When people talk about Giant, they usually save a little breath to mention that the company is the world’s largest producer of bikes — and that virtually any stock steel or aluminum frame, no matter what the brand, is likely produced by the Taiwan-based company.

But so how big is big?

Last week, Giant announced that it’s opening a new $12 million factory in mainland China that could double their production. The new factory will be capable of producing 3 million bikes per year. By the end of 2008, they’ll be shipping 6 million bikes against more than $1 billion in sales.

Of course, it would help if the WTO agrees to Asian manufacturers’ request to eliminate all tariffs on bikes — not something European bike manufacturers are especially excited about.

Racing mountain bikes is frequently compared to time trialling on the road, because drafting doesn’t play a huge role, and racers are often strung out and isolated, racing against their own limitations as much as against their rivals.

There are two upsides to this: When you crash, you typically have a soft landing and you don’t end up at the bottom of a dog pile bristling with angry racers and frayed carbon fiber.

Let’s demonstrate with this astonishing video from a recent track race in Melbourne, Australia.

There aren’t a lot of celebrities who get around on bicycles just as a matter of transportation. David Byrne is about the only one that comes to mind, although Paris Hilton took a memorable ride on her Stumpjumper a few days before going to the slammer.

But earlier this week, Matthew Modine had a party to launch his “Bicycle For A Day” global-warming initiative.  Liam Neeson was one of the A-listers who came to the party by bicycle.  Modine had apparently offered to buy Neeson’s dinner if he pedaled to the gala, but he saved the real reason: Biking literally affects a celebrity’s bottom line:

“Honestly, bicycling isn’t just fun and healthy and non-polluting, it’s sexy,” said Matthew at the Tuesday night bash, which was also attended by Robert Kennedy Jr - the nephew of late US President John F Kennedy. “It gives you a nice rear end.”

While recreational urban cyclists embrace fixies and messenger bags, rank-and-file racers have a new favorite sport: Singlespeed cyclocross, a sport that arguably combines the roughest and toughest elements of all cycling disciplines.

And lest there be any misunderstanding, one gear on a rigid bike with skinny tires can be just as fast as any other ride on dirt.

Last week at the U.S. Cyclocross National Championships in Kansas City, Marko LaLonde won the first singlespeed championship ever staged at Nationals, turning in some of the fastest lap times of any racer in any class. And just three months ago, his brother Jesse won the overall title in the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 — on a singlespeed, beating more than 1,600 fully geared and suspended bikes. The brothers hail from Madison, Wisconsin.

When Pinch Flat News recently asked Jesse LaLonde what he had against derailleurs, he said, “Nothing. They’re perfectly fine for those long training rides, you know, 200 miles or more.”

(Photo: Marko LaLonde at USCX Nationals, by Action Images)

This looks like way too much fun:

One of the lowest priorities in my own cycling regimen is riding the trainer. It’s so low, in fact, that I don’t even own a trainer, and I look disapprovingly on those who do. There aren’t many things I don’t like about riding a bike, but riding one without actually going anywhere just isn’t very tempting when I could be outside doing the whole moving-through-space-and-time thing.

But if I could play “BMX Freestyle Pro Flatland” while pedaling at a standstill? That might melt my cold, cold heart. So I’ve been curious about the GameBike, the elaborate bike accessory that hooks up to most current game consoles and allows you to pedal your way to top scores in many games. (You’d be surprised.)

Mom, of course, would disapprove. But she shouldn’t. It turns out that GameBikes are actually better for your physical fitness than a standard exercise bike or even your road bike on rollers. A study published recently by the University of British Columbia found that GameBikers were 30 percent more likely to ride regularly. As a result, interactive video-gaming cyclists had significantly higher power output, better aerobic fitness, and — yo! — a “significant change in the vertical jump and leg power.”

That’s owing, no doubt, to repeatedly bunnyhopping this steed.