Most masks I see on the streets in Taipei are just made out of cloth, which might do some good in filtering out dust, but not in filtering out fumes. I found a local dealer who has Respro cycling masks made with neoprene linings and an activated charcoal filter inside... but they were pricey since they were imported from the U - 3,500 NT for mask and two sets of filter replacements. Unfortunately for me... instantly after finding the Respro online... an taiwanese engineer friend of mine found a generic cycling mask with a charcoal filter inside for just 300 NT.

It seems that with the amount of nasty fumes in the air, even if we decrease our intake by a small percentage... say, 30%, it would be good for us in the long run.

Bump!

I'm flying to Taipei end of this week for a business trip. Can anyone recommend a shop where I could rent a bike (preferably a road bike) for a day?

thanks in advance!

I'm back in Taiwan, but I'm sorry that I can't help you with Taipei. I've only ridden in Taichung and Tainan. Next time you replace your current bike, consider something you can travel with like a Ritchey BreakAway or one equipped with S & S BTC's...

Oh yeah, I'm shopping for a folding bike, but won't have one before my trip. Thanks!

Any global recommendations on bike shops in Taipei? What are prices like? Is there anything used? Can one find track bikes? (Many questions ..)

Thanks all!

I live in Nan Kan, riding around this area and up in the hills. I do not really comute so ride for fun and exersise. I seem to ride mostly very early in the morning due to scheduleing as much as anything else, as was pointed out earlier the air is much cleaner then.

How was your Taiwan trip? I live in Okinawa which is about 250 miles to the NE of Taiwan.

I was in Manila a few years ago and did some running in the city. Wow - incredibly polluted air. Not nearly as bad as Beijing, but still bad.

Okinawa isn't too bad though. The dump trucks do put out a lot of particulate exhaust but overall the air is pretty good.

Hi,
I've been looking for this book for months "Let's Bike: Carefree Tour Biking" Northern Taiwan. Does anyone have an idea where I can find it?
I usually ride in Hshinchu County, Guanshi Township because my in-laws live there. It is nice if you adjust your cycle time to the temperature and off peak traffic times.
The bummer in Taiwan is you can't buy parts like you can in the US. The OEM laws prevent companies from selling things at a discount. I ride a Bianchi Volpe that was made here but isn't sold here. So I imported it from the US. (I'm probably the only one this year.:) I love the WTB Terrainasaurs tires because the roads are not smooth. I wouldn't want to ride a regular road bike here. Too much road vibration. The Brooks B67 makes a difference as well.

buying a Bianchi in CA
 

Were you able to build a bike in Taiwan? Last year I tried the shops in Taipei and came out empty. Ended up buying a Bianchi in CA and importing it to Taiwan.

hello meyers66 where did you get the bike in CA. You order it online or local shop.I plan to get one in CA. if you order it online might be useful for me before purchasing.

How do you mean "build"? Buy a frame and fork and have a shop add the other hardware? I know of a shop here in Taichung and one in Tainan that can do that. The one in Taichung does a lot of mid to high end stuff: Colnago, DeRosa, Pinarello, Garneau. The one in Tainan is a dealer for Giant, but also does Cannondale and Salsa (and perhaps a few others). Basically they should be able to get whatever parts that you can get in the US. While both have done repairs and maintenance for me, I have not purchased much hardware from either.

Jimmy at Jimmy's bike shop on Jien Guo Rd. in Taipei (close to Xin Yi Rd.) builds road bikes from the frame up. He is a fan of Shimano groups, but seems to have access to many and varied frames and other components.

His prices are variable. Sometimes he is super expensive and sometimes reasonable.

You can also try Yahoo! auctions in Taiwan. Many gray (black) market OEM products end up there. Be wary of the sellers however, some are truly dodgy. Oh and its all in Chinese of course.

For building mountain bikes there are several choices.

Our own shop cannot help you build a complete bike yet, but we are working hard on building up the range. Maybe one day, soon... :love:

Cheers,

V.

American Cyclery in SF, CA.
 

Hi,
I bought my '07 Bianchi Volpe in San Francisco at American Cyclery on Stanyon St. There is a Bianchi distributor in Hayward, CA. I tried getting info online and through the mail from both of them and they didn't respond. I'm not a big fan of their customer service. I received good customer service from the Bianchi dealer in Sausalito on Bridgeway. They didn't have the right size so I went with American Cyclery. If I were to do it again I'd go with the Bianchi dealer in Sausalito on Bridgeway. I'm a fan of supporting businesses that care about customer service. They also gave me a free bike box.

Hello All,
I'll be visiting Taiwan for a short trip, and am excited about bringing my Brompton with me for the first time. With that said, if anyone knows of a shop or person willing to rent/loan out a road bike in Kaohsiung, I'd greatly appreciate some pointers as I certainly wouldn't mind taking that up for a few climbs. If not, anyone interested in riding with me and my foldie around in Taipei, Taidong, or Kaohsiung (the three places I'll be visiting)?

Missed me. I'm in Taichung...

Taichung is only a HSR ride away, isn't it? :lol:

I did hear Taichung has some good climbing.

Grrrrgh, need to find someone to rent a bike from!:twitchy:

I've been in Tainan for 10 years. I've ridden and/or raced in every county on the island.

Never been to this forum before.

Howdy to all those here!

Starting in January 2004, I spent about 18 months in Tainan. In some ways, I liked it better than Taichung, where I am now.

Are you familiar with SS Knife (Shao Shiung, I think)? There is one shop out on Golden Beach and another near the Train Station downtown.

Oh I am way faster than the scooters! :D

them blue trucks on the other hand...and let's not mention taxis and buses...

V.

Well, I pass scooters when I ride, but starting is a different matter. Plus I didn't downshift that time. I was on the 53 and maybe a 20 or so at the back. I usually downshift the big ring, but that time I did not.

The funny thing is that this impatience thing is really ingrained, but more often than not, people are not in a hurry. I am not a slow driver by any means, but what I've noticed is that I'll see a car gaining rapidly gaining on me in the mirror. When they catch up, they tuck in behind me and drive the same speed. When they do that, is says that they have no reason to rush. This has happened many, many times on streets and highways. Somewhere there are some synapses that need rewiring...

Anyway, blue trucks and taxis? No, but I can definitely get buses; anytime, anyplace...

Did you get off your bike, use your "pissed foreigner about to beat your head in" look, and shake him down for NT$1000? I would have! Absolutely no excuse on his part, even for a Taiwanese scooter rider.:mad:

No, I didn't. Actually it would have been more like $2000NT because the tire was also cut (Continental GP 4000)...

hello --

I will be in Taiwan for a week in June and see there may not be many options for renting bicycles(?). Can anyone offer recommendations on things that I would really want to see? Hiking, outdoor activities are preferred but don't mind more touristy things if they are really interesting.

possible to get a tour of a Giant factory? ;)

practice patience
 

Hi, I recommend getting copy of Lonely Planet Taiwan and reading the Forumosa forum online. 2/3 of the island are mountains so if you are into hiking there are lots of options. The tricky part is transportation to nice places if you don't speak Chinese. The routes from Hualian to Taitung on the East Coast are famous for cycling. You are going to face adjusting to high heat, humidity, and traffic so give yourself time. The trick for me is to slow down and find a mellow pace. The Taiwanese for the most part are generous and smile often- practice patience. There was media press about Giant and the Train system allowing travelers to travel south, rent a bike ride on the West side, and cycle East to Taitung over the South Cross Central hwy. Then return the bike. I don't know if it is set up yet. Cycling is really popular but if your are over 6' you'll have trouble with frame sizes. Example, for a steel framed bike, I had to buy a Bianchi Volpe in SF and bring it back to Taiwan. It was made here in Taichung. Taichung would be a good city hub because of culture and access to the mountains. FYI you can camp at elementary schools after you ask permission. Campgrounds can get loud with car KTV set ups. Make a point of seeing the National Palace Museum.

I'm looking for a casual riding, sightseeing type of group in northern Tainan County. I'm closer to Chiayi than to Tainan. My local Giant shop hasn't been much help, and no one at school knows anything.

hi all.
actually I am a bit desperate, so when I found this thread, I decided to hijack it.
just because the title says : taiwan!

I recently bought a foldingbike, the brand is hasa. the model: f2. wheels: 16 inch.
the website is www.hasabike.com.tw

in indonesia, there are some who ride this bike. it is available quite widely.
the price is approx.370 american dollars (converted)
while for comparison, the dahon curve can be had for approx 500 dollars.

what I am desperate of is this:

why can't I obtain any info, any reviews, other than that available from my local friends?
I would love to read any reviews from taiwanese users, also their modifications, as reference.
you might want to know that this bike does not fold as slim and compact as a dahon curve.
but seemingly, the hasa f2 is lighter, and rides aggresively..

so, since the title reads: TAIWAN. please help me for references, links and so on..

thanks in advance....

(sorry if this is considered hijacking....)

Not sure what kind of help you will get here. I don't think many Taiwanese read this forum and most of the expatriates I saw in Taiwan rode full size bikes. You might try another forum called www.forumosa.com A lot of expatriates post there. Also, post your question to the Folding Bikes forum here. A lot of folks have knowledge of other brands that we might not see in the US.

And yes, technically it would be hijacking, sort of...

Hey flatlander 48, or anyone here. I will be in Taiwan for two weeks during Chinese new year, do you know if I could rent a road bike in Hsinchu or should I just bring a bike over from the US? Also, do you know of any bike rides, clubs, events, racing, or websites of bike culture in Taiwan?

Thanks