And The IT Band Played On: Saturday Surrender

Saturday I met up with Simon, Michael, Dominic and Emily for an attempt at Bagua Shan.

This was my first time riding with Dominic and Emily, so I was disappointed when I had to withdraw early due to continued pain from the IT band.

I limped home after climbing most of Bagua Shan with one leg.

I really need to applaud Emily for her effort. She started as a novice just a few months ago and managed to ride all the way out from Dongshih to join the ride.

By the time she returned home she had ridden 145km. A century is not too far off.

Thanks for the ride!

Now I will be continuing my regimen of massage, ice, rest, and stretching. Time for R.I.C.E.

Rest

Ice

Compression

Elevation

Valuable Tech Notes and More: Long Chainstays?

Here is a fantastic article about Frame Geometry and how it translates into bike handling.

When I first saw the CAD drawing and measurements for my new bike, I was a little surprised to see the 410mm chainstays were a little longer than I was expecting. I hadn't specified too much comfort as I seem to have an iron ass, and I wanted something a little on the racier side. After making some comparisons to other bikes I like, I noticed it has become fashionable to have chainstays between 405 to 408mm in length. Manufacturers have been shrinking the rear triangle for "stiffness" or the belief in "stiffness".

In the article, Darren Baum, a master in titanium, lay it out:

In Darren’s opinion, longer chain stays help deliver a better quality ride. When you climb, the bike has more traction. When you go through a corner, the bike trails further and you can hop on the pedals earlier. The intended use of the bike is a big consideration however.

When chainstays started getting shorter throughout history (late 60′s, early 70′s), it was when riders started getting more powerful and the technology didn’t exist to make the materials strong enough for the desired stiffness. Therefore the chainstays were designed shorter in order to make the bike stiffer. A good bike was considered one that you could barely fit a Tally-Ho cigarette paper in between the rear wheel and the seat tube. This design had nothing to do with handling. It was all about making the bike stiffer. People started identifying this small rear triangle as a “race bike”, and therefore a race bike must handle better. This never changed as materials progressed.

These days the materials exist to make a long chainstay that is still very stiff. However if you have a longer rear end, the bike naturally needs to be manufactured with more material and therefore will be heavier. These days in the industry there is a race for the lightest spec’d bike. What does Baum do with their bikes? They recommend making the rear end as long as acceptable by the customer.

If you’re flexible and can bend forward, 412mm is what Baum will recommend. If the rider sits more upright, the chainstay might go as long as 420mm. If the rider is really tall (i.e. over 6’3″), and the femer is very long, 430mm might be required. The reason for this starts to relate back to seat tube angle and pedalling technique, however I think we might leave that one for another discussion.

The whole thing is worth a read.

Also:

Here is a little video off You Tube about the process Seven Cycles uses to build frames. A couple of shots include two of my frame builders.

Taiwanese Amateurs To See Brest in August

Taiwan Focus Reports:

Taipei, March 10 (CNA) Taiwan's first international cycling marathon will take place in Pingtung County in May on a new road around a bay in the southern county, the Tourism Bureau announced Thursday.

The Dapeng Bay International Cycling Marathon, sanctioned by French cycling club Audax Club Parisien, will run May 21-22 on the 12.3 km road around Dapeng Bay, said Johnson Sheu, director of the Dapeng Bay Scenic Area Administration, at a press conference held at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

The news came following an announcement that 47 local cyclists are scheduled to participate in the 2011 Paris-Brest-Paris 1,200 km event -- the world's oldest bicycling event on the open road -- in August 21-25.

Led by Cheng Wen-chang, who in 2007 became the first person from Taiwan to complete the cycling challenge, the participants finished 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km rides this year to qualify for the French event, which began in 1891.

"It will be a great achievement if I can complete the ride," said Hana Hung, one of eight female cyclists to register for the race.

The cyclists will ride individually and will try to complete the ride, also called the Brevet, within 90 hours.

The French event, beginning on the southern side of Paris and traveling west 600 km to the port city of Brest on the Atlantic Ocean and returning alone

What I find really exciting about this news is that Taiwanese are integrating themselves into world cycling. With more Taiwanese interested and passionate about cycling, we can only hope to see more Taiwanese included in global cycling events. As the sport in Taiwan matures, the possibility of a Taiwanese breaking in to the pro peloton becomes even more likely.

Japanese Cyclist Travels Taiwan: Follow His Progress

The Japanese cyclist and blogger, Taka, has just started posting on his epic journey around Taiwan using his KHS folding bike.

Here are his posts.

Not One Shilling! Taiwan In Cycles Policy For Product Placement

Much of the information we receive about bikes and components comes from either the manufacturers themselves or from media such as magazines, websites or blogs.

It is often very difficult to come across a good product review as the reviewer is cautious not to say anything negative about the product. In the ecosystem of product reviews, the reviewer relies on a stream of new products to review and risks alienation from the big manufacturers (and alienation from their products) if a review doesn't lay on the superlatives. This can make it really difficult to find good, reliable information on bikes and the sum or their parts. Once the streams of media become monetized, the relationship between the product supplier and media becomes a classic patronage network.

Taiwan In Cycles was started, in part, to provide all types of information that is free from the pressure of having to please sponsors or ensure a steady supply of products to shill for.

On occasion, Taiwan In Cycles will feature or recommend bikes, products, companies and businesses. This is done completely free from any form of patronage.

I will only use this media space to promote products or businesses that I feel are deserving of any exposure I may provide, and only if I feel I can stand 100% behind these people and their businesses.

At no time am I ever pressured or enticed to provide positive media exposure for any particular individual, business, company or corporation. Any media exposure I provide is completely based on my own subjectivities as a blogger and as a rider. My reviews, likes and dislikes are entirely based upon my own experience.

Moreover, I am often happy to provide deserving products and businesses with exposure on this site and this exposure is entirely unpaid in any way including: discounts, favors, samples, gifts, money or sex.

• Taiwan In Cycles does not receive sponsorship for reviews or product placement.
• If Taiwan In Cycles receives a free sample of a product or service for review, the terms will be publicized on this site.
• Taiwan In Cycles is a non-profit and private blog.
• Taiwan In Cycles is happy to highlight only those deserving of free exposure.
• All opinions are entirely my own.

In the coming weeks I will be reviewing a few products that I have purchased for my own use, and I hope these reviews will be useful for others out there considering similar purchases.

I don't feel I can be truly objective, but my subjectivities will likely come from feeling I have made an informed purchase.

Basically... if it is seen here... I feel it deserves to be here.

Velo-Hounds: Links and More

Taiwanese Cycling Goes To The... Dogs (sorry!)

Links:

• A reader sends along his link to a site dedicated to the great, and under appreciated German champion at the dawn of modern cycling, Walter Rutt. The site includes a video clip of the great fire that engulfed the stadium of its namesake. A Google translation makes the German site a good read.
• UK cyclist records road rage.
• Netherlands Cycling in the 50's.
• The Professional Cycling season has just commenced, and there is plenty of action from Paris-Nice and other early season races.

Bicycle Flea Market At Caffe Terry: Sunday, March 27--12:00pm to 9:00pm

On Sunday, March 27, Caffe Terry in Taichung will be hosting their semi-regular Bicycle Flea Market.

Bring any used bicycle gear you wish to sell a day in advance, set your price, and Terry will manage the sale for a 10% fee.

Come and browse, sell, or just relax with a cup of Illy coffee that Terry will be selling 15% off.

Terry's Caffe:

422 Da Ying St. Nantun Dist. Taichung City

Phone: 0423207243

Regular Business Hours: Tues-Sun. 10:00am-12:00am --

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Bicycle and flea market

三月的單車跳蚤市集要開始了喔~~~

時間是27號12:00開始~~

要拍賣的商品可前一天拿至咖啡店寄放~(並標售價錢~)

當天不代保管商品~

商品已售出者店裡會收10%的費用~

當天咖啡飲品85折

台中市南屯區大英街422號

0423207243

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/t136scott/profile