2010 Scott Genius

2010 Scott Genius LTD

Ever since I started mountain biking, I’ve always wanted a Scott Genius. It’s been a favorite, though it couldn’t be sold in the US for a few years due to some legal issues with Specialized. Last year, the Genius LTD retailed for over $13,000 USD, making it an extremely expensive MTB. This year, the prices have dropped by almost $3,000 on the LTD. However, looking through the specs, I find it surprising that they didn’t use the full SRAM XX group. Maybe there is a reason behind it, but I’d rather equip my Genius the way I want.

30 KM Bike Ride

Spain's Alberto Contador of team Astana

Today, after the thunderstorm, I went out on my bike. It was a nice time to go out, the temperature was about 30-35C. I couldn’t really tell, I was too busy pedaling. This time, I really gave it my all and the bike path was extremely busy. That just motivated me more to pass all of those leisure bikers.

45 Km Bike Ride Banciao Bitan Banciao

Well, after having done some service on my bike and having changed the tires, and using the Weatherunderground to avoid rainshowers, I headed out for a ride. I noticed that this week, I had put on a bit of weight since I hadn’t trained, so I was extra motivated.

What a difference thinner slick tires make! I was going pretty fast, heading up to 45kph on parts. I made it to Biton in about 31 minutes. I knew that my way back wasn’t going to be that fast, but still, I was impressed by the wheels. I can only imagine how fast you can go on something like the Giant TCR Advanced SL 0. Once I get that bike, I actually plan on getting another frame so that when I upgrade certain parts on the SL 0, they’ll have a place to be fixed upon.

After I got back to Banciao, I had a last bit to do before heading home. Naturally, something happened, but that will be for a later post.

All in all, I covered 45 km in about 70 minutes. That’s an average speed of about 39kph.

45 km Bike Ride Banciao Bitan

I started out the same way that I did yesterday. The only difference was when I got over the Xiaolong bridge, I would just ride further away. I made all the way into Bitan before deciding to turn around. The bike paths on that side of Taipei are very nice. They snake around and lead you away from the city.

Xindian River Wild Goose-Huazhong Bicycle Trail Review

This is strangely called a trail, but should be, more appropriately, called a bicycle path. I usually get on the path near its beginning, underneath the Wanban bridge. The path continues in both directions, but this is its name on this section. As many have mentioned, there is a bit of a stench going on here. It’s quite strong depending on the days and mostly confined near the Huazhong bridge. Once you get past it, the stench fades into the background. There are no scooters or cars allowed here, so you don’t really have to wear a mask. The path itself is sectioned off from the roads thanks to a wall to prevent floods from the Xindian river.