JUNE 25 — A tandem bike is constructed to carry two cyclists. Tandem bikes were first built in 1898.

Compared to a conventional bicycle, a tandem has double the pedalling power.

On conventional tandems, the front rider steers as well as pedals the bicycle and is known as the captain, pilot, or steersman; the rear rider only pedals and is known as the stoker, navigator or rear admiral.

Tandem bikes have also been built to accommodate up to five riders.

Initially at least, more effort is required to ride a tandem bike until one gets the “hang” of things. It helps if the front rider psyche himself/herself to think that he/she is carrying a sack of potatoes at the back.

Some agility is required in turning the bike at corners — there is a short learning curve that is quickly mastered. Care has also to be exercised by the rear rider when moving the pedals; it is easy to strike the legs of the front rider painfully with the pedals.

Once these initial obstacles are overcome, many hours of joyful cycling await the tandem bikers as my wife and I (we are in our mid-60s) discovered as we explored the many little communities in Petaling Jaya.

I found it difficult to buy a tandem bike in Malaysia — apparently the demand is no longer there. Mine was bought online and brought in from the USA by DHL — delivery was efficient and fast, we got our bike 10 days after we ordered it.

However we had to reassemble it ourselves with almost disastrous results — the neighbourhood bicycle shop man obliged to correct our mistakes but not before declaring, “Hiya, semua pasang salah!”

You will need some accessories to improve comfort during the ride; specially-made pants with silicon padding for the crotch and butt decreases the discomfort of sitting on hard narrow bicycle seats.

Biking is an excellent form of exercise — it gives a good workout for the legs and respiratory muscles. It is also a good exercise for people with joint diseases as it takes the weight off the body during exercise.

A couple weekends ago, Angie and I decided to explore Putrajaya with our tandem bike; it proved to be an excellent decision.

It had rained the whole night before and though the skies were overcast, not a drop of rain fell as we cycled. The air was fresh, cool and crisp.

Birds were singing and the smell of jasmine was in the air; truly the best things in life are free — you just have to go out and seek them.

Putrajaya has remained a clean and beautiful city though many years have passed since it was built. We cycled along Putrajaya lake starting from the Millennium Tower.

The waters of the lake were clean and calm in the early morning. The surrounding gardens were well maintained and manicured. We cycled up the Millennium bridge — this took the wind out of us as the bridge was steep but from the top of the bridge several photo opportunities were available to us — not least the rising sun.

We then cycled past the China-Malaysia friendship building; I must admit that we were disappointed as the gardens here were not well maintained but the buildings were in good shape.

The terrain is generally flat in Putrajaya but in some areas there were little hills to climb which reward you subsequently with nice slopes down which you can enjoy the thrill of free-wheeling down in exhilaration, with the wind blowing in your face.

All in we cycled about 10 kilometres hugging the lake — we had both worked up a ravenous appetite by then but as it was Ramadan, nobody was selling food in Putrajaya.

We returned to Petaling Jaya, to the glutton square behind Jalan Sultan for prawn mee, popiah and well-deserved glasses of watermelon juice.

Thus concluded a beautiful Sunday where we were blessed to fulfil the needs of all our senses. Angie and I plan to return to Putrajaya again — this time we will explore the north end of Putrajaya Lake.

Malaysia is certainly the best place to live in the world.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.