Audax Hercules from Rikulau, a flat bar road bike, is the most popular model in our fleet for multi-day cycling trips in Taiwan. I have been using one for more than a year now mainly to explore cycling routes in Taiwan, and also very intensively in Nov 2020 for a 360 km within 20 hour challenge that goes from from Taipei to Kaohsiung.
Routes, Tips, and Reviews
Cycling Route: Fengzhongjian – Climb Training
Fengzhongjian 風中劍 is a 24km cycling route linking up a numbers of roads sprawling across Shilin District 士林區 and Neihu District 內湖區 of Taipei City. It comes with three peaks at 160m, 321m and 600m respectively, and therefore ideal for climb training. Its usual starting point as set in this post, Meiti Evacuation Gate, is
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Cycling Route: Yulao Lookout – Climb Training
On a Friday in October 2020, I went cycling from Yingge District 鶯歌 to Yulao Lookout 宇老觀景台 (altitude 1500m) via the Northern Cross-Island Highway 北部橫貫公路 / 北橫, and then descended to Hsinchu High Speed Railway Station 新竹高鐵站. It was a 127km route with a maximum elevation of 1500m, plotted by my friend Sandy, who would
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Product Review: SPIN UP F12W-PRO Bicycle USB Charger Dynamo from SunUp Eco (3)
The bike dynamo with its Intelligent Power Management System (IPMS) can pump out a stable 1A current from its 5V USB port when the speed of the bike reaches 15-17km/hour. I have done some field tests to find out its charging performance with an iPhone 11 Pro in different scenarios, including when the phone is in Airplane mode with no Apps running, when the phone is in Non-Airplane mode with no Apps running, when the phone is in Non-Airplane mode and used for navigation and tracking, and when the route involves some climbing. I also did a test with a USB wall charger for comparison. At the end of this post, I will share some tips on how to get the most from the Dynamo for charging.
Bikes on Public Transportation
How to travel with your bikes on public transportation in Taiwan? I have some experience to share, including taking bikes onto the Taipei Metro, Taoyuan Metro, intercity buses, High Speed Rail, and the Taiwan Railways. Taoyuan Metro and Taipei Metro With a few exceptions, both Taoyuan Metro and Taipei Metro allow unbagged bikes between 10:00
Cycling Route: Dongyanshan – Climb Training
I went cycling from New Taipei’s Tucheng (土城) to Dongyanshan (東眼山; literally “Eastern Eye Mountain”) National Forest Recreation Area in Taoyuan County with a small group of friends on a Sunday in September 2020. It was a 71km loop with the maximum elevation of 913m, plotted by Sandy Wang, a cycling enthusiast. The starting point, and also the end point, is at the southern terminus of Taipei Metro’s Blue Line, Dingpu Station.
Cycling Route: Wufenshan and Buyan Pavilion – Climb Training
I went for a cycling trip with a group of cyclists in the outskirts of Taipei on a Saturday in mid June. It is a 67km loop with two climbs to Wufenshan Meteorological Radar Observatory 五分山氣象雷達站 (757m) and Buyan Pavilion 不厭亭 (530m). The route is designed by Sandy, my cycling enthusiast friend who wanted to offer a group of cyclists from the southern part of Taiwan an unique cycling experience here in the northern part of the island.
Cycling Route: Crocodile Island – Climb Training
I went for a cycling trip with a small group of local cyclists on a Saturday in May, to get a good look at the Crocodile Island 鱷魚島, which can be found in the Fei-ts’ui Reservoir 翡翠水庫 in Shiding District 石碇區 of New Taipei City. It is a 41km route with a maximum altitude of 583m and an elevation gain 1871m. The route is designed by the group leader Sean Fang.
Cycling Route: Xiong Kong Tea Plantation – Climb Training
I went for a cycling trip from Xindian to Xiong Kong Tea Plantation with a group of local cyclists. It was an enjoyable 60km route with two climbs (338m, 728m), planned by one of our friends.
Step-by-step Installation Guide for SPIN UP F12W-PRO Bicycle USB Charger Dynamo
A step-by-step guide on how to install the Spin Up F12W-PRO Bicycle USB Charger Dynamo on your bike.