• This year’s event marks the return of all in-person and competitive rides after three years
• Participants will be able to choose from eight ride categories, with two new rides and the highest number of categories offered by Singapore’s largest cycling event

(From left) Mr Lim Teck Yin (CEO of Sport Singapore), Ms Helen Wong (Group CEO of OCBC Bank), Mr Jaime Ho (Editor, The Straits Times), Dr Hing Siong Chen (President, Singapore Cycling Federation) at OCBC Cycle Registration Launch
Photo credit: OCBC Cycle

Singapore, 7 February 2023 – OCBC Cycle 2023 will return on 6 and 7 May 2023, where 7,000 cyclists are expected to take part in-person at the nation’s marquee cycling event. This year will mark the first full-scale OCBC Cycle event since 2019, and the event’s 15th anniversary. Two new ride categories were launched, and two new sponsors – Friends of OCBC Cycle – Samsung and Decathlon came on board this year.

Participants can look forward to the return of The Sportive 40km Ride, a favourite amongst cycling enthusiasts who appreciate the unique experience of cycling on closed roads against the backdrop of the iconic cityscape in Singapore.

Two new categories have been introduced. Cycling enthusiasts will be able to compete against one another on stationary bikes in the inaugural Indoor Ride by Shimano, which will take place in Shimano Cycling World at the Singapore Sports Hub. Those looking to challenge themselves on their own time and pace can take part in the event’s longest-ever ride distance in the new 500km Virtual Ride.

Our partners – Friends of OCBC Cycle – help drive the success of the event. This year, we have brought on board Samsung, who will be providing the latest Samsung devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Series as prizes for the early birds at the launch event and the grand lucky draw for all registrants. The Galaxy S23 Ultra will also be used to capture the best moments of our participants cycling during the event weekend in May. Another new partner, Decathlon Singapore, known for making sport sustainably accessible to many Singaporeans, is sponsoring bicycles for the launch event prizes and refurbished bicycles for the ‘Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle’ community initiative. This brings the total number of sponsors of the event to 15.

Registrations opened on 7 February 2023, with the first on-site event launch in three years at orchardgateway. Kickstarting the registration were Ms Helen Wong, Group CEO of OCBC Bank, Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore, Dr Hing Siong Chen, President of Singapore Cycling Federation, and Mr Jaime Ho, Editor of The Straits Times.

Ms Helen Wong, Group CEO of OCBC Bank, said: “It is exciting to bring back the full format of OCBC Cycle in time for its 15th anniversary. Over the past 15 years, OCBC Cycle has given cyclists and the community a fun and healthy platform to bond. It has also grown to become an integral part of the ecosystem for the development of the sport in Singapore. This is made possible only with the support of government agencies and authorities. In particular, we want to thank SportSG and the Land Transport Authority. We will also not forget the wonderful partnership of all the Friends of OCBC Cycle - from Shimano and F&N who partnered us since 2009 to Samsung and Decathlon who just came onboard with their great support. A big thank you!

Cycling has seen unprecedented growth during the pandemic years – a trend that is set to continue as the Singapore authorities continue the push to a car-lite society with an increasing network of cycling paths islandwide. Cycling on closed vehicular roads in a big scale is, however, something only OCBC Cycle can offer. That’s why I can’t wait to cycle with everyone once again in May.”

Return of in-person rides to full scale

The Straits Times 20km City Ride and The Sportive 40km Ride are set to attract nearly 7,000 cyclists on 7 May. Participants can look forward to scenic routes with roads specially closed for the event, taking them past national landmarks and iconic features like the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Singapore Flyer, and Gardens by the Bay, before finishing inside the National Stadium at the Singapore Sports Hub.

The Mighty Savers^® Kids and Family Rides will be making a return on 6 May, where young cyclists between 2 and 12 years old can experience the joys of cycling with their family members. Meanwhile, more than 20 teams are expected to compete in the annual OCBC Cycle Speedway Championships on the same day, with the Speedway Women's Championship returning after its debut last year.

Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore, said: “We are grateful to OCBC’s commitment to being a partner in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. We are excited to welcome back OCBC Cycle 2023 to a busy local sporting calendar. It is a key event that cycling enthusiasts, competitive or recreational, look forward to every year. As the largest mass-cycling event in Singapore, OCBC Cycle has not only encouraged the growth of the sport of cycling over the last 15 years, but the importance of active lifestyles for everyone in the community too. We hope that OCBC Cycle will continue to inspire Singaporeans to take up the sport of cycling, and adopt active lifestyles.”

New rides and virtual rides

The popular virtual rides, introduced during the pandemic, will remain, with the return of the 100km Virtual Ride and the new 500km Virtual Ride, the longest-ever ride distance in the event’s history. Similar to previous years, participants will be able to complete the virtual rides over a maximum of four rides, at their own time and leisure. Proving to be a hit last year, the OCBC Cycle Spin Ride by CRU will also return to offer indoor rhythmic cycling.

There will also be a new ride category – OCBC Cycle Indoor Ride by Shimano – where cyclists will race each other in an indoor cycling environment using Zwift (a virtual riding platform). In the qualifying rounds over two weekends, up to 192 participants will race against the clock, in separate sessions, to complete the furthest distance on Zwift-enabled trainers in 15 minutes. The top 18 participants will move on to the semi-finals and grand finals on 6 May at Shimano Cycling World, where cyclists will complete a virtual 10km course. The top 3 fastest indoor cyclists will be crowned the winners.

On-site event launch

Physical registration took place at orchardgateway on 7 February 2023, 12.30pm to 8pm. Participants who registered at the launch event enjoyed a 15 per cent discount, and the first 200 participants who registered for either The Sportive 40km Ride or The Straits Times 20km City Ride won exclusive prizes including the latest Samsung devices, Decathlon bicycles, Hydro Flask bottles and more.

Participants can also register online at www.ocbccycle.com. Registrations by 7 March 2023 stand the chance to win attractive prizes, including a Brompton bicycle worth $4555. For both on-site and online registrants, they can enjoy an additional 10 per cent discount if they are OCBC Cardmembers, or $2 cashback if they are the first 500 participants who register with OCBC Pay Anyone.

You may find an overview of the events and categories, and the associated fees, in Annex A.

Friends of OCBC Cycle

Known as the ‘Friends of OCBC Cycle’, these companies and brands support OCBC Cycle’s mission in encouraging bonding amongst friends and families through cycling. These Friends of OCBC Cycle 2023 will give participants great experiences and deals, exclusive promotions, and prizes.

• Samsung
• Decathlon Singapore
• CRU
• Great Eastern
• Hydro Flask
• Ice Mountain
• Lazer
• NETS
• SGBike
• Shimano
• Sunday Shades
• The Straits Times
• Timbuk2
• Volvo
• 100PLUS