Taiwan In Cycles

A Little Scrap Of Video

2012-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

I just discovered a short video of me from the Neverstop Wuling Challenge. It seems there were a few cameras on me at the same spot, so I cobbled together a little video.

American Cyclist Killed in Kenting

2012-01-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Some sad news has come over the wire.

An American cyclist has been killed while biking in Kenting.

Apparently, the 24 year-old teacher was struck by a truck and killed.

“He had a couple weeks off for Chinese New Year, so he was doing a bike trip, from Taipei to the southern tip of Taiwan,” said Kuebrich’s brother Ben. “He was very active and very athletic, and always doing lots of long-distance endurance sports.”

Although cycling deaths occur in every country where bicycles are available, and this story should not take precedent simply because the victim is an American, it really highlights how Taiwan's traffic culture lags behind more progressive countries when it comes to educating drivers to drive defensively.

Anyone who has driven or ridden on Taiwanese roads knows how much stupid and aggressive behavior goes on regularly. I saw it today.

Sadly, another member of our community is gone... and it was likely a completely avoidable death.

My condolences go out to Mr. Kuebrich's family and loved ones.

Please ride safely.

Determination: Fighting For Life

2012-01-27T03:59:00.000-08:00

As the clock runs out on my Lunar New Year vacation, I thought I would take a short ride through the hills around Taichung and get back into riding.

The ride is not very long, but it consists of some pretty challenging climbs and technical descents.

I thought I would invite Chris B. and Michael Turton to take part in the fun.

Lolita Brand Shorts

We started up Dong Shan Rd. a.k.a. Route 129 to Hsin She. I was expecting Chris to take a while and maybe stop a few times to rest. The climb up to Hsin She is not the easiest climb for a novice and Chris only started doing hills a week ago.

Chris Starts The Climb

As we started toward the beginning of the climb, I gave Chris some pointers on the climb and climbing in general, and then I took off up the 129.

Michael's Busted Bike

About three quarters of the way up I received a call from Michael. He had been brushed by a passing car in a hit and run. The car had pushed him into the barrier resulting in a bent rear derailleur and the end of his ride.

Incidents of car vs. bike seem to be becoming more frequent around Hsin She, especially as the area continues to devote more and more space to tourism and recreation.

Chillin'

I waited at the top of the hill for Chris to arrive. I had no idea how long it might take. After about ten minutes, Chris came plodding up the final ramp. He hadn't stopped once.

This is an incredible feat for any novice, let alone one who was 60kg heavier just a few months ago.

Atop Route 129

What Chris has done is an inspiration to all.

He has dedicated himself to life. He made a commitment to himself that he was not going to simply throw his hands in the air and grasp for excuses. He had every reason to not even start down the road to fitness. He is a father. He works a lot. He was always the "husky" kid with all that... "husk".

Chris Before

Then Chris became a strict vegetarian. He ordered a bike and started running while he waited for a decent bike to arrive in his size. He learned to refuse the extra calories and has shown remarkable willpower.

Today, that willpower was on display as he tackled one gnarly climb after the other.

In this post I have included a number of pictures that show Chris gritting his teeth and fighting through the climbs.

For me, these shots do not just show how far he has progressed as a rider, but they also show how far he has come in taking control of his health.

As I come back from an injury, I also feel inspired to get back to a higher level of fitness.

If anything, Chris shows us all that there are no excuses to getting on a bike, having fun and getting fit.

Watching Chris ride with such a positive attitude is really an essay in determination.

Thanks Chris!

Look 695 Mondrian

We stopped for coffee and chatted with a group from Fengyuan. They all had some nice bikes. Looks are among my favorites.

KOM

Fellow Riders

Chris Hacks Up An Unassuming Challenge

We then kept a good pace toward Feng Lin Valley.

He Arrives

The 16% Grade

Putting The Hammer Down

Cruising The Highlands

Finally, it was time to head back to the city on the Route 136. What a nice little ride.

This Man Is Smiling Because He Is In Good Riding Health

Crossing The Great Hsiluo Bridge

2012-01-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

Saturday I had my first real ride in six weeks. I had been procrastinating and hedging over whether to go for a ride.

Finally, I received an invite from my buddy Nathan to ride with him from Taichung to Kaohsiung. Nathan was on the second leg of his Tour of Western Taiwan. He was going to eat the western plain in two bites... and I was not about to go all the way to Kaohsiung. I offered to join him to Hsiluo on the banks of the Joushui River, but no further.

By morning Nathan had changed his plans and decided his GPS knew that the best way was along the hilly Highway 3, and I was left to ride alone. I was unsure of the condition of my leg, but the die was cast. I eased into the saddle and took to easy spinning south.

Just as I pointed my nose southward, I pulled up alongside a fellow rider with the only Salsa Casseroll I have ever seen on Taiwan's roads.

I find this fact amazing as this is one of the best all-rounder road bikes on the market. It is one of those bikes that is ideal for what so many people envision themselves doing on a bike in Taiwan.

The Casseroll, with its steel frame and 425mm chainstays makes for a rigid and comfortable road bike, commuter and light tourer. The Casseroll can also accommodate fenders and 35mm tires. The bike can also be ridden as a geared, single-speed or fixed gear bike.

According to Salsa:

So just what is Casseroll? Well, it’s a road bike with real road bike geometry, not a cross bike or hybrid bike. It’s definitely not about road racing though. Casseroll is about road riding, whether for commuting, fitness, or looking at the scenery. Casseroll is the dish. You pour in the ingredients, stir it up, and ride.

The rider was Stanley T. I realized that I had seen his bike several times before sitting on display at Famous Bikes in Taichung. Stanley is a regular rider with Tom Jian from Famous and he was equipped for his round-island tour for his Lunar New Year holiday.

We decided to ride together down to Hsiluo as Stanley had no real destination other than somewhere south.

As we kept a touring pace toward Hsiluo, Stanley offered to show me around the Tenway Gardens, a restaurant and garden area near Beidou.

Finally, it was time to cross the great Hsiluo Bridge.

There is just something wonderful about crossing that span going full tilt on a road bike. The red rusted beams go flying by, but the bridge never seems to end.

A fellow rider on his Eddy Merckx came along just as we reached the other side.

The Hsiluo Bridge is the beginning of the Yunlin Route 145, one of the best roads for any ride to Tainan or Kaohsiung. After Hsiluo, the roads are flat, well paved and have far fewer traffic lights than any of the Provincial highways. The Route 145 will eventually hook up to the Highway 19, but not after skipping all the lights and traffic.

I then turned toward home... the long way. I pushed wind toward Mailiao and up the Highway 17 to Lukang. It was brutal. Beyond that, although my leg was not an issue, mu stomach was pulsating with soreness.

I beat it back home for a Century. As I arrived at my gate the O-Ring was already beginning to fail. The security guard must have seen the immediacy in my eyes and just opened the gate for me as I doubled over in pain.

Sadly, I lost all dignity before reaching the elevator for a very long ride to the 14th floor.

Must have been a Bad Peach.

Update:

Stanley suffered some type of road calamity after we parted and will be heading home early with a little road rash and a bent rim.

Whup a Links' Ass!: Bike Links Around The Horn

2012-01-19T05:45:00.000-08:00

World Biking gives Taiwan its endorsement as a bicycle travel destination. According to the authors:

Our Verdict
Taiwan is a good choice for a short bicycle touring holiday or as part of a longer Asia tour. Biking Taiwan can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it. If you want a challenge, hit the mountains and cycle one of the cross island roads. If you want to take it a little easier, stick to biking the quiet roads of Taiwan’s east coast.
All in all, cycling Taiwan poses few difficulties. You rarely have to cycle long distances without services, roads are in good condition and the country is safe enough that you can camp just about anywhere.

Giant Recall: The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a recall on Giant's 2012 Defy and Avail road bikes. There appears to be an issue with the carbon forks. Giant does not see this issue impacting its US sales.

Congratulations to Taiwan's Hsiao Mei-yu. Hsiao finished first in the 500m Track final and sixth place overall in the UCI Track World Cup Womens cycling competion in Beijing. Hsiao has really cemented her stature in the sport on the world stage.

Other Links:

Outside Online has a great article on tracking bike thieves. I hate thieves the way Indiana Jones hates Nazis and snakes.
The Adventure Blog wants your cycling movies! The third annual Ciclismo Bike Travel Film Festival is looking for your best work. Deadline is March 1st.
The film Bicycle Dreams about the RAAM (Race/Ride Across AMerica) is being screened. Still not the same without Jure.
Bicycle Super Highway? Sweden has the right idea.
Royal Tennenbaum injured while riding without a helmet. Gene Hackman suffered minor injuries while teaching the grandkids how to mix it up.
Will The Cannibal eat his words? Merckx on the state of cycling.
Red Kite Prayer dishes on the top three Gruppos. You asked for it... and you got it. Dura Ace, Super Record and RED in a Texas-style cage match.
Mark V. on the Cervelo R3.

Dakeng: Taichung's Closest Climbs

2012-01-18T02:23:00.000-08:00

I have been off the bike for a six weeks and I am really feeling it. After having my leg realigned I was feeling well enough for another attempt at a ride. I needed something close. I needed something easy. I needed something interesting.

My buddy Chris finally had some time as well. He is new to cycling and has really only ridden through the clouds of scooters and cars in the flats of Taichung City with a couple of other excursions.

We decided to hit the foothills in Dakeng above Taichung to make the most of our time and conditioning.

We met in the city and were soon on the "bike path" out toward the golf course on Taiyuan Rd.

There were a few other cyclists out. It is still technically a work day, so not the same volume as on a weekend.

We stopped at the 7-11 on Buzi Rd. to wait for Michael Turton to join us.

Just as we started climbing toward the golf course, we took a left up the Dakeng Alley toward the CKS Campground.

The ride lazily twists around farms and creeks up to the top of the hill.

Chris got his first taste of climbing by burning all his matches on a couple of the steeper sections.

Michael easily spun his way up in preparation for is exciting cycling expedition to Sabah later this month.

I felt pretty good and my knee was pretty well behaved. I tested out my strength and comfort on the bike. The weather was also excellent.

At the top of the hill, I ran into a woman who looked to be in her late 60's getting ready to tackle the steepest section of the road up to the campground. I love seeing seniors still ripping it up.

Chris was happy to celebrate his first "summit". When I first met Chris, he was 6okg heavier and nowhere near being able to climb stairs... let alone a hill. Just awesome!

We chatted for a while at the top before bombing back down to the city.

What a wonderful excursion to get back into the swing of things.

China's Iron Horse: PRC Deploys Giant To Scare Victory For Ma

2012-01-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

In a follow-up piece to the Big Bike pre election rally for the incumbent, Ma Ying-jiu, Bicycle Retailer offers up another cheerleading piece for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).

Taiwan’s manufacturers will benefit from a stable cross-strait relationship, said Tony Lo, chairman of the Taiwan Bicycle Exporters Association and CEO of Giant, the island and the industry’s leading frame maker.

“Taiwan’s high-end bike export to China has grown 87 percent in 2011. It could double again in 2012. This will have a positive influence of the transformation of the Chinese bike market toward recreational and sport in the future,” Lo said in an e-mail.

Lo cited Ma’s ECFA, or Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, which eliminated duties on bikes shipped between Taiwan and China as of January 1. Since Ma signed the ECFA in June 2010—gradually reducing duties on bicycles and other consumer goods exported from Taiwan—the trade pact has already boosted business in China for Taiwan manufacturers like Giant, Merida and rim maker Alex Global.

I think what is important and puzzling to note is that the DPP challenger, Tsai Ing-wen, gave absolutely no indication of repealing ECFA, nor did she indicate anything other than continued business relationships with China. Without the Chinese Nationalist ideology, Tsai's platform actually appeared more pragmatic and tenable for the long term.

So why is cross strait economic stability continually at stake in Taiwan's democratic election cycles?

Simple... It is not.

This is a fantastic example of some of the levers China uses to influence Taiwan's democratic elections.

The only party which can elect to create instability in the economic relations between Taiwan and China... is China. Taiwanese politicians of any stripe gain nothing from poor economic relations with any state, let alone China. China's "anger" is a strategic device. Now, rather than negotiating against diverging interests, Taiwan is reduced to negotiating against the mercurial device of China's potential anger-- a device with no clear definitions or triggers.

So why would China imply it might consider punitive action should its chosen candidate (Ma) not be elected?

The answer would be that China's economic relationships with Taiwan are not designed to be purely economic and in the interest of creating a better business environment, but they also come tainted by China's political designs for Taiwan, which it seeks to annex as part of a greater strategic program of regional economic and territorial expansion.

Ma Ying-jiu makes the perfect foil for Beijing as he also harbors beliefs in Taiwan as a political and cultural dependency of China and therefore, politically, makes sense to Beijing as the candidate who will best cooperate in bringing China's plans to fruition.

Gaint's Tony Lo simply exemplifies how Taiwanese businesses in China can allow themselves to become pawns of a much larger, more dangerous game.

For a long-time observer, it is a little sad seeing a company that has risen on the back of Taiwanese pride, allow itself to be used as a political lever against Taiwanese democracy.

Ma's Victory: The Election Cycles

2012-01-15T21:41:00.000-08:00

Although the elections may be over, there is still plenty to think about in the wake of Ma Ying-jou's victory on Saturday.

Ma has found a well of support from big business, which hopes to take advantage of Ma's desire to lock Taiwan's economic fortunes to those of China, despite divergent interests and needs. It is like the meaning of the oft misinterpretation of "What is good for General Motors...." Part of Ma's desire to make Taiwan an economic dependency of China is pragmatic in serving the business community, the other part is his ideological belief in Sun Yat-sen's Chinese nationalism.

Of course we see this each election cycle, where the business community rallies around the president who supports Taiwan's economic and political annexation by China... and then that same community realizes what the more cautious observers are seeing. This is precisely because of the ideological component of the KMT's program.

The American Chamber of Commerce had such a realization in June:

“Taiwan should pursue greater balance by consolidating its economic connections with such other major markets as Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and especially the United States, the world’s biggest economy,” AmCham chairman Bill Wiseman told a media briefing on the release of the organization’s annual white paper.
Wiseman’s warning came a few hours before the release of Taiwan’s latest trade data, which showed China accounting for 40.2 percent of exports last month, while the US took only 12.3 percent.
“Over-reliance on one market is always risky,” Wiseman said. “Taiwan should not turn away growth when it can get it, but it needs to lock in the future. It needs to go and start broadening its economic relationships beyond focusing so much on China.”

Just prior to Saturday's election Nicola Formosa from Bicycle Retailer released this piece detailing what is essentially a list of KMT talking points thinly veiled as a news article promulgated by the big movers of the bike industry.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Taiwan voters go to the polls this weekend to decide a close presidential race that bears implications for cross-strait relations between the island and mainland China.

Incumbent Ma Ying-jeou of the Chinese National Party, or the Kuomintang, is being challenged by the Democratic Progressive Party’s Tsai Ing-wen. A third candidate, James Soong Chu-yu of the People First Party, represents that party’s first-ever presidential bid. In the past four years, President Ma’s administration has eased relations between Taiwan and China, opening doors to Chinese tourists with direct flights from the mainland—previously Chinese had to fly through Hong Kong or Macau before arriving in Taipei—and signing the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

The ECFA, a trade pact that ended a 12 percent duty on bikes and most bike parts shipped from Taiwan to China, has already benefitted the cycling industry. Taiwan’s top two frame manufacturers, Giant and Merida, both realized significant increases in revenue from the Chinese market last year. Merida’s revenue from China was up 124 percent through October 2011 and Giant’s rose 40 percent through August. Rim maker Alex Global pointed to the ECFA when announcing that its turnover in China tripled last year. Taiwan exports about 3.8 million bikes annually to the global industry with the U.S. importing about 21 percent of those units. It also exports $480 million in bike parts.

Another term under Ma’s leadership could lead to further cooperation between Taiwan and China, which stands to boost the bottom line for Taiwanese businesses. But, Ma’s opponents believe closer ties across the Taiwan Strait threaten Taiwan’s future independence as the Chinese Communist Party strives to reunite Taiwan and China. Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party have pushed for formal independence from China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province.

Now that the results are in and we know Ma Ying-jiu will be continuing to shape Taiwan's economic policies with China at the center, we need to wonder what this means for Taiwan's bicycle industry.

The big bike companies will continue making money hand over fist using Chinese labor and selling to a Chinese market, creating Chinese jobs. This is very good for the few people who are associated with those big corporations... but this begs the question.... If all those jobs are being created by Taiwanese companies in China... what does Ma intend to replace them with in Taiwan?

The jury is still out. From what I have seen Ma intends to block the hemorrhaging with cycle paths and tourism-- A far cry from any real jobs.

Baby Kit Goes Bike Shopping

2012-01-15T04:31:00.000-08:00

Uncle Rocky thinks about bullets dodged

This Lunar New Year our little baby Kit decided she needed to go bike shopping. I sent her to visit Rocky at T-Mosaic with the instructions that she could have anything in the store... as long as it was a size 52cm frame.

Xiao Lan swoops in to rescue Kit

The choices were enough to bring Kit to tears

Ferrari's are fast, but maybe too tall

Hmmm... It matches my blanket...

I'll have to consider

Titanium like Dad's

Oh, the zing of classic steel!

The New TYA!

The indignity of it all! Enough with the pink.

A little sugar boost to get me home

Dad says to wait

Building The Cycling Community

Cashing In On Taiwanese Cycling

2012-01-13T04:14:00.000-08:00

One growing trend in Taiwanese cycling is the introduction of larger cash rewards for a victory in a race.

While the idea of cash prizes is nothing new to bicycle racing, in Taiwan the idea is catching on as a way to attract better riders to regional races i the hopes of walking away with a handsome paycheck.

A great example might be Sean Smith, the rider from Taichung who walked away from the Alishan Extreme Challenge last year with USD$22,500 for under 3 hours of work.

Now the Super Rider competition will be adding larger cash prizes for the top finishers.

The administration will put up a total purse of NT$222,000 (US$7,357) for the April 1 race, which will start from Jialulan, a center for driftwood art in Taitung County, head north as far as Sansiantai, and then turn back.

The top 10 finishers will receive prize money of between NT$30,000 and NT$1,000, while those who finish atop different age groups will win from NT$10,000 to NT$2,000, the administration said.

Any team consisting of at least three members can sign up for another 200-kilometer event, and five teams in that race will be eligible to win NT$3,000 each in a lucky draw.

The administration encouraged people to register for the races starting Monday because the 100-kilometer and 200-kilometer races will each be limited to 600 cyclists.

For some of the slicker teams out there, this could be a fun way to put in for that new bike.

And Then He Touched Me: Traditional Medicine For Overuse Injury

2012-01-09T16:11:00.000-08:00

In Taiwan we are lucky to have access to two parallel streams of healthcare. We have the traditional system of hospitals and clinics where white coated doctors wear reflectors on their foreheads and prescribe an attack of pills that often resembles a pack of Skittles.

Then we have traditional herbalists.

Both are covered under Taiwan's National Health Insurance program; a single payer system that covers every citizen, their dependents, and every registered worker in Taiwan.

After a host of overuse injuries and too much time off the bike, I was referred to an herbalist in Changhua. This herbalist is also an accomplished rider, so I was encouraged to feel he might be a little more understanding of my situation and of my injury.

I walked in, filled out my registration form, and within 10 minutes I was sitting with the doctor discussing my problem.

He massaged my knee with a perplexed look on his face, and then asked me to stretch out on the massage bed.

"A-ha!" he exclaimed with delight as he lightly patted my spine, "Your muscles in your back are creating an imbalance that is affecting your knee."

Apparently, my riding has developed an imbalance that pulled my bones out of alignment and resulted in an aggravated sciatic nerve.

The doctor pushed and pulled like he was realigning a bent frame.

I stood up and I felt amazing. The tightness in my back was gone. My knee felt better. My hip was loose.

I climbed some stairs and knelt without any sensations in my leg.

The whole procedure took about 10min. after a slathering of traditional goo-cream pads.

If you are having trouble with overuse or pain from cycling, I would totally recommend this guy.

The visit cost me a mere NT 150 (USD$5) with my insurance.

If you decide to go, be sure you or someone you are with, can speak Chinese or Taiwanese. I do not think anyone there can speak English.

Dr. Wu Chiu-Shiong

No.256-1 Chang-nan Rd.

Changhua City, Taiwan

Tel:04-7388838

彰化市彰南路二段256之1號

電話:04-7388838

DYS AmainT Individual Time Trial in Changhua

2012-01-08T01:57:00.000-08:00

Today I was hoping to get down to Wuer for the DYS Amain T. Individuall Time Trial. What a great way to spend a Sunday. I am glad we have groups putting stuff like this together.

As much as I would have liked to have taken some pictures and put some heat into the legs, I am still on the mend and needed to do some domestic work today *sigh!*

I hope to be back on the bike soon.

Enjoy some pictures from the event today.

HERE

Racing The Top of Taiwan (200k): 7甲-14甲-14線-21線-18線

2012-01-04T18:26:00.000-08:00

Here is an upcoming race being organized by the Taiwan Bike Association.

No, I am not going to do this. I just don't have the time to train and get my body into shape for something like this.

But it looks like fun. Maybe I'll do this route on some future weekend. I'll have to pocket the route for later.

I have ridden most of this route at different times and it is a spectacular challenge amid breathtaking scenery.

If anyone has the time or opportunity... DO IT!

Notes For A New Year: Here Comes 2012

2012-01-02T17:54:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, as far as cycling is concerned, 2011 was a bit of a mixed bag. I achieved several of my riding goals. I rode the Wuling Challenge, I redeemed myself in the Tour of Changhua, I climbed Alishan and returned in a day. I purchased my dream bike, wrote a few posts, did some rides with some good people, and I became a dad.

I never rode from Taichung to Kenting in a day like I had planned. My Salsa Las Cruces broke prematurely and I was stuck sitting on the couch for a couple months without a bike and recovering from an overuse injury.

For 2012 I have some great posts lined up. I have a few rides planned and I hope to continue to be a good dad.

I realized I don't suck as bad as I thought, so I really need to work more on training, stretching, strength training and staying healthy. As I take a few weeks off with another overuse injury, I really need to resolve this problem to be healthy all year.

I hope to put in as many races as I can. I also hope to tour a few places that have piqued my interest. I hope to get back into form as soon as possible to beat it down to Kenting in half a day and tick that off my list.

I hope to see you all out on the road soon.

Good luck and safe riding in 2012!

Update: One Bike One: Under Pressure Ma Distances Himself From Event

2011-12-30T21:24:00.000-08:00

Under increasing pressure to distance himself from the growing number of allegations that Ma Ying-jiu's campaign has made improper and illegal use of taxpayers money for campaign related activities, the president and the highest ranking members of his campaign decided to skip the One Bike One event, which had been hyped for over a year.

Instead, the embattled incumbent visited a convention of doctors.

Update:

Despite initial estimates of one million riders, which had been lowered to 110,000 riders. The event only managed to attract just under 73,000 participants, shy of the government's goals.

Although the event probably succeeded in providing cover for spreading largesse to vital KMT patronage networks all over Taiwan, it failed to captivate the public's imagination in the same vein as the 2004 Hand in Hand rally, which catapulted DPP candidate, Chun Shui-bian to victory on a groundswell of Taiwanese national pride against Chinese hegemony.

The failure to captivate the Taiwanese imagination with such an event, political or not, demonstrates, in part, the cleavage between Ma Ying-jiu's push for Taiwanese national ambiguity, and the Taiwanese desire for more meaningful expressions of their national and ethnic identities.

Who knew a bike rally could be so loaded... ?

Update II:

A report on how Ma used the cultural commitee for his own campaing- copying DPP's 228 牽手護台灣

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xilv4BwR0Q

Here is a report from 自由時報：

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2012/new/jan/1/today-life1.htm

為避免政治炒作，文建會主委曾志朗前天就表明拒絕任何政治性的宣傳，因此，時常參加建百各種活動的總統馬英九及行政院長吳敦義，昨天反而缺席了「轉動台灣向前行」活動，由副總統蕭萬長、文建會主委曾志朗、體委會主委戴遐齡及執行團隊總召集人劉金標等人帶隊，自中正紀念堂出發騎往士林官邸。不過，蕭萬長發表感言時還提及很「讚」，並舉起雙手比如同「二號」的手勢。

The red part says the Ma and Wu are usually very keen at joining 100 Year activities but they intentionally skipped One Bike One event, instead the activity was lauched by vice president Siew, the head of culture commitee, and the head of Physical Education, and the chairman of Giant- King Liu (劉金標). Although the cultural commitee emphasized this is not a political event, Siew (蕭) still made a "V" hand gesture ( their campaign number 2) when he was talking about "讚".

Apparently, I am not the only one who saw this as having political implications.

Link

The Straight Story On Bent Forks

2011-12-28T23:43:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I gave a little link to Dave Moulton's Bike Blog in relation to that crazy fork I spotted on that custom bike in Taichung.

Dave does a great job explaining what happened.

Check out the whole post on Dave's blog HERE.

Dave says...

Over the years I straightened many steel forks like this one, with complete safety and often not even damaging the paint. When you consider that a fork blade starts out as a straight tube; it is then rolled in a machine between rollers to make it tapered. This process is done cold.
The top end is pressed to an oval shape; this is also done cold. Finally the framebuilder cold bends the fork blade to the desired curve. So if the fork blade is bent once more in an accident, it can be re-straightened cold with complete safety as long as the tube is not kinked or rippled.

One Bike One: Political Tools

2011-12-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

The One Bike One Rally, which I have blogged on extensively, has been getting lots of press this week as the government pushes to maximize exposure for incumbent Ma Ying-jiu.

Ma, who has vowed to drop out of the race if he or his party uses the state apparatus to promote his election campaign, has already been accused of leveraging state power against his opponents during this election and this event appears to raise more questions about the intentions behind such a rally.

From Focus Taiwan:

Organized to mark the centennial of the Republic of China, the "One Bike One" tour has so far attracted the registration of more than 110,000 cyclists, organizers said at a press conference in Taipei to promote the tour.

"This event heralds the arrival of the next century in Taiwan as an energy-saving one with a focus on healthy lifestyle options,"said Ovid Tzeng, minister for the Council for Cultural Affairs.

Despite the motives listed above, the event leans heavily on images and symbolism often regarded to be emblematic of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Yes, even the ROC flag is regarded by a large number of Taiwanese to be a partisan KMT symbol.

OneBikeOne 轉動臺灣向前行 not only conflates Taiwan's experience into the construct of the Chinese Nationalist belief in a Greater Chinese epoch centering around the foundation of the Republic of China in 1911 when Taiwan was a Japanese colony, but the clever use of the bicycle also plays on the name of the incumbent candidate Ma Ying-jiu for the shared character for "horse" （馬）

More than 7,000 riders have registered to set off from Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, which will be the largest departure point, said organizers, calling on interested bikers who have not registered to still join in the event.

It is also interesting to see that Chiang Kai-sheck Memorial Hall was chosen as the centerpiece of this event. The CKS hall was commissioned a year after the late dictator's death. For many in the KMT, the Chiang cult of personality is still a binding force despite his opposition to democratic rule and his notoriously bloody rule in both China and Taiwan. Chiang is a recognized symbol of authoritarianism in most parts of Taiwan, but worshipped by many KMT party heads who owe their wealth and careers to the Chiang family.

Bikers with smartphones can check in by downloading an app from the event's website and activating their app to start a GPS track, which will be recorded on the website's homepage.

Those without smartphones can send text messages to a designated number, after which their signals will be tracked.

With the latest allegations of security agents spying on the opposition, I simply found the idea of tracking riders apropos for signaling the lengths this government will go to influence the coming election.

If you decide to attend One Bike One, understand that your attendance will likely be politicized.

Forking Funny: Rake and Trail

2011-12-24T02:37:00.000-08:00

Here is a gem I saw on Xitun Rd. yesterday.

As I was busy fighting traffic on my way home, I saw this gentleman crossing the street. If you look carefully, you will notice a little something odd about this guy's bike.

A little lesson on fork rake and trail.

Maybe to improve comfort he can turn the handlebars up-side-down (something I have seen numerous times).

Luckily, the bike looks like a one-off custom job.

Bike Clothing for Taiwanese Winters II

2011-12-21T20:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a re-post of a post I wrote last year. I figured it might be about time to dust it off for another cold snap.

The weather over the past couple days has reminded me that you can freeze your ass off, even in Taiwan. No matter how often I get to rub in our great biking weather to my friends in North America, or Taipei for that matter, I still have to face the fact that we do get some cold spells from time to time. Fortunately, it doesn't stop me from riding.

When I ride in the mountains or on colder days in Taiwan, I found the best strategy is to use layers. Sometimes the temps fluctuate enough on a ride to strip down to short sleeves, or wrap up for warmth. Packability is key to choosing the right gear. You should be able to stuff everything in a jersey pocket.

The single most important factor for Taiwan's cold temperatures is wind. The winter wind really makes all the difference. Therefore, I use a really great Castelli windbreaker. It is amazing what a thin layer of windproofing can do to keep you warm. Often, that is all I need over a jersey. My wife likes her Pearl Izumi windbreaker as well. Hers is florescent yellow for visibility.

Both jackets keep a low profile to prevent unnecessarily creating drag. The last thing anyone needs when cycling head into the wind is any more resistance.

For really cold days I use a Craft base layer that is amazing. It is thin enough to see skin through the fabric, but it traps warmth. Totally recommended. It hugs the body, so it will not bunch up or rub. I just wear it right under my jersey.

Some other weapons against cold are my arm and leg warmers.

The Adidas arm warmers are cheap and work well. The Assos leg warmers stay in lace and really haven't warped since I bought them a couple years ago. For the coldest days I just slip the arm warmers over the sleeves of the base layer.

The rule for helmets is you always pay more for less helmet. I guess I paid a lot because I have quite a breeze that blows over my head when I ride. Therefore, I picked up a couple hats of different thickness. The thickest hat is my Nike thermal skull cap, but I have another one I got at an outdoor store that is really nice too. The important thing is to make sure they'll fit inside a helmet. Your helmet may fit fine as-is, but put too much hat in there and it can be uncomfortable.

The last adjustment I make for the cold is a pair of long-finger gloves. I got these Assos gloves that are actually summer gloves, but they work fine on Taiwan's coldest days. They are great for those in between days where it is freezing in the morning and then warm in the afternoon.

That's about it. You don't need much, but just enough.

Cart...Horse: Giant Promotes Bicycle Touring Without Touring Bikes

2011-12-19T17:37:00.000-08:00

Giant Global has just formally launched a new division dedicated to promoting bicycle tourism in Taiwan and around the globe. According to the press release:

Giant Global has formally launched its bike touring division, called Giant Adventure. The Taiwan-based travel agency will help individuals and groups plan bicycle tours in Taiwan and overseas, according to a newsletter circulated by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, the same group that organizes Taipei Cycle.

Giant expects the new business to enhance brand image and grow its customer base. Its target revenue for 2012 is $3.3 million, the report said.

Giant has had plans to be a player in tourism for several years; in 2009, the company told the Taipei Times it would launch a travel agency to promote bike tourism in the island nation among residents and foreigners. Plans were to start trips to some of Taiwan’s most picturesque mountainous and eastern cycling routes including Hualien sto Sincheng and Alishan to Sun Moon Lake, as well as Kenting—the southernmost tip of the island—Yilan and Kinmen, a Taiwan-held islet off China’s southeast coast.

One of my major peeves with Giant is the lack of any true touring bike in their line. Giant is very keen to promote leisure cycling with very little interest in bikes for touring or commuting--bikes with typically lower margins. Instead, the company seems intent on making tourers make an unnecessary choice between road racing bikes, flat-bar mountain bikes/XC bikes, or city hybrids. None of these bikes are optimal for touring. So when I first saw this headline for Giant Adventure, I was interested. I thought they had discovered what I had been seeing all along. (I'll never forget the frustration in asking a Giant retailer to show me a touring bike... priceless)

Now, let me just clarify my thoughts. I know many readers tour on all kinds of bikes. A purpose-built tourer should be a drop-bar road frame (preferably steel) with rack and fender mounts. It should have a longer wheelbase for stability, long chainstays for comfort and foot clearance, and be more upright for comfort over long distance in the saddle. These features are optimized for touring... not forcing the rider to make sacrifices. The Surly Long Haul Trucker is an excellent example of this type of bike-- a bike that is completely missing from the Giant road catalogue.

How can they hope to properly promote touring, when they don't offer a touring bike...WTF?

Bike To Work: Infographic on Bikes As Transportation

2011-12-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

This infographic from Andrew Sullivan at The Daily Beast helps show us why biking to work is vital for future sustainability.

Again I am reminded of Taiwan's two competing bike plans, which I outlined HERE and why the leisure model favored by the Ma government may be the wrong direction.

Created by: Healthcare Management Degree

From Taiwan Prison Camp to Olympic Glory: Cycling Star Honors Relative's Sacrifice on Formosa

2011-12-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

Remains of the Kinkaseki Mining Complex

Several UK news outlets are reporting on Chris Hoy, the cycling star from Scotland, who nominated his 94 year-old great-uncle for the honor of carrying the Olympic torch during the opening of the Olympic Games, which are to be held in London during the summer of 2012.

Hoy's great-uncle, Andy Coogan, was regarded as a major Olympic contender during the 1930's, until his training was sidelined by war and he was subsequently captured during the fall of Singapore and shipped out to toil under brutal conditions in the Kinkaseki copper mines as a POW.

From STV:

Andy Coogan was a top Scottish runner until he was captured by the Japanese and almost died as a prisoner of war.
Now 94, he endured terrible beatings as a slave in a copper mine in Taiwan and survived appalling journeys on Japanese hellships that took him to a prisoner of war camp near Nagasaki, where the Atom bomb was dropped.
After nearly four years of starvation, torture and disease he returned to Scotland after the war weighing just 6st.
He never regained his pre-war form as one of Scotland's most promising athletes and missed out on his dream of selection for the 1948 Great Britain Olympic team.

The mines in the hills above present-day Jinguashi on Taiwan's northern coast were part of one of the largest pre-war industrial complexes in East Asia. Miners dug for copper, iron and even gold inside the bright green hillsides. For allied POWs the conditions were harsh with frequent beatings, backbreaking labor, and, as the war for Japan soured, even less food.

The treatment of the POWs in Taiwan does not just highlight the savage brutality of the Japanese imperial machine, it also brings into focus the role and responsibility Taiwanese played in the complex negotiations between the colonized and the colonizer; a relationship many Taiwanese have been unable to reconcile as the Taiwanese identity and experience was subsumed by the political needs of the allies and the ROC during the Cold War.

Taiwan historian, Patrick Cowsill shows the role Taiwanese guards played at POW camps around Taiwan, much like the one Mr. Coogan was assigned to.

"We christened [the Taiwanese guards] the 'Runabouts' or 'Goons.' They seemed to be the lowest type in the army. Very young, they jumped at the commands of the lowliest [of] Japanese privates, who did not hesitate to slap them in the face. Face slapping seemed to be allowed from officer down through NCOs to privates in the Japanese Army. The Formosans were below privates and as we soon learnt, we were at the end of the line . . . These young 'Runabouts' reveled in their power, and they loved to rush into the hut, trying to catch prisoners too slow in bowing and coming to attention." - Jack Edwards, British POW at the Kinkaseki (金瓜石) and Hsintien (新店) camps

Mr. Cowsill shows how many Taiwanese were complicit in human rights abuses during WWII as colonial subjects of Japan. The actions taken by the Taiwanese guards demonstrate the ambivalence between the colonizer and colonized and a Taiwanese ambivalence in remembering its colonial past. It also demonstrates how the political ideology and coloniality of the ROC on Taiwan has prevented Taiwanese from fully coming to terms with the experience as a Japanese colony.

Following Japan's defeat, Taiwanese were suddenly regarded by their new rulers as victims, slaves, fallen or "backward" Chinese and ethnic traitors. At the same time they were reassigned an ROC identity, complete with a new history and ideological lineage to Dr. Sun Yat-sen--a virtual alien in Taiwan.

Overnight "we" had become "they". The Japanese colonials who had just lost a war with the Americans had suddenly become the victors while bearing the weight of another colonial project. The deeds, moods and feelings of the ROC were to anachronously represent the deeds, moods and feelings of the Taiwanese. The Japanese past was to be forgotten and replaced.

It is through this deliberate and forced act of forgetting that the Taiwanese experience as Japanese colonials became reified and reconstructed by locals in a deliberate contrast to the ROC. This problematic post-coloniality has created a selective memory of victimhood that interferes in allowing all Taiwanese to more objectively come to terms with Taiwan's culture, history and experience.

Many of those guards may have turned right around and worked at American bases after the war without inquiry into their wartime activities.

Only through realigning Taiwan's history and experience with the island of Taiwan as the central feature, and moving away from the ROC's China centered model, can Taiwanese begin to look at their image in the mirror to accept and understand their role as regional actors with rights and responsibilities that need to be upheld. The actions of the prison guards have been largely swept away and forgotten-- except by the survivors in men like Mr. Coogan.

*For more on the POW camps in Taiwan: Never Forgotten

Brad J. Nakatani RIP: 1975-2011

2011-12-18T00:44:00.000-08:00

I don't really remember much about Brad. I have flashes of memory of what he looked like as a teenager, but that is about it. These kinds of things fade in the adult memory and usually only come back in times of celebration, recognition or tragedy.

Brad was a year behind me at Newport High. We really didn't share too many friends. Our paths hardly ever brushed.

We grew up in a similar area. We knew the same lame hangouts and probably even shrugged at the same lame teenage gossip. That was about it.

What I didn't know is that Brad would go on to become an avid cyclist like myself. I am sure if we had had the chance to meet again we would have instantly bridged the gulf of old cliques and circles... to our common love of cycles.

Brad died Friday at a cold intersection near Seattle when a driver failed to stop for a guy on a bike.

This could be any one of us, on any given day. Brad's family could be my family.

My deepest condolences.

Ride Safe. Drive Safer.

OzSoapbox Reviews The Surly Long Haul Trucker

2011-12-15T23:32:00.000-08:00

It seems bike and equipment reviews are all the rage here at Taiwan in Cycles. So, I guess I'll piggyback on top of OzSoapbox and link to his extensive review of his Surly Long Haul Trucker.

The Long Haul Trucker is a stablemate of the Surly Cross Check reviewed a couple weeks ago. Both are excellent bikes, but the LHT is really ideal if you have long, unsupported touring and camping on your mind.

Taiwan is pretty small and therefore, in most cases, I would recommend the Cross Check over the LHT.Still, the LHT has developed a bit of a cult following.

Here's Oz with his opinion:

Looking forward I have no plans to get rid of my Long Haul Trucker so I’ll do another review like this after the next 15,000 kms rolls around. I’m looking forward to seeing which parts are still original and which have been swapped out. And also if any of the swapped out parts have failed too.
Either way, unless you find tediously selecting each and every component for your bicycle I can highly recommend Surly’s choice of components in their Long Haul Trucker Complete build as a great starting point. And value for money wise, even building one up yourself you’re not going to do much better than the complete model anyway.

Taiwan in Cycles: Introducing Our Newest Team Member

2011-12-14T00:20:00.001-08:00

Kit and some ugly dude

Taiwan in Cycles is proud to introduce a new member to the team.

Ms. Kit Dot Kerslake arrived December 13th at 1:20pm. She has 10 fingers and 10 toes. She weighs more than a good set of wheels an over twice what my frame weighs.

She is 48cm long and has long legs. A born climber like Pantani.

Please welcome her to the peloton and remember to occasionally fall back to help her catch up to the pack after a mechanical.

Happy days!

Kit models the new team colors

The Year in Cycles: Some Pictures From 2011

2011-12-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

One Bike One: Taxpayer Funded KMT Rally?

2011-12-11T02:20:00.000-08:00

As Taiwan’s fifth free presidential election heats up, there has been considerable criticism over public funds being used to unfairly promote the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) incumbent, Ma Ying-jiu and his radical policies aimed at appeasing and placating China against the moderate challenger of Tsai Ying-wen from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Now, as we head into the final weeks of the election, the bicycle takes center stage in the battle for the direction Taiwan will take over the next four years.

On December 31, the central government will be heading a massive One Bike One bicycle activity with the stated purpose of simultaneously setting 1 million bicycles in motion around Taiwan to celebrate the centenary of the ROC, the official name of the state governing Taiwan.

I have already elaborated on why events like this should be avoided for their underlying political motivations, but in the wake of the “Dreamers” scandal, in which the government paid US$7 million in taxpayers money to fund a National Day concert headed by a pro-KMT musical troupe free from competitive bidding, more scrutiny is due.

The uproar over the quasi-political nature of the concert and its astronomical cost led to the resignation of Council for Cultural Affairs Minister, Emile Sheng’s resignation.

New criticism is being heaped on the US$2 million One Bike One event for the potential misuse of government funds for clandestine campaigning, an issue I accurately detailed last year. In my post I wrote:

Ma identifies very closely with the ROC, as he has always been a beneficiary of its imbalanced existence on Taiwan. A cycling event that draws riders from 100,000 different points from around Taiwan gives the central government, controlled by Ma's own party, an opportunity to effectively conduct an unofficial island-wide campaign event that would allow the government to spread cash (in many forms) to all corners of Taiwan in the name of the ROC. The campaign gifts may come in the form of tourism dollars and other temporary infrastructure projects aimed at this event. It allows the government to purchase labor in all districts. It gives the government a reason to purchase space, materials, transportation and other goods and services (possibly at inflated prices) from strategically important districts and the politicians who run those districts. It gives the KMT an opportunity to purchase patrons.

Democratic Progressive Party legislator, Huang Shu-ying has recently come to the same conclusion and lambasted the KMT led government for its largesse and for blatantly campaigning on the public dime. I also suspect a clever play on words using tiema/鐵馬(bicycle) is being used as a subtle reference to Ma Ying-jiu/馬英九.

Organizers from the CCAB, in their own defense, have cited the massively successful Hand-in-Hand rally organized in the run-up to the 2004 elections an analog. The Hand-in-Hand rally brought out millions of Taiwanese linking hands from Keelung to Kenting, in a human chain symbolizing a wall of defense against the over 1500 ballistic missiles China maintains aimed at Taiwan as part of its threat to rein in formal declarations of independence so Taiwan can be forcefully annexed by China.

This type of internal propaganda and indivisibility between the party and the state has been a major problem in Taiwan as most Taiwanese do not fully accept the official national ideology, nor do they wholly embrace the historical narratives promoted by the KMT party, which served as the party-state from 1945 until 1988.

------------------------------

The ROC propaganda is not only directed at mobilizing support for the incumbent in Taiwan, but was also recently on full display for the second First International Bicycle Festival. This is one reason I was quiet on the event this past November.

During that time I did have the opportunity to meet with a group of bicycle journalists and their official guide as they toured Taiwan.

What really struck me was how much control the guide insisted on exerting over the experience and exactly what her aims might be for her audience.

She insisted on taking my name and phone number. She also insisted on knowing exactly what I had talked to these journalists about. I was instructed to not say anything "bad" about Taiwan or Giant Bicycles. In my discussion with the cyclists she grew visually upset with me for discussing some of the positive aspects of Taiwan's Japanese colonial experience and on Taiwan's complex relationship with that aspect of history. I guess Taiwan's 50 years as a Japanese colony are "bad". She became frustrated that I was critical over the government's use of bicycle tourism to support some businesses over others. She also mentioned how she got the job because she was friendly with a KMT part official.

Anyway, I could tell she had a job to not only sell cycling in Taiwan, but to also promote a certain image of Taiwan as a "Chinese"nation. She was also selling Giant bicycles.

She complained openly, in Chinese, about having to forbid her group from taking pictures of shark fin soup vendors or betel nut girls and how she needed to steer her charges away from anything too "low class". Her admission that these things exist and are not for foreign visitors are an implication of both guilt and shame.

The meeting left me in absolute shock. This was clearly someone who did not understand the importance of a free press.

During the entire encounter I kept coming back to a quote from George Kerr from his renowned book Formosa Betrayed.

Insulating visitors was a fine art, pursued by talented men.--Kerr p.155

I thought I gave the visitors a fair portrayal of Taiwan's riding conditions, including the dangers of the Su-Hua Highway. The minder was not amused.

What is clear, is that the bicycle has become a prominent feature on Taiwan's landscape of informal propaganda aimed both internally at its citizens to mobilize votes, and externally at foreign visitors and commentators who may take away a certain impression of what Taiwan is or is not. It is often hoped that these visitors will use their experiences at any time they may feel compelled to act politically.

A great example of the effects of this type of propaganda landed in my in-box last year and I have been sitting on it, waiting to use it in a post.

In an article from the Shore News Today in North Wildwood, New Jersey, Jacob Schaad Jr. recalls the 1980 Wildwoods International ProAm, and how it played into a greater game played by ROC propagandists.

Schaad writes:

NORTH WILDWOOD—The passage of years often dims or eliminates memories of historic events.
Such is the case in the Wildwoods, where in February of 1980 the leading officials of Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest took a 16 hour fight to the Republic of China, all expenses paid by their hosts, to establish a sister relationship with the city of Hsin Chu in Taiwan.
Two of the survivors of that trip today are former North Wildwood Mayor Anthony Catanoso, the Wildwoods longest serving mayor at 27 years, and his wife, Phyllis. The arrangement was for each of the three communities here to hold a reciprocal flag raising ceremony on Oct. 10 of each year concurrent with one being held in Hsin Chu. That date, called Double Ten Day, is as important to the Taiwan as the Fourth of July is to the United States, for on Oct. 10 in 1911 a revolution was started, which led to creation of the republic.
The Wildwoods became involved in Chinese-American relations as a result of the International Pro-Am Bike Race held on Five Mile Beach. Chinese representatives from the republic sent a delegation here in 1979, presumably as a public relations gesture to show that theirs was the real place to visit, not the Communist mainland, which was often described as Red China.
The visitors were treated so well by the Americans that they invited a delegation from the island to come to Hsin Chu for a sister city celebration there in February. Don’t worry, the Wildwoods mayors, et al, were told by the Chinese, we’ll take care of the bill. It wasn’t quite that simple for the Chinese, however. But the Chinese were persuasive and their powers that be came up with the air fare and other costs.
At first there was some question here whether it would be internationally correct for the Wildwoods to possibly start an international incident by visiting one China instead of the other, especially since the two Chinese factions didn’t get along, and still don’t today. One of the catalysts for the trip was the then-Wildwood Mayor Guy Muziani who had been to Taiwan at another time, believed to be for the purpose of wooing the big bicycle race to the Wildwoods. Muziani cautioned that the Chinese invitation would be canceled if all the Wildwoods mayors did not go. George Chan, a government official from Taiwan, put on the pressure for the Americans to come and the group finally yielded to take the trip.
The entourage for the seven day journey in February of 1980 included Catanoso, his wife; Muziani ;Wildwood Commissioners Wilbur Ostrander (and his wife) , and Richard Nordaby and Wildwood Crest Mayor Charles Guhr and wife.
“It was a big success,” remembers Phyllis Catanoso from Florida where she and her husband spend the winters. “They held a parade and hundreds turned out. As souvenirs the officials gave all of us Chinese coats. I still have mine.”
Their communities, then officially sister cities, the Wildwood mayors agreed to hold October Ten Day celebrations annually in their communities when they returned to the states. And they did that until they left office after which the celebrations disappeared from the local scene. The closest they came was almost two decades later on May 3, 1997 when, as part of an annual International Day program started by the then North Wildwood Mayor Aldo Palombo, the republic of China and five other nations (Australia, Canada, Greece, Ireland and Italy) were honored in North Wildwood. Dignitaries from each nation participated in the ceremony including Taiwan ambassador Tzu-Dan Wu and Jerry Chang, assistant to the director general of the republic.
The Catanosos, though, would like to see the October Ten Day celebration returned to the Wildwoods.
“After all,” they say, “we still are sister cities and that’s no way to treat a sister when you ignore her.”

The passage above details how something seemingly as far away from international intrigue as a bicycle race, can become the centerpiece of an effective propaganda ploy.

As Gary D. Rawnsley points out in his fantastic Taiwan's Informal Diplomacy and Propaganda:

Propagandists would do well to remember that an audience tends to filter out those messages which conflict with their own predispositions, thus laying to rest the idea that somehow propaganda can miraculously convert a mass audience; and to understand that an audience is also influenced by innumerable pressures from a variety of sources--the media, family and friends, education, class backgrounds, etc.--all of which can affect receptivity. Even the best propaganda will find it immensely difficult, if not impossible, to create emotions and attitudes that are not already present. The most effective propaganda will therefore use 'hroizontal' means of communication.... This is exactly how most of the ROC overseas propaganda is constructed--by targeting groups or individuals. Rawnsley--p.35
Given the KMT's control of the government machinery, it is perhaps inevitable that that this world-view should feed into the projection of Taiwan. It is disseminated abroad by embassies and representative offices, and is controlled by the GIO. It is a distinctly one-sided view of Taiwan's political system and its international status, and is therefore a somewhat distorted picture. Even Taiwean's English-language pages on the internet, a communication innovation heralded with a great fanfare as a breakthrough against censorship and political control, are written by the GIO. --Rawnsley p. 44

I think every observer and guest of Taiwan's government should be extremely cautious of the message they are expected to portray and how that message will be expected to play both internally and externally. Before committing to any of these events, we, as participants should also be asking ourselves, who is the beneficiary of our patronage.

Just because it is about bicycling, does not meant there are not ulterior motives at play. This also reaffirms how the bicycle has become a regular fixture of every election season.

Hold on to your helmets!

Rawnsley, Gary D. 2000. Taiwan’s Informal Diplomacy and Propaganda. London, Macmillan Press Ltd. ISBN 0-333-75119-1

Kerr, George H. 1965. Formosa Betrayed. London, Eyre and Spottiswood Publishers.

Seven Axiom SL Review: Long Term Test Results

2011-12-10T01:50:00.000-08:00

Introduction:

Almost a year ago I was busy fretting over which bike I should buy to replace my old ride. There were many directions I could have gone and in the end I took the bold and surprising step into the world of custom titanium. On February 26, 2011 I took receipt of a fully custom Axiom SL from Seven Cycles, a producer and innovator of custom and non-custom bicycles in Watertown Massachusetts, USA.

I would not say this is the only direction to go nor would I say this is the path that is best for everyone. There are tons of great bikes out there made from all kinds of materials and ridden by every type of rider, so I don’t want to get on my holy soapbox and tell anyone that they need to do exactly what I have done.

What I would like to do is offer a detailed review of the bike I built up and hopefully add my experience to the pool of knowledge currently available for people who are considering a custom bicycle frame and especially for those considering a bike from Seven Cycles.

There are two things I have noticed about product reviews, and that is that (a) they are written by people who make their living writing good things about bikes to keep the advertising revenue flowing, and (b) they are usually written within the first weeks of use and they are almost always positive.

Much of this phenomenon comes from our overall excitement over something new. I love new stuff as much as anyone else. Be it bikes, cars, gadgets, T-shirts or lovers… new stuff is always great to have because it is…well… not old. New stuff gives us a reason to get excited and run circles around the living room.

The other part of the equation is that whatever it is… is ours. We make what we feel to be rational decisions in forking over our dough for a doohickey and in doing so we want to defend our sense of making a sound judgment. We take on a certain degree of ownership that extends beyond the product and into the brand. The brand’s identity often speaks to our own identity. These euphoric vapors of newness need time to abate before a good review can be written and sadly, the best reviews are written about your “last bike” when you have a little more clarity. So, sadly, or not, I am still tainted.

What I have done is to put my bike through months of testing and I feel I can now offer a more useful and insightful review of the product.

Needless to say, I am not immune to my own romantic bias, and I shouldn’t be expected to enjoy any sort of immunity. I made the choices and spent the cash on building this bike up. I did my homework and feel like I made informed choices.

A bicycle is only as good as the sum of its parts, so I thought I would offer a complete breakdown of the build and an overall performance summary. Too often we read reviews of a frame, when so much of the ride is being manipulated by components and fit.

Seven Axiom SL Frame:

The Search:

Ordering a custom frame is a frightening and intimidating experience. There is always the thought in the back of your mind that you might screw up and provide the builder with the wrong information and end up with a very expensive bike that you really don’t want to ride. It happens.

I was looking for a titanium race bike to be agile enough for Taiwan’s roads, stiff enough in the drivetrain and stiff enough in the front and rear triangles to transfer over a fair amount of road feel to better assess my tack on the surface. I also wanted the bike to be just, and only just, comfortable enough to handle my notoriously long rides over Taiwanese roads. I also needed a bike aggressive enough for Taiwan’s yearlong bicycle event season. I wanted something that would be comparable to the carbon performance bikes, but still hold that solid metallic feel that I love with the durability of titanium. I have been known to be a bit careless or a klutz.

I guess I’m kinda’ fussy and I really don’t like cosmetic damage like paint chips or nicks in the clearcoat.

I have secretly been mulling this bicycle for a few years now and was already pretty familiar with the primaries. Moots, Independent Fabrications, Seven, LITESPEED, Lynskey, Speedvagen, Spectrum, DeSalvo, Kish, Baum, Eriksen, Rikulau and a whole host of others.

What really made me keep coming back to Seven was the amount of control the company holds over the customization process.

All the companies listed above are excellent frame builders. They all have their strengths and maybe even a little more cachet, as Seven has become so highly regarded it is often the first choice of the executive who has a wallet and ego greater than their commitment to cycling.

Most of the higher end American titanium manufacturers rely on the same mills to source their tubing. They are limited to the tube diameters offered by the mill and then tune the ride through an external butting process or through tube shaping. Many don’t even do their own butting.

Seven uses proprietary tubing developed jointly with the mill explicitly for Seven. Seven then custom tunes the tubing through a process of external butting. This cooperation and customization allows a greater degree of tube diameter and thickness to meet the specific needs of each customer.

Even though master builder Tom Kellogg of Spectrum Cycles has his frames welded by Seven, he sources and machines entirely different titanium tubes than used in Seven bikes.

One common critique of titanium bike frames is that they are too soft. This is especially true of many of the earlier frames modeled after steel framed bikes and the tubes were too small or thin. In the age of carbon fiber, where marketers have been busily stoking the consumer’s blind faith in the religion of “stiffness”, the stock titanium frame has gone from the top of the pro peloton to a market niche as a “sportive” road bike.

While I don’t believe ever increasing stiffness is going to make a better and faster bike, I do believe in having a bike with some snap to it. Some of the off the shelf titanium bikes I looked at just lacked that… snap. They also felt like aluminum cans. Coming off a stiff, but ultra-light scandium alloyed frame I was through with the super thin walled tubes.

Lastly, I combed customer reviews of the Seven Axiom SL and was encouraged that the bike held an aggregate 5/5 star rating over 37 reviews. You expect a certain level of inflation with an expensive bike, but as cyclists move on to newer rides they often write negative reviews of their old bikes. The number one complaint was a rider wishing he had made his ride feel either softer or harder.

The Seven Process:

Once I had decided on Seven, I needed to choose a model. Seven has been an innovator in custom material integration since its inception in 1997, and was a pioneer in combining carbon and metal tubing that resulted in a period a few years back where aluminum bikes were being outfitted with carbon stays and carbon rear triangles.

Seven offers several of these mixed material bikes in titanium and carbon fiber as well as some amazing full carbon fiber bikes. But for my needs, I wanted the simplicity of a full titanium frame. As the most customizable frame, the Seven Axiom SL fit the bill. At 1300g. (about 1/2lb) heavier than Colnago’s top of the line frame, a little more weight for a durable and sure feeling bike was worth it.

Compared Geometries

I found my Seven dealer and toted my hobbled bike out to the shop to do all my sizing.

The problem was that I was moving from a cyclocross race frame to a road race frame and that left little allegorical information for Seven to use from my old bike to optimize the new one.

I really wanted to start over from scratch based purely on my purpose and my body measurements.

Seven provides a paper survey in which your old bike is measured in detail and you are asked to critique its various qualities. They also have your body measurements taken along with an assessment of your range of flexibility. It is a pretty standard customization sheet. From what I understand it is a distilled version of the prior customization sheet, which contained something like a hundred questions.

The last part of the order form asks for your desired ride quality in terms of agility, drivetrain stiffness, vertical compliance and weight to performance. With only a 1 to 10 scale available, it is a dauntingly stressful task to have an uncomfortable look in the mirror and admit to what you really want and what you really need. This is the part that comes back to you in the middle of the night and keeps you awake…“Should I have chosen a seven instead of an eight?”

Luckily Seven also offers a telephone interview with a master fit specialist to help make more sense of your choices. I dealt with fit tech Neil Doshi, who made me feel I made the right choices. I explained my weekly routine, routes, road conditions, local topography, riding style, and riding goals. It did a little for the anxiety, but not much. If I were a fat executive with an ego and wallet greater than my commitment to ride, I may not have been as concerned, but as a poor, but passionate cyclist, with an interest in quality bikes, I was still very concerned.

A few days later I received a CAD drawing of my new bike. I poured over the geometry chart and those of other bikes I really dig… and there were some similarities… and some big differences. I really had to clear my head and think things through logically and it all made sense.

Actually, except for the longer chainstays, the geometry looked something like a few other thoroughbreds, which have a slightly longer wheelbase, but smaller rear triangle. Interesting! The front end was lifted a little for better climbing through central Taiwan and my weight was shifted a tad rearward.

I signed off on the CAD design and waited about 4 weeks before the frame arrived at 7 Park Cycles in Taipei.

Frame Appearance:

The frame is beautifully finished with intricate drop welds that show both an attention to detail and a very human touch. The first thing that popped out at me was the solid looking rear triangle. The chainstays were like a baby’s arm (ok maybe not that thick, but thick) and the seatstays were also not noodles. The S bend stays reminded me of Sacha White’s gorgeous Speedvagens that I also really dig. From the shape and detail it is evident that several of Seven's welders are also experienced metal sculptors. My bike was machined by Jon Henig, welded by Stef Adams and finished by Lauren Trout. I am happy to know the names of the people who did the work.

I flicked my fingernail along the tubes to listen for the changing tones of the TINK TINK sounds along the butting.

A lot of manufacturers will use larger diameter tubes to save weight and make for a stiffer tube. Seven used smaller diameters, but thicker tubing. I was so pleased to hear the sound of substance. The quality of titanium and butting was instantly recognizable, especially when compared to the off the shelf Van Nicholas and other frames I saw. Even the LITESPEED Archon didn’t feel right.

The bottom bracket looked solid as well with plenty of material left after milling. Even the massive dropouts were inspiring as they provide so much stability for the ride. A stable ride can really help bring the speeds up… especially on Taiwan’s technical dives off haystack peaks into hidden valleys and betel nut roads.

The frame looked like a precision instrument.

Drivetrain: 2011 Campagnolo Chorus 11

My change in the drivetrain is one of the most exciting things about this new bike. After using Shimano Ultegra for 3 years I wish I had switched sooner.

The Campagnolo system reminds me of a sports car with a good manual transmission…shift BANG! It goes.

KaThunk! Each shift is precise and sure.

Shimano was too soft I was always searching for the shift threshold. I missed shifts often. Now, one bad shift doesn't rot the whole barrel... er... rather Ultegra would become unreliable if I tried shifting out of the saddle on a hill. That thing always needed to be tuned. One klunker and I would have to reach for the barrel adjuster. It would be fine on the stand then go nuts again under load. With all the climbing I do, I really don’t need to be constantly battling to stay on the larger cogs in the middle of an ascent.

Before really spending any time on Campy I thought I wouldn’t like the thumb shifter. On the contrary, I absolutely love it.

The thumb shifter allows me to shift faster from the all positions on my bars. I can even reach a pinky over from the tops and shift when I am feeling lazy or on a climb. I can't believe the difference. You want to shift and it is there. Done! Chorus comes with Campagnolo’s “ultrashift” capability; the ability to shift 5 gears with the push of a button. Just reach your thumb over and squeeze----Bang!

The grips are also more ergonomic and a little elegant than the chunky Shimano style.

What I like even more is how the solid Campy shifting compliments the solid feeling of the frame. They fit together perfectly--The right feel for the right bike.

The only time it really acts up is when I need to add a little lube to the chain.

Racing on Wuling

Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 1:

The wheels really round out the ride (no pun intended). My first couple months of riding were tainted by bad wheels. They were just really soft. I would hammer on the pedals and get bounce from the wheels. At first I was really concerned that titanium was too springy and all the negative reviews of titanium came flooding back. I also started to wonder if I should have chosen a different number for my stiffness rating. I was worried. Moreover, my ass was getting bruised something awful over the course of longer rides from all the bounce.

Finally, my Fulcrum Racing 1 wheelset arrived and the difference was huge. Despite being stiffer wheels they rolled so much better over bumps and really smoothed everything out. That was the feeling I had been looking for. They are very firm, very precise and despite being a bit on the heavy side… they climb amazingly well. The thick bladed spokes offer plenty of support and absorb a lot of the unpleasant vibration from traffic control strips and other road noise.

I also was looking for an alloy braking surface for better stops in all weather.

Interface:

The interface points I went with all metal to stick with the overall look of the bike. I really don’t mind a few grams here or there. Building a bike involves a selection process that encompasses both the aesthetics of form and function. I really wanted to achieve a certain look that also made functional sense.

Bars:

I really like the Deda Newton anatomic bars as they allow me to get deep in the drops despite having a 134mm HT. The longer head tube makes the long rides a bit more comfortable and I need to admit to myself that the back isn’t as flexy as it once was. I can still pound it out in the drops on my Wednesday time trial in absolute comfort. The stem is also Deda, but in a slightly different alloy hue. I really wanted to “paint with metals.”

Seat and Seatpost:

I switched from a Selle Italia Gel Flo to a Fizik Arione. I really could go either way. The Fitzik is just a little simpler for the overall look I was going for. No issues at all.

The seatpost is one of the few refugees from my old bike. It is a titanium Selcof post that shined right up with a little brush from some fine sandpaper. I don’t think the adjustment is very easy, and it might not be my first choice next to a new titanium post, but it was a place to save some money after spending so much.

A lot of people think carbon fiber is the answer to a harsh ride, but I really have no issues at all with a titanium seat post.

Climbing at 10,000ft

Pedals:

Another refugee from my old bike were the Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals. Yes, I am sure it is bad form to ride mountain bike pedals with a fancy road bike like I have, but for all intents and purposes it makes a lot of sense in Taiwan. I often find myself walking somewhere for something. A couple weeks ago there were several riders who removed their expensive Speedplay equipped shoes to hike the last couple kilometers to Wuling. Sometimes I think they give be too much float and I sometimes feel I slide too much with them. They easily engage, and they look great, they’re light, but I have been unexpectedly popping out lately.

Fork:

For the fork I opted for the Seven 5E carbon fork for the simple reason that I didn't want to leave anything to chance. I figured Seven's ability to match a fork to my other specification would result in the best of the customization process. The uncut fork weighs 400g. Mine came with a 45mm rake, which fit my specifications perfectly.

At first I was concerned that the fork was too squishy and I know there are some stiffer forks out there for people who want their shoulders to soak up the impact. After trying a few more standing climbs and shortly afterward testing a couple other high-end bikes, I realized I was getting more flex from the bars and wheels than the fork. The fork actually does its job better than I had originally assumed. It reads the road like braile and transfers feedback to the rider without the jarring bite adding to a really responsive ride. I have felt some flex over hard bumps, but that is a good thing. I tend not to be the kind of rider who swerves around ever sewer cap and patch in the asphalt.

Performance:

I am sitting here writing this on a cold December day, not because I am bored or have nothing else to do, but because my mind keeps drifting off thinking about getting on that bike and how great it feels. After a switch to the steel bike last weekend I had time to reflect.

Over the past several months I have put this rig through its paces. I have ridden century rides, climbs, descents, races my weekly Time Trial. I have ridden in rain, on hardpack and at altitude. I have sliced into corners and attacked 20% grades out of the saddle. I have gently rolled along for coffee and cake. I have burned my legs out at high speeds. The process has been an evolution of feelings.

My very first impression was that the bike is solid. There are no creaks, ticks or clicks. Combined with the rest of the componentry the bike behaves like a single tool.

It took a little time to adjust my senses to this new machine as I had grown used to a certain balance and feel from my old bike. I was used to a different set of sensory cues for speed and cornering that I needed to forget. At first I felt I might be slower, but as I checked my Garmin I found I was moving 2 to 3 mph (not kph) faster than I thought. It was really easier.

Seven had trimmed 20mm off my bike and dropped my BB 4mm for a better sensation in the corners.

After building back into form I was feeling more and more of the difference. The stronger I got the more I could appreciate the ride.

Even after 4 months off the bike with injuries and no bike, I was immediately climbing better than before, using less energy.

The increased agility was noticeable on the first descent and took me a bit by surprise. I had to adjust my senses to get used to the bike’s reactions to more subtle shifts in body position. It now feels extremely precise and I can pick and stick a line off my favorite descents on the Highway 21. I think 42mph is a good indication on those switchbacks.

On congested city streets I feel like the bike is an extension of my body and I can just dip, dive and shimmy my way through scooters and cars to the front of the cloud of traffic. On my Wednesday TT this quality is huge.

The bike is designed as a neutral ride (not too much rake or trail), so when I hit that surprise hole in the pavement and my hands bumped off the hoods for a split second, I did not crash.

The bike is stiff like a good aluminum frame without the bite or vibration. It feels a lot like my scandium alloy frame, but a little less sharp. A good bump feels like a good bump… which is what I wanted. The BB is totally solid as well. I really can’t detect any negative frame flex, even when doing a standing climb. Especially going into a climb. The rear wheel never loses contact with the road; a problem which plagued my last bike.

In one race the difference was really noticeable when I was tucked into a fast group near the front of the field. We were really going hard with a big, powerful bruiser doing most of the pulling. Everyone was trying to slip in and take advantage of the draft. As we rolled along at about 40kph near one of the bridges, we ran into a huge patch of rough concrete as if that is where the workmen had parked the truck and just left the slurry of cement all over the road where it dried into a mass of lumps and strips. Our group of riders smashed through the messy roadway. The speed plummeted as riders on light carbon frames balked at the clacking and popping sounds of their gear shuddering across uneven roadway. I was keenly aware that my speed remained stable as I slid to the front to plan my endgame. Stiff enough to feel... but the suspension of titanium was all there. Goldilocks would have been impressed.

The fit and proper use of the material resulted in a bike I can ride hard all day and feel like I’ve ridden all day, but not in the wrong way.

The most impressive thing about this bike is how I feel after a ride. After each ride, no matter the distance or amount of effort, I can get off the bike and feel fresh. I can still run around and walk normally. I might be tired, but not beat-up.

With the other bikes I have spent any time on, I would get home and collapse on the couch with throbbing legs. The next day might be one where I am temporarily crippled by sore muscles. I really can’t explain it. Even after climbing 9500ft to Wuling, I got down to base camp and my legs were tired, but not exhausted. I felt great. Every ride is like this. I don’t want to declare that this is the “magic” of titanium, but I do suspect it has a lot to do with having a bike designed and tailor made for me, using the materials properly…without compromises. You can make a lot of bikes fit by adjusting the stem and seat, but this is really different. I really would like to contact Seven and find out how they did that.

A couple weeks ago I completed the hardest ride I have ever tried. I thought 250km/155mi. with over 3700m/12,000ft of climbing would be the ultimate ride and a great way to assess this bike. As I passed the 190km/120 mile mark my thoughts uncharacteristically drifted to my legs. I couldn’t believe how fresh I was feeling as I cruised against the wind at 37kph/23mph. I knew I was going to make it home and complete my ride.

This bike has now been ridden hard, it has been in the mix of races, the frame has been punished over Taiwan’s ribbons of road, it has been stressed and it had been hammered. It still looks and rides as beautifully as the first ride in March.

Although the idea of spending for a custom titanium frame may be controversial, this is a lifetime bike and with a little bit of tough love, the cost fades into irrelevance.

For the same price at a top of the line carbon fiber bike pumped out of a Chinese mold, you can get a life-long titanium bike with the same characteristics and performance (maybe even better).

Overall: The bike handles like a scalpel: A finely crafted instrument of precision.

The only time I really think about the bike is when I am not riding it.

If you really love biking, it is really ok to put together a savings plan or make a deal with the significant other to go the extra mile, go custom, and have a bike that is all about...you. It is a commitment to a life.

One Bike... MINE!

Best Taiwan Blogs: Vote And Discover Taiwan

2011-12-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

It is election time, so once again Taiwanderful has launched its annual campaign to select the best blogs in Taiwan.

Although blogging may seem a bit narcissistic, but it actually brings thousands of eyes and thoughts together to better flesh out a place and all the connections that help us perceive where we are and what makes our communities.

Too often all that is Taiwan is reduced to a single pithy line in the Associated Press. Blogging gives us the depth of experience that is often missing from the lines of the formal press, lines that are often lazily regurgitated to satisfy a deadline or make exciting copy.

The blogging community does not provide any singular, uniform narrative, but it weaves together thousands of incongruous and oft conflicting narratives that result in better representing the reality and complexity of our shared Taiwanese community.

Go to Taiwanderful and browse the blogs. Vote on the good ones if you feel like it, and discover something new about Taiwan.

Browse and Vote HERE

Blog Posts and Travel Notes

2011-12-07T19:44:00.002-08:00

Here are a few interesting travel posts:

The Cycling Canadian reports on several recent rides.

Personally, I love the highways in the interior: the northern cross-island highway, the central cross-island highway, and the southern cross-island highway (they’re more roads than highways). The scenery along these roads is wonderful, and you can check out places like the Alishan region. The mountains of Taiwan are, in fact, riddled with narrow and fascinating roads that seem to go everywhere and nowhere. My favorite thing by far in Taiwan is just to hop on my scooter and go driving around the mountains. Most of the roads aren’t even on any maps, and you can just pick a road and see where it goes. You end up having all kinds of adventures.

Ronin on a Bike recently visited from Japan and blogged a bit about the experience.

Dropped off my hardhat then started on my journey south. Could quickly get on to Route 193 towards Hualien. Nice empty coastal road, including through a graveyard the size of a small town, with a strong tailwind and speeds up to nearly 60 kph. Just a couple of busy kilometers through Hualien centre, then a couple of punctures before getting back onto Route 193 alongside the River Siouguluan. Almost no cars on this route on this Sunday, but fairly good road quality and frequent "cycle rest stops" where you can fill up with water and use the bike pumps.

I never had a chance to link to OzSoapbox and his write-up of the Old Caoling Bikeway near Fulong.

Fulong Station marks the start of the Old Caoling Bikeway and as you can see is quite busy.
On the right there you’ve got lunchbox places to eat at and there are numerous bike rental places scattered throughout the immediate vicinity of the station.
If you are riding down to Fulong Station or come by car down Route number 2 along the coast, this is the intersection you want to stop at to turn right;

_____________________________

Other Links:

New Zealand cyclist fight to bring bike on train.
Super Sprinter Mark Cavendish wins Sportsman of the Year. Winning a lot helped... minimize displays of his notorious sportsmanship.
Vino paid dearly for a victory? 100,000 Euros!
Running to become a better cyclist?

Red Kite Prayer on accumulating equipment.
VeloNews with a look at the impact Highroad had on cycling. Without Taiwanese sponsor HTC, the team folded at the close of the 2011 season.

Ride With Rapha: Join Cycling's Top Gear Touring Taiwan

2011-12-06T22:46:00.000-08:00

A reader forwarded this tidbit of information my way regarding Rapha, the fine bicycle equipment maker and clothier, and the company's enthusiastic entry into the Taiwan market.

Rapha makes some pretty sharp, albeit pricy duds, but Taiwanese cycling is now at a stage where riders are becoming more brand savvy and looking for bikes and equipment to reflect a more discriminating taste.

----------------------------------

INVITATION
MORNING RIDES WITH RAPHA
We cordially invite you to a series of rides with Rapha in Taiwan.
Rapha’s Adam Horler will host a number of rides in and around Taichung and Taipei on the 14th, 15th and 16th December.
On Wednesday 14th December, Adam will host a two part ride to Sun Moon Lake from Taichung, meeting at 6.30am at No.499, Huiwen Rd., Nantun Dist., Taichung City 台中市南屯區惠文路499號 (文心森林公園後7-ELEVEN), where we will then ride 40km to Chungshin New Village, have breakfast and then those who are able can continue on to Sun Moon Lake.
On Thursday 15th December, we will ride from Taipei to Wulai, a ride to the mountains. We will meet at 6.30am at Xindian Station.
Then, on Friday 16th December, we will meet at 6.30am at Taipei Zoo Park for a 40km city ride, followed by breakfast at Helen Coffee.
We’ll talk all things Rapha, road racing, bikes and more. Please wear your best road attire, we want to represent the sharpest riders in Taiwan.
Please send an e-mail to adam.horler@rapha.cc to book your place on the ride and breakfast, indicating the dates of the ride/s you wish to join.
There will be a cap of 40 riders for each ride. We will take the time of e-mail sent to make any cut off.
Thanks for your understanding.

Direct Links: Cyclist Cruises from China to Taiwan

2011-12-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

With the recent tourism links between Taiwan and China, several cyclists have taken advantage of the direct cruise ship links between Taichung and China's port city of Xiamen.

World Biking, a site dedicated to riders hoping to ride through every country on the planet, has written a review of the experience.

The place was a madhouse of tour groups in funny hats queuing up to board the boat. Our bicycles were our ticket to first class service and we were whisked to the font of the line to board the ship first. The crew bustled around stowing our bikes and bags, then lead us up to a comfy cabin complete with dazzling lilly- white bed sheets and a fluffy pillow. After setting sail, I wandered around the ship and discovered not only karaoke and a dining room, but a sauna and Japanese-style bath house.

The writer does a fair job describing what it means to tour Taiwan. I am also grateful for WT recognizing Taiwan as a country rather than trying to find some cute way of degrading Taiwan and its relationship with China.

ADDED: *Cringe!*

Here is how this trip is being spun by China Cenral Television for the Chinese audience:

The first high-speed roll-on roll-off vessel has returned from Taichung to Pingtan of Fujian Province at 16:10 on December 1 (local time) along the second sea routes opened between the Chinese mainland and its island province of Taiwan.

The vessel carried 181 Taiwan compatriots in its return trip. The arrival time was an hour behind due to a strong gale-force wind on the way.

The vessel "Haixia" (Strait) made its maiden voyage along the new route on November 30, carrying more than 500 tourists on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. Some of the passengers have also brought their bicycles along for a bicycle trip on the mainland.

"It's great. The ship is so fast and the trip is so economical. It would greatly facilitate tourism and trade between the mainland and the island,"said Yi Jiansheng (pinyin), passenger from Taichung.

"It's a pioneering undertaking, an undertaking pioneered by the Taiwan Bicycle Friendship Association by taking advantage of this platform provided by the new sea route. We hope that the people on both sides of the Straits would have more of such opportunities of exchanging bicycle tours," said Xie Jianguo (pinyin), a passenger from Taichung.

Problems Over-Developing A Bicycle Paradise

2011-12-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Map of New Development in the Rift Valley

A couple pieces have caught my eye over at The View From Taiwan, and I thought I could weave cycling into the discussion.

Two articles in particular stand out. The first involves the rapidly expanding development of Taiwan's East Coast. And the other highlights recent criticism of a bill that would critically impinge on the rights of Taiwan's First Peoples.

Michael does such an excellent job with many of the details, so I will simply expand upon the ideas here to better demonstrate how these initiatives impact and will be impacted by cycling and bicycle tourism.

Much of the hoopla surrounding the recent Taiwan Cup and Taiwan's International Bike Festival involved showcasing Taiwan as a cyclist's paradise. Although we each have our own idea of what cycling paradise entails, the thrust of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau's presentation revolved around the amenities and activities specifically constructed to cater to the bicycle tourist. Many of the projects put on display were the result of a tourism building boom that had given the Ma administration plenty to crow about, and moreover, these projects have provided construction and development companies a fertile playground to capitalize on the deliberate transformation of Taiwan from a leader in technology and industry into a tourist Mecca.

Although I support expanding rider support all over Taiwan, the country's penchant for unchecked development, illegal construction, kickbacks , payoffs and creative zoning threatens to not only discourage visitors who are looking to enjoy Taiwan's rugged wildernesses, but it also threatens the collective rights of Taiwan's indigenous inhabitants, many of whom own the lands along the Rift Valley between Hualien and Taidong.

The Taipei Times reports:

Amis representative Konon Panay (古孟巴奈) said the central government did not define and grant Aboriginal lands, but it has been depriving Aborigines of their lands in the name of development.

Under the government of the Republic of China (ROC), the often correlative concepts of "development" and "eco-tourism" can be viewed as demonstrative of Taiwan's problematic postcoloniality.

When the Republic of China (ROC) arrived on Taiwan in 1945, the government instituted a program which located Taiwan's Hakka, Hoklo, Pingpu* and Aboriginal communities as "backward" in need of the modernity the ROC claimed to possess. The authoritarian government of the ROC used development programs in an attempt to "modernize" and transform the people of Taiwan into something subjectively better and "improved". Non-Taiwanese were located closest to the civilizing center and Aborigines at the furthest points.

In many ways the ROC scheme reflected pre-existing beliefs of Qing era transformationalism, or the belief that "savages" could be improved if they could learn to act like "humans", as well as the social darwinism that was popular with Sun Yat-sen and his cohorts. Taiwan's Aborigines were believed to be a degraded people who could be improved through the ROC civilizing program.

Many Aborigines were asked to move from traditional villages into "modern" concrete houses. Not only was the move away from traditional homes an attempt to modernize them, but the act can be viewed through the Confucianist lens as an act of taming; of transporting indigenous people through time to near the present and away from the "wilderness", which has been traditionally viewed by Han people as both savage and degraded. Even during the Qing colonial era, farmers along Taiwan's western plain were implored by official decree to "tame/open the wasteland" through farming. These believes reflect the deep connection between traditional Confucian views and official ROC ideology. Emma Teng's book Taiwan's Imagined Geography provides a great read on how these beliefs manifest themselves in official writing on Taiwan's indigenous peoples.

I think these beliefs can be seen from 2008, when Taiwan's current president and Chinese Nationalist standard bearer Ma Ying-jiu addressed a group of Aborigines.

Ma was quoted as saying:

"I see you as humans and as citizens of this city. I'm going to educate you well and do a good job of providing you with opportunities. That's the place from which the attitude of aborigines needs to be adjusted...now that you've come here, you need to play by the rules here..."

The pejorative distance between city and country, savage and non-savage, degraded and elevated are on full display with Ma clearly envisioning himself in the position of the civilizer.

The moves for development groups to go in and develop the indigenous lands along the Rift Valley while stripping or weakening the rights of indigenes to manage their own development creates a system of patronage, where the indigenous peoples must rely on the development groups and their political benefactors for economic support. Many of Taiwan's development schemes are not only owned by outside investors, but often many of the only jobs created are in service or entertainment where indigenous people are requited to perform quasi-traditional performances for the pleasure of tourists thus becoming the exotic object of desire on their own ancestral land while most of the profits go elsewhere. I recall "Aboriginal dancing" being one of the "highlights" promoted to visiting journalists for the Taiwan International Bike Festival.

The prospect of cycling tourism has become one of the driving forces behind much of this development; development that is neither sustainable, tenable, ethical or just.

For these reasons I would recommend cyclists ask for cycling development in Taiwan with a lighter touch to best enjoy Taiwan. I hope those people who arrive in Taiwan on a government paid junket or for cycling tourism can covey the belief that often less is more and we care about more than simply bike trails or hot springs. We care about the entire cycling environment including how the land was acquired and how much local involvement goes into planning cycling infrastructure. For now many of the decisions on bicycle infrastructure and development are made by politicians, developers and their corporate backers.

* Pingpu existed under the Japanese, but were incorporated into Hakka and Hoklo groups under the ROC by 1953.

ADDED:

Food For Thought: Two thoughtful articles about tourism from Ryan at Savage Minds. Article 1 and Article 2

Steeling Away On A Light Tourer: Some Great Steel Bikes For Touring Taiwan

2011-12-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend Chris B (pictured below) toured around on his brand new Surly Cross Check. The Cross Check is one of my most recommended bikes when riders or prospective riders email me to find out what kind of bike they should ride in Taiwan for a little of this and a little of that.

Although carbon fiber race bikes are all the rage, the aggressive geometry and lack of expansion is really limiting to most riders who are not interested in racing.

A better choice for a multipurpose bike for Taiwan's roads is the Cross Check or other similar bikes. Unfortunately, the margins on steel are lower than carbon or aluminum, and thus the big retailer/manufacturers really don't want to put their customers on a great steel bike, and would rather offer race bikes or flatbar aluminum XC bikes.

The Surly Cross Check is technically a bike designed for cyclocross racing, but its designers understand that racers are in the minority and keep the design to the loosest affiliation with the muddy sport.

What the engineers have done a great job of, is isolating the aspects of cyclocross racing that enter our daily lives, and concentrated on putting those qualities into a frame that can be the jack-of-all-trades.

The Cross Check can be a commuter, a light tourer, cyclocross racer, drop-bar, flat-bar, city, country beast of burden.... You can beat it all to hell and the 4130 CroMo steel frame will buck up and take the abuse.

Chris was looking for a bike to do it all from a loaded commuter to weekend recreation... from sunny day touring to muddy day single track.

Also, Chris is a really big guy.

The frame is 4130 CroMo steel. It is not a featherlight bike and comes in at about 5lbs heaver than my titanium Seven. Still, it is better to take the weight off the ass, than pay out the ass for just a few grams. As a non professional racer Chris could care less.

The steel frame with long chainstays gives a stable, supple ride to take the bite out of the asphalt. The bike is a bit of a truck, but it can easily crank up to speed. I found the handling to be very stable and forgiving. You can look away to chat with friends without worrying about rocketing into a ditch.

The relaxed geometry suits Chris very well. He has some weight to lose and it puts less pull on his lower back to stay in position. He can also be more upright to enjoy the views or keep an eye on traffic and not just the wheel in front of him.

The Cross Check, like other cyclocross or touring bikes, comes with cantilever brakes to accommodate fatter tires (up to 45mm), which means Chris can switch out tires from skinny road slicks for asphalt, to fat, knobbies for the dirt. The Cross Check comes with Ritchey Speedmax tires that are ok for the road, but wear out after a couple months. They stick well on hardpack or sandy roadways.

One downside about the cantilever brakes is that they don't have the stopping power of a good set of discs or caliper brakes. A change to Swiss Stop or Kool Stop pads will get them a bit closer.

The cable routing along the top of the top tube allows for shouldering the bike up stairs or over obstacles. When I was riding my old Salsa around Taiwan I found this cable routing to be optimal.

The bottom bracket is finely TIG welded and felt stiff enough. The ride was compliant more like a tourer, but over rough terrain it will save your ass.

The stock Cross Check comes with a wide array of Shimano and Tektro parts to bring the cost down. These can all be upgraded or changed out if the rider feels they can do better. The important factor here is that the bike can be adapted to grow with the rider.

Another feature that is lacking on so many other road bikes in Taiwan, is the use of both rack and fender mounts. You can throw a rack on the back, add a pannier and load up on supplies for work or a camping trip.

The rear cog is a 9spd 11-32 cassette that, when combined with the 48/36 tooth chainrings, should be perfect for most rides and climbs, as long as you are willing to train for it. This avoids the need for a road triple.

The front derailleur is Shimano Sora and the rear uses Deore... again... it can always be changed and should be fine for Chris... for the moment.

One thing that is a bit different about the Cross Check is the bar-end shifters. These are often preferred for touring rather than racing. The Bar-end shifters are great when you are in a more upright position, hands on the bar-tops and you want to shift as opposed to the more aggressive road positions optimal for speed. Personally, I like STI shifters, but I think this is great for where Chris is now, and I don't see anything wrong with them.

The fork is an all steel fork, so it should be strong and also soak up the road chatter.

This is really a bike that can be configured to do it all and last a long time. With a little frame saver sprayed inside the tubes this bike should last Chris as long as he wants the bike.

This is really the bike so many people are asking for, but not enough people know they want it or that it exists.

Chris paid NT34600 at:

Famous Bikes

Manager: Tom Jian

No.5 Xitun Rd. Sec.2

Taichung City, Taiwan

Tel: 0933239055

email: famous.bikes@msa.hinet.net

Famous also carries other brands of similar, steel-framed light tourers.

Dom A. bought a nice Louis Garneau steel touring bike from Famous with a similar configuration of Shimano and Tektro. Dom has taken his bike around Taiwan and abused it very well over the past year and a half.

Famous Bikes is a Salsa dealer as well. Salsa sells several great light and heavy steel and titanium touring frames that are well speced and don't cost a fortune.

If you are seriously considering a frame like these, go contact Tom at Famous and be prepared to wait. Many of the frames over 54cm have to be imported back to Taiwan and it can take a couple months to receive a shipment.

Taiwan in Cycles Shill policy: HERE