If you spent any time on the internet around 2018 or 2019, you definitely saw him. He was the "Grandpan" of augmented reality. A literal viral sensation. Chen San-yuan, better known globally as the Pokémon Go bike guy, became a living legend by doing something most of us would find physically impossible. He strapped dozens of smartphones to his bicycle. It looked like a peacock's tail made of glass and silicon.
He wasn't just a casual player. Chen was a machine.
Most people saw the photos and assumed it was a prank or a staged photo op. It wasn't. This was his life in New Taipei City. He would spend hours—sometimes until 4:00 AM—pedaling through the streets, hunting for rare spawns and hitting every PokéStop in sight. He didn't do it for the fame, even though the fame eventually found him. He did it because his grandson taught him how to play, and he just never stopped.
Why the Pokémon Go bike guy became a global icon
The appeal was simple: it was pure, unadulterated dedication. In a world where mobile gaming is often seen as a distraction for kids, seeing a man in his 70s master the mechanics of $Niantic's$ hit game was refreshing. He didn't just play; he optimized.
He started with one phone. Then two. Then eleven. By the time his rig went truly viral, he was rocking 45 smartphones simultaneously. Later, that number reportedly climbed even higher, reaching 64 or more. Think about the logistics. The wiring alone is a nightmare. He had to carry massive portable power banks to keep the screens from going dark. He even had a custom-made bracket system to ensure the phones wouldn't fly off when he hit a pothole. It's DIY engineering at its most chaotic and brilliant.
People loved him because he represented the "play your way" ethos. He wasn't interested in battling gyms, which is a core part of the game for many. He found the gym system "too stressful" because he didn't want to hurt other people's feelings by taking their spots. Honestly, that's the most wholesome thing I’ve ever heard in the gaming community. He just wanted to catch 'em all and evolve his favorites.
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The technical madness of the rig
Let's get into the weeds of how this actually worked. If you've ever played Pokémon Go on a hot day, you know your phone turns into a brick of molten lava within twenty minutes. Now imagine 60+ phones running high-intensity GPS and graphics processing right next to each other.
- Battery Life: Chen used high-capacity industrial power banks. We aren't talking about the little pocket chargers you buy at the airport. He needed enough juice to power a small village.
- The Interface: He couldn't touch every screen at once. His setup was designed so he could tap and swipe while stationary, moving from one device to the next with terrifying efficiency.
- Data Plans: Imagine that monthly bill. While he likely used some mobile hotspots, the sheer bandwidth required for 60+ active accounts to ping Niantic's servers is staggering.
He became so famous that Asus actually reached out to him. They made him a brand ambassador for the ZenFone series. It was one of the few times a "meme" turned into a legitimate corporate partnership that actually made sense. They gave him phones that had massive batteries specifically to support his habit. It was a match made in heaven. Or at least in a very specific corner of the tech-heavy gaming world.
Health scares and the resilience of a legend
Life isn't always a lucky egg and a lure module. In early 2022, rumors started swirling that the Pokémon Go bike guy had suffered a stroke. The community was genuinely worried. For a few months, the streets of New Taipei City were a little quieter.
But you can't keep a master down.
Reports surfaced later that year showing Chen back out on his bike. He had lost some weight and his rig was scaled back significantly—down to a "modest" dozen or so phones—but he was still out there. This is where the story shifts from a funny internet meme to a genuine testament to human spirit. For Chen, the game wasn't just a hobby; it was his exercise, his social outlet, and his way of staying mentally sharp.
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Medical experts often talk about the benefits of "exergaming" for seniors. It keeps the brain engaged through resource management and spatial awareness while forcing physical movement. Chen is basically the poster child for this. Even after a major health setback, his first instinct was to get back on the bike and check his nearby radar.
What most people get wrong about his "cheating"
Whenever Chen's photo hits Reddit or Twitter, the "purists" come out of the woodwork. They claim he's "multi-accounting," which is technically against Niantic's Terms of Service. They aren't wrong. Playing on more than one account is a big no-no in the official rules.
But here's the thing: nobody cares.
Niantic clearly didn't care. They never banned him. Why? Because he wasn't ruining the game for anyone else. He wasn't using GPS spoofing to "teleport" to Tokyo or New York. He was physically there, putting in the miles. He wasn't dominating gyms or bullying lower-level players. He was just a guy who liked the dopamine hit of a "Great" throw. In the hierarchy of "cheaters," a 70-year-old man on a bicycle is the hero we didn't know we needed.
The cultural impact on Pokémon Go
The Pokémon Go bike guy changed how people looked at the game's longevity. When the hype died down in late 2016, many pundits called the game a fad. Chen proved that for a specific subset of players, the game had deep, lasting utility.
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He also sparked a weird trend of "bike rigs." If you go to a Pokémon Go Community Day in any major city—be it Taipei, London, or Los Angeles—you'll see people with modified handlebars holding two or three phones. They are all, in some small way, trying to channel a fraction of Chen's energy. He turned mobile gaming into a mechanical sport.
Lessons from the legend
- Optimization is a mindset. Whether it's 60 phones or a better way to organize your sock drawer, there's joy in the process.
- Community matters. Even if you're playing "solo" with 60 accounts, being part of a global phenomenon keeps you connected.
- Age is just a level. Don't let your birth year dictate what kind of tech you're allowed to obsess over.
Actionable steps for your own Pokémon journey
If you're inspired by Chen but don't want to weld a satellite dish to your bike, there are ways to up your game without going full "bike guy."
First, look into a dedicated "Go Plus +" device. It automates the catching and spinning process so you can actually look at the road while you bike or walk. It's the "Chen Lite" experience. Second, focus on your local community. Use apps like Campfire to find where the local "legends" hang out. You might not find a guy with 64 phones, but you'll find people who know where the best spawns are.
Lastly, keep an eye on your battery health. If you're going to play for more than an hour, a 10,000mAh power bank is the bare minimum. Use a high-quality braided cable; the constant movement of walking or cycling will snap a cheap plastic one in days.
Chen San-yuan showed us that hobbies don't have to be "normal" to be meaningful. He took a simple mobile game and turned it into an art form. Next time you see a rare Dratini on your map, think of the man in Taiwan, pedaling through the night, screens glowing like a neon star, chasing his own version of fun. That’s the real win. No gym badges required.