Taiwan’s 100-Day Cycling Plan: What Daily Riding Changed in Me

“Ride a bike for 30 minutes every day, for 100 consecutive days.”

This plan sounds simple enough, but when I actually started, I realized it wasn’t just testing my physical endurance—it was challenging my entire life’s priorities.

Why I Started This Plan

Last autumn, I found myself stuck in a rut: work stress, lack of sleep, and sporadic exercise. To break this cycle, I decided to rebuild discipline with a “must-do-every-day” commitment.

The goal was simple: ride a bike for at least 30 minutes every day for 100 consecutive days. No distance requirements, no speed targets—just getting out and riding counted as completion.

Phase One (Days 1-30): The Pain of Building a Habit

The First Two Weeks: The Hardest Part Is Starting

The biggest enemy at the beginning wasn’t physical stamina—it was “excuses.”

The most common excuses:

• “I worked late today”
• “The weather will be better tomorrow”
• “I’m feeling a bit under the weather”

My countermeasure: set a minimum threshold (30 minutes, no speed requirement) and tell myself, “Just get out there.” Once I started, I usually ended up riding more than 30 minutes.

Day 15: The First Crisis

During the long weekend, friends invited me out for drinks and dinner. I hesitated for a long time, but ultimately rode for 30 minutes before the gathering. That night’s beer tasted especially good, and the sense of accomplishment was even stronger.

Key discovery: Cycling can fit into your social schedule—it doesn’t have to compete with it.

Day 30 Milestone

When I completed Day 30, I noticed a change: I no longer needed willpower to get out the door. “I need to ride today” had become as natural as “I need to brush my teeth today.”

Phase Two (Days 31-65): The Beginning of Enjoyment

Once the habit was established, cycling shifted from “obligation” to “enjoyment.”

Exploring the Edges of Taipei

With the daily riding habit locked in, I began systematically exploring the areas around Taipei.

Route log:

• Day 35: Beitou → Tamsui (along the Tamsui River)
• Day 42: Dadaocheng → Shezi Island
• Day 50: Yonghe → Xindian Bitan (night ride)
• Day 58: Sanxia → Yingge (ceramics town)
• Day 63: Muzha → Maokong (climbing challenge)

Each exploration gave me a deeper understanding of the city I live in—a perspective only cycling can provide.

Psychological Shift: The Magic of Morning Rides

Starting on Day 45, I began trying 5:30 AM departures. Taipei at 6 AM is another world—empty roads, fresh air, and riverside parks with only morning joggers and elderly fishermen.

That time of day became when I was most alert and clear-headed. Many work-related puzzles found their answers during those rides.

Phase Three (Days 66-100): Qualitative Change

Changes in Fitness Data

Metric	Day 1	Day 100	Change
Resting heart rate	72 bpm	62 bpm	-10 bpm
FTP (estimated)	185W	215W	+16%
Body weight	78kg	73kg	-5kg
Longest single ride	45 min	3 hr 20 min	Significant improvement

Unexpected Gains

Sleep quality: I never expected that daily riding would dramatically improve my sleep depth. According to my fitness band data, deep sleep ratio increased from 15% to 24%.

Work efficiency: I originally thought taking 30-60 minutes daily for cycling would reduce my working hours, but my work efficiency actually improved, and my effective working time ended up longer.

Dietary changes: I started paying attention to what and how much I ate—not from deliberate dieting, but because I knew food affects cycling performance.

Day 85: The Typhoon Night That Almost Broke the Chain

The day before the typhoon warning, the wind and rain were already fierce. That was my Day 85, and to keep the streak alive, I rode for 30 minutes in the community underground parking garage (on a stationary trainer).

Looking back, that decision was a little crazy—and a little great.

Lesson learned: Having an indoor training backup plan in advance means weather never becomes an excuse.

Day 100: Arrival

On Day 100, I chose to ride my usual riverside route, with no special celebration.

After riding home, I wrote in my journal: “Done. The next 100 days start tomorrow.”

What the 100-Day Ride Changed

The Nature of Habits

The biggest discovery over these 100 days: habits aren’t built on willpower—they’re built on systems and environmental design.

The system I built:

• Fixed departure time (reduces decision fatigue)
• Cycling kit prepared the night before (lowers the barrier to starting)
• Tracking and logging (creates a sense of accomplishment)
• Fixed routes + exploration routes (balances familiarity with novelty)

Psychological Growth

After 100 days, I have a new understanding of “difficult things.” Nothing is easy at the start, but almost everything can become natural through consistent practice.

This principle applies equally to work, learning, and relationships.

For Friends Who Want to Take on the 100-Day Challenge

Suggested rule-setting:

• Keep the minimum bar low (30 minutes is a great starting point)
• Time-based, not speed-based (removes the comparison mindset)
• Allow indoor training (use a stationary trainer on typhoon or heavy rain days)
• Announce it publicly (adds social accountability)

Essential gear:

• Bike lights (essential for morning and night rides)
• All-weather rain jacket or windbreaker
• Tracking app (Strava or Garmin Connect)

Mindset preparation:

• The first 30 days are the hardest—push through and it gets easier
• Don’t set speed goals; just completing the ride counts
• Allow yourself “bad riding days”—as long as you get out there, it’s a success

What About You?

100 days—just 30 minutes a day. Are you ready for this commitment?

Related Reading

• The 30-Day Consecutive Cycling Challenge: A Record of Physical and Mental Changes
• Riding Your First 100 km: A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Long-Distance Challenges
• The Complete 30-Day Cycling Around Taiwan Record: A Beginner’s Island Loop Journey
• How Cycling Changed My Life: Taiwanese Riders Share How Bikes Transformed Their Habits and Mindsets