"I like whistling while speeding along on my bike..." goes the popular 1960's song, which reminds people of how simple and uncomplicated life in Taiwan was then. Perhaps it's nostalgia, perhaps it's developing environmental consciousness, whatever the reason, cycling clubs and bicycle paths are springing up all over the island. The developing popularity of leisure cycling represents a ray of hope for Taiwan's noise and air pollution-stricken cities.

One morning just after the Tomb Sweeping Festival, the early morning sun is shining gently on the empty streets, dispelling the remnants of early morning mist. Though most stores' shutters are still firmly closed, retired international cyclist Sean Huang's small bicycle shop is a hive of activity.

"Let's go!" goes the call, and over a dozen members of the Columbus Cycling Club set off for the Hsichi-Pinghsi Highway just outside Taipei.

Happy half-day tour

There aren't many cars on the road so early, which makes the group of cyclists especially eye-catching as they move along in loose formation, their bright cycling shirts seeming to reflect the sun as each rider pedals to an easy rhythm.

The bicycle is the favorite form of transport of senior high school first-year students Sheng Hung and Tien Kui. Each day they ride 30-40 kilometers between their homes, school and the bike shop. They have made countless trips to the countryside around Taipei, but today is the first day that they have cycled with the club. Although everyone is young and fit, the group rides along at a leisurely pace and there is no competition. The main road is not the place to ride recklessly and, in any case, the real fun has yet to begin.

They soon arrive at the turn off for the mountain road. The group re-forms and, after resting a while, they begin the climb. This section of road is a continuous climb of over ten kilometers. The fact that it twists and turns adds to the difficulty the riders face and it presents a stern test of the cyclists' leg strength and stamina. The better cyclists push themselves and move ahead, while the rest bring up the rear at their own speed. The vegetation at the side of the road blocks some of the sunlight and there is a slight breeze, bringing some comfort to the cyclists as they toil. The wheels turn inexorably, the going gets harder, breathing gets heavier as the exertion starts to tell and sweat begins to flow.

First-time participant Sheng Hung makes an extra effort and is first to arrive at the rest point. Although the mountain air is fresh, he breathes heavily as his body seeks to replenish its oxygen deficit. The others arrive in succession, and the group has a rest and a drink. "Look, visibility today is pretty good. You can see Keelung Island," says Sean Huang, pointing at a distant point in the sea.

"Just now I overtook somebody, then they came back and overtook me. . . ." After resting for a while, Sheng Hung, Tien Kui and the others excitedly discuss their efforts thus far.

Cycling network

Cycling clubs regularly organize trips into the country when there is a holiday. Many have weekly activities. Less active clubs have activities at least once or twice per month. A wide variety of interesting routes have been discovered by enthusiasts and the information passed on to other cyclists. Some offer an easy half-day tour, some are long hauls and others are tough mountain routes. Cyclists who like to be near water head for the coast or riverbanks, while those that like forests head off into the mountains.

"Many clubs have been established for a long while and the level of difficulty of their trips is increasing," says the executive director of the Giant Sports Foundation, Ho Li-chin. The 10-year-old foundation and the ROC Amateur Cycling Association are the two main forces promoting cycling in Taiwan. As a result of the efforts of the two organizations in the promotion of cycling, a wide network of clubs has now been established around Taiwan. She says "At present there are almost 100 cycling clubs in Taiwan, large and small."

For people worried about keeping up with more experienced cyclists, the cycling association and the Giant foundation regularly organize cycling activities on holidays that are suitable for the whole family. These are advertised in the sports sections of newspapers and offer a chance for interested parties to get started. "I registered for a tour of Kinmen the year before last and had a great time. This year I signed up as soon as I heard that the destination was Kuanshan in Taitung County," says one cyclist who has been to numerous places with the foundation.

Guided by experienced cyclists, the average person, even with no knowledge of equipment or routes, can cycle without difficulty. For people who are not members of a club and don't know where to start from, the bicycle paths that have sprung up around Taiwan in recent years are a good place to begin.

Kuanshan's lovely scenery

Over ten bicycle routes are being planned around Taiwan and a couple have opened in recent years, including one in the North-East Coast Scenic Area and one around Kuanshan Township in southern Taiwan. The paths have become very popular, especially since the introduction of the two-day weekend.

Last year, the Environmental Protection Administration used revenues from air pollution charges to subsidize the Kuanshan Environmental Protection Park, which is now nearing completion. The 12 kilometer bicycle path that circles the township was built first and is already popular with visitors. The proprietor of a bicycle hire shop at the side of the path, Li Yao-jung, says that he has seen the desire of Taiwanese people for leisure at first-hand. He says "At weekends I regularly rent out all the 200 bicycles I have. Most visitors are from Taipei and Kaohsiung."

Kuanshan is surrounded by mountains and has limited space. Because of the outflow of young people to the cities, its population is less than 20,000 people. On a Friday afternoon only a few cars are on the township's two main roads. Some old people are playing croquet on the grass in front of the Senior Citizens' Activity Center as the tourists set off from Li's store.

Moving along the bicycle path, water flows past in the channel that irrigates the nearby fields. Field after field of luscious green young rice passes by. In the distance, green mountains rise to the sky. In the fields, a few farmers work tending their crops. At their side, their faithful helper the water buffalo intently chews the tender grass, seemingly unconcerned by the passing cyclists.

The 12-kilometer route can be completed in less than three hours at a leisurely pace. When the tourists return the bicycles, Li Yao-jung does not forget to introduce the nearby places of interest, Loyeh and Red Leaf Village. Taitung also has the famous "Chihshang" rice set-meals and the Chihpen Hot Springs to offer, so it is no wonder that it is a popular destination for city dwellers.

Riding to Inner Mongolia

"Cycling is a personal kind of touring," says Wang Hai-shu of the Old Pedals, one of the older cycling clubs in Taiwan. Most of the club's members are fathers and grandfathers over 40 years old. Each member takes part in at least two or three 60-70 km trips out into the country each month. They like the exercise and also are attracted by the pleasure they get from seeing different places.

Wang says that Old Pedals has two meanings. One is that the members are generally older than in other clubs. The second is that everyone has a long cycling history. They came together after participating in the 5th "Pedaling Heroes" tour of Taiwan organized by the ROC Amateur Cycling Association. When there were no organized events they began to set their own routes. Today they have reached the stage where they have to ride several hundred kilometers per month to feel satisfied. One member, Wang Pin-kun, it seems, did not get enough of cycling from his job as a postman in which he delivered letters by bike for over 40 years. Since his retirement, he has been around Taiwan five times and each year since 1995 has toured around China with the club.

The Old Pedals have developed a good relationship with cyclists in China. Originally they planned to tour again before Tomb Sweeping Festival this year. However, Wang had a gall bladder operation and was advised to rest by the doctor, so the trip was canceled. Although he listened to the doctor, when he was visited by other members of the club he said, without hesitation, "I am healing better than most people and I will be ready for long rides again in two or three months."

On a wall upstairs in his house hang various handicraft items Grandfather Wang has collected in his China travels. The four bicycles that have accompanied him on his travels in Taiwan and China also stand there. They are still in good condition. It almost seems that they have been infected by Wang's enthusiasm and are ready to meet their master's call to action when needed.

As he cleaned his handicraft collection and bicycles, he recounted some of his experiences in China. "In Inner Mongolia, the scene was really reminiscent of the line of verse 'The wind blows the tall grass flat to reveal cows and sheep.' The chance to visit ancient relics was also very illuminating. This is why people say that traveling 10,000 miles is better than reading 10,000 books," he says.

On a bike, even the narrowest of alleys can be entered and this facilitates direct contact with local people. In contrast, traveling with a tour group, alternating between hotel, coach and tourist site, only offers a superficial view of a place. One time they met an old man leading a donkey. Both sides were surprised by the strange appearance of the other. "Although there are many cyclists around there, there are none with helmets, and panniers and water bottles on the bicycles."

In addition to China, the Old Pedals have toured in North America and Europe. Wang jokes, "Heaven is the only place we haven't been to!"

Pedaling Heroes

Cycling to lots of different places and seeing new things are the greatest joys of cycling club members. Many, like the Old Pedals, started with the "Pedaling Heroes" activity.

In 1987, after Hu Jung-hua returned from his trip around the world on his bike Blue Camel, a wave of interest in cycling washed over Taiwan. Taking advantage of the interest, the ROC Amateur Cycling Association began its annual " Pedaling Heroes" tour of Taiwan event. Kuo Chin-jen, known as "Uncle Kuo," has led the tour since its first year. He says that his age is "35 plus 31," because "that sounds younger." Each year he has led a group of inexperienced cyclists as they have transformed themselves into real "Pedaling Heroes." He is still involved today. When the middle of the year comes around, cyclists begin to get restless and begin to ask him when the starting date is.

As a result of encouragement from Uncle Kuo, many people, even those who before had no experience of cycling, have seen cycling become an important part of their lives. PE teacher Liu Chien-heng had never even touched a bike before he took part in a "Pedaling Heroes" tour. He not only completed the tour around the island, he also carried out physical and blood tests on himself along the way and used the results in a master's thesis on fat control. He has loved cycling ever since.

Every participant gains something from the 1000-kilometer tours of Taiwan and feels an unparalleled sense of achievement. As the name suggests, participants are always a determined lot. Each time the cyclists are followed by a "rescue" van prepared to pick up anyone who becomes too weary to go on. The pick-up "fine" or charge is NT$100, but, in 11 years, "No one has ever been fined," says Kuo.

Bicycle adventurers

Over the last two years the "Pedaling Heroes" have been unable to go on the old route around Taiwan because the roads they used to take are now so heavy with traffic that they are too dangerous. They now ride the safer three cross-island highways. In the past the "Pedaling Heroes" would spend the night in schools, but in the mountains there are not as many schools, so they often have to spend money on hotel accommodation.

Although bicycle touring is more down-market than driving a car and staying in a five-star hotel, the enthusiasm of the "Pedaling Heroes" is boundless. Hu Jung-hua traveled around the world on a small budget, often relying on local people for his food and lodgings. This allowed him to get close to local families and experience life in these countries close-up. Overseas, he often met Japanese or German backpackers. He says that because tour groups from Taiwan have everything arranged by a travel company and basically have no chance to experience local life, it is no wonder than Taiwanese people are regarded as being unable to adjust to the customs of foreign countries.

Japan already has a 300-member "round the world" cycling club. Hu completed his journey ten years ago but only now is a second intrepid Taiwanese person, Jack Chen, set to take on the challenge. A lover of adventure, he has already traveled extensively on the Tibetan plateau. After a long period of planning, he intends to set off in July this year. He almost lost his life on several occasions on Everest and on the Tibetan plateau, but he is still determined to complete his epic cycling journey. He remembers one night when he camped on snowy ground in the Himalayas. He left his tent at around midnight and he was immediately captivated by a sky full of stars. He was totally overawed by the feeling of being a minute speck on the snow against the huge mountains and the endless universe.

Childhood longing

Chen, who often finds himself in an interdependent situation with his bike in the wilds, remembers the first time he rode a bike as a kid. He found his way to his uncles' house from memory. "That gave me a feeling that I could separate from my parents and control my own direction," says Chen.

Living standards in Taiwan are improving year by year, but less and less attention is being given to nurturing the spirit. The simple desire for a bicycle many people had as a child is also gradually being forgotten. Bicycles have almost become the exclusive preserve of old people and people under the age of 18 who are too young to get a motorcycle license.

The vice-president of the ROC Amateur Cycling Association, Huang Chin-hung, says that in the past the bicycle was an important means of transport for carrying people and goods. These functions have gradually been replaced by cars and motorcycles and the bicycle is changing into a leisure item. Chen Chung-mao, who every year spends a month touring overseas by bike, says that Taiwanese dislike bicycles more than any other people he knows and, no matter what, it seems they want to acquire a motorbike.

In Europe and North America, the promotion of cycling has been very successful. In Holland, where touring by bicycle is very popular, 30,000 km of cycle paths have been opened since 1976, which is equal to over 30% of the total length of all roads. Holland has about 5 million people and over 3.5 million bicycles. When he traveled around Europe, Hu Jung-hua often saw smartly dressed white-gloved office workers cycling along. He says "When everyone else is cycling you feel strange not cycling, but in Taiwan it is people who ride bicycles that are seen as being strange."

Hu Jung-hua believes that so many people ride bicycles in the world because they want to reduce the influence of machines to a minimum. The director of the EPA's Bureau of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control, Su Kuo-Tze, points out that bicycles do not emit fumes, and are the most environmentally sound form of transport. Consequently, the EPA last year used the Air Pollution Prevention Fund to subsidize the planning and establishment of bicycle lanes to promote the use of bicycles.

Because the bicycle is especially environment-friendly, Monica C. Kuo, of the Department of Landscape Architecture of Chinese Culture University, suggests that cycling around the narrow lanes of historic places like Tainan, Lukang and Sanhsia offers the chance to get close to historic monuments and does not affect them adversely. In the same way, the bicycle, as a pollution-free means of transport, is even more suited to national parks, areas of natural beauty and the outlying islands. They are environmentally sound and will also not disturb wildlife.

Bicycle obsessed

Apart from being "green," bicycle enthusiasts can go on forever about other benefits of cycling. Bicycle shop proprietor Shu Chang-wei, who represented Taiwan as a racing cyclist, says "The value of the wheel to people is about the same as the value of the bicycle to people." He believes that as the power in cycling comes from the rider's body, the achievement of any objective is up to the rider alone, and the wheels are extensions of his legs.

The sweat and toil-earned rewards of cycling are strong muscles and a broad mind. Jack Chen stresses that cycling is also a money-saving leisure option. All that is needed is a bike, a helmet and water bottle and a few other accessories. Naturally, when you head off into the country there is no need to spend money on cinema tickets, karaoke or shopping. Other positive points are that a cyclist gets close to nature and acquires a healthy body.

Having seen many children come in and out of his store, Sean Huang says that kids that are keen cyclists won't go off the rails. When asked why he isn't interested in motorcycles instead, Sheng Hung, who is still under age for riding a motorcycle legally, says "What's exciting about that?" Seeing the meticulous attention that these kids pay to their bicycles and how they automatically help out in the shop when Sean Huang is busy by changing tires and repairing bicycles, it seems that their parents have nothing to worry about.

Sheng Hung and Tien Kui often visit the bike shop after class. Their conversations rarely stray from bicycle-related subjects. Sheng Hung has a part-time job which he uses to finance his purchases of new components for his bike. Tien Kui has recently changed his old wheels for a pair of NT$14,000 carbon-fiber wheels which are lighter and have less wind resistance. Tien Kui jokes that his bike has its own room and he even covers it with a blanket each night. Bicycle enthusiasts regard parts made by leading brands as collector's items. Huang says that, just like hobbyists who build stereo systems, avid cyclists also assemble their bicycles themselves.

Hu Jung-hua, who has seen the world by bike, says that, perhaps because labor is expensive, overseas cyclists almost always repair their bicycles themselves. Lu Chang-wei suggests that people should learn to repair their own bicycles. He says "Learn how to adjust the wheel rim and you will appreciate the "circle" that a well adjusted wheel makes; adjust the brakes to just the right gap; find the most suitable seat position. The beauty of the perfect lines and faultless combination of components that my bicycle represents is what I dream about."

Let's go biking

Apart from bicycles and accessories, cycling experiences and routes are also sources of endless conversation. Many of the routes were discovered after enthusiasts compared notes. The section chief of the Taiwan Forestry Bureau's Nursery Department, Yang Hung-chi, says that two or three years ago the bureau and the ROC Tourism Bureau joined with the Giant Sports Foundation in opening some forest and service roads to cyclists and their non-polluting vehicles. However, because of management and safety considerations, they decided not to actively promote these. Perhaps in the future when cycling is more popular, they will release more information about these roads to the public. At the moment, experienced cyclists like those in the Old Pedals Cycling Club have to head off into the hills and find their own way.

Although they haven't received much support, the enthusiasm of cyclists hasn't been extinguished. This provides the power for them to continually pedal forward. The pedal moves the chain, the chain moves the sprocket. On a difficult mountain road or on a long journey, the wheels will still carry on turning.

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On Green Island, entrepreneurs offer bicycles and snorkeling equipment for hire.

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When tired take a rest under the trees! This is the bicycle path in Lotung Sports Park on a Sunday. It is already popular with the public.

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The 11-year old Tour of Taiwan cycle race attracts competitors from Taiwan and overseas. The picture shows the riders moving along the North East Coast.

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Five couples hold an innovative cycle wedding. The "tandem" efforts of the couples symbolizes their commitment to a happy life together.

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Between the endless sand and sky my only company was Blue Camel. (courtesy of Hu Jung-hua)

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The laws relating to carrying bicycles on car boots or roof racks are unclear, with the result that drivers find themselves in a legal gray area.

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The sunlight shines through the trees on to the road as some tourists take a leisurely bike trip around the old battlegrounds of Kinmen. (photo by Cheng Yuan-ching)

When tired take a rest under the trees! This is the bicycle path in Lotung Sports Park on a Sunday. It is already popular with the public.

The 11-year old Tour of Taiwan cycle race attracts competitors from Taiwan and overseas. The picture shows the riders moving along the North East Coast.

Five couples hold an innovative cycle wedding. The "tandem" efforts of the couples symbolizes their commitment to a happy life together.

Between the endless sand and sky my only company was Blue Camel. （courtesy of Hu Jung-hua）

The laws relating to carrying bicycles on car boots or roof racks are unclear, with the result that drivers find themselves in a legal gray area.

The sunlight shines through the trees on to the road as some tourists take a leisurely bike trip around the old battlegrounds of Kinmen. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）