When Ak asked me if I was interested in attending a bike school, I wasn't sure what I was in for. Until I was there only then did I realised it was Taiwan's Giant Maestro Bike School Grand Opening on that day. I felt very honored to be there and witness the grand opening. The Bike School is located in Hengchun Township, only a few kilometers away from Taiwan's famous beach, Kenting. The grand opening was not just the Giant Maestro Bike School, YOHO Landis Beach Club had converted part of the area into a YOHO Bike Hotel. The rooms and around the hotel area had been converted to a bike friendly area which included bike spa, road trip around the area or an off-road MTB class, bike stand to hang your bike in the room and, a little nice fan to put infornt of your bike and many more!!
Around Koahsiung by Bike
Around Kaohsiung City, you will find these bikes for rental. Over the last year, the government had put an extensive effort to promote biking on this island and Kaoshiung City is no exception. The idea was to promote a Green City for the locals and to prepare for the World Games in July 2009 but I sincerely find that tourist should take this advantage of this system. It is so much easier to ride a bike and sightseeing around the city.
惠蓀溫泉 HuiSun Hot Spring by MTB
Last visited 10 Apr 2013
Last camping trips, we been camping around Puli, Nantou area so decided to make a detour and explore HuiSun Hot Spring by bike. The distance to the hot spring is around 15km, thought we could bike there and spend a night. However before we can cut across the river, we were stopped right at it's path. The river was too swell to cross and decided to camp just before the river.
惠蓀林場 Hui Sun Forest Park
The forest area is well maintained, some of the trail path we could either bike or hike. The trail paths are good and there are many different things to view at. From our understand this forest was named after a school headmaster loss his life during duty in this forest and hence they had renamed it.
MTB Techniques
MTB Settings Guide
Since 2000 till now, I have spent almost USD13,000 on Mountain Bicycles for myself and family members. Recently I have given advised to one of our reader on getting a customized bicycle. Today he is telling me he loved it. So I thought I might just share this post with you guys. I am not bragging what I have but hoping you do not repeat my mistakes before.
Firstly, I do not recommend buying a complete Setup bike unless you are just using it for transport purposes. As your interest in biking grows, you will likely upgrade bike components and wasting money on your existing components. Next, what do you want to use the bike for. For me, I want my bike able to tour with it, MTB, leisure riding and do grocery shopping.
- Bike Frame Size and Types
- Budget and Choosing Bike Components
- Tools
- Setting Up the Bike
Cycling And Camping Singapore Southern Route
Getting bored with city life, I proposed an idea to family of cycling and camping in Singapore, all of them agreed and we set off. We planned a 4D 3N relaxing cycling camping trip. Starting from our place in Choa Chu Kang around 3pm, we cycled down south along Bukit Timah Road to our first camp ground which is 13km away. Just around 3Km from start, daughter took a fall and crashed into a railing resulted in a broken brake lever. She suffered some swelling and cuts on her hand and knee but nothing broke, good that she had gloves and helmet on. The weather was foul before and made the ground rather slippery, I guessed she had probably squeezed the front brake too hard. Took my FAK fixed her up and some cable ties fixed the lever back in position. We continued on to West Coast Park for overnight camp. The brake lever held pretty well for the whole trip.
Bikepacking Bintan Island, Indonesia
08~11 March 2008 (4D/3N)
Biking Distance: 98Km
On 08 March 2008, we started off the journey by driving to the Singapore Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal for Bintan Island which is located south of Singapore. The fast ferry to the island took almost an hour. We arrived at Bintan, Tanjung Uban Ferry Terminal around 3pm. As my partner was from Taiwan she had to arrange VISA on Arrival for USD10. This was partner first oversea biking experience.
After which we started our 40km biking to the Nostaliga Yasin Bungalow Resort on the east coast of Bintan. The journey on the island was not easy even we were riding on the road. There were many 30 to 40 degree uphill ride along the way. As we rode further away from Tanjung Pinang, the traffic got lesser. We managed to arrive the resort around 7pm, about 3.5hours bike ride. This was the cheapest and natural resort holidays we ever had on water, mini Maldives. Our room cost just SGD30.00 a night without air-con but there was a fan also service and food was great. We decided to spent 2 nights with our room on stilt over water. For the next 3 days, we basically played dead and enjoy beers with no other thoughts. Had morning breakfast on the carpet grass lawn and idled the whole day away.
FSBike Club Treasure Hunt
Sunday 31 May 2009
Pingtung City
We did not join the treasure hunt, on request from AK, he asked if we can help them to film the activity and so we did. We had the info on all the treasure hunt locations and drove to each location to take this short video.
Basically every rider is given a map but with different routes, every rider must check-in on the stated instructions with photo proof. Some lucky rider get a shorter route, other just have to bear with the endurance. Overall was a good families and friends gathering.
Basically every rider is given a map but with different routes, every rider must check-in on the stated instructions with photo proof. Some lucky rider get a shorter route, other just have to bear with the endurance. Overall was a good families and friends gathering.
Enjoy the vid below
Kenting 120Km By Bike
Date: 6 Jun 2009
Biking Distance: 120Km
Together with my kids and partner we joined our friends AK, Mr Ong, Ginson and the kids from Koahsiung on their graduation ride from Kaohsiung to Kenting.
It has been a while since my kids have cycled with me and this was their first long distance ride. My intention was to ride to Kenting and camp there for few days. Ak and Mr Ong cycled with us for the next 50Km till Fangliao, had lunch there before they turned back to Kaohsiung. Thank you Mr Ong for giving a lunch treat.
We arrived Cheateu Beach Resort rather late around 630pm and had used their facility for free only if we rode 100km or more. We later discovered that they had stopped the offer since last month but they allowed us to use it as we were not aware the promotion had ended.
The next 2 days we rode around Kenting visiting a few campsites and enjoy the beautiful sunshine and food.
The first day when we arrived, we did not camp as it was too late so we stayed in one of the Homestay. It was the second day we rode to Dayuanshan and camped there. After the camping trip we took a bus back to Kaohsiung. We had to pay extra for the bikes (half the fare) as I did not realise if we had bike bags, it will be for free. I should have thought quicker and got some trash bags, duct tape from 7-11.
Overall the ride was tiring under hot Summer sun but was rewarding, a cold dip in Cheateu Beach Resort and a tranquil camping trip.
Not many photos were taken as I was video recording the whole trip. See YouTube link below
The first day when we arrived, we did not camp as it was too late so we stayed in one of the Homestay. It was the second day we rode to Dayuanshan and camped there. After the camping trip we took a bus back to Kaohsiung. We had to pay extra for the bikes (half the fare) as I did not realise if we had bike bags, it will be for free. I should have thought quicker and got some trash bags, duct tape from 7-11.
Overall the ride was tiring under hot Summer sun but was rewarding, a cold dip in Cheateu Beach Resort and a tranquil camping trip.
Not many photos were taken as I was video recording the whole trip. See YouTube link below
小琉球 Xiaoliuqiu Biking
19 May 2012, our bike club have made an arrangement for 2 days biking trip on Xiaoliuqiu. However the weather was not merciful to us and we had two days of wet biking but it was fun.
We met at Donggang Ferry Terminal in the afternoon, some drove down with their bike, others rode down from Kaohsiung and Pingtung. We booked the 330pm ferry and it took around thirty minutes to get to Xiaoliuqiu. Since the weather was wet, from there we set off to our friend's accommodation and later got fresh food and cooked ourselves dinner.
Note: We have to pay extra to have the bike on the ferry however bringing the bike along has a plus point, we do not have to queue with the rest of the passenger. Just follow the scooters lane.
Google Map
澎湖 Penghu Islands Bikepacking
Trip: 17 April 2009 to 24 April 2009
(7 days)
Location: Penghu Islands, Taiwan
Total biking distance: 320Km
JiMuShan 雞母山 MTB
15 Mar 2009
A short trail ride in Kaohsiung City. Formerly was the army training ground, now it have turned into a small plantation and hiker / biker get away.
This ground is also a dowhill biker paradise as they have created few jumps and drop off. What is amazing is our fellow biker "Ginson" the grandfather of the small boy that you will see in the photos below taking a jump. He's only 8 yrs old, Taiwan's future 'No Fear' down hill rider.!!!
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小鬼湖 Little Ghost Lake Trail
Sat 3rd Jan 2009 was the most memorial MTB ride I ever had. I like to thanks the Formosan Serow Biking Club 長鬃山羊單車俱樂部for inviting me to such a trail exploration ride in Pingtung County, Wutai up in the mountain 1400m high to Little Ghost Lake (2300m).
Though we did not get to the destination but the whole journey was living on the edge, a foot away from a 1000mtrs hill drop however it was rewarded with a magnificent breath taking view.
Though we did not get to the destination but the whole journey was living on the edge, a foot away from a 1000mtrs hill drop however it was rewarded with a magnificent breath taking view.
Little Ghost Lake
小鬼湖 aka Snake Lake is a scared lake from the aboriginal Rukai Tribe legend. It was said the lake lived a big white snake that guard this lake. One day a group of aboriginal girls visited the lake and saw the snake, most of the girls fled except one named Balhenge, who found the snake was a handsome Rukai man. Later she and the snake felt in love but was opposed by the villages and parents. Somehow love was blind and she left the village. Standing at the lake and facing the village she sang her sorrow love song. Today many older Rukai generation ladies still believes in this legend and on their last breath, they felt their soul wandering to this lake.
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| Photo from www.cdnews.com.tw |
鳥松爛坡 Niaosong LP Discovery
Koahsiung backyard (LP or Broken Hill)
Together me, ak and Meng Hwee a fellow Malaysian undergrad from the local Uni here met in the afternoon for a short discovery ride in LP. ak's idea was to find more tracks around the area so we can loop-up with the existing known track. So together with my GPS we set off to explore the unknown.
浸水營古道 JinShuiYing by MTB
阿郎壹古道 ALangYi Trail By MTB
NOTE: Trail update Apr 2012
Alangyi Trail 阿郎壹古道 needs to apply Permit and there is a quota for each day. (300pax). You also need a guide NT3000 a day.
Application can be found HERE (Chinese)
Also informed by Kenting National Park 阿郎壹古道最後階段(出風鼻)禁止入境. (Prohibit Entry)
You can call 088811618 to verifiy
哈尤溪溫泉 Hayou River Hot Spring
Two days one night journey on our mountain bikes in search of a hot spring on a river bed that has been raised 30mtr after the last Typhoon in 8 Aug 2009. No mountain to cross but countless of river crossing.
12 Feb 2011, total 11 bikers and our dog, Siboy undertook a journey that covered 16.4Km deep into the mountain valley and probably the only bikers that rode that deep inside.
Sun Moon Lake 日月潭 MTB
6 Feb 2009
This is the third time I have been to Sun Moon Lake but this time was different, we decided to bike around Sun Moon Lake.Accommodation - Youth Centre
Room - 7/10 bedding was comfortable with wooden flooring
Food - 6/10 dinner was nothing great, breakfast was good.
Service - 7/10 no room service but the counter was helpful.
Room for 4 package would cost around NTD3100 included bikes (Giant Boulder), dinner and breakfast
Activity - 20km biking around the lake.
Resource - Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area
鳥松鄉 NiaoSong MTB
This is basically a short trail around 8.5Km but mostly technical, from hill climb, riding down the steps and even carry the bike up the hill.
Last time I rode in this track was about a year ago. It felt good coming back to the place again and see those bridge crossing we made was still intact. Today's weather was hitting hard on me, my whole body was burning hot. Wish there was a waterfall.
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