchard Gateway will get a $50 Naiise Gift Card and $25 worth of oBike rides.

Mr Dennis Tay, founder of Naiise, says that Design Circuit was created to showcase interesting pit stops that Singaporeans may not have heard of before.

The plan, he says, is to organise more of such events if Design Circuit turns out successful.

"Nurturing a community of people who love and appreciate design has always been at the core of what we do," says Mr Tay.

"The whole point is to get Singaporeans out and about and to discover interesting creative spots in our city centre."

But what Mr Low, 20, and his friends are looking forward to the most are the "refuelling stations" where participants can redeem food and drinks.

He is particularly looking forward to the iced coffee from & why cafe.

There are seven other refuelling stations on the routes, including, fries from Everything With Fries, sweets from Sticky Singapore and Thai milk tea from Soi 55.

Mr Low says: "It didn't take a lot of convincing for the group to decide to do it.

"It's exactly what we like to do on most weekends, except this time we actually have a route planned out and know what we're going to do."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 08, 2017, with the headline The Amazing Race, but on bikes. Subscribe