British long-distance cyclist reunited with stolen bike

A British cyclist who is pedalling more than 15,000 miles from London to Australia has been reunited with his bike after it was stolen in Singapore. Greg Browning, aged 25, originally from Hertfordshire but now based in Portsmouth, set off from the UK on his trip last February.

Greg’s trip has taken him across Europe and through the deserts of central Asia and mountains in China, and according to the Straits Times, his initial reaction to discovering that his bicycle – a Condor Heritage equipped with a Shimano XT mountain bike groupset – had been stolen in Singapore was one of disbelief.

"I've been in so many countries where people said I would get robbed, and then this happened in Singapore, which I was told was one of the safest places in the world," he explained.

“I couldn't believe it. My bicycle looks quite weathered, not like a shiny racing bike at all. It happened in a busy place as well,” he added.

Greg continued, “I've been through some physically tough times. But nothing was as sad as this.”

The bike had been stolen last Wednesday from railings outside the Ngee Ann City shopping complex, after the cable lock had been cut.

News of the theft, which was reported in the Straits Times, prompted local bike shop Treknology Bikes 3 to get in touch with Greg to see if it could donate a replacement, but last Saturday, a member of the public handed his bike, which they had found abandoned in East Coast Park, into a police station.

According to a police spokesman, a man aged in his 40s has been charged with attempted theft of the bicycle, and is thought to have been responsible for a number of similar offences.

Greg has now continued on his way to Australia, and was reported by the newspaper to have said he was delighted about getting his bike back. You can follow his adventures on his blog.