Having (sort of) settled in Zhubei/Hsinchu, Mrs ColT has now been offered a job at a university in Tainan. 
Soooooooo, any pointers on where I can:
(i) hook up with some cyclists for training in the Tainan area? (Is there an E-ma equivalent down there? 
)
(ii) find a decent shop or two to cater for my Campag needs?
Thanks in advance.
Colin
Oh dear. Looks like Iām on my own then. :-/
Several of the better-known shops here are run by the same guy named. His nickname is Cowboy and he has hooked up several of my friends in the past. There are several clubs and weekly races which he could also let you in on.
Okay, thanks - where will I find this Cowboy chap?
out riding.
Tainan City
If itās not here, the new shop will be just down the road past the 7-11. Canāt miss the giant Giant sign.
[quote=āadrianā]Tainan City
If itās not here, the new shop will be just down the road past the 7-11. Canāt miss the giant Giant sign.[/quote]
Thanks.
Had been hoping to bump into him out on a ride - I imagine he has a ten gallon helmet.
He rides with a funny saddle too.
Never seen a pommel on a bike before.
I heard someone biked from Taichung to Tainanā¦ didnāt make it, collapsed en route and died at the hospitalā¦
Two different locations show up on Google Maps.
One is small and cute, the other looks big and soulless (on a major road). I assume they operate out of two locations (do repairs in one, and sales in the other, or something like that?).
Small and cute:
Lane 185, DÅngchĆ©ng St, Dong District, Tainan
Big and soulless:
äøčÆę±č·Æäøꮵ212č (i.e., Zhonghua East Section 3), Dong District, Tainan
Okay, after several months based in Tainan, I have made a few contacts and have a slightly better understanding of what itās like down here.
I have located the two Giant shops owned/run by the chap known as Cowboy, although I have yet to meet the fella. Thereās also a nice shop in Anping doing a wide variety of stuff with a fair bit of high end. 227 Ride and the City (facebook.com/biketimetw) who organises training runs - early Sat am starting from Xinhua and Thurs evening from the shop (more casual). Number of riders varies, but there are usually some pretty quick guys on Saturday, so I get a good workout (around 100km+). Iāve also hooked up with another Britā I bumped in to out on the road. Has a group of locals he rides with some weekends (Sat ams again and sometimes Sundays) - Satās are a more gentle pace, but good rides out into the hilly stuff. Havenāt done a Sunday ride with him yet, but he goes out with an ex Taiwanese pro who also has a bike shop. Not quite sure where, but can easily locate it if anyoneās interested.
If you want any further info or want to hook up on a ride, reply here or drop me a PM.
Colin
Hey ColT, Iāve just moved to Tainan and Iām looking to meet with a group of leisure riders to explore the area with me. Iām a strong cyclist and I can handle a good dayās riding, but my primary focus is to enjoy the surroundings rather than race through them, and my bike is a hybrid, not a road bike, so Iām not well suited to the more training-oriented road bike groups Iāve found here. My ideal ride is 40-80 km, sticking to scenic low-traffic roads and paths as much as possible, with some kind of theme or destination to explore before turning around and heading home, and a slow enough pace to maintain conversations with other riders. Iām feeling really starved for nature here in the Tainan city sprawl, so Iād like to find rides that get out of the city and into nature if possible. Anything around here match that description, or should I just try to round up some people with similar interests and start my own group? Can you recommend any good routes that can get me away from the city without having to contend with roaring highway traffic and clouds of exhaust?
Thanks!
Hi. Sorry, just seen this. Not quite my type of riding, but I can probably help you out. Where are you in Tainan? Weāre in the north district, so itās 5 mins to get fairly rural (and flat) from here, or 30 mins to get out to Xinhua to start the more hilly rides. If you want to have a chat to discuss the options (over a map and a coffee or something?!), that may be easiest. PM me if interested. Colin
Edit: thereās a group on FB called Biking Buddies here in Tainan. Usually ride on Saturday morning - mix of leisure/scenic/social/hilly. I think itās a closed group but can get you an invite if interested.
[quote=āepinephrineā]Hey ColT, Iāve just moved to Tainan and Iām looking to meet with a group of leisure riders to explore the area with me. Iām a strong cyclist and I can handle a good dayās riding, but my primary focus is to enjoy the surroundings rather than race through them, and my bike is a hybrid, not a road bike, so Iām not well suited to the more training-oriented road bike groups Iāve found here. My ideal ride is 40-80 km, sticking to scenic low-traffic roads and paths as much as possible, with some kind of theme or destination to explore before turning around and heading home, and a slow enough pace to maintain conversations with other riders. Iām feeling really starved for nature here in the Tainan city sprawl, so Iād like to find rides that get out of the city and into nature if possible. Anything around here match that description, or should I just try to round up some people with similar interests and start my own group? Can you recommend any good routes that can get me away from the city without having to contend with roaring highway traffic and clouds of exhaust?
Thanks![/quote]
Hey, I donāt know if Colin ever got back to you so Iāll try and help.
For starters, google āstrava world heat mapā and then zone in on the Tainan area.
not sure if this link will work http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#14/120.22178/22.99048/blue/bike
Also, here is a route Iāll post a route. my name --[callum shayer] https://www.strava.com/activities/251407136
Now, if you donāt have a strava account, I would advise you to make a quick account and then go to my profile, or colins and click on the blue bars that list how much we have ridden each week. The rides we have done should pop up and then you can just search around for the distance you would like to do and voila many many rides of varying length. I do more rides in the hills and he does more fast morning rides in north part of town. Hope this helps. Also, colin never invites me for coffeeā¦
[quote=āprotoprismaticā][quote=āepinephrineā]Hey ColT, Iāve just moved to Tainan and Iām looking to meet with a group of leisure riders to explore the area with me. Iām a strong cyclist and I can handle a good dayās riding, but my primary focus is to enjoy the surroundings rather than race through them, and my bike is a hybrid, not a road bike, so Iām not well suited to the more training-oriented road bike groups Iāve found here. My ideal ride is 40-80 km, sticking to scenic low-traffic roads and paths as much as possible, with some kind of theme or destination to explore before turning around and heading home, and a slow enough pace to maintain conversations with other riders. Iām feeling really starved for nature here in the Tainan city sprawl, so Iād like to find rides that get out of the city and into nature if possible. Anything around here match that description, or should I just try to round up some people with similar interests and start my own group? Can you recommend any good routes that can get me away from the city without having to contend with roaring highway traffic and clouds of exhaust?
Thanks![/quote]
Hey, I donāt know if Colin ever got back to you so Iāll try and help.
For starters, google āstrava world heat mapā and then zone in on the Tainan area.
not sure if this link will work http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#14/120.22178/22.99048/blue/bike
Also, here is a route Iāll post a route. my name --[callum shayer] https://www.strava.com/activities/251407136
Now, if you donāt have a strava account, I would advise you to make a quick account and then go to my profile, or colins and click on the blue bars that list how much we have ridden each week. The rides we have done should pop up and then you can just search around for the distance you would like to do and voila many many rides of varying length. I do more rides in the hills and he does more fast morning rides in north part of town. Hope this helps. Also, colin never invites me for coffeeā¦[/quote]
See post previous to yours, Callum. I got back and left it open, but havenāt heard anything.
Funny you should mention coffee - was thinking about inviting round the ex-pat riders I know just after New Year for coffee and cakeā¦ watch this space.
wibble
I guess the aforementioned cyclist or the cycling org saw the blog and asked you to take it down.
I guess the aforementioned cyclist or the cycling org saw the blog and asked you to take it down.[/quote]
Not exactly. I just got tired of the whole thing, so thought Iād leave it alone.