I would like to ride my bike from Taoyuan to Taichung on Saturday 25th February.
Has any one done this before? Or from an area close to Taoyuan.
Google maps basically tells me to follow the highway.
Can any one give me advice for this trip?
Lastly if any is Keen to join I’m ok to have some company, I’m just getting back into my cycling so I’m not going to be breaking any speed records. Keen for a chill trip with a few beers on the way!
done it twice on round-Taiwan trip, once along the coast, once through the hills past Sanyi (north of Taichung).
if you want it easy, do the coast route.
And ride along the highway on the coast if I choose that route?
Thank you for the reply
On Google maps, should be the blue route 15 along coast as well as red route 61. 61 gets you over some rivers, and then back to easier route.
Blue route 1 starts following coast south around Houlong Township, Miaoli.
Good luck, you’ll be fine as you’re starting from Taoyuan and not Taipei like I did the first time.
Just been having a look on map view and it looks generally ok. Few spots where I might feel uncomfortable being on the big highway but the shoulder lane seems somewhat sizeable.
Mostly look like chilled quiter roads a long the coast!
Any places I should definitely stop for on the way?
oh gosh…,. I did that route back in 2014 or thereabouts.
In Hsinchu there’ll be a massive wind power area, with them churning around and around. You’ll likely never get closer. Still remember the sound they made as they cut through the wind.
Overall, that’s why biking around Taiwan is cool. You’ll see things maybe I missed or that you like.
This time of year there’s a northerly so you’ll fly down. I did Taipei to Taichung once on the blue highway in about six hours.
@ranlee can give you some good advice here.
Check this link and download the routes (資料下載 tab).
https://taiwanbike.taiwan.net.tw/RouteInfo/No1Route
Routes of interest are 1, 1-1 and 1-2.
I was actually thinking about doing something similar (looking forward to my first 200 km ride). I’m all about not breaking speed records, and beers.
Ok This is the best site i’ve seen so far… Thank you!
My line in procc86 if you’d like to add me and we can coordinate if you can join the ride!
If you’re going to take the coast road then pay attention to the blue cycle markers/arrows on the tarmac. They indicate if you have to go up the ramp to cross a river or if you stay down on the road. They usually have one with an arrow just before the on-ramp and another one 5-10m on the ramp itself (if you were supposed to use it). The first couple of rivers we crossed on our trip we didn’t realise this and rode past the correct up ramps and wasted a lot of time doing U-turns. HsinChu was tricky because at one junction we needed to go straight on but cycle arrows pointed right - this was in fact to a newly opened narrow cycle path for families to trundle up and down. We were not the only ones led astray by this.
Thank you for the tip!
This. Taoyuan to Taichung isn’t too tricky on the coast. Just have to pick where you want to turn in east once you get to Taichung. Whether you’re staying somewhere in the city center, you want to turn a bit earlier before Taichung port or if you’re heading to the HSR, you have to ride the entire length of Taichung port.
My suggestion is, leaving Taoyuan very early (I would say 4-5AM) so you arrive in Taichung at around noon-ish when traffic isn’t too bad.
I personally prefer the Provisional No.3. I prefer mountain or rolling hills over flats any day. The only downside of the No.3 are the heavy motorcycles near Miaoli, but the road is wide enough where you don’t have to worry about them wizzing by you too closely.