A few that I like…which reading the links above would (IMHO) classify then as Beginner…
bikepaths to Zhishan Road past Palace Museum and then take the small road on the right to Baishihu Suspension Bridge (白石湖吊橋), in the middle of Zhishan Road section 3. The road up is a good climb and relatively quiet/safe, the road down is a little narrow and more traffic, so take it steady. Only problem is you have to navigate Neihu to get back to the bike paths
Trip round Taipei - basically bikepaths and a straightforward climb from Nangang to Shenkeng (or vice-versa). Route 106 after coming down the hill to Shenkeng has some traffic - but after a while it connects to the zoo and bikepath at Muzha.
Bitan to Wulai and Fushan. The road from Bitan to Wulai has traffic, but the road from Wulai to Fushan is really good, minimal traffic, with some easy climbs. Since it’s a one way road, going to Fushan is uphill and then it’s downhill back to Wulai - though the trip back to Bitan has a couple of hills…
The easiest, entry-level climb in Taipei is Chongde Street, aka the Graveyard. It goes from Liuzhangli to the top of a graveyard, where you can descend down to either Nangang or Muzha. The grade is gentle with hardly any traffic. If you live in southern Taipei, you can get in a quick workout going up to the top and sliding back down in 30 minutes. Having ridden it countless times, I’m now looking at a third option. Near the top there’s a hiking trail. I’ve been told I could hike my bike down that trail and connect to a mountain road in Xinyi that will take me down to the foot of Elephant mountain. I think some cyclocross action would add a bit of spice to my regular routine.
It’s not long at all. The trick is finding the trailhead in the mountain of graves, and here it is:
This is very near the top, either second or third to last section of graves before the top. Just push your bike up that slope and you’re at the ridge. After that it’s just a short walk down a flight of stairs. The hike-a-bike takes about 3 minutes, but still you might not want to wear clipless shoes to ensure firm footing. You’ll come to a small temple, go right, through the temple, and you’ll come to a concrete trail. Here it’s actually rideable if you have wide enough tires. I didn’t want to risk puncturing my 28mm tires so I opted to push my bike. The trail will drop you in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Ride down the mountain and you’ll find yourself in the hustle and bustle of Wuxing St. All in all, a fun little detour.
Route name: Guan Shan Riverside Circuit Start point: Guan Shan Riverside Park Google Maps End point: Guan Shan Riverside Park Google Maps Traffic level:Low Main climb(s): N/A Total estimated distance: 500m Total estimated elevation gain: 10m Max elevation: 13m Difficulty:Beginner/Moderate/Hard/Wish you never got up this morning Description:
Ok, so I know a few of you guys were asking about some more beginner routes or segments and I know this list is lacking. So here she is!
Here’s some quick tips about the location and circuit
This loop has been a long time comin’ and we are lucky enough to have something right smack dab in the city. The tarmac is fresh and it’s easily accessible via Song Shan or Nanjing Sanmin MRT stations if you are coming from afar.
What I suggest is if you are heading this way on a weekend, to starting early! Word has gotten out that there’s a brand new area for people to ride bikes on and the place is scourged with people on Ubikes and kids by midday. There’s not much you can do about it as it is a public facility, all you can do is avoid it!
There’s two different loops on the circuit. The small loop is .5km and the larger one is 1km. I personally like the short .5km loop as it’s quick, so you can’t really remember what number loop you are on, which I actually prefer.
If you aren’t out there for a training ride, it’s one of the most picturesque spots on the riverside with planes taking off and landing on Song Shan airport and 101 in the background.
