First Encounter of YouBike 微笑單車的初邂逅

You may be surprised that I have not ridden any YouBike before despite that I have been to Taipei a number of times. The main reason is that I don’t have Easycard nor local phone number. For security reason, I also don’t want to use my credit card for one-time bike rental as well.

After visiting Aduan Bakery, I planned to go back to the hotel on the MRT Wenhu Line. I may return to the Muzha MRT Station on the reverse route but I finally got onto the Muzha Riverside Park to enjoy some fresh air. While eating my Focaccia, a number of riders passed by. Oops, I wanted to ride as well.

去過台北好幾次，但從來也未騎過微笑單車(YouBike)。主要原因是我沒有悠遊卡和台灣當地的電話號碼，無法作會員登記。另一方面，基於保安理由，我又不想使用信用卡作單次租車。

參觀完阿段烘焙後，打算往木柵站乘搭文湖線返回酒店。本來可依去程拆返，但因想避開馬路的廢氣，於是改行附近的河濱公園。在吃著我的佛卡夏時，一輛輛的自行車在我身傍擦身而過，在這優美的自行車道上，抑壓以久的騎車慾望真有點按耐不著。

On approaching the Muzha MRT Station, I came across the YouBike Kiosk.

差不多到達木柵㨗運站時，剛巧見到YouBike Kiosk自動服務機，好奇的走過去看一看。

Given my relatively long stay in Taiwan, I have got my Easycard and a mobile data SIM with some talk time at the Taoyuan Airport this time. As all the pre-requisites were met, why not registered as a YouBike member.

想起因今次台灣的行程時間較長，下機時已買了悠遊卡；而十五天的流動數據卡是包括小量的話音時間，即已提供了本地流動電話號碼，把心一橫，立刻登記成為YouBike會員。

Probably I can ride as necessary … 🤣🤣

In fact, I had also considered my health condition after the cardiac surgery. Since my recovery progress is excellent and my physical condition is roughly the same as before, it won’t hurt if I ride in a relax mode. 💪

往後的日子，哈哈 … 🤣🤣

其實也有考慮過自己的身體狀況，手術後已差不多三個月，康復進度理想，體力也回復到和之前無異，不太拼命的騎，應該是沒有大問題的。💪

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This is the YouBike that I have chosen. It weighted slightly over 17 Kg which more than double of all the road bikes that I have. To my surprise, the ride was really good.

If you are looking for speed, then try to pedal it hard.

The YouBikes are properly maintained as well, far better than those dockless sharing bicycles like ofo.

這是我揀選的 YouBike，雖然車身重達17多公斤，是我日常所用的公路車兩倍以上，但騎乘起來也算輕鬆。

要速度的話，就要看看自己的體力了。

車輛整體狀況優良，非近年興起的共享單車如 ofo 可相比。

Close examination revealed that YouBike is actually coming from the Momentum series of city/lifestyle bikes available from Giant.

細看車身，原來是㨗安特的 Momentum 城市單車系列的出品。👍👍

Ok, let me ride back to the hotel in Ximending.

好，就讓我騎微笑單車回位於西門町的酒店吧！

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Bicycle Trails in Taipei are well designed and built with all the necessary amenities in place, including road signs. Today’s route started from Muzha MRT Station along the Jingmei River Right Bank and passed through the following Riverside Parks:

• Fuhe Riverside Park
• Guting Riverside Park
• Zhong Zheng Riverside Park
• Machangding Memorial Park
• Huazhong Riverside Park
• Shuangyuan Riverside Park
• Huajiangyanya Natural Park

Along part of the Tamsui Bicycle Trail and then back to the hotel in Ximending. Overall distance is slightly over 20 Kilometers and should be fine as a relaxing cycling exercise.

台北的河濱自行車道建設很完善，沿途有很多休憩的設施，路線指示亦非常充足。今天的路線會從木柵㨗運站出發，沿景美溪右岸自行車道穿越以下的河濱公園:

• 福和河濱公園
• 古亭河濱公園
• 中正河濱公園
• 馬場町紀念公園
• 華中河濱公園
• 雙圓河濱公園
• 華江雁鴨自然公園

再經淡水線自行車道轉至位於西門町的酒店，約二十公里的路程也不算太遠吧！

It took me around an hour to get close to Ximen. Given that it is still in mid-afternoon and the wonderful riding experience I had, I planned to continue my journey to Tamsui instead.

約一小時多便到達西門町附近，由於時間尚早再加上暢快的騎乘體驗，決定繼續騎乘往淡水走一轉。

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I felt a little bit hungry after 20 Kilometers’ ride and finally decided to take my late lunch at the Pier 5 Dadaocheng Dock Plaza.

經過二十公里的路程，肚子有點餓，決定在Pier 5大稻埕碼頭河岸特區來個熱咖啡，吃阿段的歐式麵包。

Before buying my cup of coffee, followed the instruction as shown on the front basket and lock the YouBike using the provided anti-theft kit.

買咖啡前，先鎖好我的車子。微笑單車已附有鎖匙和小型鋼索，跟著車籃上的指示便可把車穩妥地鎖好。

Relaxed and had a seat. Enjoyed my cup of Cappuccino and Blueberry Bread from Aduan Bakery.

終於可以享受我的 Cappuccino 和阿段的法國小藍莓麵包了。

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The remaining route is roughly the same as the one I had back in November 2017. Getting across Keelung River via the ZhouMei Bridge then moved along the Guandu Riverside Bicycle Trail and the Tamsui Right Side Bicycle Trail.

Let’s have a comparison between my looks over the ZhouMei Bridge.

剩下來往淡水的路線和前兩年台北單車遊大致相同。在洲美大橋橫越基隆河後，沿關渡水岸自行車道轉至淡水右岸自行車道。

先來個在洲美大橋上的做型對比。

Not so smart, right? But more relaxing. Which one you like?

少了一點帥氣，卻多了一份悠閒。那一個做型較佳?

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Quickly I arrived at the Guandu Wetland. Same place but with beautiful sunset this time.

不一會便到達關渡濕地，同一地點今次有夕陽的襯托。

My original plan is to ride to Tamsui Riverside Park to enjoy the market and the street entertainments. However, with so many renovation works in place, I found it hard to ride along and decided to stop my ride after a ‘check-in’ at one of the tourist spots.

本來想去淡水河濱公園走一轉，只可惜沿路有很多翻新工程，騎乘較不便，在景點隨便打個卡便算了。

Destination of today’s ride – YouBike MRT Tamsui Station. Decorated with beautiful festival lights and not sure if it is related to Christmas.

今天的終點 – 微笑單車捷運淡水站，未知是否聖誕將至，公園內佈滿燦爛的燈飾。

After returning the bike, I walked to Tamsui MRT Station and catched the MRT back to the hotel.

The station was extremely busy with lot of people hurrying home. There are also students having street dance in the open area of the station. Enjoy a short clip on this.

還了車，便歩行往淡水捷運站回酒店。

車站很熱鬧，很多市民趕著回家，也有很多的學生在車站的公共空間進行街練，來感受一下吧。

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Below is today’s ride with total distance around 40 Kilometers. As I didn’t feel tired, probably I’m fully recovered.

今天的行程紀錄，總距離約四十公里。騎完車不覺疲倦，看來我的體力真的回來了。

I also included the 3-D summary compiled with Relive. You can take a look at the Riverside Park and Bicycle Trails in Taipei where I have only covered a small portion of it today.  If you have time, you may challenge this over 100 Kilometers ride by connecting all the Bicycle Trails together. Let me set this as my next target!

以下是Relive所收錄的立體行程，可看到台北的河濱公園及自行車道，今天只騎乘了一小部分。有時間的話，把所有河濱自行車道連在一起，相信可挑戰百多公里的路程，就把這定為下次的目標吧！

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