The leader of our team was introduced to Based SEA by a colleague with the Farcaster username "aviationdoctor.eth." This introduction sparked our curiosity about the event, particularly its focus on Ethereum and the innovative potential of on-chain technology. We were intrigued by the idea of utilizing smart contracts on Ethereum to create decentralized and transparent applications, which align with our interest in exploring blockchain's role in various industries.

Our motivation to participate stems from our ongoing work in esports cycling through our startup, Virtual Cycling SG. We have been actively looking at how on-chain technology can enhance gamification, user engagement, and loyalty systems for our platform. Participating in Based SEA offers us a unique opportunity to dive deeper into these areas, collaborate with like-minded individuals, and push the boundaries of what blockchain can do for sports and gaming.

Additionally, as we are based in Singapore, our connection to the Southeast Asian region is strong. We are excited to contribute to the growing tech ecosystem here and leverage the opportunities for collaboration within the region’s rapidly developing blockchain community.

The challenges we are focusing on in Singapore's cycling landscape align with the country’s strategic push toward virtual sports for social, economic, and national development. Singapore faces several key issues that our esports cycling initiative aims to address:

Limited Natural Landscape and Safety Concerns: Singapore's small size and lack of diverse terrain make traditional outdoor sports like cycling difficult to develop. Additionally, real cycling in Singapore is dangerous due to limited road space and cyclists competing with cars and motorbikes, posing safety concerns, especially for parents. Our virtual cycling platform offers a safer, controlled indoor alternative, overcoming both geographical constraints and safety risks.

Traffic Congestion and Efficiency: Road cyclists in Singapore face frequent traffic lights, spending up to 40% of their time waiting rather than riding. This makes outdoor cycling less efficient, particularly for people with busy schedules. By moving cycling into a virtual space, we eliminate this issue, allowing for uninterrupted and more time-effective riding sessions.

Health, Well-being, and Youth Development: Singapore aims to promote physical activity to improve public health and well-being, combating lifestyle-related issues through gamification. Virtual cycling engages users in fun, competitive experiences that encourage regular exercise. Additionally, this approach nurtures youth development by providing an interactive platform for young people to participate in sports, develop talent, and build character in a fun and accessible way.

High Startup Costs of Cycling: Traditional cycling requires significant investment in equipment, gear, and maintenance. Our esports cycling platform reduces these barriers by allowing participants to compete and train in a virtual environment without the need for expensive equipment, making the sport more accessible.

Our project addresses the challenges of safety, accessibility, and engagement in cycling by gamifying esports cycling through the WHEELZ token-based loyalty platform. This virtual environment offers competitive, rewarding experiences without the limitations of traditional road cycling.

Key Features of the WHEELZ Platform:

1. Token-based System: Riders can purchase WHEELZ tokens with fiat currency (e.g., USD), which they use to participate in virtual competitions and races on our platform.
2. Gamified Competitions: Cyclists use their WHEELZ tokens to enter events, compete in real-time, and earn more tokens by performing well, creating a competitive and rewarding experience.
3. Accessible for All: Our platform reduces barriers to entry, providing a safe, indoor alternative to traditional cycling and eliminating high startup costs and safety risks, making it more accessible to new and younger cyclists.

Potential Benefits:

1. Promoting Fitness through Gamification: By making cycling engaging and rewarding, the WHEELZ platform encourages regular participation, improving fitness and combating sedentary lifestyles.
2. Inclusive Cycling: The platform democratizes access to competitive cycling, offering a cost-effective and safer option, particularly for those with concerns about road cycling in Singapore.
3. Youth Engagement: The competitive and interactive nature of the platform attracts younger audiences, encouraging physical activity while fostering skill development and potential future talent.

The WHEELZ platform transforms cycling in Singapore and beyond by offering a fun, connected community and addressing key challenges through innovative gamification.

One of the key challenges we encountered was navigating the complexities of Web3 architecture and its conceptual design. Since our team had limited prior experience in Web3, the learning curve was steep. We had to spend considerable time understanding the underlying infrastructure, such as smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps), and the Ethereum blockchain. This required self-directed learning, research, and experimentation, which slowed down the initial stages of our project. However, we overcame this hurdle by dividing the learning tasks among team members, leveraging online resources, and reaching out to the Web3 developer community for guidance. Collaboration and pooling our knowledge helped us gain a better grasp of the technicalities and move forward.

Another specific challenge was acquiring "free" Faucet ETH for the Sepolia test network, which is essential for running smart contract tests without incurring real costs. Initially, we struggled to find reliable sources of Faucet ETH without having to stake 0.001ETH on the main Ethereum mainnet. This barrier hindered our ability to test and deploy smart contracts quickly. To overcome this, we explored different community faucets and developer forums. After some trial and error, we managed to find a reliable faucet source that provided sufficient ETH for our testing needs. Additionally, we adjusted our approach by running more efficient contract tests to minimize ETH consumption during development.

These challenges not only tested our problem-solving abilities but also deepened our understanding of Web3 systems, making us more proficient in working with blockchain technology as we progressed with our project.