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I have loved bicycles since young.  Cycling meant freedom as money was hard to come by. I could get around without worrying about transport fares or timing.   My father died in 1996 when I was 12. My mum had to work, and I took a part-time job as a banquet waiter to help with finances. I would finish late and was too tired for school the next day.   As a result, I got retained in Secondary 2 and left school during my repeat year, when I was 15. My mum was disappointed, but the upside was that I was earning an income which gave us a better quality of life.  I also had more time to hang around bicycle shops. Slowly, I learnt the ins and outs of the trade.   I worked my way up from sales to become a bicycle mechanic in 2002.  In 2010, after eight years in the business, I wanted to further my technical knowledge and shop managing skills. I signed up for courses at United Bicycle Institute, an American school for bicycle mechanics.   I travelled to their Ashland, Oregon campus on my own dime. My three weeks there cost me around S$15,000, but I felt it was a worthwhile investment.   I took a professional repair and shop operation course, followed by various advanced certificates.  Before this, I had not travelled much other than visiting family in Malaysia. It was challenging getting used to staying in a lodging with the rest of my coursemates.   During lessons, I also had to learn industry terms not commonly used in Singapore. Cooking, laundry, grocery shopping and house parties became my life for those weeks.  Armed with new knowledge and skills, I returned to Singapore looking forward to growing my employer’s business.  In 2011, I had the chance to manage their shop operations, but that was short-lived as they closed down two years later.  With no education to depend on, I started exploring other options. I did odd jobs such as being a hotel houseman and guest service officer.  In mid-2013, I saw an advertisement for a scuba diving apprenticeship, which piqued my interest.   I joined a dive centre and worked my way up to become an instructor and later an equipment distribution manager. Sadly, I left in 2016 seeking a more stable and financially rewarding venture.  I returned to the cycling world, joining up-and-coming shops. I was excited to be back knowing I had the skills and experience to take their business forward.   Starting over was difficult, but I persevered. At that point, I was 33 and married. I wished I could do more.   In 2019, I took a leap of faith and opened my own shop.  To say that running a business is challenging would be an understatement. The struggles worsened when Covid-19 happened shortly after opening.   Fortunately, the circuit breaker and border closures encouraged more people to start cycling.  With more customers, I faced new challenges being a one-man operation.   To my surprise, former co-workers and customers offered to help. Some had been financially hit and volunteered to do odd jobs. It was a small side income for them, but I was happy to help.  With life mostly back to normal now, business is not as brisk as before. Returning customers and recommendations keep me afloat.   I am not highly educated so running a small business is a constant challenge. I am lucky I have the support of family and friends whenever I stumble on complex issues such as legal matters.  A typical day starts with replying customer messages. Wrench work follows, which takes up most of my time, but I do have one staff helping with odd jobs. My day ends with replying to more messages. Staying in touch is vital to get more business.  More than two decades ago, I was just a kid cycling for fun. I am still in that world, but happy to be behind the counter.  My advice to those looking to enter the industry is to have tenacity and be content. When I was younger, I used to envy others’ success but now I am much happier spending time with family and friends than trying to impress others. ABOUT THE WRITER:   Mr Alfred Goh Jie Bin, 38, is the owner of bicycle workshop Inkedmechanic. He is also a former scuba diving instructor and has a 20-year-old stepson.