I wrote a while ago that I was coming to Taiwan and thinking of buying a cyclocross bike for my commute to work along the towpath.
I’m still coming to Taiwan but the bike plan has changed!
The towpath really kills the drivetrain, especially in Winter so I am now thinking about a bike with hub gear / belt drive. By any chance does anyone know of any Taiwanese manufacturers who do this?
Thanks.
I switched to hub gears for that reason and would never go back for a town bike.
Even though I am running chain tensioners I still have no issues with jockey wheel or cog wear.
Another major, major bonus is the ability to shift while stopped.
I run an Alfine 11 with a double front chainring {for touring} on my Moulton and absolutely love it.
With just a single chainring it is about equivalent in gearing to a road bike.
I also have an Alfine 8 which is great but has an odd gap in the spacing in the middle of the gears on my commuter.
I have pedalled that one up 5 finger mountain while remaining seated to give you some idea of its range.
These hubs and others such as Shimano Nexus 7 {lower though sufficient range but no gaps} can be found quite cheaply on Ruten.com.
The website hubstripping.com is a great resource.
I could build you something if you knew exactly what you wanted, but buying things piecemeal adds up so you’d need a reasonable budget.
Going up Five Finger Mountain on that is quite impressive alphabetman. Kudos!
As for parts, if a manufacturer makes the parts, I can’t say it’ll be hard to find, Taiwan is the center of the bike manufacturing industry in the world.
Finding a reputable mechanic and shop to put your rig together, that’s a different story. I happen to know a few around the city (that can speak English), feel free to PM me with any questions.
Thanks for the replies.
Just to make it clear, I am based in England, would buy the bike in Taiwan and then take it back to England to use there (I’ve done this before - Cathay let you take them for free as 1 piece checked baggage). My commute is approx 62km round trip of which 2/3 is on the towpath.
The reason for asking if a Taiwanese company makes these kinds of bikes is that they would probably be a lot cheaper e.g. Giant Anyroad 2 = GBP450 if bought in Taiwan. In England they sell for GBP800.
So I am really looking for a ready made bike e.g. http://www.cube.eu/uk/products/trekking/editor/cube-editor-black-flashgreen-2016/ rather than one that has to be built up.
We are coming to Taiwan end of July so I have time so figure things out - at the moment (A) buy a bike like the one above or (B) keep my current bike and replace the drive train every few months - parts are reasonably cheap. And then maybe treat myself anyway to a nice bike when I’m in Taiwan to share with my son 
Will have a look round the Internet to see what I can find…
Now I know why you were saying towpath not riverside trail.
Well you are already onto the advantageous Giant shopping situation in Taiwan, so I think most people would advise you to go with that plan due to the abundance of Giant stores and products.
Bikes such as you have shown are real rarities here, as are hub gears in shops.
Maybe you could get a wheelset built up with a hub gear {and a dynamo} for an Anyroad. {Caution, wheel building seems to be slow here.}
Do you have friends in Taiwan who could help?
A lot of things that are made in Taiwan are not sold in Taiwan {I’ve been told by a bike shop get it in a America and we’ll install it for you.}
Yes, very true. Biggest example are large frames! Anything above a 56cm frame and you’re searching for a needle in a haystack!
Do be mindful that the Giant Taiwan warranty may not apply overseas, so if you have issues with it back in the UK, it might not be covered under warranty!
Thanks for the further replies.
[quote]Well you are already onto the advantageous Giant shopping situation in Taiwan, so I think most people would advise you to go with that plan due to the abundance of Giant stores and products.
Bikes such as you have shown are real rarities here, as are hub gears in shops.
Maybe you could get a wheelset built up with a hub gear {and a dynamo} for an Anyroad. {Caution, wheel building seems to be slow here.}[/quote]
I’m pretty sure I will go for a ready-made bike rather than a built one. And may well be a Giant as (A) the owner of the local Giant shop in my wife’s hometown used to go to school with her younger brother so that’s quite helpful (B) Apparently one of my wife’s cousins has a good friend working at the Giant Factory so I may be able to get a good discount that way.
I’ve bought a M/L Giant frame in Taiwan before without a problem - I will have approx 4 weeks to find one! I have been on the Giant Taiwan website and can see there are fewer e.g. cyclocross bikes than in UK but I would hope to be able to find something to suit.
Giant’s worldwide warranty says “Claims made outside the country of purchase may be subject to fees and additional restrictions.” - I would be prepared to risk that.
I cycled to work this morning along the towpath and after 15 minutes the heavens opened all the way to work. Clothes in UK take a lot longer to dry out than in Taiwan!
Good luck davidla, what I would suggest is calling ahead of time if you know the model and size you want.
Don’t think you’re problem free if you have 21 days! I’ve seen people wait months for their bike!
Another tip, try to ask more than one shop. Regardless of your “in” with one shop, it’s always good to keep your options open and to see what other shops have to offer. I’ve had a few friends ask one shop on whether they would find him a frame and they checked, but said that there’s none on the island. Another shop that sold the same bikes and bought from the same distributor, said that they found a few frames for him. You never know!
Thanks Ranlee - good advice!
Hi Ranlee,
I’m working on an ebicycle start-up and am keen to find a reputable Taiwanese supplier of belt-drive system components. I was searching when I came across this forum and noted your comment that it’s pretty hard to find such companies (particularly when they also need to speak English!). I’d be very grateful if you could share your advice on this matter?
I would have PM’d you, but I don’t see how!
Thanks and regards,
Bruce
Since Taichung is the center of the bike manufacturing world, it would be pretty tough to find a supplier that did not having English speaking employees. So, if that’s your main issue, I wouldn’t be too concerned.
As for any leads, unfortunately, can’t help you out. If you know who produces the belt-drive system components, say Shimano or FSA, I might be able to point you in that direction since there a company that distributes Shimano here in TW.
Try clicking on my icon and pressing “message”. If you don’t see it, leave a message here. You may be blocked from sending PM’s if you’re account is brand spankin’ new.
Thank you for your reply and suggestions. I’ve managed to find one or two suppliers who look good, so I think I’m set.
I think you’re right that I’m simply blocked from sending PM’s for the time being.
Thanks again for your help!