Bicycle Video Fails

We often like to record our cycling exploits, or at least wish we has a camera crew following us on our best rides, but in making a visual record we also face the risk of capturing our cycling failures for posterity.

Taipei Traffic (Video): Some Guys Have All The Luck!

Taiwan Cycling Technique Series #27: Threading The Needle

My cycling friends often give me a little grief for stopping at stop lights and even at some green lights.

I will admit that I am a cautious cyclist with a healthy respect for my environment and averse to excessive risk. It is just that Taiwan comes with its own set of dangers that any cyclist must understand and respect. Traffic does some odd and unpredictable things here, so you just have to adapt.

Also:

Sesquipedaustralian has a great series of posts on their Taiwan cycling expedition.

Seattle in Cycles

Here is a video I slapped together a while back of my cousin riding Seattle's mean streets.

I am already devising my summer plans and I know they involve Seattle.

This summer I will take a hiatus from my Taiwan cycling to take the show on the road. I will be doing a few weeks in Seattle for family matters and then off to Palm Desert for provisions and a visit with dad. Needless to say, there will be plenty of cycling this time around. I am not taking my bike, but I have bikes to borrow as my cousin, featured in the video above, is a dedicated cyclist. I am not excited about American drivers, who seem to be oblivious to smaller vehicles. In Taiwan the driving is chaotic, but there is an awareness that there may be small vehicles buzzing around. In the US... not so much. I am also concerned about laws. I have heard of people getting ticked for passing cars at stop lights and other crazy stuff. I dunno.

Anyway, if anyone will be in the Seattle or Palm Desert areas during July and August, I would love the chance to ride with you.

Rocky Huang: Cycling Taiwan Video

Support Your LBS:

Final Build

Here is a great video posted by my friend and builder Rocky Huang from T-Mosaic Cycles in Taichung.

When Rocky is not preparing for a race he usually reserves his weekends for taking customers on rides. They usually offer different rides for different levels of fitness, so nobody is excluded.

Although the big box stores like Giant and Merida offer some good deals, you don't get the same level of expertise you get when dealing with a good local bike shop. At an LBS like Rocky's, you might pay a little more, but you get service from a guy who actually knows what it is like to seriously ride a bike and shares the same passion for the sport. Often, the big corporate stores do just enough to move merchandise, but the employees do not have the saddle time it takes to understand the customer's needs. Sometimes with large corporations, excessive overhead drives the sales rather than ensuring the customer has the bike they want and need. In my own experience I have found Giant and Merida stores are great for a quick repair, but generally they are technicians of limited ability. The employees go through a short training course, like McDonalds, and then hit the sales floor. Rarely are the Giant derailleurs ever indexed properly. Visiting Rocky is more like going to a cycling councilor. I can discuss training technique, different component options, geometry, routes and resources. This is a huge advantage of the LBS.

Furthermore, supporting your LBS is a great way to support your cycling community and I hope more cyclists will go out of their way to lend these places their support. The LBS forms a center where local cyclists can meet, ride and build community awareness. They need your patronage to remain a part of your community. To favor the corporate stores is simply penny wise and pound foolish.

I would again like to thank Rocky for his expertise and help with prepping by bike on short notice when I need to ride. Best bike shop in central Taiwan.