The Bicycle and National Identity

Here's is a great little video of one person's Top Ten Cyclists. Some of the footage is truly amazing and inspiring. You can really get a sense of the grit it takes to even compete at this level. Only after you've hammered for a day on a bike can you fully appreciate the heroics these guys have accomplished. Look for the Lance snub.

The Bicycle and National Identity

With the Tour de Taiwan scheduled to begin on March 14, I think it is really amazing how cycling has become a significant part of Taiwan's national identity. People love to turn out and watch.

As most people know, Giant is the world's leading producer of bicycle frames and related products, but it is not the only major player in Taiwan. Several large companies work in close cooperation with smaller subcontractors that produce much of the equipment that makes its way into the professional peloton. Despite what many folks are led to believe, Taiwanese companies do not simply supply the labor to produce foreign designs, but rather conduct much of the initial R&D. The now ubiquitous compact geometry was first developed by Giant to fit more people over fewer frame sizes. This close and cooperative relationship between the OEM, subcontractor and foreign customer has allowed the bicycle industry to seep from the centralized factory compound deep into the township economy. Initially this phenomenon went against the Leninist sensibilities of the KMT during its years of political monopoly. U.S. pressure helped break the state's stranglehold on large industries and allow for small companies to grow and expand.

Taiwan's particular historical trajectory resulted in Taiwan developing the unique economic and industrial relationships between the center and the periphery. Following WWII when most Taiwanese were excluded from participating at the center of political, cultural life and state driven economic enterprise, those who owned land and could rely on extended family for labor, could deploy these resources to establish small to medium sized enterprises. It was not uncommon for young men and women of the era to have received some industrial and vocational training under the Japanese. These small to medium sized enterprises often took advantage of guanxi networks to build the foundations of an industry. For example, at one time, almost the entire township of Caotun was in some way involved in the umbrella manufacturing industry. Homei did textiles and the township of Chingshui once produced hats for the Japanese where the skilled weavers later went on to sew tennis racquets and other sporting goods... including footwear and later parts for bicycles. Piece work was a common way to enter an industry and involve the entire family in the process. From this period the Taiwanese bicycle industry really took root.

The Taiwanese consciousness of their global role as the producers of the world's finest bicycles was partially driven by politics as many political actors sought to strengthen a Taiwan centered identity which has existed for at least 100 years, but an identity which has been assailed by competing ideologies since its inception. Despite the politicization of the bicycle in Taiwan, the image has been widely accepted as a meme of both the Taiwanese identity and Taiwanese pride. It is not uncommon to see politicians ride bicycles or pictured along side bicycles to appeal to the Taiwanese national identity which is shared by approximately 80% of the population (Often those who do not support the Taiwanese identity by deed are the first to appeal to it).

This conflation of the bicycle into the Taiwanese identity often manifests itself on the road where ordinary folks take an interest in a group of passing cyclists. I get spontaneous waves and smiles from random strangers when I am on the road. Children root and cheer. I have had complete strangers hand me food and drinks. In the U.S. the only time you get a drink is when someone shouts "faggot!" and throws a Big Gulp at you from the window of a pick-up. In Taiwan, people like to admire a nice bike and they can usually tell if it is good or not.

Still, I always get the same question... "Is it a Giant?"

Sachs and Pr0n!!!

Ahh bike porn at NAHBS (North American Handmade Bike Show).

I love seeing what the craft bike makers are doing. Black Sheep, Vanilla, Richard Sachs...

Packin' Pistola

Cycling has become a part of the local landscape

For the past few months my good friend Michael C. (also friend of cyclists Michael T from The View From Taiwan., Michael F., and Michael K.) has been sorely disappointed with his current bike, a Giant hybrid, and has been plotting and negotiating with the missus to get a new bike that actually fits his riding style and suits his goals for his future as a cycling enthusiast. I have been doing my best to give him some help (or not) in finding something that he would really want and like to ride and that fits his size and power. I have to admit, I have been playing a bit of devil's advocate to help clear away the clouds of marketing to look at the fundamentals of the bikes... and at times I am sure I have been a bit of a jerk about it, but when you've watched your friend agonize over having the wrong bike, you hope he gets it right the next time. It is like watching a friend date a girl who is bad for him. So for some time I have been pouring over geometries, discussing materials and components, looking at after sale service and warrantees, and lots and lots of customer reviews. I have been looking for the potential problems. But when it comes down to it... you just need to get out and ride the friggin' bikes. Even if you don't want to buy them, the more you ride the more you can tell the difference between them.

The Salsa Pistola tester

Today Michael C. took the day to test out the steel Pistola from Salsa Cycles. Just because I own a Salsa does not mean I wasn't critical of it. The Pistola is kind of a neat bike in that it is a modern road bike with compact geometry, but it is made with True Temper OX Platinum alloyed steel, which is a composite of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium for a lightweight steel tubing that retains its rigidity. It is really an excellent frame material, but steel has lost out in recent years to cheap aluminum frames and carbon fiber. Still, steel makes an excellent frame that can take some real punishment. The tester was supplied by Tom at Famous Cycles in Taichung and it was speced out with SRAM Rival, another great groupset. SRAM has been a real innovator in the past few years and I gotta say, as a Shimano man, I am a bit jealous.

With a bike to put through its paces Michael C., Michael T. and I decided to hit the pavement and punish the bike in real world conditions. A lot of shops don't let customers ride before they buy. Giant shops often don't let customers take a bike out of the store unless it is paid for. A terrible way to buy a bike. We are really grateful to Tom for allowing a full road test.

Michael tests the bike on a standing climb

We took off from Feng yuan in Taichung County and followed the Highway 3 past the reservoir. The first part of the trip took us over the rolling hills between Taichung and Miao li counties.

A group of Taiwanese cyclists brave the risk of falling out of fashion

by participating in last season's fad: cycling

A few clicks past the reservoir we turned onto the Miao li County Rd. 130. The 130 is a pretty rough hill climb that scales a (770m) 2500ft. mountain and descends into San yi. It is a beautiful road that really let Michael C. put the climbing abilities of the Pistola to the test. He tested for excessive flex, comfort and climbing chops.

A peloton of Michaels

We stopped at an expensive Hakka restaurant called the Mile High. They served fat. Really! We ate a bowl of fat with some traces of meat in it. As an athlete it is really hard to deliberately eat fat. I have been conditioned against it.

The view from the 130

We continued to the top where the views are spectacular and, like most roadside scenic views in Taiwan, the hill top was canvassed in carts selling coffee and sweet sausages. I have been told by an area local that the rice sausage they sell at the top has been bleached to make it look fresh.

Michael T. and Michael C. crest the last hill

The back side of the hill is a great, high speed descent with tight turns and switchbacks. Michael flew down the hill and cut into the turns. The Pistola was extremely stable in this regard.

Stressing the frame on a steady climb

We took the left at the bottom of the hill that leads to the "Broken Bridge". As I was flying down the road at 27mph. my derailleur cable snapped and I was stuck on the 12 tooth cog. This made the entire ride to Feng Yuan feel like another hill climb.

Michael on the Pistola

We finally made it to a Giant shop and chatted with some old men, exchanging routes and biking info while they fixed my cable.

Michael finished his tester of the Pistola with a generally positive review of the frame. It was stiff enough for climbing, yet forgiving in that it could easily be used for century rides without getting beaten up. It descended with confidence and felt solid, like a steel bike should.

The fit wasn't quite right and so he felt he was reaching for the levers and the biggest problem he had was with the Salsa Short and Shallow ergo bars. Some people like them others hate them... he was a hater. He could have used a different seat. The Mavic Askium Race wheels, which we all expected to be a bigger problem, were not that bad, but a serious rider would probably want to upgrade. The SRAM gruppo was tight and responsive. The hoods were comfy and the brakes worked very well. So the review was mixed. I am not sure if he will go with this bike or not, but it would be a great bike for a person looking for a durable, distance bike or a person who likes the feel of steel. I would say if you are considering a Specialized Roubaix and want or prefer a tough steel frame, the Pistola is worth a look. With the right fit this is a real stand out. Oh! It is manufactured, I believe, but don't quote me, by Maxway in Da jia, which is known for its high quality steel welds. I have to admit to a twinge of jealousy.

Orientalism:

If you really dig this picture I have a set of replica samurai swords to sell you.

The view on the way home.

Night Rider

Since I have been discussing safety I thought I should post something about the dumbest, most dangerous ride I do. It is also my favorite.

Like most people I don't have enough time in my life to ride. The cycling understatement of the year. SO I need to get saddle time where I can find it.

Two or three nights a week I do my evening hill loop. It is a 14mi. (22.5km.) loop from Taichung City to the Tunghai market and back. I started doing this during the summer because it was cooler and I could better exert myself without worrying about offending my coworkers with anything worse that my humor.

The loop starts out in Nantun and I take Wu Chuan W. Rd. all the way to the Circle K on the hill by the industrial park. From there I cut right and take the Gong Ye #22 Rd. to Gong Ye 1st Rd. It makes a nice, steady climb to the back door of the Tunghai Market. I cut through the market and dodge people and traffic, before I cross Chung Gang Rd. to the International Street. I hammer my way to the top and then come down the hill at 40mph (64kph) to Xitun Rd. Xi tun is packed with traffic and it is a battle all the way through. I take it as fast as I can go before I join up with Wen xin Rd. and sprint home. On Wen xin I can usually reach speeds between 30 to 35mph (48-56kph). I also do this listening to an ipod. Eh! Sometimes while climbing as fast as I can, a little Steve Perry makes all the difference. So... yeah! Stupid, dangerous and a lot of fun. So far it takes 43min. to complete. Still, I don't take unnecessary chances. If I don't beat my time I don't beat my time.

Wish You All Safe Riding

I heard from a friend in Taipei that he and another rider were out when a cat ran out in front of them and the other rider went over the bars. The poor guy was taken away in an ambulance and last I heard was awaiting surgery on a broken wrist and other fractures. The guy will be off the bike for some time, which, as any cyclist knows, makes the pain hurt all the more. When we take on cycling as a part of our identities we become members of a much larger community. Although I have never met the injured cyclist, I feel for him and wish him all the best and a quick recovery. That just sucks!

Anyone who has spent more than a little transit time in the Taipei-Taoyuan International Airport will know that Taiwan's traffic pretty much sucks. Every driver on the road drives like a complete selfish asshole with no exceptions... they are guilty by default. When I drive I am probably an asshole too. It is a fact of life here.

Taiwan has one of the world's highest vehicle mortality rates in the world, possibly the highest, with double the number of traffic related deaths than in the United States. Between 50% and 80% of all accidents are motor vehicle related depending on the year (Selya, 2004).

"What is especially disturbing about accidents in Taiwan is that common sense policies and practices if but implemented could lead to a radical decrease in in both the number of accidents and the accident related mortality."-- Roger Mark Selya

I recently read through the entire driving manuel and it can be divided by category in descending order based on the question frequency as follows:

a) Easy Common Sense (Example: You should obey the traffic laws.)

b) Social Morality ( Example: If you are in a hurry you should not honk and yell at other drivers.)

c) Morality for Truck and Taxi Drivers (Example: If you hear passengers discussing a drug deal you should show love for your country and take them to a police station.)

d) Punishment and Fines (Example: Talking on the Handy Cell Phone when driving is a NT3000 fine.)

e) Safety (Example: You should stop at a stop light.)

I am often under the impression that the entire driver's education program is really not designed to promote good, safe driving, but rather to get students to pass the examination. There is an entire industry related to this and the approach is the same for any examination in Taiwan. Cram cram cram. I have run into cases where the police didn't even know the traffic laws and it cost me NT2000.

As cyclists, we are used to being low on the food chain and must adapt to survive. A few things I do to stay alive on the road:

1) Ride on the far left of the right lane. You can be seen by drivers and when they DO (and they will) blindly speed out of side streets. You also have room to move to the median between lanes.

2) If the light is green and has been green for some time... do not assume it is safe to continue through the intersection without slowing down. I have a regular descent I take at 40mph (64kph) and there is an intersection near the bottom. There are several times I would have been killed if I had gone through at full speed. Even though it takes away from the ride, I'd rather slow and crank back up to speed than die.

3) Assume everyone on the road will do the dumbest thing possible at any given time. Oh what I've seen....

4) Ride like you belong in the road. People often treat you just like a scooter (maybe a little better) and so they have no problem cutting you off or passing inches from you without realizing the danger. If you ride like you belong there you can negotiate a little more space.

5) When stopping at a red light, slow down, check your rear and stop in the scooter box at the front of the stop. In Taiwan people like to catch yellow lights... after they've turned red and often speed up to the intersection and can't always stop or assume you are going to run it too. Cars also use the opportunity to take fast right turns. before the traffic starts. I've seen a few rear-enders form this.

6) Be careful running "safe" red lights. I know lots of cyclists like to blow through lights if it seems safe because winding back up all the time can take a lot out of you. It is just that there are a lot of surprises and I know a few people who have gotten clipped doing this. Just... careful doing it.

7) Keep an eye on the betel nut stands... dangerous for the obvious reason, but also watch for drivers who just got their fix and are preoccupied with their craw full of betel.

8) Give busses the right of way. They will often quickly swing right if they see a passenger. I was forced into a parked car when a bus came from behind and swung right.

9) Be careful who you yell at. Since most cyclists don't have a horn (If you do send me pics.) The voice becomes the best tool to warn people or ... ahem!... let them know they've just done something stupidly dangerous and potentially life threatening. Still, taxi drivers are going to drive like that and nobody is going to stop them. They have radios and a dozen friends with metal pipes and bats under their seats... all at a moment's notice. Don't piss 'em off.

10) Unless you are a novice or slow cyclist, avoid bike trails and markets. Just don't go there.

And sometimes there is nothing you can do, like when a cat jumps out of the bushes.

I would just like to wish everyone safe cycling.

Get well soon Lucas! I don't even know you, but I understand.

1) Selya, Roger Marc.2004.Development and Demographic Change in Taiwan 1945-1995., p.p. 256-257.London. World Scientific Publishing Co. Ltd.

Shimano Di2 Kills Ridgemont!

With the debut last year of Shimano's new Dura Ace Di2 electronic shifting system, it seems cyclists have stepped back to watch the latest schoolyard fight between industry giants. The technology has been around for 20 years, but only recently had the technology allowed a viable product to reach the market. In the past few years we've seen incremental changes in shifting technology: Rather than making the 10 cog cassette better, Campy jacked it up to 11 and SRAM has received raves for its double tap system for customized efficient shifting.

With the Di2, Shimano took the "solution in search of a problem" approach and they did it in spades. When it was first introduced the skeptics gathered round to wait for the first mis-shift or chain slip. When that didn't happen they then surmised that once the dust settled from the announcement, it would short out the system. That didn't happen either. As more professionals have been given the Di2 the more Shimano has proven the strength of the technology with clean, crisp, accurate and reliable shifting. The Di2 system has even made it into the cyclocross scene where it performed flawlessly while caked in mud as documented by the Velonews article below.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/10/bikes-tech/cross-electrified-shimanos-di2-group-hits-the-dirt_99000

Even the "connoisseur" cyclist has to choke on his vomit and admit that the system seems to be working and working well. I had the opportunity to try it on a Colnago C50 a couple months back and the chain immediately shifted from cog to cog. Efficient.

Now...

With the technology proving itself in the field, the issue ... ahem... shifts from purely an issue of technology into the realm of cycling philosophy. Sure, there will still be those who will live or die with Campy for its Italian pedigree or hate Shimano for its lack of rebuildability or its ubiquitousness. But I imagine both Campagnolo and SRAM have a similar system in the works and eventually the technology will trickle down to the lower gruppos and electronic shifting will be the next STI lever.

The professionals don't really have room to choose and will race whatever their sponsors tell them to race and it will trickle down to all the wannabe professionals, poseurs, wannabes, those racing out from inside a mid-life crisis... basically anyone who wants to have what the pros use regardless and have the money to buy it.

For those of us who have a choice, the philosophy of what cycling means becomes an integral part of the equation.

Is cycling simply about physical performance on a bike? Does it matter how we ride as long as the legs are pumping at the pedals or does the joy of cycling come from learning the skill to pull off smooth and effective shifts in different situations under strain and exhausted. Is there anything to the skill of tuning and knowing one's bike? Is there something about being fully involved that adds to the experience? I keep thinking of the opening sequence of the classic documentary, A Sunday In Hell and how much care the cyclist puts into his steed. He knows every inch of the bike and cared for it like a soldier cares for his rifle.

Is this like the difference between manual and automatic cars (I know you still choose when to shift on Di2)? I like manual because I feel like I am "driving" the car, but manual allows me to worry less in city situations and starting at a stoplight on a wet hill. Does the Di2 take anything away from the riding experience that will make all bikes feel like they operate the same?

I just don't know.

Weather or Not to Ride

After 5 days of Lunar New Year rain wind and cold, the weather breaks just in time for the regular work week to start. May we only get rainfall on recovery days. I can do the cold, but the rain I avoid.