The Giant Group has just announced that its founder King Liu passed away on February 16 (yesterday) at the age of 93 (or 91 depending on some news outlets).

King Liu established Giant in 1972 after a typhoon wiped out his eel farm. It started out as an OEM company making bicycles for other brands, most notably Schwinn in 1977. After the American company decided to change suppliers to cut costs, Giant established its own brand in 1981.

Since then, the manufacturer has grown into an industry giant, becoming the equivalent of Toyota for bicycles. The Giant Group currently has three sub-brands in addition to the main brand.

Liv focuses on bikes designed exclusively for women; Momentum makes commuter bikes; and Cadex produces high-performance components. Giant also collaborated with the Taiwanese government to create the YouBike ride-sharing system.

“Throughout his life, Mr. Liu devoted himself to bicycles, believing they represented not merely a business, but a meaningful way of life,” said the Giant Group. “He was widely respected as a lifelong advocate for cycling culture and remained a deeply influential figure to colleagues, partners, and riders across generations.”