King Liu didn’t just found Giant he helped turn Taiwan into a global cycling powerhouse.
King Liu, the founder of Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer Giant and a driving force behind the global rise of modern cycling culture, has died at 91, the company confirmed Monday.
Liu established Giant in 1972 in Taichung, initially producing bicycles for overseas brands before launching the Giant name in 1981. Over the following decades, the company evolved from a contract manufacturer into one of the world’s largest bicycle makers, generating more than $2 billion in annual sales and distributing millions of bikes globally.
In a statement, Giant described Liu as a lifelong advocate of cycling who believed bicycles represented not just a business but a meaningful way of life.
Born on July 2, 1934, Liu experimented with several ventures before entering the bicycle industry. His move into cycling reportedly began as a strategy to access the US market, but it became a defining mission. As Giant grew, it helped shift perceptions of “Made in Taiwan” from low-cost manufacturing to high-quality production, while also reframing cycling domestically from basic transport to aspirational lifestyle and sport.
At 73, Liu completed a 900-kilometer ride around Taiwan, calling the experience transformative. He often referred to himself as a “missionary” for cycling culture.
King Liu reshaped how a whole island and an industry are seen.
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