Fifty Plus (50+) - Taiwan

A group of riders were in front of my hotel in Kaohsiung. They had a couple of support vans with "Giant" logos. None of the bicycles had clip-less pedals or toe clips. The riders were all wearing tennis shoes. I asked a young lady why they didn't use bicycle shoes with cleats. She said it was "too professional". I told her that I wasn't a professional and I love my Speedplays.

GIANT does sponsor some rides and races in Taiwan. I'm heading over to Taipai for the International Bike Show in a couple of weeks; should be fun!

Rick / OCRR

They said they were on a 9 day ride circling the island. They are just riding 105 km today.

My company has a manufacturing site in Kaohsiung, so I've been there (and also in Taipei, of course). I guess one of the issues for cyclists there would be avoiding getting run over by the swarms of scooters!

I didn't see any good places to ride around Kaohsiung. I also didn't see any really nice bicycles although many great frames are produced there.

I am happy to get off the island. The only thing that impresses me about Taiwan is the high speed rail service. Most of the US is in the dark ages with our public transit system.

I am happy to get off the island. The only thing that impresses me about Taiwan is the high speed rail service. Most of the US is in the dark ages with our public transit system.

I can't imagine any major improvements being done to our highways or rail systems in the USA. No doubt, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups would bring so many lawsuits against any new effort that nothing new will ever be built. Better keep the bikes tuned and ready!

. No doubt, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups would bring so many lawsuits against any new effort that nothing new will ever be built.

Sorry to be contrary, but actually, you will find that the Sierra Club is a big promoter of mass transit.

Sorry to be contrary, but actually, you will find that the Sierra Club is a big promoter of mass transit.

I keep hearing how environmentalists are all in favor of "alternative energy sources", such as wind, solar, etc. Yet, I noticed that it was an environmental group that brought a law suit to stop construction of a large wind farm along the California-Oregon border. It's environmentalists stopping wind farms off the New England Coast. Environmentalists have consistently opposed nuclear power plants. And of course, whenever a new hydro-electric dam is proposed, it's the Robert Redford crowd filing suits to stop it. I wonder how it is that environmentalists keep a straight face when they flip the light switch in their own 6000 sq. ft. house, fill up their SUV, fire up the big yacht, or take the corporate jet out for an afternoon junket to Las Vegas. Like Al Gore - okay for me to consume, but not for you.

It cracks me up when one environmental group proposes a "green" project (like the wind farms) - and another environmental group brings law suits to shut them down. :)

Kinda like the Muslims who bomb one another's mosques. They dislike everybody so much that they even dislike themselves... :)