Freedom on two wheels

IT has been more than 2 years since entrepreneur Benjamin Goh has been to Italy and he cannot wait to be back in the country. He is keen to visit again, not only for the food and wine, but also because he will be picking up 3 Officina Battaglin steel bikes that he has ordered.

Officina Battaglin was founded by Giovanni Battaglin, the legendary cyclist who in 1981 won the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana in just 48 days.

One of the 3 bikes that Goh is collecting is the Founder Edition, of which only 5 are built. Goh was invited to make a purchase, and he got the first in the series. The Founder comes with a steel frame coated in 24K gold, and is said to cost a high 5-figure sum.

Goh sees The Founder as a piece of art, which he is buying "for display". "These handmade bikes are works of art, because once the maker is gone, you can't get it again," he says.

The chief executive officer and co-founder of Caviar Colony and owner of one-Michelin-starred restaurant 28 Wilkie picked up cycling again during 2020's circuit breaker period, after a 10-year break. "A friend got into a bad accident back then, and the whole group of us stopped cycling after that and sold off our bikes," says Goh.

Now that he is back on the saddle, Goh cycles at least 3 times a week. Once a week, he goes on a round-island ride, clocking between 120 km and 150 km. He and his friends start at 5 am and are usually done by 11 am, with breaks in between.

"I like the freedom of being on a bike. It takes my mind off work," says Goh, who currently has 12 bikes, each costing 5-figures. There are several custom-made ones too, which come with at least a 6-month wait.

"Some bicycles come with a 5-year waitlist because they are handmade, so you need to have the right mindset to wait," he says. Despite the wait time, Goh likes his bikes custom-built, because it fits him better and makes the ride more comfortable. There are also little touches on the bikes that represent Goh, such as "The Caviar King" label and the number 68. The former is Goh's Instagram handle and the latter is his year of birth.

He chooses his ride depending on the cycling route. For example, if he is riding at Mount Faber, where there is a lot of climbing to do, his pick is a carbon bike because of its light weight. A titanium bike is more comfortable for long distance riding, while a steel one is for performance because it is very reactive.

Goh isn't particular only about his bicycles but also the paraphernalia that comes along with them. He is one of the first few in Singapore who has a made-to-measure Brandt-Sorenson jersey set, which costs over S$2,000.

He waited 3 months for it to arrive. "The chamois is different from other jerseys, and the compression feels better too," he says, adding that it is more comfortable and fits better compared to off-the-rack jerseys. There is a special detergent for it too.

Then there are also the custom-designed shoes, helmets and sunglasses too. Goh's large collection allows him to match his gear with his bicycle, and is a head-turner while on the roads.

He likes cycling to the Woodlands waterfront, to Neo Tiew and Lorong Halus for the scenery. But he cannot wait to resume his overseas cycling trips.

Goh will be spending a week riding on his new bikes in Italy. "There's nothing like riding on the mountains, enjoying the climbs and the views, and not forgetting the cool spring weather," he says.