Giant Founder King Liu, Taiwan’s Cycling ‘Missionary,’ Dies at 91

​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.