I am convinced that taking the light rail to Hongshulin station is not going to work out for me since there is a probability that I may not have a seat the whole way down to Taipei. Do you happen to know a safe bike route from Carrefour Danxi to Tamsui mrt station? I can’t seem to find a route where there are bike lanes.
Ouch … nope, I don’t know one I’d consider safe. I can’t recall any with bike lanes. If I had to ride that right now, I’d probably try to route around Tamkang University, because it sort of matches the way I walk, and I know the roads aren’t as busy as that main road down the hill - but I still wouldn’t like it.
But basically I’d suggest playing with alternate routes that Google Maps or your own instincts suggest. Once you get further into “old” Danshui, you’re stuck with narrow congested streets, I fear.
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You first eye the obstacles and determine the lowest one (4th from left in this case). On your approach, line up your bike so it’ll be parallel to the obstacle as you cross it. Pedal hard enough so your bike will coast over the whole thing. Put the pedal that will glide over the obstacle at 12 o’clock. As you cross it, hug the obstacle as close as you can without knocking it. Glide over it. Don’t turn until the whole length of your bike has cleared the obstacle. After a few runs you won’t even have to unclip.
Keeps the scooters from entering the paths. Better to keep them there.
That’s not entirely true. The scooters that really want to enter, find their way in. Usually, some of those barriers are not fixed nor locked to the ground, it’s easy to remove those. I know it because I have to remove them when cycling with the trailer. If there are all fixed, then I just have to hope that the trailer can go below those shoulder high barriers (not always lucky). Sometimes we have to lift the trailer over the low barriers (not possible if I’m riding alone).
So, those barriers block legitimate users: bike trailers, some models of cargo bikes, some hand bikes or recumbent bikes may also have difficulties managing through them. While, I’m not sure at all if the scooters can just pass most of those barriers without a lot of trouble.
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Has anyone mentioned the bike path to BaLi, or any bike path during the weekend?
Apart from probably me, I don’t remember but I might have posted this before.
Bali on weekends is worse than calle Preciados on Christmas. I try to avoid it as much as I can, but there’s a cool park and we go there sometimes. So, add a bike trailer to the nightmare.
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any of the old ultra narrow single lane tunnels. plus points for the ones with no lights. those things put hair on your chest and make you a faster rider.
Are you referring to the Taipei area? The only old, narrow tunnel with no lights that I can think of is this one in Xindian.
I like that tunnel, but I always ride with lights. Without lights, I rather climb the mountain.
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This one on Heping section 4 is a bit hairy, even though it’s well lit and well paved. The problem is the buses. So what I usually do is I wait for the red light. Once it turns red, I accelerate like a bat out of hell down the tunnel. By the time any bus gets near me, I’m out of the tunnel where the lane widens.
I’ve managed to master riding on the little tiny sidewalk without stopping or hitting the wall or shin high rail.
Banged my legs and pedals a few times, stopped occasionally, but I consider it good balance practice.
That would take a while, and you’d be stuck if there’s a pedestrian coming toward you. Might as well take the detour (lane 66) that goes above the tunnel if you’re not in a hurry.
That’s a damn good suggestion. I go up there hiking sometimes, didn’t even think to bike around the tunnel on the loop.
Duh 
It looks wide enough, but a mistake can be painful.
no, if I visit taipei I usually stick the the sidewalks and bike lanes they actually have 
I was referring more to mountian areas and older tunnels on the east coast.
Maybe we can contribute something to this thread with our most dangerous portions of the cycling paths:
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