CaptainGator

Hey ya'll. I have the fever for a new road bike and wonder if anyone has the gouge on getting a bike from the factory in Taipei. I've seen bikes in boxes in the hotel but that's all I know. Any help is greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance.
BTW, I'll be flying to Hong Kong myself in two weeks.
Captain Gator

767pilot

Just how large are these bikes? Do they make them for reularly sized people too?

The Walrus

max8222

last month I was taking a cab in Taipei and the cab driver said he takes pilots to the Giant bike factory all the time from the Hilton. He said it was a 15 min ride. Ask the concierge, they might have more info.

MX727

I'd be interested in this info too.

CaptainGator

Thanks Max. Yeah I have heard that and like I said seen the bikes in the lobby. I am interested in anyone (any Hong Kong guys here?) that has actually got a bike and knows whether they have all the models (road and mountain), if they are covered with the warranty, etc. We're talking about a $5000 bike here. If it looks promising then I'll jumpseat there just to get one if the price is right.
Thanks again, Gator

montauk

I have a full carbon Giant TCR and I love it. It's light and fast. I use it in trithlons. Bought it second hand on Craigs List for half the cost of a new bike.

TimSmith

As pilots I know we are cheap, but this one really stretches the imagination. To save $500 or so on a $5000 bike you are going to subject it to shipping halfway across the world at your liability for any damage? And when you get it home you still have to do the build on it or pay the local bike shop mechanic a $100 to do the build. I really think it better to deal with a bike shop you trust and get the bike you want. That way they stand behind it and you have a good relationship with your local bike shop. That is very important on a top level road bike as you will inevitably need help on getting the perfect fit, will probably want a quick tune up each year (quick being the operative word,) may want to swap components or rims, etc. If you have a reputation for trying to stick it to them over a few dollars (and we really are talking a few dollars here) then they will do the bare minimum for you or put yours at the bottom of the list.

The relationship with your local shop is important on these bikes. This is not a Chevy or Ford you beat to death. It is a Porsche or Lotus that has unlimited potential and seemingly in constant need of adjustment to realize that potential. Bike shop owners generally do what they do because they love it. Most of them make about what a regioanal airline captain does. Few if any are getting rich off their customers.

72Bluestreak31

...The relationship with your local shop is important on these bikes. This is not a Chevy or Ford you beat to death. It is a Porsche or Lotus that has unlimited potential and seemingly in constant need of adjustment to realize that potential. Bike shop owners generally do what they do because they love it. Most of them make about what a regional airline captain does. Few if any are getting rich off their customers.

Well said.

ntak

Tim agree, well said. Strange to see a group of people, who chastise other Americans for chasing the cheapest fare and riding on (insert name of your favorite non-union carrier here), who would defend scope to the death if FDX tried to hire 5000 $10 an hour foreign pilots to fly the boxes because it would reduce shipping costs, etc., going out of their way to deprive other Americans fair income by bringing home pirated dvds, knockoff clubs, and so on. And the thread started by somebody with a flag on their avatar, jeesh.