An Encouraging Sign: My Ride Through The Hills of Dakeng

Encouraging Sign

I have been taking things easy and doing some interesting stretches which seem to be working, and so I decided to test my knee in the hills of Dekeng above Taichung city. I figured I could easily coast home if things went poorly. As of today, all signs are pointing toward a solid recovery.

Refreshing

I took things easy and got a late start with an easy warm-up out to the 85C on Dong Shan Rd. near Dakeng. The weather was already oppressively hot and humid, so and iced coffee made things a wee bit better. I also had a chance to stretch my hip. What you can't see in the picture above is my leg tucked up behind me against a railing.

Climbing

I followed the road up the Buzi River toward the CKS Campground and hiking trail No. 4. I casually retraced my first excursion out of Taichung City many years ago, when I discovered mountains and hills had been hiding behind a veil of mist and fog.

Making It Up The Hill

When I ordered the parts for this new bike I had been feeling confident and self assured. I had been doing some great climbing with a standard 39/53 tooth crank with a 12-27 cog. I decided I would harden up and abandon my old compact crank. I was missing it today. After 3 1/2 moths of limited riding my strength and endurance is suffering. I could keep above 20mph in the flats and 10mph climbing, but I was getting tired. I also was not going to try and push or really stand on the pedals. I already put myself out an extra month by trying to climb too much too soon.

I made my way up the hill and stopped to stretch the hip BEFORE it turned into knee pain.

Action Shot

My New Friend

Warning?

I was surprised to be able to push up over the hill and it was over sooner than I remembered. I was feeling pretty accomplished.

Dakeng Scenic Area

Map

Feeling On Top Of The World

Resting

Go Anywhere. Do Anything

The Fun Part

I took a few minutes to rest and then "Ka-thunk!" I shifted to the big ring for a fast descent along a twisting, narrow road.

When I Smile

I was flying along at about 35-40mph. One thing I really love about this bike is that it descends like a guided missile. You pick a line and stick with it. On the old bike I was always over-shooting my turns. This bike slices through them like a scalpel. So much fun.

Friendly Rider

I slalomed down to Taiyuan Rd. and then headed up to the Warehouse 185 for a coffee. The knee was feeling great. I headed out for a family function in Daya and then stayed in the big ring for a fast, but tiring, stretch back home. I pushed my knee and it felt healthy. Today was huge for me in getting back into form.

Distance: 42 miles

Max Speed: 40mph

Average Speed: Never Mind

Knee: Pain Free

New Feature in Dakeng

Made In Taiwan: A Giant in Seattle's Bike Scene Makes His Bike Taiwanese

Mark V. over at Bike Hugger writes an interesting post about his new ride, which he bought partially in response to all the purists who buy Colnago because it is not an Asian brand.

“Dunno why stuff from the mainstream guys like Giant & Specialized puts me off…..I’d go for Colnago CX-1”

I found this post yesterday, proclaiming a popular sentiment that European bicycle companies have more character and/or quality than “the mainstream guys”. The fact that two companies strongly associated with Taiwanese manufacture were singled out (and not say Trek*) is notable. What kills me is that the message board poster spews on lovingly for the Colnago CX-1…because I’ve been to the Giant factory in Taichung, Taiwan, and that vaunted CX-1 comes down the SAME production line as the Giant TCR. That’s right, Taiwan makes that Colnago.

It is funny how most people associate the brand of origin with the place of origin. In most cases this is not true. There are very few mass produced bicycles made outside of Asia. Colnago still makes their steel bikes in Italy and the new Limited Edition C-59 Italia carbon fiber bike was made in Italy, but they only made 59 of them using Toray carbon fiber from Japan (T-Mosaic has one on display). With many of the European brands, they simply need to do some minor labeling or finishing to qualify as domestic, when in fact, they were produced in Taiwan or China. In more cases than we'd like to admit, the frames were designed by a Taiwanese ODM and then branded by the buyer of the mold. It is possible that those sleek Italian curves or French lines had their origin in the mind of a Taiwanese engineer.

Also:

• Oz Soapbox waxes poetic on his Long Haul Trucker. The only rust is on the low-end Tektro brakes. The steel frame is looking good after a mere 14,000km over 3 years.

Sunday Morning Coffee Ride

End of Tunghai Descent

I am still battling knee soreness and couldn't decide which flat, easy route to take on my Sunday ride, so I threw my hands in the air and just took an easy loop up to Dadu Shan and Tunghai University.

Urban Greenspace

The weather in Taichung was gorgeous with enough of a breeze to keep things comfortable.

Mojo Coffee

My main goal was to enjoy a couple cups of coffee and just relax. I know... biking to coffee is such a hipster thing to do... so I indulged.

Terry's

I enjoyed the gliding descent into Taichung city and landed first at MOJO Coffee on Daye Rd. There were three people there just reading and it had the total feeling of a lazy Sunday at coffee. They make a wet cappuccino. I chilled there for a while and read the papers before leaving for more coffee.

I love a good cappuccino

Next, I went to Caffe Terry after zipping through Taichung's uncharacteristically placid city traffic.

mmmmmmm!

At Caffe Terry I had another cappuccino and just hung out at an outside table to enjoy the light breeze. I noticed Terry has a Jango Flick folding bicycle available for visitors who are looking for wheels around town.

The mountain to get back to my prior form and fitness grows by the week. I just hope my down time will allow me to become healthy again to get back to 100%. This is the most frustrating process.

Terry's Flik

Taiwan's Exercises Its Soft Power Through Bicycle Diplomacy

Michael Turton at The View From Taiwan has recently posted on a look into Taiwan's use of "soft power" in creating a type of informal international space that is not regulated by the language of international diplomacy, charter associations, membership agreements, historical tropes or the murky world of real politik. Taiwan's soft power seeps through the diplomatic cracks in the walls of international protocol and invades our individual and collective mind-space, despite the best work of professional propagandists to block or subvert the message.

The bicycle has become one arrow in Taiwan's often unintentional quiver of defecto national and cultural independence.

As I mention in other posts, Taiwan has gained a reputation for providing some of the world's best OEM/ODM manufacturing for bicycles and bicycle components. Despite its former pejorative label, "Taiwan" has become synonymous with quality bicycle production. This awareness has even trickled down to the consumer who is now confident in the quality of a Taiwanese frame that it is often preferred over a Chinese model. This is also a key point as the consumer who might not be even remotely aware of Taiwan's geographic location or complicated history, may be fully aware that Taiwan and China are different and that difference translates into the perception of a disparity in quality between Chinese and Taiwanese products. In the mind of the consumer there is already a huge quality gap between Chinese and Taiwanese goods and the recent melamine scandal and other health scares from adulterated products has further cemented the perceived differences.

Taiwan's government and ordinary Taiwanese cyclists have used the bicycle numerous times as a convenient meme to gain international awareness, recognition and greater international space. Here, here, here, here!!!

The Taiwanese bicycle industry has not only raised Taiwan's profile internationally, but it has also led to a domestic awareness of the bicycle's symbolic power in expressing and exporting the Taiwanese identity.

This type of soft power that both creates international space and projects a type of national pride is also the source of internal friction as Taiwan's political actors are divided on whether to exploit these popular images and perceptions to raise Taiwan's international stature, or seek to rein it in, in deference to China and Chinese pressure. This friction becomes more acute during a rising election cycle as each politician wants to be photographed on a bike, but not every politician wishes to raise Taiwan's international stature with soft power.

It will be interesting to see how the soft power of the bicycle will be used in the future and whether China will be able to erase the perceived gap in quality in the short to medium term.

Taiwan 24hr Record Set: News, Links and Giro

Taiwan Links:

According to an article from the CNA, a local cyclist has set the 24hr. record in the first annual Pingtung County bike marathon. Fu Sheng-chieh rode 578.2km in 24 hours to take the win. I am still confused as he would obviously be setting a record in the first annual event. *head scratch*

Two stories on senior cyclists.

• The first: Lu Yung-chuan sets out on his cycling odyssey to raise money and awareness to help Taiwan's elderly residents. The "growing old locally" concept helps seniors live out their days in the familiar surroundings of home without having to endure the stress of moving in with their urban dwelling children.

• The second: A group of riders of retirement age set out to bike the rails and visit Taiwan's train stations. A careful reader will read between the lines as each article is edited with a particular viewpoint.
• Bike Hugger unveils his beer themed bike called the "Hodala" in honor of the Taiwanese drinking term for "Bottoms Up!"
• Cycling Satin Cesena takes on Ta Ta Jia.

Other Cycling News:

• Another elite cyclist dies in a tragic training accident. Xavier Tondo was killed last week in a freak accident involving a garage door as he was leaving to go for a training ride. It just goes to show, you never know when your number will be called.

• Washington State is named the top cycling state in the USA. Go Team!

• Cycling advocate learns to steer resources away from the 20% of Americans who are apocalyptic Christians as they will not share the belief in a need for long term transportation solutions.

• Hamstrung: Clouds over Texas as the Lance Armstrong case looks more and more bleak asTyler Hamilton levels accusations.

• New Zealand looking to make roads safer after 8 cycling deaths within weeks last year.

In The Pro Ranks:

• The Giro d'Italia: For a guy surrounded by doping allegations, Alberto Contador is a man on fire. He has taken an approximate 4min. lead on his closest rivals and has been performing like an extraterrestrial. On the climbs up the Grossglockner and Monte Zoncolan he kept spinning on up as poor Nibali looked as if he might be drowning. Contador also took the Individual Time Trial in the mountains to thumb his nose at doubters. It seems the battle is now for second place should Contador become ineligible due to the doping charge, which is currently on appeal. Stage 17 tonight.

• Amgen Tour of California (Sponsored by the company that makes EPO): American, Chris Horner, wins the ATOC followed by teammate Levi Leipheimer 38 sec. behind. The Radio Shack duo simply owned the race where the other half of the pro peloton has been ramping up for the Tour de France next month.

Natural and Nuclear Disaster Brings Giant Bikes To Japan

Jiufen Er Shan (Nantou) 921 Earthquake Epicenter

Japanese quake victims are grateful to GIANT for the bikes they received as part of a donation program that put 1000 mountain bikes into use to help residents of northern Japan become more mobile following the complete collapse of the transportation infrastructure in several of the hardest hit areas.

Focus Taiwan reports:

The Taiwan-based Giant Global group said its donation of 1,000 mountain bikes to residents of northeastern Japan was well received and the bikes were being used to meet transportation needs in the area, one of the hardest hit in the disaster.

Company spokesperson Jeffrey Sheu said the "Special Edition Quake Reconstruction" models were delivered in early May to most of the areas affected by the magnitude 9 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

Seven hundred of the special model of bicycles were delivered to Miyagi prefecture, 200 to Iwate prefecture and 100 to Fukushima prefecture, Sheu said.

He goes on to explain:

Sheu said the specially-designed mountain-bikes were painted a high-visibility yellow and equipped with features that included front suspension, headlamps and a rear luggage rack that can carry up to 20kg.

Thus sounds a lot better than the company's initial reaction in tabulating how the quake would increase bicycle prices.

Kudos, Giant! Kudos!

Moving Your Bikes To Taiwan... All Of Them.

I often come across forum threads and other opinionated info that treats Made in Taiwan as a pejorative. Even when I was writing copy about CNC machines over a decade ago we would give the Very Well Made In Taiwan label a knowing guffaw. Customers would insist that I highlight their purchased accolades for Taiwan manufacturing.

Opinions have changed.

Taiwan no longer carries the stigma of low production value and poor QC. That is not saying that there is no room for improvement, but there are obvious reasons why so many bike companies prefer to have their brand manufactured in Taiwan.

When the Cannondale plant closed in Bethel CT in 2009, the slamming of the doors echoed throughout the industry. The economy of scale was working against America as a producer of bikes.

Why do bike manufacturers move to Taiwan?

A recent article in Bike BIZ interviews Sam Schulte regarding the decision of his Tree Bikes brand to move production to Taiwan.

Operating the business on a wafer thin margin, Schulte answers back to those accusing his firm of 'selling out', explaining that in the current economy his 'dream' of domestic manufacturing simply isn't viable.

Schulte explains how missed deadlines were causing major financial strains, telling the website: "It’s hard to find a machinist to do what you need for the prices and make it work. A lot of times you need to get machinists to give you a special price and they are really not making any money, and that causes product not getting done on time, and that’s why a lot of brands have been moving over to Taiwan. Taiwan factories can afford to give us the price we need and get it done in time to help the customer in the end. So that’s why we have decided to move over there."

On the other hand, in the case of Cannondale and Tree Bikes, the US economy could have used a few more jobs between 2007 and 2011.

For companies that decide to relocate their operations to Taiwan, it is wise to employ full time representatives to stay in Taiwan to monitor manufacturing as much of the manufacturing can be outsourced to other fabricators and there may be hidden networks of material supply that are not part of the original production agreement. This is quite common as factories have their own suppliers and seek ways to maximize their own profits from a manufacturing agreement.

I was recently made aware of a renowned Taiwanese company that agreed to certain terms of production with a very powerful American company, with terms that included some very high-end CNC machining centers. When the client's representatives left, the company purchased cheaper, much less precise machining centers. Word on the street says that Taiwan can make the finest equipment, but you need to build good relationships, remain vigilant and know your partners. The American company is currently looking into opening their own production facility.