In love with old bicycles

KUCHING: Retired civil servant, Marsat Deli, 64, from Kampung Segedup here has an unusual hobby. He collects old bicycles and has been doing so since he was in his early 20s.

Among his prized collections is a Sunbeam bicycle; the British brand was founded in 1887. 

It is hard to find this type of bicycle now. On mudah.my, Malaysia’s largest marketplace, a used 1960s Sunbeam Tricycle was recently sold for nearly RM1,500.

“I have been fascinated by bicycles ever since I was a young boy,” Marsat told New Sarawak Tribune when met at Kayuhan Kembara Merdeka (a cycling convoy) at Kampung Cabang Segedup here today (Aug 31).

He said he became interested in bicycles after hitching a ride on a friend’s bike while returning home from school.

“My parents gave me 10 cents, and 5 cents was for me to pay my friend, Ali for giving a ride back home. We rode on his bicycle from our school in Stapok to Kampung Segedup after school ended,” he shared while smiling.

He said since then, he wanted to have his own Sunbeam bicycle.

“I bought this bicycle when I started working in the early 1980s. I bought it from a Chinese seller for RM75. It was considered quite expensive then,” he said.

He said the Sunbeam bicycle was now a collector’s item. He added a bicycle in good condition would fetch a higher price.

“I have 11 bicycles. Three are Sunbeam bicycles, one a classic bicycle while the rest are sports and modern bicycles,” he said with a laugh.

He added the cost of maintaining a classic bicycle could range from RM50 to RM100 a month.

“It depends on what needs to be repaired. I always polish my bicycles to prevent them from becoming rusty.

“Sometime I bring them for servicing at a bicycle shop in Carpenter Street,” he said.