Taipei Show 2010, etc...

So I was in Taiwan again... with almost no internet for the entire 10 days. Sorry for the delayed posting and lack of overall posting... "it's been really busy"... blah, blah, blah... even I am getting tired of hearing that. Honestly.

But yes, it's been busy and remains busy and will stay busy for as long as I can see into the future. In a little more than a week (or less), my second daughter- Masidaughter 2.0- will be arriving in the world. My tiny little Taiwanese wife is growing to be as big as a house... on little stilt legs. It's simply amazing to me that she's still swimming between 1000-1500M every single day. She looks so cumbersome and awkward now, yet she is still as strong as ever and just blows my mind with how tough she is... even though she is beginning to hate me. Sorta.

Taiwan was amazing- as always- and very successful as well. Over the years, and especially since meeting my wife, I have grown to become more and more comfortable in Taiwan and it is now literally my second home- we still own my wife's condo in Taichung. As much as any "foreigner" can be, I really feel that I have become a part of Taiwan and not just the Taiwan bike industry. I still only speak about 5 words of Mandarin, but that doesn't stop the Taiwanese people from truly making me feel welcome and a part of their world. Many people I know have something of a love/hate relationship with Taiwan... but mine is all love.

I returned from Taiwan to having my mother in law here staying with us for the next month or so- she's here to help take care of my wife, in the very traditional Taiwanese way- as well as be here for the birth. Our daughter's name will be Lily Annchi. Annchi means "angel" in Mandarin. And since she is being born in the Spring, she is our Lily- our little flower and angel. We wanted to give her a name that would be both "American" and Taiwanese, to respect the two cultures that have created her. Annchi- pronounced kinda like "awn-chee"- is a name we felt would be less difficult for the usual English tongue to figure out and will hopefully not be one that never gets pronounced correctly. I am very happy to have my mother in law here, even though she doesn't speak English and I speak no Taiwanese (a different dialect than Mandarin). I am very proud to be taken in and accepted by my wife's family- they are wonderful people and clearly played a role in creating the woman I married.

As for the actual trip...

The show itself was very good. I heard some folks saying they felt the actual attendance numbers were down, though I did not really feel that- but I was in lots of meetings and in previous years was in even more meetings and saw very little of the show. So, truthfully, I'm a pretty poor gauge. However, the meetings I had with international distributors were all very good and I am super happy by how the new 2011 products were received. If the ID customers are any kind of an accurate barometer of things to come, the next year is going to be a really good one for Masi. Really, really good. In between meetings, I scoured the floor for "the next big thing" and I can honestly say I saw a lot of really cool things, but nothing really jumped out at me. The biggest thing I noticed was that nearly every supplier offers far more color customization than ever before. Whether it's drivetrain components or just cable housings, color is king. Frankly, that makes me super happy because that means the costs for special colors and color highlights will be coming down. If not this year (2011 product), then certainly next year. All in all, I got a good feeling about 2011. We're not out of the economic slump and there are lots of challenges ahead- like many suppliers saying there will cost increases coming on nearly all products by as much as 20%. Remember 2 years ago when there were materials shortages and high fuel costs driving pricing through the roof? Well, brace yourself for round two... due to changes in labor laws in China (which is actually a good thing globally), many manufacturers expect costs to climb significantly. Add a major labor shortage in the bike manufacturing industry and you have another "perfect storm" to create rising prices. Many experts expect the pricing to fall somewhere in the middle of the 10-20% increases being talked about, but one thing is certain- by the time 2011 and 2012 products begin to show up, costs will be going up too. You have no idea how much I wish that wasn't true... but...

While in Taiwan, our Kenda Pro Cycling p/b Gear Grinder team was racing in the Tour of Taiwan. Most of the other teams in the event had been racing for many weeks during the early Asian race season calendar in events in Langkawi, Malaysia and the Philippines so there were a lot of race-honed legs already in the event. KPC did an awesome job to place Phil Gaimon in 2nd on GC! This was their very first race together and they proved to the racing world that they can compete in UCI events and do well. Phil Gaimon, Johnny Sundt, Chad Hartley, Jake Rytlewski and Chad Birdzilauskas were all badasses! Frankie Andreu lead the team well and team owner Chad Thompson took care of the details as well as helping with the tactical side of things. Mechanic John Columbus and soigneur Janis Burns made things run from behind the scenes and countless other folks like Jackie Shao (who works for our distributor partner) and Eric Yang of Kenda Tires put in the extra efforts that made the team successful. No rider ever does anything alone and this race and this team proved that a collective effort can make big things happen. To understate the obvious- I'm beyond proud of these guys.

After the show and the race, I headed down to Taichung and spent a few nights in my wife's condo while I got some work done at our assembly factory. Bits and pieces of our 2011 sample bikes are beginning to show up for our catalog/ show bikes, so there was a bit of work to be done- as well as fun with friends. Good food, good friends, good times... I love Taichung. After a few days in Taichung though, it was time to head back to the US... and a very long day of traveling. The day began with a cab ride to the High Speed Rail station, HSR to Taoyuan and a very short shuttle bus ride to the airport, a 14hr flight to LAX, a short car ride and dinner with my best friend in LA, a train ride from Union Station to San Diego and then a short car ride home with my wife and mother in law. All told, it came to well over 20hrs of travel. But I got home!

I can hardly remember what happened Thursday in the office as I was in a total fog after getting home at midnight and getting about 4 hours of sleep. I took Friday off and have this Monday off as well, for a little 4 day break. It's been great spending time with my daughter, wife and MIL. I've even ridden my bike the past 3 days... even though it has hurt like hell. I got sick with a cold the day after arriving in Taiwan and I still can't breathe very well. Riding, my legs feel weak but ok... but I feel like I'm breathing through a snot-filled straw. It's been great to ride again- after 2 weeks off the bike again- but it sure feels like I keep starting back up from farther behind than the last time I got back on the bike. That said, I'm happy to be pedaling again. Period. I'll try to keep the whimpering to a minimum... most likely.

And now- a bunch of random pictures!!

The koi pond inside the courtyard area of our condo. It's just a nice little space to relax in... I really like it.

One night while walking around after dinner, I found this really cool little fixie-only shop in Taichung. RH+O... check'em out. I'll be hanging out with them the next time I'm in Taichung, but this time with a bike to ride with them too!

The outdoor plaza a few blocks away from our condo in "little Europe".

The front of my wife's condo building- it's a very nice courtyard setting off the main street, so it is quiet and comfortable.

Gorgeous lugged forks for Speciale Fixed Ultimate frames... too, too purdy.

I don't even need to say anything about how beautiful that is...

Beautiful Alare Bellissima frames getting ready for assembly... they sure are pretty!

The host shop for the Q&A with the riders is actually a great Masi dealer as well. This display of Mini-Velo bikes was pretty impressive.

It looks to me like Johnny is wondering why the hell he has to share a "stage" with me. I would probably wonder the same thing Johnny...

After the ride, the team did some Q&A with the riders who came out to get a chance to ride with the team. It was a very enthusiastic group.

On Sunday, as Johnny was nursing a post-birthday hangover, the team did a nice little group ride. It was really cool!

Johnny Sundt- his birthday was on Saturday, the final stage of the race... and after flogging himself to protect Phil's GC position, he still managed to get 5th on the stage! At the post race party, he and I shared a birthday cake... and a "thumbs up"!

Frankie Andreu, after the final stage of the Tour of Taiwan- looking pretty happy to have clinched that 2nd place on GC with Phil Gaimon.

My birthday was in Taiwan again this year- 3rd or 4th year now- and this year we went to Modern Toilet for dinner. We'd heard about the place last year and were just dieing to try it out. It's all toilet themed... and they do a great job of it! It's pretty funny for sure. I liked my ice cream though...

This is called "foot drumming" and she uses her foot to change the sound of the drum. It's very cool. There were 4 drummers in the performance at the Velo/ Wellgo dinner party before the Taipei Show started. This was only 1 of the 3-4 performances during the dinner... one of the major highlights of my trip to the Taipei Show each year.

Until the next time (which I hope won't be long from now)...

Tim

Another Taiwan check in...

Sorry for the lack of posts lately- the hotel internet connection only partially worked and the wifi at the show itself was terribly unreliable for me. I would frequently log on and then the signal would vanish... so I relied heavily on the iPhone, but the battery wasn't holding much of a charge for very long. So it was a technically challenging week at the show.

Here are a few pics from the show- hope you like'em.

Outside the new Nangang exhibition hall. The bike show last year was the first ever event in the new building. The surrounding area is much more developed now as well. Very cool building

A nice line-up of Masi Mini-Velo bikes. These were developed with the close relationship with both our Japanese and Taiwanese distributors. I personally believe they could find a happy home in the US as well- they really are fun to ride and fit in with the emerging commuter market in the US and elsewhere. We've been working on a fixed gear version as well... which I WILL be getting a sample of for myself!

Remember Mitsue? She's the Masi spokesmodel for Taiwan. She's also a very lovely young woman and incredibly sweet. Needless to say, she drew a bit of attention to the bikes and the booth when she was there.

The wonderful Stella Yu- owner of Velo. She's easily one of the most important people in the Taiwan bike industry and is also an incredibly generous and gracious woman. She's one of the vendors I sincerely have a lot of respect and appreciation for. I arrived in Taiwan early so that I could attend her annual pre-show party. Stella is a fantastically shrewd and successful business woman and I have immense respect for her and what she has done with her company in such a male dominated industry. I always learn a little something from her.


A view of the presentation from the back of the room. The presentation and live entertainment are always a big part of the dinner party.

I would love to have this wonderful old La Pavoni espresso maker!



Some cool items on display on the shelves at my favorite coffee shop here in Taichung. The walls are covered with cool artwork/ photos and the place is just a wonderfully cool and hip spot to hang out and enjoy an afternoon.


The famous Taipei 101 on my way out of Taipei after the show- it's an amazing structural marvel and a true testament to the strength and power of the Taiwanese people. It's a jewel on the island and a source of pride... for good reason.

More pictures can be found on my Facebook page in my Taipei 2009 gallery... if you're in the mood for more.

That's it for now... more to follow.

Thanks again for all the birthday wishes as well. It was a great day and I am thankful for all the friends I have.

Tim

Taipei Cycle Show 2008- a few friends.

Our geeky bike nerd reporter carried his camera with him all the time, everywhere he went. Sadly, for some folks, that means he took lots of pictures- a few of them were even in focus. He's no Helmut Newton, but the little (big) dork tries.

So we've done the parts pictures and some other random images from the first day, etc, so now it is time for the people of Taipei Cycle Show... at the least the few people who were unfortunate enough to stumble in front of my camera lens.

Names have not been changed to protect the innocent (or the guilty for that matter)...

(John Webber, Pat Crosby, Joe Hank... I mean Hawk... and Wayne- Fuzzy- Doran.)

The lines for the hotel shuttle buses were very long on the first night of the show... so in our great wisdom, we decided to go walking to a spot where we thought we could find a taxi easier and faster. About 48 hours and 100 miles later, we did find a couple taxis to take us to dinner with a friend of ours.


Our friend... Kendall- Short Bus- Young of Ritchey Components. He's a lot smarter than he looks here... no really, I swear he is.


The happiest Brand Manager in all of Taiwan...


... and with good reason.


A bunch of guys with big steaks and one guy (of questionable manhood) with lasagna- Maris Adamovics (Ritchey Taiwan), Kendall- "I like beef"- Young, Pat- "my wife thinks I'm cool"- Crosby, Wayne- Bearded Lady- Doran, John- "snoring chainsaw"- Webber, Joe- "I'm not signing that expense report"- Hawk and Masiguy.


Meet Matt McClendon, our good buddy from Kenda Tires. Though his Wii form might be a little odd, he's a great guy... I promise.


On my last day in Taiwan, the last day of the show, there was an amazing political rally/ parade. Thousands and thousands of people filled the street and carried signs and waved flags, chanting political slogans. It was 100% unlike anything I've ever experienced in the US. It was moving- I had goose bumps and even got teary-eyed a few times. The people were so amazingly passionate about their political experience. People came up to me to shake my hand and say "Taiwan #1" and then moved on or told me all about their political views- some even did so in English. I stood there in awe as I watched the throngs of people marching by- men, women, young, old, children... it was amazing. Taiwan has a precarious and tenuous relationship with China- China claims Taiwan as part of China- and Taiwan wants to remain (essentially) independent. It has created some incredibly high tensions between the two and the rest of the world is watching very nervously. All I can say is that I hope the two work it all out without a single shot ever having to be fired. I've never been to China, so I can't make claims about the country or people, but I have been to Taiwan several times now and have some very close relationships there and have a great fondness for the people and the country. It is my sincere hope that this political process yields a strong leader for the country and that this new leader can work well with the leaders in China to secure an enduring peace between the two.


Even the dogs get into the process in Taiwan!

That's all for tonight...

Tim

More Taipei '08- Cool Products

Now we move on to the product section of our Taipei 2008 coverage. Our intrepid reporter picks up where he finished and continues with the highlights of the products that made Taipei Cycle Show 2008 so exciting...

Thanks for your patience- let's get to the good stuff now!


As a race nerd, I still seriously geek-out on cool stuff like these wheels. I never did find out who the actual manufacturer is, but several brands had their labels on them. They were pretty cool and light though.


There are many very talented frame makers in Taiwan. This particular one struck me for its very fluid lines and nice structural features- check out the beefy dropout area and the ridge by the seat collar area. The frame had a lot of great and complex shapes.


Biomega continues to make some of the coolest bikes I've seen. I just love their simple designs and creative touches. This bike just made me smile when I saw it.


One of my favorite trends developing right now is painted/ colored bars, stems and seatposts. Sure the finishes may scratch over time, but when you are creating a really beautiful bike and can add some awesome colored accents... parts like this are a great thing to have available. Keep your eyes open for a few well-known companies to be doing this... trust me on this one.


It's no secret that I'm a big SRAM fan. I still love my Shimano and Campagnolo parts too- in fact I just finished building a new steel sample frame with my Dura Ace parts (pictures later) and rode it tonight. But I've been one of the folks who claimed that SRAM's entry into the road market would be a good thing for all of us. Well, the venerable Rival group is getting nice updates like a black finish to match the Force and Red groups and is also getting a new carbon fiber brake lever. What was already a good looking group for the money is now a drop-dead-sexy group for the money. (Don't worry though... the folks from Japan are not going quietly into the night... not at all... but I can't say anything yet.)

One of the biggest product highlights of the show was these guys; Grammo.


I'm a true racing geek and love cool looking race gear, but these wheels were simply off the charts!


Thing is, they spun incredibly smoothly and felt very nice in the hands. The large carbon bladded spokes were very cool with two steel threaded spokes that went in to the rim and used regular spoke nipples.


These babies were just simply stunning- they really did a great job on the cosmetics.


I pretty much fell in love with them and fondled them each time I walked by the booth. They were starting to get a little concerned.


I'd love to say I talked my way in to a set of the wheels to test and report on for you, my faithful and wonderful readers... but I failed to even get any words out of my mouth because I could hardly breath from the hyperventilating.

So those are the product highlights that I'm allowed to tell you about... (nudge, nudge, wink, wink...). Next up will be some of the people who make going to the Taipei show such a good time.

So until the next time- good night!

Tim

Taipei Cycle Show 2008- words and pics (part 1).

I'm gonna try and keep these short and sweet... umkay? And yes, I'll have more of these later too.


The view outside my window of the San Want hotel in Taipei around 10:00PM on my first night in town. The city never really sleeps... it gets quieter, but never actually quiet.


I know it's a crappy picture, but this is the Taipei 101 (world's tallest building). You can barely see what looks like smoke billowing from the top. I don't know what it actually was, but it was creepy looking.


This really cool sculpture stands in front of the new convention center. It's huge! Probably over 100' tall. It's a really cool sculpture- it's on the cover of the current Bicycle Retailer and Industry News too.


The architecture is very cool and modern- my pics do it no justice. The metro rail passes right in front too.

The main reason I arrived in Taipei a day early was so that I could attend the annual Velo/ Wellgo party. I use a lot of Velo products from handlebar tapes/ grips to nearly all of my saddles. Stell Yu is an incredible woman and I have immense respect for her. She has built an empire in the industry and is still as genuinely humble as you can possibly imagine. So I arrived a day ahead of my co-workers so I could serve as the company representative for this annual party thrown by Stella and her sister company, pedal/ shoe maker, Wellgo (Xpedo).


Here, George Lai of Velo kicks the evening off. George is another great guy to know in this industry.


The highlight of the evening for me was the HanTang Yuefu traditional Chinese folk art performance group.


These women put on the most wonderfully elegant and beautiful performances you can imagine. I really enjoy traditional performances like these and I was greatly impressed by the show we were provided- it was simply amazing.


The evening wrapped up with a toast to the attendees (a few hundred people) from Stella. It was a great night shared with some wonderful people.

So my next post will be from the show floor- people, products and more... I promise.

Tim
(PS- And thank you for all the birthday wishes. It is sincerely appreciated. )