Hey guys, I moved the discussion from the Rapha thread since it deviated. Keep the conversation going. Thanks for your contributions.
He was pushing hard and was very scared of us catching him. I saw it when we were near the temple right before the road gets sandwiched by cemeteries on both sides.
I never never underestimate a young kid, on a 14kg bike, on a climb under 10km. They do not have hearts.
I also do not underestimate someone 40+ years old on a 100km ride at high pace.
Oh dear
Well Kiwiland is a great DIY culture, just look at the cars on the roadā¦people still cruise around in Ford Zephyrs and Datsuns, again not in a retro sense but simply because the wheels still turn.
Its also why Taiwanese sometimes get a negative reception there. Suddenly youāve gained a neighbor whose driveway is filled with two SUVs, a BMW and a Cherokee jeep.
The impression I get is very different. Maybe because I also live in Xizhi and I donāt see any fancy bikes among those in the local bike group. And the hills are my weakness, while Taiwanese of all ages (as it has been pointed out) are damn good on the mountains.
Iāve ended up in races on the riverside maybe around 4 times and I can at least keep up. The last time I ended up eventually passing the guy and he gave me a thumbs up. But the hillsā¦very average bikes like mine and getting my butt kicked all over the place is the impression I have more than anything.
He better is. The fuckinā dwarf deserves a good beat up. 
Jokes aside, freakinā kidsā¦ they are going to be very good riders!
As for Taiwanā¦ there are lots of riders, of all levels. And there are all types of bicycles too. But what I have said about āoldā folks riding super good bikes is true. I joined a stupid ride to Wulai at the beginning of the year and it was ridiculous: BH, Kouta, Specialized, Trek, Bianchiā¦ all of them with expensive groupsetsā¦ and all of them were pretty slow 
Moreover, they were ācrosschainingā often, or climbing with ātoughā gears, or spinning like hamster wheelsā¦ very sad.
Talking of kids how about that 17-year-old kid at the KOM, came in 22nd overall. Helluva prospect.
We have one 14 year old kid on the team in middle school. Looking to go the cycling route and applying to sports related high schools.
He was riding an 15kg Performer frame (that was clearly too big for him)ā¦was fast and later switched to a full carbon frame. It clearly made a differenceā¦went from 27 mins to 24 minutes going up FGZ in about 3-4 months.
24 mins on FGZ is quite frisky.
Iāve been sitting at 26:07 for almost half a year now.
I am still working out some quirks. I would die happy with 25:59.
I just checked itā¦Iām at 27:40 xD
I probably should try again and after a bit of training, now that the heat has gone.
Not with that north to south wind. The last 500m really makes your breaks your time.
Last time I went up, I took it at a sustainable pace for the first 2km and then a teammate blew past meā¦I followed and went full pace to keep up. I was a the bottom of the kicker to the finish and my Garmin went off telling me my PR time was up. I turned the right corner only to be faced with epic head wind. Fuhgettaboutit
Ferrari car costs a fortune, but rarely leaves the garage. This happens to expensive status thingies a lot. Those who buy them have no time or will to use them for full potential.
āAll the gear and no ideaā is a phrase that crops up now and again.
Think large gentleman on Pinarello with Super Record and Lightweights.
Have to admit, I do turn a little green with envy.
On a more serious note, I do wonder at some (letās be polite) āweekend warrior housewivesā out on their top specā bikes with Conti tubs. I would question any bike shop recommending thatā¦
I suppose if they puncture theyāll just call their manservant to come collect. 
With tennis shoes and platform pedals. 
I actually had a young lad on a ride once, Taipei to Taichung, turn up on a Dogma with deep rim carbon Zipps, wearing sneakers. We asked him wtf and he said his mother wouldnāt let him go clipless because it was too dangerous. Within a month he was selling his bike.
Thereās actual a father and son that is on the team and they both ride on flat pedals. The son is around 30 and the dad is well into his 50s. Granted both are riding mid-high range TCRs, but still.
I made the poor choice of judging them before I got wrecked on FGZ by the son. The father can easily keep up with us on long rides too! Iām not entirely sure the reason why they donāt clip in, but Iām just saying, donāt be too quick to judge.
Yeah but nah but, its like turning up to footy without cleats. Why deny yourself that much of a performance boost?
Exactly! If theyāre that fast on flats, imagine if they clipped in!
Maybe they donāt feel they need to prove anything 
I think this fits in here. I normally hate posting things from Apple Daily, but this just grinds my gears. You think something like this would happen outside of Taiwan?
Guy spends 340k on an F8, then complains he has back pain because he needed a 51.5cm as opposed to the 50cm frame he bought. Complains to the store that he didnāt give him a proper fitting for buying such an expensive bike.
If Iām reading the article correctly, people are hating on the store, not the consumer. What do you guys think?
Nowhere in the article does it mention the shop suggesting a bike fit, but it does say that the shop employees took measurements and ordered a frame based on the guyās height. So, should it be the shopās responsibility to force the guy to get a proper fitting or is the guyās fault for not knowing he needed a proper fitting or confirming what size frame the store ordered for him?