When Mr Chua Kai Lun stepped into the world of unicycles out of curiosity more than a decade ago, little did he know that one-wheelers would become his passion in life.

In 2002, the technical services engineer saw street performers on unicycles and wondered how to ride one.

He did an online search and found a local shop that sold unicycles for $100 and he bought one.

The 34-year-old is considered one of the pioneers in local unicycle group Singapore Unicyclists, a registered interest group in Bedok Community Club.

Mr Chua said there are about 80 unicyclists in Singapore; but an active group of 30 meet regularly to ride together.

These advanced riders, who have at least two years of experience on a unicycle, meet on Thursdays to play hockey – while on their unicycles.

They form two groups and go head-to-head in a multi-purpose court in Bedok.

For a more hardcore experience, they go to Pulau Ubin or Coney Island on the weekends.

The youngest mountain unicyclist in the group, Eugene Sia, 15, loves the thrill of navigating different landscapes.

Riding high on one wheel

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The Straits Times

He said: “Mountain unicycling is challenging and yet very satisfying when you can clear different obstacles, unlike flat, boring pavements.”

He picked up unicycling at 13, when he borrowed a unicycle from his cousin.

He got the hang of riding it after five days, “riding pillar to pillar” at void decks.

Mr Chua said there is no age barrier to being a unicyclist. However, a rider must be least 1.4m tall and able to reach the pedals.

The Singapore Unicyclists’ youngest rider is 10 and the oldest is almost 70, and members come from all walks of life.

Mr Chua said: “With the increase in the popularity of personal mobility devices such as the electric unicycle, we see an increase in people coming to try the sport.

“However, with the steep learning curve, it will probably remain as a low-profile sport in Singapore.”

Currently, those who are interested in picking up unicycling can go to the Kallang or Bedok community club for free lessons.

Mr Chua said it takes about 20 hours of practice to be able to ride a unicycle.

He added: “Unicycling is a completely safe sport, and the learning phase is actually the safest phase.”

The most common injury is a “pedal bite”, when the pedal hits the rider’s leg, so newbies are encouraged to use shin guards to prevent such accidents.

As cool as it looks, riding a unicycle is not about “the attention you get or being unique”, said Mr Chua.

“It is the feeling of being in control of something that your instinct tells you is impossible to master. That feeling is very addictive.”

jamiekoh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) will take in 467 students this year, a record high for the institution.

The figure, a 20 per cent increase from last year’s intake of 386, is close to its intake capacity of 500.

Previously, its intakes had ranged from 280 to 340, raising questions about whether it was being too selective.

SUTD, which took in its first batch of students in 2012, said then that it was going for “quality, not quantity” because of its rigorous curriculum, developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

It received 3,055 applications this year, an 18.4 per cent increase from last year. About 40 per cent of its intake this year are females.

Besides having good grades, applicants must write a 500-word essay about themselves.

They are also invited to submit portfolios, videos and personal blogs to support their applications.

Shortlisted applicants then face a panel interview.

SUTD president, Professor Thomas Magnanti, said: “This is our fifth batch and I am very heartened by the record number.

“We look forward to nurturing them over the next 3½ years into becoming holistic engineers and architects who identify and solve society’s problems not just from a technological aspect but also with an eye for design, relevance and usability.”

In response to queries, an SUTD spokesman said that it looks for “bright and well-rounded students with a passion for technology and design”.

She said the rise in the number of applications could also be due to its outreach efforts, ranging from school visits and workshops to its open house.

Other factors include its expanded overseas programmes and the positive employment outcomes of its pioneer graduates last year.

SUTD, Singapore’s fourth university which partners MIT and China’s Zhejiang University, offers specialisation in four areas: architecture and sustainable design; engineering product development; engineering systems and design; and information systems technology and design.

Some new undergraduates said they were attracted by its broad- based approach, which requires students of all disciplines to take common subjects such as physics and humanities.

Mr Leong Hei Kern, 22, who graduated from Singapore Polytechnic in 2013 with a grade point average of 3.99 out of 4, said the common curriculum helps students to understand each other’s specialisations.

“Your classmate could be an architect or engineer in the future,” said the Public Service Commission scholar, who added that working together across specialisations can help to create products that are both user-friendly and functional.

Former Raffles Institution student Afiffah Ab Ghapar said: “I like that architecture is taught in a technologically-driven way.”

The 18-year-old, who scored six As in her A levels, spent a week in January attached to architecture students at SUTD as part of a job shadowing programme organised by the Building and Construction Authority.

“Design is not just about aesthetics; there could be other aspects that require skills like coding and software programming,” she said.

“It’s challenging, but it made me think that if I had that knowledge it would make me stand out.”

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.