Congratulations to Fabien Cancellara on his ability to survive and win the 108th Paris-Roubaix.
Distance: 260km/160mi
Time: 6:35:10
Average Time: 39.4kph/24.6 mph
Sunday, April 11, 2010
225km (140mile) Warm-up Ride: Taichung->Nantou-Chiayi and back!
Last week I turned in a good 90 mile ride and I knew I had to increase the length to get into shape for my upcoming 260km ride to Kaohsiung. Last week I had a pretty bad flat and it did quite a bit of damage to the sidewall of my rear tire. I have been riding a set of Continental GP4000 tires for two and a half years and I love them. Still, with 7000 miles on them they are getting a bit worn. With tires, as they start to wear down they flatten out and feel hard and fast. The speed isn't so bad, but the level of comfort plummets and the level of confidence in the tire plummets as well. I went out Saturday to find a replacement set and couldn't find any in all of Taichung. Many places carry the tires, but were sold out. The Contis are a well made tire with good road feel, speed and enough tack to grip the road on hard turns. They have been very reliable as well. It took me over two years to get my first flat. My Saturday odyssey took me to ten or more shops and what surprised me most were the 'alternatives" some of the shops tried to offer. It told me a lot about the differences between shops in Taichung. I am sorry, but a "Road King" or a Bridgestone is not a suitable replacement for a Conti GP. In my opinion, tires are not one of the components you can compromise on. The right tire plays such an important role in handling, comfort, performance and safety. Tires can last for a couple years, so I am not about to waste money on something I will regret for two years. I also learned how uninformed many shops are on tire width. Most shops carry 23c tires because that's what the pros have. There is no difference in speed between the 23c and 25c tires. If anyone tries to tell you as much then they don't know tires. A 25c offers more comfort without a drop in performance. A lot of pros use 23c because they are slightly lighter. In Sunday's Paris-Roubaix they were using 25-28c tires. Grrrr! I have some nice 25c on order, but I had to endure several hours in the saddle on old, hard tires with structural weakness. 
Ride Map
April is quickly becoming a heavy riding month for me as I prepare for my trip to Kaohsiung 高雄 at the end of the month. As I dial in my fitness, nutrition and cadence, I have put together a few rides that could be considered "long" by any measure. Seeing as this was Paris-Roubaix weekend, I thought I should push things a little closer to my goal of 260km, the official distance of the Queen of the Classics.
Lots of Riders Out
My ultimate goal was to reach the central city of Chiayi 嘉義 and return, so I naturally headed toward the inland town of Nantou 南頭. This would be my longest single-day ride to date and so I started slow with a nice warm up along the Highway 3, which is the major corridor to the interior of central Taiwan. The goddess Mazu was having her birthday celebration this weekend and the pilgrims were out in force. The roads were full of tour busses and gangsters galore, which made for some dicy riding. The weather was warm and not as windy as Saturday.
Pilgrims on Parade
The route through Zhushan 竹山 and Linnei 林內 on the Highway 3 is a fantastic ride on a bike if you like cruising at a good clip. There are more scenic routes, but when you are trying to log distance the idea of getting lost on an unknown backroad is not part of the plan. My speed through Linnei to Douliu 斗六 was in the mid-twenties and I kept along with a caravan of gangster-pilgrims from Changhua. At first a guy was going to have some "fun" and throw a firecracker at me... until I sternly shook my head and glared. I pulled up along side and, in my best Taiwanese, made small talk. From that moment on they were rooting for me. A black Nissan Cefiro (usually the biggest danger on the road) pulled up and the red-mouthed dudes in the car shouted with approval as I kept pulling away from their caravan. Today was full of friendly and encouraging people.
The Cobbles of Douliu
I ran into several groups of cyclists on the road and we all commiserated together over our good bikes with underpowered engines. I really enjoy the instant rapport you feel with every other cyclist on the road. There is a sense of respect and understanding. Rarely do you run into a guy with something to prove.
Stone Ox River
Outside Douliu, I connected to the Highway 1 South. I hate the Highway 1, but at least it goes somewhere. My speed was inconsistent at this point and I was facing a bit of wind. I was only 55 miles into my ride and I was starting to worry.
Rails of Chiayi
The ride to Chiayi is faster than I had anticipated and I was there well before noon. The sun was really beginning to bake and I was aware that I needed to take more liquids.
Performing Arts Center
As I got closer to Chiayi I was pleased to see the Chiayi Performing Arts Center. The architecture resembles the classical temples and houses of Qing era Taiwan. This is in stark contrast to the ornate, faux-traditional, Northern Han style the Kuomintang erected during the 1960's and 1970's to reflect a glorious China that existed in the imaginations of the Mainlander elite, but was foreign to Taiwan. Compare this building to the Palace Museum, Democracy/Dictator Memorial Hall, and other Nationalist monuments in Taipei.
Ah! The 168
I got lost in Chiayi city because I felt I had to get within the city limits to truly claim to have gone to Chiayi. On a long ride there is nothing worse than getting lost. Each kilometer going nowhere could be better put into going home. Each kilometer and minute wasted is one more that will have to be made up with that much less gas in the tank. Needless to say I was a bit aggravated. I finally backtracked to the Highway 1 again (I didn't want to backtrack anything) and then I turned off onto the Chiayi Local 168 to Hsin Gang 新港. The 168 is a marvelously straight road with plenty of biking space... and a very heavy headwind from the ocean. My speed plummeted and I didn't want to waste energy fighting with it. At one point I was passed by another cyclist and started to doubt myself. I had to conclude he was on his 5th kilometer of a 10km route. I eventually met up with him and we chatted about our routes. Sure enough... he was on a 10km route. Whew!
Monk Bisiness
At about Bei Gang 北港 I found the gearing I have been looking for all my life and was spinning at around 20-21 mph for most of the final 70 miles. I actually felt better on the latter half of the ride than at the beginning. I was really pleased with this stage of my ride. I think I will try to keep this speed and cadence all the way to Kaohsiung. The road was filled with Mazu well-wishers, but not too bad. The heat was really beating down after 1:00pm. I stopped at a 7-11 to get more water and noticed my forehead was caked in salt. I looked like a margarita glass. I had clouds of white salt all over my jersey as well. I decided to take in some sport drink as well to get the salts back and better retain water.
Plowing Through
I reached the Yunlin Local 154 and made the choice to go back through Hsi Liu 西螺. It is a prettier ride and I was sure of making my 200km goal for the day. I just kept the speed up but I have to admit, I was not entirely comfortable. My tires are just worn down and hard, so I really can't wait to change them out. I feel pretty good. My legs aren't as tired as they should be and I have no more big rides planned until April 24th. Now I will just keep rested and stretched with some small conditioning rides throughout the week.
I know there are a few people out there who I have promised to ride with, but I really need to get this big ride taken care of and then I will be free as I don't have any big project on deck. I look forward to riding with you all again when this is over. Until then I will be focused on making April 24th a success.
Final Score 140 miles (and no that is not the real time of arrival. I arrived about 5:00pm)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Zoom Into Bike Materials
Friday, April 9, 2010
Taiwan Review on Taiwan's Future in Cycles
The Taiwan Review has a lengthy article, full of propaganda puff from the Government Information Office, about the government's plans to integrate cycling into the transportation matrix.
In July 2009 and January this year, Lin was among the government officials and experts who reported to Republic of China (ROC) President Ma Ying-jeou in the presidential office about the establishment of biking path networks around Taiwan. In response to these opinion leaders and given the increasing popularity of biking activities, the president called for policies and regulations specifically covering bicycles, as well as the integration of bicycles with other mainstream means of transportation.
The word "Taiwan" doesn't appear until the third paragraph... just sayin'
Lin points out that, in contrast to the strong commitment to biking seen in some foreign cities such as London and Paris, however, cycling has been promoted in Taiwan at the central government level, with the result that resources have been spread somewhat sparsely across the country...
I blogged about this earlier, contrasting Taiwan's dislocated and inefficient system with the Seattle Master Plan.
Although the MOTC is moving to take the lead for national biking policy, projects to develop local bike paths continue to be financed by the Ministry of the Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency (CPA) and the Cabinet-level Sports Affairs Council (SAC). According to a construction plan by the SAC, a budget of NT$4 billion (US$125 million) will be devoted to the development of an integrated network of biking paths around Taiwan from 2009 to 2012, continuing similar efforts started by the council in the early 2000s for sport and recreational purposes.
You can see by the alphabet soup above, how bureaucratic divisions, budget rivalries and lack of cross-agency communication can impede the process of integrating cycling into the transportation grid. To expand on the paragraph above, it is obvious that cycling in Taiwanese officialdom is neither transportation nor a sport.
Despite the great controversy and initial complaints from car drivers and motorcyclists about designated biking lanes on Dunhua Road in Taipei City, Liu says the city government will stick to its program to develop and maintain a network of bike paths in downtown Taipei. As for the quieter areas in local communities, which Liu notes are already a favorable environment for cycling, speed limits for motorized vehicles will be reduced to ensure a more carefree, safer ride.
This disaster has been criticized repeatedly for its deeply flawed conception, construction and effectiveness. Rather than add another transportation debacle to the growing list compiled by the Ma/Hao Mayoral administrations in Taipei, the city government will do what it does best---nothing.
While the Urban Road Act has yet to include bicycles explicitly, as some critics and activists call for, the Legislative Yuan did pass an amendment to the Highway Law toward the end of 2007 allowing for specific lanes for bicyclists and pedestrians on existing roads or alternative routes. Generally speaking, bicyclists are supposed to travel in the slow traffic lane—the lane nearest the side of the road—but sometimes they forget that they are more vulnerable than motorcyclists and car drivers, leading to quite a few traffic accidents, says the MOTC’s Lin Kuo-shian. “More often than not, bicyclists are unclear about whether they’re using a ‘vehicle’ or are just a faster moving pedestrian,” he says.
Despite the high election year talk, cyclists are still largely off the radar and weren't even included in the URA. What gets me about this paragraph is the "blame the cyclist" approach. I have blogged on traffic safety before, and the overwhelming factor in Taiwan's dangerous streets is the lack of willing enforcement. If traffic enforcement is regular, fair and consistent, the drivers learn to expect it and drive accordingly. I know this. In college I was a parking officer. It works.
Taiwan's Muddled Message: Around The World In 30 Months
Taiwanese Couple Cycles The World for Taiwan... er... ROC... er... Whatever We Are...
This article from Taiwan Focus er... focuses on a Taiwanese couple hoping to cycle the globe to raise awareness for cycling, for the environment, for Taiwanese products and for their home. I hate to be such a cynic, and with a focus that narrow how could one go wrong?
Let's have a look shall we.
Taoyuan, Taiwan April 7 (CNA) A Taiwanese couple are embarking on a cycling trip that would take them to four continents in 30 months to promote the centenary of the Republic of China (Taiwan), as well as environmental awareness awareness and Taiwanese products.
Due to competing histories, ideologies and political interests, it is not uncommon to find that Taiwanese are often confused or unsure how to represent Taiwan in an international setting. This is made even more difficult by an education system that is still leveraged to promote Chinese nationalist ideology and Chinese nationalist culturalism. The incongruity between the Taiwanese experience, state constructed histories, and an official policy of national ambiguity, sews confusion both at home and abroad during international exhibitions and cultural exchange programs. This was highly evident during the recent World Games in Kaohsiung, which promoted a simple Taiwan centered message and the Deaf Olympics in Taipei that opted to tone down Taiwan in favor of an ambiguous Chinese Taipei and confused references to China, Chinese and Taiwan. Many Taiwanese will get confused when I talk about how "we" fought "you" during WWII. Taiwanese history is actually taught from an R.O.C. perspective that is divergent from a Taiwan centered perspective. This type of myth making is commonplace amid governments and civilizers that still seek legitimacy amid an ongoing "civilizing" program. It is no mistake that the constitutional role of education in Taiwan is to create a "national outlook". This colonial approach was confirmed by the education reforms of 1953 that sought to transform Taiwanese into Chinese. Many of the references we hear to "Chinese" this or that... are deliberate and are the result of directives issued by the Government Information Office.
The article continues:
He thought the year 2010 would be a good time to make the trip because preparations are beginning this year to celebrate the ROC's centenary next year and cycling is a good way to promote awareness of climate change and alternative energy.
....
Yen and Lin said they would like to dedicate the trip to the Republic of China (Taiwan) , which was established in 1911, as a birthday present to the country.
In my experience I have never met a cyclist in Taiwan who did not identify with Taiwan as their country and their land. With this much beauty it is an easy place to feel attached to. Most cyclists and most people for that matter, never refer to the ROC. I haven't heard it spoken by a non-political Taiwanese in a very long time. The Taiwanese identity is actually very deep as it accurately reflects what people really feel. So, as I read through this article I couldn't help but think, "something doesn't feel right."
Bingo!
With a budget of around NT$2 million (approximately US$63,400) , Lin said, the trip would not be possible without the sponsorship of several local bicycle companies, which provided them with bicycles priced at NT$200,000 each, and the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which asked Taiwan's foreign offices to provide help.
Aha! Either this couple is going to whore themselves out to MOFA in exchange for a free trip, or, and I hope this is the case, they are going to nod their heads, agree to the terms of their propaganda tour, take the money and use their trip to have a wild time promoting Taiwan around the world as "Taiwan". If this is the case I hope they pull it off. With so many masters it will not be easy. Lesson #1 for getting sponsorship: By hook or by crook.
I found this quote encouraging:
A certified historical sites guide in Taiwan, Lin said he believes that he will be able to share Taiwan's stories with foreigners and "show Taiwan to the world" during his trip.
Don't forget the shout out to the sponsor!
"And about 90 percent of our equipment are Taiwan-made. We would like to tell people these products are very well-made in Taiwan, " he said.
Update: Here is an alternative article by the Taiwan-centered Liberty Times.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
From Hell with Love: Paris-Roubaix
Hell of the North on 4/11
The Paris-Roubaix is known as The Hell of the North, The Queen of the Classics, and the Easter Race. It is a one day race that makes up one of the sport's "monuments", along with Milan-San Remo, The Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and The Giro di Lombardia. Paris-Roubaix is usually 260km of narrow back roads, cow paths and the notorious cobbled stretches that are as heralded as much as they are reviled.
The race was established in 1896 as a venture between textile merchants who wanted to raise their profile and later the P-R acquired its fitting moniker, "The Hell of the North" following WWI, when a scouting expedition for the race returned from the countryside aghast at the level of destruction. The name stuck as it can aptly be applied to describe racing conditions, which are often wet, cold, muddy and fraught with all sorts of danger.
"Thousands line the road in this annual rite of spring cheering their larger than life heroes. Urging, at times, even helping them victory. They ride in the tracks of bygone legends dreaming of distant fame and glory. But glory is not without a price.These bloodied and battered warriors struggle through the rain, the cold, the mud, on roads better suited to oxen cart than bicycles. But for the victor there is glory, immortality and a place in history amongst the giants of the road. Since 1896, the greatest bike racers on earth have come to test their very souls in this brutal and beautiful spectacle".
CBS Sports - 1987
Clip from A Sunday In Hell
"Let me tell you, though - there's a huge difference between Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. They're not even close to the same. In one, the cobbles are used every day by the cars, and kept up, and stuff like that. The other one - it's completely different ... The best I could do would be to describe it like this - they plowed a dirt road, flew over it with a helicopter, and then just dropped a bunch of rocks out of the helicopter! That's Paris–Roubaix. It's that bad - it's ridiculous." - Chris Horner
The cobbled sections are incredibly dangerous and many a wheel and steerer have been eaten by the cobbles resulting in some serious carnage. The most notorious section of cobbles (pave) runs through the Arenberg forest; a stretch of uneven stones that has sat in place for centuries and now remains unused by all but farmers driving cattle to the fields.
The route is so punishing, many teams come prepared with modified equipment specifically designed for this race. Teams typically run wider tires at lower pressures, switch out carbon fiber stems and bars for aluminum, use double or triple wraps of bar tape and some even come with specially designed bikes that barely pass UCI rules. Many teams have been known to use modified cyclocross bikes with their longer stays and relaxed geometry--Anything to take the sting out.
“It's a bollocks, this race!” said de Rooij. “You're working like an animal, you don't have time to piss, you wet your pants. You're riding in mud like this, you're slipping ... it’s a pile of shit.”--Theo de RooijWhen then asked if he would start the race again, de Rooij replied“Sure, it's the most beautiful race in the world!
After the first rider enters the velodrome in Roubaix and does a couple spins he can collect his trophy; a single cobble stone mounted on a plaque.When I built my own bike up I had Paris-Roubaix in mind. I wanted a bike that could soak up the bumps on Taiwan's roadways where, due to the construction economy, roads are patched and repatched regularly. I thought of the modified CX bikes and thought I could do the same. So far so good.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Cancellara Wins Flanders!
Congratulations to Fabien Cancellara of Saxo Bank on winning the Tour of Flanders. I wonder if his legs are as tired as mine...
Update:
Distance--259km. or 160.9mi.
Time-- 6.25.56
Average Speed--40.26kph or 25.16mph
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