Shenkeng looks like it may be worth a visit, and cycling from Taipei Zoo on the YouBike is the way I would like to go.
But, is it possible? Looking on Google Maps, the route is sort of crisscrossed with those massive, whackoff highways. And I can’t tell if the route from Taipei Zoo to Shenkeng is on normal, bicycle friendly roads that go under the big scary highways, or if I will end up funnelled onto a scary, bicycle inapproriate road and end up panicking.
Basically I want to avoid getting funnelled onto a fast highway, and google maps it is hard to tell if I will end up funnelled on one or not.
Yea unfortunately google map doesn’t account for everything, and sometimes makes you share roads with cars who thinks traffic rules are just merely a suggestion. I personally wouldn’t bike outside of a river side path…
@stoa1984 used to live there on the top of a hill, and riding a one hour bus every morning when taking classes at 師大. Far from the city pollution, but starry night sky and plentiful of geckos and frogs!!
You’d follow either branch of 106, you shouldn’t end up on any highways, but “bicycle friendly” is all a matter of perspective. Thousands of cyclists do it every week as it’s a popular route to places like Pingxi and beyond. There are no real bike paths or sidewalks though. It is relatively flat, so a Youbike is ok. You can select cycling on Google maps and it should give you a pretty good idea with images at key junctions.
You will have to share that road with large vehicles who won’t see you in a bike, or even cares that you are around. As well as sharing the road with mercedes and BMW that believes their car exempts them from traffic rules.
I wish there was an option on google maps to show me bike routes with only bike paths. I hate riding on the roads with cars, scooters and busses. Maybe if there is some kind bike path master map for Taipei/New Taipei I could do something with that
Take one of the 106s, I’ve done it lots of times. WRT to traffic, the biggest issue is weekends with some of the sports cars and big bikes coming out to play. However most of the time they are playing on the 106 from PingXi area not ShenKeng.
Riversides are fine for getting from A to B (provided using riverside works) but they very soon get very boring when you consider the places you can go elsewhere.
Cheers, I am ok with sharing a road with other vehicles, as long as it’s a normal, minor road–I cycle in Taipei all the time occasionally on normal roads… My worry is getting funnelled onto a massive, multi-lane highway, which they looked like on google maps. Glad the route avoids those.
For OP, I would stick to the road parallel that runs through the busier part of Shenkeng. It’s a bit more like riding around Taipei.
The road the @Membrillo suggested does have a shoulder for a bit, but disappears bc of cars parked on the side of the road. If you’re there around mid day it tends to get a bit busy and cars drive a bit quicker closer to the gas station and 106 Clubhouse.
