Life Cycle Imported Frames

The Asian manufacturing colossus Taiwan’s recent cycling initiatives can inspire us, reckons Rob Ainsley

- Rob Ainsley

Taiwan’s towns are nothing to write home about. No wonder I couldn’t find many postcards as I cycled there last month. The west coast – where all those bike factories and frame producers are – is one long dreary concrete sprawl. My mountain bike’s older than most of its buildings. Less corroded, too.

But the country proved to be a great place to tour. We were doing its End to End. (I’m collecting them: Britain, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Cuba in four memorable weeks, Isle of Man in one forgettable day…) Its east coast was fabulous: lush dramatic cliff scenery, dramatic winding roads.

The Suhua Highway was tricky though. Not because of the sheer drop to the ocean – it was fenced – but the one down the deep drainage channel inches from my wheels. One moment of inattention as a lorry passed and my journey would be over. The one that began in Woodgates Maternity Home, that is.

We hired carbon road bikes from Giant: two weeks for a hundred quid, which would just buy a round of real ale in a hip Taipei bar. Super bikes, but the tiny panniers’ clips were as robust as a potato crisp. I didn’t fall off, but the panniers did. Often.