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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Bikes , Beer and Links: It Must Be Friday



I know someone who bought an electric bicycle so he can continue to drink and drive without getting tickets. You know... to be safe. Besides... as he told us... he doesn't have a drinking problem because he isn't one of those guys who goes out drinking all the time. He usually gets drunk at home by himself. *sigh!*

For those of you who don't know Taiwanese drinking culture first hand, it is unlike its other Asian neighbors to the North, Japan and Korea, in that young Taiwanese are relatively contained with their alcoholic consumption.... Not that they don't drink, but it is not so much the passed out on the sidewalk all hours salaryman or the violent puking youth on a train in Seoul. Sadly, Taiwan's heavy drinkers and binge drinkers are often the "lost generation" of middle aged men who gulp down expensive (and inexpensive) whiskeys because they "have to"or maybe to chase the demons of lost opportunities and lived lives that weren't theirs. That is at least what I have sussed out from the old drinkers I know or what comes out during their slurred ravings. Who really knows? I see lots of 50ish men who are alcoholics.

Fortunately, some Taiwanese researchers have clued in to the growing number of people like this person I know, and have done something about it. (Check out the leather bike beer carrier from the link as well)

A group of engineers from Taiwan believes that drink riding is likely to be such a problem in the future that electric bikes will need a built-in breathalyzer.

The bicycle built at Chienkuo Technology University includes innovations such as an electric motor to drive each wheel and handlebar warmers, but the most notable feature is a handlebar-mounted breathalyzer that prevents the bike from being ridden if the cyclist is over the legal limit.

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Cycling News from the Tour of Taiwan:

Eibegger maintains overall race lead

Driven by the will to provide some solace to earthquake-affected Japan, rider Shinichi Fukushima of the Japan national team put up a splendid display of determination and prowess to take Stage Five of the Tour de Taiwan 2011 – a 111.2km ride round the cultural city of Taichung.

Japan were recently hit by a devastating earthquake with the subsequent tsunami resulting in not only loss of lives and properties but has also affected the stability of several of the country's nuclear plants.

And Fukushima today was very proud of his achievement when he went off very early on the stage to complete the route in 2:53:52 to finish with more than a minute advantage over second-placed Park Sung Baek of Korea and the rest of the peloton.


The next stage will be a 136km route through Changhua. It will have a couple climbs and should be fun to follow, especially if you frequently ride the routes.

Also:

Be sure to catch up with Taka on the last day of his tour around Taiwan.

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Other Links:

Mosaic Insane Series: Tip to Tip in 24!!!!


Every so often someone comes up with a project that is just awesomely mad. Cash Huang from T-Mosaic has come up with just the thing.

Unfortunately, my leg rehab will not allow me to join. But otherwise I would love to take on this awesome feat.

You can see more at: http://tmosaic.blogspot.com/

Kudos!


Extreme north台北富貴角燈塔 (Taipei Fukwei Lighthouse)

    

Extreme south墾丁鵝鑾鼻燈塔 (Kenting Ouluanpi Lighthouse)

騎乘日期:2011年4月3日(星期日)~4月4日(星期一)
Departing: Sunday 4/3/2011
Arriving: Monday 4/4/2011

騎乘時間:24小時
Est. Ride Time: 24hrs

計畫行程/ Route Plan:


4月3日(星期日)
AM08:30 TMOSAIC集合 (Meet at TMosaic)
AM08:50 出發(交通搭巴士到台北,轉捷運到淡水) Bus To Taipei Destination
PM12:00 淡水午餐 (Lunch in Tamshui)
PM13:00 騎車到富貴角(白沙彎民宿) (Ride To Fu Kwei Cape "White Sands" Hostel)
PM14:00 休息(REST)
PM20:00 挑戰開始 (Official Departure)


4月4日(星期一)
AM07:00 預計到達雲林麥寮 (Estimated Arrival in Mai Liao)
PM13:00 預計到達屏東東港 (Estimated Arrival in Dong Gang, Pingtung County)
PM18:00 挑戰完成 (Finish!)
PM19:00 PARTY
PS:住宿(墾丁福華飯店) (Stay at Kenting Fu Hua Hotel)


4月5日(星期二)
4/5 Eat Breakfast and Return to Taichung

早上吃完早餐回程台中

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Taichung Indy Bike Store: Sam Bike

Sam Bike CLOSED (Another one bites the dust)
Manager: Sam Huang
No. 611 Mei-tsuen Rd. Sec.1
Taichung, Taiwan
Tel: 04-2375-3905
Cell: 0937-218-055
email: sam23753905@gmail.com


I have been bast this little shop a number of times, but never found a reason to stop. I finally figured I should take a look if I am going to keep working on my Indy-shop catalogue, and I am glad I did.

Sam Bike is an unforgettable name in its quirkiness to the English ear and they really don't have much stock on display. They could easily be dismissed as by a passer-by as a fly by night bike store that was built to make a quick buck on the growing trend toward road bikes.

It is not.

When I stopped in I asked Sam, the owner, what kinds of bikes he sold as I could see a small assortment of bikes lined up on the sales floor. He replied, "I'll get you anything you want. I sell all kinds and I can get all kinds."

Hmmmm... that left me searching for more conversation.

I then asked what made his shop different among the other shops in the area and I was surprised by his reply.

Sam told me that it was all about the proper fit. His philosophy, which I can totally agree with, is that when a customer comes in looking for a bike, he will spend up to two hours doing a fitting to then find the right frame and components for the rider. He also will make adjustments to a rider's current bike to achieve better performance or resolve issues with pain or discomfort.

If you are looking for a bike that will fit or need to solve a pain problem, have a discussion with Sam.


Contractor In A Hole Lot Of Trouble For Tour of Taiwan Mess

In Taiwan, we are used to our public roadways being regularly ripped apart, usually two or three times a year, as the local governments are owned by Taiwan's construction industrial complex and the shady characters who lurk in the grey areas between the "black and white" sides of the law.

Many of these contractors engage in racketeering, bid rigging and more threatening schemes that eliminate competition to ensure any public project will be several times the rate if it had been competitively bid on.

These projects are lucrative to several of the major players in politics, business and organized crime as they allow for overlapping interests to converge and various debts to be paid.

Now, the Taiwan Construction Industrial State threatens to disrupt the Tour of Taiwan.

It is being reported in the CNA and Taiwan Focus that a construction contractor has dug a massive hole in one of the routes scheduled to be used in the sixth stage of the Tour of Taiwan.

The hole is in the middle of the Highway 74-A, which has been in a regular state of construction for well over a year.

According to the article:

"Even if the contractor fills it up soon, the uneven road probably will cause injuries to cyclists," Fang told the Central News Agency.

Police officers who inspected the road conditions for the 136.05 km Tour de Taiwan race said a Taiwan Power Co. contractor had erected a 1-km long barricade on the road and dug a big hole, leaving only half of the road for traffic.

Chang Chueh-fen, a Changua County government official, said local workers had been asked to fill the hole quickly and
race organizers were at the scene trying to determine what should be done next.
Well, if anything, the competitors can see what the cycling environment in Taiwan is really like.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The View From Pingtung: Michael Goes South

Be sure you check out Michael Turton's excellent ride report on his trip through Pingtung at The View From Taiwan.
It looks awesome and I have to say, Michael is looking pretty good too.

Low Budget: Another Great Taichung Bike Shop

Here is another addition to my list of Taichung bike shops.


Hong Shiang - Irland GT
Manager: Chen Bing-hong
No. 527 Taiyuan Rd. Sec-3
Beitun Dist. Taichung City, Taiwan
Tel: (04) 2437-0663
Cell: 0923-234544
email: d0923234544@yahoo.com.tw



I am not simply interested in the high end, but I also feel there is plenty of room for the lowest end. These are the work horses of Taiwan. The Irlands, The Top keys and the Jelums. These are the bikes of students and foreign workers. This shop sells low-end Irland alloy bikes and just about everything under the sun. I am sure you can find a cheap set of wheels and parts to boot. The atmosphere was relaxed and I didn't see a hint of carbon fiber. Excellent! Check it out if you are simply looking for wheels.

Bryton GPS Loses Way And Finds Lawsuit With Garmin



The clip above comes from the Steve Martin/Eddie Murphy film, Bowfinger, and depicts a trailer for the fictitious movie, Fake Purse Ninjas. When I saw this movie at the theater in Taichung, either the government or a patriotic distributor scratched out the sound when the on-screen duo declare in unison, "We're going to Tai-Wan!"

Film censorship and speech freedoms wax and wane in Taiwan (waning now), but some things are more constant... like ripping off the competition.

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According to the
Kansas City Star, Bryton, the Taiwanese Cycling GPS manufacturer is being accused by Garmin of patent infringement for its line of Rider-30 cycling GPS cycling computers.

The story states:

Andrew Etkind, Garmin's vice president and general counsel, said the company is "proud of the intellectual property rights awarded to our innovative products and we have little tolerance for companies that attempt to trade unfairly on those rights."

The company is seeking a preliminary injunction to bar the sale of Bryton's Rider 30 product in the United States.

In a related development, a district court in Germany has issued a preliminary injunction against Bryton and several of its German distributors banning the sale of the Rider 30 in Germany.