Professional Cyclist's Frame For Viewing Taiwan

I found this little interview with Daniel Carruthers, a professional cyclist who has been living in Asia.

Some of his comments to be interesting and worthy of note.

Life in China is actually very different to Taiwan. It was easier living in Taipei. We lived in Shida, where there are plenty of nice food choices at good prices. It’s more expensive to eat good food here in China. Regular Chinese food is good, but I get sick of it – it’s the same everywhere and it’s very oily.

Getting things done in China always seems to take longer. Things seemed more efficient and stream-lined in Taiwan. More people speak English in Taiwan and you can get around there without having to know too much Chinese. But here in China, it is almost essential to master basic Mandarin if you want to get around. Not many people speak English unless you are living near a university campus where most students know some English.

I think one very common mistake foreign commentators make when researching and writing about Taiwan, is that writers seem to constantly seek an unnecessary and useless parity between Taiwan and China.

Logically, I see no reason to enforce this parity, but I suspect is has something partially to do with how "Westerners" identify and view otherness. As people view the "other" in terms of difference from themselves, the less care they take in grouping the "other" into categories that make cultural sense to them. The fact that people in Taiwan and China both speak forms of Mandarin Chinese as an official language seems to provide enough material for writers to seek parity between the two cultures. The same writers would probably not seek as much parity between American, English, Irish, Ghanan, Philippine, Fijian, Samoan or Pakistani cultures, despite their use of English as an official language. With such different social structures, I really do not understand why Taiwan needs to constantly be compared to China.

I feel another aspect of the parity between Taiwan and China is the resonant Cold War ideologies of the ROC, PRC and even the USA. In post WWII discourse, Taiwan was inaccurately portrayed by various political actors as some type of China.

I think this influence is evident in a recent blog post by Richard Masoner from Cycleicious, who brings the political term "overseas Chinese" into his blog post regarding the Taiwan Bike Festival. The term "Overseas Chinese", or 華僑 is a 20th century political construct devised and employed by the Chinese nationalists and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to mobilize support and raise funds for their movement and later for the new Chinese nation. The term is built around an imagined cultural, ethnic and racial construct that has no real foundation in the history of "Chinese" identities. Masoner uses the anachronous term "Chinese diaspora". Chinese political actors used the invention of the "Overseas Chinese" as a base for political support following the Chinese civil war and actively sought to enact programs that would draw citizens of other nations together in support of a racial Chinese nation and in opposition to the PRC. No wonder people get confused.

It is not surprising that the interview above clearly reveals the cultural, environmental and social differences between groups of people who live within social and political systems with vastly different motives, goals and objectives. I would recommend writers be aware of their China bias and simply write about Taiwan as Taiwan. It only makes sense.

Also:

• Mark Blacknell is Blown Away by Taiwan's Cycling.
• Cycleicious Talks Cycling Festival.
• India looks to Taiwan for cooperation on bikes. This is a very big move as Taiwanese firms diversify their targets for sales and production, which had been focused on Chinese production and marketing for many years.

2010 SSCXWC and Cyclocross in Seattle

My cousin Ryan after the race

I spent the last full day of my trip to Seattle with family. I took my brother to a cyclocross race to watch my cousin compete in the Cat 3 race before the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships in Kent, Washington.

Pits

The weather had been rainy, but cleared up just in time for racing to start.

Junior Racing

The first to race were the kids. I love seeing kids out there racing around on drop bars. Some kids has some pretty expensive rigs.

A competitor with her LaCruz

Most of the competitors were men, but several women were in the field. The women race at the same time the men do, but their placing is calculated separately.

Naughty Nurse

Lots of costumes on display.

"And they're off!"

Rich races Single Speed

Ryan slogs through the muck

Over the bumps

In decline

Slicing though the puddle

A Climbing Bike

Mud Flats

Ryan digs into a turn

What's the over under?

Dressed to kill

When will we get this in Taiwan?

Chinese Bikes... Made In Taiwan? Misleading Labels and Substandard Equipment

The Taipei Times is reporting that a number of bicycles and parts labeled "Made In Taiwan" are actually produced in China using substandard parts.

"Consumers often think they are buying a Taiwan-made product and only after they bring the product home and find that it is substandard do they realize that the main components are made in China..."

Taiwanese cooperation with manufacturing facilities in China is nothing new. With expanded trade and easing of regulations, there will surely be more of this type of "cross pollination". The government in many cases seems to even be treating economic partnerships between Chinese and Taiwanese companies as something "local".

I see a danger here in Taiwan degrading its brand as a whole.

Over the past 30 years Taiwan has become a well respected name in manufacturing. Over the past decade Taiwan's bicycle manufacturing industry has shed the stigma as an "Asian producer", and the name "Taiwan" has become synonymous with quality. Part of that quality stems from a system that promotes political and economic clarity.

Taiwan needs to protect its brand and strengthen rules that protect consumers from poorly made and potentially dangerous Chinese goods that sully Taiwan's good name.

Also:

The professional cyclist, George Bennett, blogs on his Taiwan Bike Festival experience.

Giant's Plans for World Domination

A Giant Branded Bike

Taiwan Today is featuring a lengthy article on Taiwan's Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd., which has positioned itself to become the dominant bicycle brand in East Asia.

The article provides a lengthy history of Giant, from OEM to worldwide brand. The most interesting details come at the latter half of the article, which provides some fantastic mid-management speak that sounds like it comes right out of a cheap MBA program.

My favorite comes from Giant spokesman, Jeffery Shiou:

Asked to comment on what makes Giant so unique, Sheu mentioned the company’s complete dedication, since the very beginning, to bicycles. Its goal has been to become a “total cycling solution provider,” Sheu noted.

Despite the management speak, the article provides several points for discussion regarding Giant, branding and positioning itself as a world leader.

Giant also adopted sports marketing techniques to make its quality products better known. “We started to sponsor cyclists in all kinds of international competitions,” said Sheu.

If these cyclists performed well, their cycling equipment and devices would receive widespread media coverage. “That was how foreign customers became familiar with Giant,” he said.

Giant also invited many professional cyclists to test its vehicles and offer tips for improvement. For instance, opinions from these experts helped Giant build its world-renowned carbon fiber bicycles.

So much of sports marketing has to do with selling a fantasy. People care about what the pros are using and hope they too can purchase some magic to become a better cyclist, which beats traditional training any day.

Putting a bike in the pro ranks instantly increases its value. Put one on the podium and the value skyrockets. The rush to carbon fiber bikes is not driven by the pros, but it is driven by the manufacturers who will see increased profit margins with carbon fiber and use the pros to sell bikes. Let's face it... professional racing is about selling products.

Moreover, the company was among the first bicycle brands to produce a line of models especially for females. “Women make up half of the population and their needs should not be ignored,” said Bonnie Tu, Giant’s chief financial officer.

In April 2008, the world’s first female bicycle retail store, which sells Giant bicycles made under its subsidiary brand name Liv, opened in Taipei.

But Giant is not only about selling bikes. More importantly, the leading bicycle brand is devoted to promoting cycling culture.

Giant's View Of Female Cyclists

I think I have made my view of the Liv/Giant campaign abundantly clear. Something I might like to add is that Giant's marketing strategy seems to be focusing on transforming the image of Giant domestically from the proletarian, affordable bike for the masses, to a prestige nameplate that seeks to convey the messages of status, which, in a society with a strong Confucian cultural influence, locates people on a grade-scale that defines social relationships in terms of superiority and inferiority. I think networks of guanxi clearly demonstrate the social function of status within Taiwanese society and how Taiwanese use prestige symbolism to traverse the cleavage between these relationships.

With Giant defining and articulating "cycling culture", backed by its overwhelming presence and close relations with the central government, Giant may have more influence over how cycling culture develops in Taiwan than any other social force. Giant plays a large role in determining which products will be available to the consumer through its ubiquitous Giant retail stores.

“But we are not doing all this to ask people to buy Giant products,” said Sheu. “We just want them to be aware of the benefits of cycling, experience the fun of it all and make it part of their life.”

The foundation may have had a little bit of luck on its side. Many more people in Taiwan have become aware in recent years of the importance of reducing carbon emissions, and bicycles provide a natural solution. Indeed, starting in 2007, more and more people have taken to using bicycles as a daily means of transportation.

The first sentence above should be taken with a grain of salt. They are a business, and businesses want to make money and sell their product. Giant wants to sell a product... they are out to expand the market and gain market share. In the positive side, a company with a presence like Giant provides the opportunity for other component manufacturers to build partnerships with Giant and build brand awareness.

In spite of its many accomplishments, Giant has no intention of resting on its laurels. The quest to become the best bicycle company in the world drives it ever forward.

My final thought on Giant is the fact that Giant, as both a manufacturer and retailer, has the ability to exploit its vast supply networks and political relationships to squeeze out the alternatives. I know several small and dedicated bike shops that are under increasing pressure from the lower price points available from Giant.

These small, independent stores have been the centers of local cycling culture on Taiwan for decades where cyclists could gather and build community. These little shops are poised to suffer from the "Walmartization" of Taiwan's cycling retailers. If Giant does succeed in driving out the local independent retailer, Taiwan's unique cycling culture will suffer an important loss and the choices will be greatly limited.

We need a strong system of locally based independent retailers in our communities and I would encourage everyone to support their local bike shop over the Giant retailer where our money goes back into the community.

Taiwan Cup Cancelled!!! Dreams Of Taiwan Cycling Festival Blown Away By Typhoon

Due to Typhoon Megi, organizers of the Taiwan Cup and Taiwan Bike Festival have cancelled the remainder of the events that were to be held in the lead-up and conclusion of the nation's most substantive event for putting Taiwanese cycling on the tourist map.

Torrential rains in the Suao area have already led to severe landslides that collapsed a section of roadway with 20 Chinese tourists missing.

The cancellation was a necessary and responsible step with the dangers posed by seasonal typhoons that pass Taiwan between early July and late October.

I am a bit disappointed that visiting cyclists will be unable to experience the beauty and joys of cycling Taiwan, such as those I try to highlight on this blog, but it was an inevitable development in the face of a seasonal storm.

I hope the organizers will use a little due diligence and schedule events such as these during periods of more reliable weather. This was simply careless planning that unnecessarily led to a huge waste of both public and private resources that could have been better allocated to support Taiwan's cycling infrastructure.

Live and learn.

Tough Old Bird Tackles Taiwan For Cancer

As I reported on here, Sue Greene, an athletically accomplished mother of three, will be riding 300 miles over Taiwan's mountainous terrain in the name of cancer research. link

The 51 year-old rider plans to complete the journey in 5 days, despite having just recovered from a serious crash.

The married mother-of-three said: “I’ve got a friend who is terminally ill. I have also lost a couple of friends to cancer and this opportunity came up to raise money for Clatterbridge.

“I started cycling first in Easter with Middleton’s cycling group in Ormskirk. Shortly after I thought I’d give this a go. I’ve done marathons and I thought, I’m going to have a go at doing this.”

But it was uncertain if the challenge would go ahead after she crashed into a road barrier at the start of the month. Despite falling off her bicycle, breaking her rib and collarbone, she is determined to complete the challenge.

Sue said: “My collarbone has knitted wrongly but it has knitted in a way that works. My rib just sorted itself out. I was livid that I had to have a few weeks off. It hasn’t put me off at all. I still really enjoy cycling.”

This calendar year I have seen several friends and their families come face to face with cancer and it is an ugly disease that robs us of parents, children, spouses, friends and loved ones. Fortunately, the people I know are all survivors or winning the battle. There are still so many who aren't so fortunate.

I would like to wish Ms. Greene good luck and I hope Taiwan's riders will join her on her journey.

Road Bikes With Disc Brakes Coming To A Future Near You?

I just came across this little article from Cycling News about the recent UCI ruling on disc brakes for cyclocross racing and its effect on the future of road bike braking systems.

Quote:

The rear disc mount puts more stress on the frame, requiring an strut between the stays to bolster the area.

The UCI's recent lifting of the ban on disc brakes in cyclo-cross has been widely heralded as a positive step forward for the sport, finally allowing a critical piece of equipment to advance past what is essentially decades-old technology. The move from rim to disc brakes has already changed the landscape for mountain biking and 'cross riders – especially racers – stand to make similar gains:

• Braking performance – both in terms of power and modulation – will improve dramatically, especially in adverse conditions where even the best rim brakes can become virtually inoperable
• Mud clearance: by moving the brake hardware away from the rim, bikes are less apt to clog up with debris
• Overall weights could potentially decrease: even when factoring in a disc rotor, 'cross bikes' lower braking demands should make for smaller and lighter hardware than on mountain bikes plus even lighter rims than what is currently available
• Fewer pits during muddy races
• The ability to continue on if a rim becomes slightly out of true