Paris-Roubaix Tribute Ride: Taichung to Kaohsiung (240km)

For many cyclists the second Sunday of April does not represent the death and purported resurrection of a Jewish prophet, who will redeem the believers and relieve them from suffering. Instead, this date marks a different tradition, one in which its adherents use a cobbled roadway dating from the Roman era as a blunt instrument to inflict the maximum amount of suffering a cyclist can endure. Yes, it was Paris-Roubaix weekend all over again and I decided to craft my own homage to the fabled Hell of the North with a 240km ride from Taichung to Kaohsiung.

Looking for Lukang

My goal was to follow the tradition of Paris-Roubaix, and complete a point to point ride in a similar distance at the Queen of the Classics.

Paris-Rubaix is usually run on a 250-260km route from Paris the velodrome in Roubaix, Belgium. The uneven cobbled roads are legendary for shaking riders and their gear to pieces.

Although I have hardly trained, I felt well enough to give it a go and casually made plans to hit the Highway 17 South to Kaohsiung. I did this ride two years ago, but missed last year due to injury.

Erlin Prison

My plans almost immediately went awry. First, my camera stopped working. Then I took a construction detour in Yuanlin that landed me away from my planned route to Lukang, where I had anticipated hooking up with the Highway 17.

I could feel I was going away from my intended destination and stopped to ask directions. Nobody in Taiwan ever seems to have a clue regarding directions and often the obvious signs are absent, so I found myself meandering through Changhua County.

"Does this road head toward the Highway 17?", I would ask. "Yeah, just go straight." This conversation on three occasions led me to a T intersection.

To make matters worse, I was pedaling into a headwind. Talk about panic setting in.

As I blindly swiped at possible roads, led only by intuition, I was increasingly aware of how much time I was wasting and how much energy it was costing me to fight against the wind in a desperate search for a corridor to the coast.

I ended up spending 3 hours meandering around Changhua County trying to find the Highway 17. When I finally found it, I realized I would be fighting a steady headwind from the SE. I remember when I looked at the weather forecast, the prediction was for a wind from the NNW. I wondered if I had misread the information, and if it meant the wind was blowing TOWARD the NNW.

Now, this was bad. Not only had I wasted valuable time and energy making little progress in Changhua, but I would also be moving at a mere 25kph.

Yes, I cursed this situation aloud. I even thought of turning tail at the Zhoushui River. For some reason, maybe stubbornness and the fact that I had already posted my intentions on Facebook, I got in a tuck and lurched my way southward.

Zhoushui River

The Paris-Roubaix was dubbed the "Hell of the North" by the race organizers following a reconnaissance tour of the route following World War I. The devastation that had ravaged the French and Belgian countryside was enough to conjure visions of Hell.

Blight

Taiwan's western seafront along the Highway 17 could also be compared to a vision of Hell.

This is the proverbial carpet under which all the unsightly things in Taiwan have been swept. It is a desolate landscape of decaying infrastructure, smoldering industry-scape and the resulting eyesore of brothels, cheap motels and lurid KTV joints. The entire route between Yunlin and Tainan is a flat, windswept wasteland of rubble along with the piles upon piles of discarded oyster shells. There are mounds and stacks of shells dotting the entire area, some neatly bundled, others scattered in heaps.

This is by no means a scenic route.

Guy Shooting Rockets For Me

My legs were already burning by the 100k mark. I wondered if I had gotten myself in over my head again.

Then, at just around the fishing port of Budai, I was passed by a temple procession.

One little blue truck with three guys in the back passed me and they shouted a cheer for me. I saw the fat guy in the back frantically groping for something and I worried he might be getting ready to throw firecrackers out the back to wake me up.

I could see a puff of blue smoke as he lit a red box of rockets and I braced myself for the coming onslaught of exploding projectiles.

It wasn't an attack, but instead it was a cheerful salute as they rooted for me to keep going.

I looked down at my Garmin and I was cooking at 23mph.

Flooded Tombs

Shells

The wind had shifted to the NNW direction and I was rolling along making good time.

The temple flags confirmed that I would be finishing my ride with the wind at my back, soI settled back into the drops and blasted through Tainan.

Tainan City seems to last forever.

You know you're in Tainan when you the only hills you encounter are where bridges have been built to traverse the rivers and canals that cut into the pancake-flat plain.

Tainan Canal

Biking through Tainan I had more cheers of support from passing drivers. It really gave me a jolt of energy.

Oceanfront Bike Trail in Tainan

When I finally rolled into Kaohsiung, it was still earlier than I had anticipated. I was feeling ok, but clearly at the end of my riding day.

Kaohsiung

Before long I had my bike bundled up and was on the HSR to Taichung. I usually get business class because it affords more space for my bike behind the last row of seats. When I went to retrieve my bike, I noticed some asshole had put their luggage on my derailleur. There was plenty of space for it in the luggage compartment and in the cargo space above the seats. Totally stupid and unnecessary.

I sipped a coffee and let my legs decompress.

Bike, Stroller, Baby, Bag

I was back in Taichung in time to grab dinner and watch the real Paris-Roubaix. I felt better than when I did this ride two years ago. I have more miles in the legs with a new bike. I found I could ride in the drops longer and I took fewer breaks. I just wish I had been able to be in better condition. I have only one one other ride this year that was over 100mi.

I guess it was a good day of punishment.

Walking Dead

Tourism Bureau Manufactures Cycling Buzz?

In less than a month after CNNGo included Sun Moon Lake in its erroneous and potentially misguided list of Top 10 cycling routes, a report comes across the wire like this:

Taipei, April 6 (CNA) Tourism officials said Friday that the number of cyclists in the Sun Moon Lake area of central Taiwan has surged during the past few weeks, driven by a CNN report that said the scenic area is one of the world's top 10 cycle routes.

In a March 15 article titled "Cycling Routes That'll Take Your Breath Away" on CNNGo.com, the area around Sun Moon Lake was ranked No. 5 behind the Great Ocean Road in Australia, the Udaipur City tour in India, the Karakoram Highway between China and Pakistan, and the Route of the Hiawatha in the United States.

The unexpected media exposure has triggered an overwhelming response from both local and foreign cyclists, according to the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration.

"We have seen the number of cyclists doubled on holidays, with 30 percent more on regular days," said Chang Jenn-chyan, director of the administration, who added that there has been an increasing presence of foreign cyclists.

This report seems fishy to me.

My questions are:

• How can the Tourism Bureau possibly have amassed enough definitive data to draw the conclusion that there had been an increase in cycling traffic due to the CNN article... especially in a few short weeks?

• Which methods are they using to collect data?

• How is the Tourism Bureau defining "foreigner"? I would assume they mean caucasians, but they may be including other foreign visitors.

My feeling on the matter is that the Tourism Bureau is paying for press and they are determined to show results of their marketing efforts.

I have emailed CNNGo for clarification and I have yet to receive a reply. I have also emailed the Taiwan Tourism Bureau for clarification.

I have seen a number of instances where the Tourism Bureau has supplied visitors with talking points, in exchange for a free trip.

The Tourism Bureau is too quick to draw its conclusions, especially since central Taiwan has been experiencing nicer weather in recent weeks and more people will be out cycling anyways. To attribute an increase in cycling to a minor CNN article seems presumptuous and wanting.

I also doubt large numbers foreigners saw the CNNGo article and immediately booked a trip to Taiwan to ride Sun Moon Lake.

I recently rode Sun Moon Lake, and at no time did I see any government official collecting survey data on riders.

I think we may be seeing a move by the government to promote a Merida event that will be held at Sun Moon Lake at the end of the month. They are trying to hype their own efforts at taxpayer expense.

In the long run, this type of manufactured hype may not be in the best interest of Taiwanese cycling, as many of these hyped locations do not deliver the goods when we actually ride them. Nothing makes a worse impression than being underwhelmed.

This is just a farce in analogical reasoning.

It really raises the question as to how many other articles have been fudged by the government.

Taiwan Tourism Bureau = FAIL!

KOM: Learning Taichung's Best Climbs

With a beautiful gap day mid-week for the Taiwanese Tomb Sweeping holiday, when families head out to the graves of their ancestors to clean them up and preserve the Feng-shui to provide better luck and prosperity for the entire family, a few of us decided to use the day-off to hit the hills around Taichung.

I thought I would use the occasion to treat Chris, a cycling neophyte, to the... ahem...joys of climbing over the fence.

We were joined part of the way by Michael Turton, who was tired from a weekend of heavy riding and only stayed until Dong Shih before swinging back to Tanzi.

In Taichung, "The Fence" is a term often used to describe the rugged foothills that separate Taichung from Nantou County and the Puli Basin. It is also regarded and a training ground for climbers ranging from weekend amateurs to local Pro-Tour favorites.

The Route 129 on Dongshan Rd.(東山路) leads up to the Hsin She (新社) plateau and provides the warm-up climb. It consists of a series of switchbacks that climb like stairs up Zhong Xing Cliff (中興嶺).

This was really a perfect test day for me as I could see how my knee feels while climbing and I could then back off and take periodic stretches.

For Chris this would be an initiation rite.

We made the Hsin She plateau and then polished up on cornering skills diving into the bends of Zhong-he Village (中和村).

The second climb over Baimao Shan (白毛山) is such a bitchin' road. It combines wide, smooth roadways that mix steady grades with graceful arcs of flat recovery space, before squiggling through fruit orchards to the shady peak.

The road then plummets downward in a phantasmagoric descent of tight hairpins that nearly fold on top of each other.

The bike felt perfectly balanced, so I threw myself into the corners. The centrifugal force at the zenith of each arc, opposed only by the rubberized grip of my Contis against the newly laid asphalt, gave the sensation of surfing the rising swell of a wave. Incredible!

Chris heaved himself over the hill and we stopped for a stretch and a sugar boost at the bottom before returning over the Route 136.

From the Puli side the renown of the 136 is for the final third of the climb. It starts out with gentle rollers between 2% and 4%, but then, just as you cross one of the bridges, the road lets you know who's boss.

I danced on my pedals to recover before mashing through the steeper ramps. Because I knew the route, I was mentally prepared for the challenge. I am at about 70% of my pre-injury fitness, so I was not going to set any records. For Chris, it was his first look at this beast and I left him to write his own manual on how to best overcome.

Most of us, at some time or another, have gone a hill too far.

We know the feeling in the legs of blood vessels popping from the calves. We know the fear of the bonk and the worry of having to hike the bike to the top. We fear the fluttering quake of a cramp in the back of the calf or the lower quad, that only fully presents itself as soon as we give up and try to dismount... then fall over to the folly of everyone or no one watching. We have endured the rivers of sweat that fill our eyewear and slosh burning puddles of brine into our eye sockets. We know the burning in the chest.

The 500 meters of 17% grade along the back side of the 136 is this torture. It is a beast. It is an insult against your mother. It is pure hell.

So we do it for fun.

I waited with sick anticipation for Chris at the shack above the steepest section of the climb. As the gap in time grew, I knew that Chris was busy getting his education on the ramps below.

Finally, Chris came storming around the corner in a flurry of motion and sound. He was not going to be defeated by the 136. I joined him and we capped the 136 all a bit worse for wear, but it was over.

After a bit of a breather to bring the color back into his face, Chris could only reflect on his painful, demoralizing climb.... "Fuckin' awesome, dude! I just climbed the 136."

That's what keeps us coming back. To do it and do it again, even better.

I let gravity pull me into Taiping for one last plunge, banking like a sports car through each bend.

We parted in Taiping and I rolled out to meet my wife and daughter at the park, where my little girl took to inspecting the craftsmanship of a fine titanium frame.

Nice ride. Nice day.

My legs feel like they are getting healthy again. When that happens, I don't know what kind of crazy I'll get myself into.

Congratulations Chris, you've entered a strange new world.

Outside With The Inside on Caffe Terry

I would like to congratulate my friend Terry Lin for the exposure and excellent write-up he has earned from Outside Online, the online version of Outside Magazine.

Best for: Globetrotters and industry insiders
Whether you know it or not, the carbon bike you’re riding almost certainly comes from Taiwan. The vast majority of carbon frames in the world are built there, which means lots of cycling types spend lots of time on this small island off the coast of east coast of China. Run by local racer and custom bike builder, Terry Lin, Caffee Terry (tel: 04-23207243; Tues.-Sun: 10 a.m.-midnight) is the cultural center for both pre-ride caffeine and post-ride carousing among local cyclists and expatriates alike. Saddle up to the bar and order a Taiwan Beer.

Terry is such a central figure in the Taichung cycling scene. He is one of the most generous and enthusiastic members of our community. I consider Terry to be the glue that keeps our community together.

Congrats!

Pedaling From Petrol: Taiwan Facing Second Wave of Cycling?

With the presidential elections in the rearview mirror, Taiwan's central government has ended its subsidies on gasoline, resulting in a 10% rise in fuel prices around the country.

While drivers are outraged by the sudden rise in fuel prices, many local bicycle retailers are looking to benefit from the new penalties at the pump.

During a similar spike in oil prices in 2008, Taiwanese started looking to the bicycle as a means to help mitigate the higher costs of driving.

This is really what initiated the "cycling revolution" in Taiwanas orders for new bikes more than doubled.

When prices became more manageable, many riders went back to motorized transport and the bikes were mothballed. Bike shops closed as quickly as they were opened.

Sadly, this is often the state of the bicycle as transportation.

It is a response to oil prices rather than an antidote. It is not seen as a long term fix, but a temporary diversion... much like the artificial prices Taiwan has long hung on the gas pump.

Eventually these high prices will become the status quo, and with over a decade of income stagnation amid rising inflation, the high cost of regularly driving an automobile will be untenable for many in the long run.

With the millions spent on cycling for leisure and tourism, the question remains whether enough has been done in the municipalities to accommodate the bicycle as a permanent fixture.

.......

I guess it could be worse. It could be Hong Kong, where the SAR seems to have taken a more adversarial approach.

Pinkbike Gives Taichung Singletrack The Hollywood Treatment: Incredible Video

For all you mountain bikers out there.... Here is a spectacular video of what Taiwan has to offer.

This is what those bikes are made for, and not just for negotiating loose bricks on the bike path. I would love to get my CX bike out there.

VIDEO HERE

Richie Schley - Made in Taiwan on pinkbike.com

Taiwan is a place of diversity and extremes: from busy factories to dense jungle, from white sand beaches to snow-capped peaks, from deep marble gorges to bustling city; Taiwan has it all. I had an image of what to expect when I first made the trip to Taiwan 2 years ago. My mind conjured up images of concrete sprawl, skyscrapers, and smog-spewing chimneys littering the skyline. The oft-seen label "Made in Taiwan" is testament enough to the sheer scale of industry. However, I was about to see another side of Taiwan altogether.

With a huge part of the mountain bike industry based in Taiwan, long time freerider, Richie Schley made the pilgrimage to experience a side of the bike world that often goes unseen. This is his experience.

Choose Your Own Adventure: The Tale of Taiwanese Bike OEM

The Torqued Wrench has an interesting little piece about The Myth of Origin for bicycle brands.

It reminded me of an OEM catalogue I recently came across that listed dozens of possibilities a brand can choose from in building their next frame. The tubes are ready to go.

This is how many brands "engineer" their frames. Despite the volumes of marketing literature on the brand's investment in state of the art engineering, this is how many modern bikes are produced. They are pieced together from a catalogue like choosing upholstery.

It is not that these are not great frames. Some of them are fantastic. It just gives a window into the economies that drive bicycle branding and production.

Multiple brands often work with a single OEM, and each of those brands may be working with multiple OEMs to build different bikes. The web is wide, and quite tangled.

For example, OEM firm ADK is partnered with CSG group, which owns Cannondale and GT, and is also partnered with Felt and ASI, who own Fuji and Kestrel. So you have frames from Cannondale, GT, Felt, and Kestrel, among others, all coming out of the same factory in Taiwan.

Giant Bicycles is unique in that it started out as an OEM, and still partners with other brands (Colnago’s M10 frame is built in a Giant factory, for example), but has also spread into doing its own R&D and, more importantly, its own marketing.

It continues...

Details of OEM relationships are therefore extremely difficult to pull out of brands. A cynic would presume that these OEMs, it seems, are good enough to build their products but not good enough to publicly associate with. Their location does not match the origin story put forth by the brand’s marketing department.

From a pragmatic view, this makes no sense. Today it is understood that Taiwanese production is as good, if not better, than anything coming out of the United States or Europe. It is clear that origin has zero relevance to end quality. But Trek reserves its top-tier frames as the only models still built in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and Colnago’s beautiful C59 is still built in Italy, while the rest of its production has gone overseas.