Cycling @ Batam – Barelang Bridge
Posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 at 5:18 pmBatam, or better still the Riau islands near Batam, is known for many things, but not really for cycling. Now that has changed after we rode the 6 bridges (some say 7) connecting these islands.
These bridges make a spectacular contrast of modern engineering against a rural backdrop linking Batam to the southern islands of Rempang and Galang. The Barelang bridges have become an icon in Batam (the name is an abbreviation from Batam, Rempang, and Galang) & riding them makes one feel … well … “On top of the world”!
The Ride
The start/end is the Barelang bridge itself. The spectacular views along the way makes the 55km route (one way) feel short if one wants to soak in the scenes. For the super “kilat” athlete who relishes the challenge, conquering the rolling hills, cross & head winds; man-machine against the terrain, the challenge is too mouth watering to resist.
Unlike riding in forever congested Singapore at any time of day, the island ride is smooth with hardly any traffic & excellent road condition. Brakes were hardly used & is only required for the photo shoots & watermelon breaks.
The excellent mobile service support provided, made both the recreational & avid cyclist feel shiok! Lots of hydration, & we even get water supply while on the move ala Tour de France! We got to ride as fast as humanly possible or as hard as our legs can take us! After all, no one gets left behind with the support vehicle always in sight.
The Turn
The u-turn point is the sleepy ex Vietnamese refugee camp at Galang. While letting the sore thighs recover, we took to the sights of the village, boats & amneties used by the “boat people”.
After replenishing the loss fluids with the super cold Pocari & watermelon, we head back for the return leg. The ride seems easier especially with the cloudy skies. Drafting(cycling term for group aerodynamic riding formation) as much as possible do help in conserving energy but the ride becomes less of a challenge. The sight of the first bridge(our start/end point) on the return leg is simply spectacular & a sight for sore eyes.
Post ride
The seafood at newly opened Harbour Bay never tasted better. Nice pubs there too with rather corny names like 911 Café, & G-spot. Hmmm …
Retiring at Harris hotel is even more pleasant with the all inclusive package. Exchanging banter about the day’s event over the free flowing drinks till late, makes the hard work all more rewarding. The traditional massage slotted in the morning chased the fatigue away & we were fresh when he head back to Singapore albeit a bit sore around the legs.
It seems that all who went had some “unfinished” business in Barelang as the conversation centered around “when I return here, I’m gonna do things better, this way or another …”!
Statistics
Total U-turn distance from Barelang bridge – 110km
* Longer distance of 160km can be arranged but the ride starts from town.
Decent completion time – 4 hrs 30 min
Kilat athlete time – 4hrs
Happy-happy photo taking time – 5 hrs 40 min …. No pressure, no complains. 
In a nutshell, one need NOT be a great athlete to do it. Anyone physically fit and knows how to ride a bicycle can do it. Having the right bicycle(not the market bike extremes) or rather road bikes does the trick. Knowing how to operate it will bring you all the miles. The Barelang bridges offer a great experience. WOW to the view. Ride to your limit. Feel the satisfaction after the trip. What next? Seafood & massage!!
CHECK out the hassle free package : BATAM Cycling Adventure
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Hi This is a excellent website and found the post interesting,this will my events particularly when im competing,cycling is the cleanest sport and no question why it has grown in the last 10 years.