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2011 Ryusei Hillclimb

GSAstuto

Maximum Pace
Oct 11, 2009
974
253
Registration is now open!

http://sunday-sunday.net/race/2011/1113Ryusei/2011ryusei.htm

Who will take this challenge? Who will freeze their bums sleeping in abandoned gravel pit the night before? Will Team Ninja finally dominate through sophisticated use of extreme ninja countermeasures? The only way to find out is sign up now! Not my favorite group of organizers (Sunday Sunday) cause the wankers get heavy on kotei riders - but, wtf - anything around the Greenline is gonna get me there! And the Chichibu Onsen is really quite good.
 
I plan to join :angel: This year I might stay in a hotel instead of riding out and back 2 days in row. But then again, early morning ride in Chichibu is so nice...
 
So we have the crew together again!
What about Alan and Naomi?

I understand that this might be difficult for some due to luggage, but I will certainly ride the green line after the race again. After all, a hillclimb is just a warmup.
 
Surprisingly, my new secret weapon hails from Gotenberg as well... perhaps I should name it 'Hammerfall' in order to coincide with the 'Axe of Thor' ! Neighbors - but sharing the same roots of metal! Arrrghhhhhhh!!!!!
 
Locked and loaded for some <Chichibu> bear!
 
a disappointing fact...no fixies allowed AGAIN. It says roadbikes and mountain bikes only and it specially mentions "free wheel" :(

I guess there's going to be less and less races that"ll allow fixies...Good luck to you all!
 
Amazing , huh - they didn't care last year, and in fact a couple of the organizers were quite interested in the fact I was riding this 'kotei'. Sunday-Sunday, btw, are the a*holes that are putting the hammer down on all these events - including the Enduros. So, as long as they are in the driver's seat - not much is going to change. We'd need to lobby for a separate category (best option) and that would also do alot for the lagging Keirin industry - though - they (JK) can't seem to get their head around that, either.

Oh well, I've been practicing on road bike - and feel pretty good about kicking some oyaji up there - especially it's the Greenline styling road which we've been riding all this year.
 
It is a shame to hear about the anti-fixie move...Why? I can't understand it. Anyway, in the meantime I have put my entry in for this and looking forward to joining you there and hopefully for some rides in up that way beforehand.
 
Riddle me this... .why do fixed gear riders always complain that they aren't allowed to race in road races yet you never here a roadie complain that he can't race his bike in the madison, keirin of other fixed geared races?

If you guys are serious about showing your stuff on a fixed geared bike why not race them how they were ment to be raced? In fact the Keirin assosiation is begging for new blood in the fixed gear scene.
 
Being more in the fixed gear camp, with my introduction to roady-dom still pretty recent, I had to smile about that comment.

Sometimes, when roadbikes are allowed on the track, I just feel uncomfortable. It is not that is is necessarily unsafe, but potentially more so than a pure-bred track bike. I guess that is the equivalent of what the road-riders feel about the fixies at their events.

The only road event I ever did on a fixed gear, was the Kawasaki Triathlon cycling leg on my fixed gear with bullhorn bars. The majority of the triathletes had horrible bikehandling and the crows very appreciating the diversity. No problems with the organizers.
 
James - with all due respect:

1) These 'Hill Climbs' are not road racing , per se, they are mass start TT's which are not even sanctioned by any racing body. It would be very simple to add a singlespeed and / or fixedgear category without jeopardizing the safety or integrity of the event.

2) Track events, like sanctioned road events, should be limited to the equipment that is specified. If you maintain this at most Japanese 'road races' you'd probably be even dropping a fair amount of the roadbikes due to equipment failing to meet general scrutiny and compliance.

3) The Japanese Keirin issues are more related to the fact that it's a gaming sport and entry by riders is closed to only professionally licensed riders. Their popularity problem is their own problem having to do with the fact that it's seen by the general population as an oyaji gambling sport, not 'real' cycling. The JK should step aside from association with ANY amateur cycling - including so called 'sponsorship' or tail coating amateur events.

4) Operating a roadbike (freewheel /brakes) on a track should be allowed and promoted as a way for more riders to get the feel of a track. But, like Gunjira says, when you mix them it could cause some safety issues due to the pacing differences. Same as it would be silly to enter / allow a brakeless fixedgear into a criterium race - unless all the bikes were brakeless fixedgears.

I think the frustration is more about the general acceptance of fixedgear riding on the road. And being able to participate in funrides, enduros and TT's where a fixedgear simply provides yet another interesting challenge and skill above and beyond a standard road bike.

I'll be doing Ryusei on a geared bike this year. Why? Because I want to win. However, preparation of last year riding most of these events 'fixed' has put me far ahead of the game of 99% the geared riders. So - in just 1yr of training this way I have gone from a slow, fat old man to a somewhat faster, thinner man with decent chance of finishing in Top 10's or higher. There is a degree of suffering and grit in riding fixed on the road that is just more enticing (and exhilarating) than free /braked. I think this is the passion that is truly expressed.

BTW - I am really enjoying my stint on a roadbike. To be able to relax with my latte and coast down a hill, rise out of a saddle to stretch now and then, shift a gear to ease the effort, etc. But there is no comparison to pureness of riding fixed where 100% of your concentration and effort is a given - I dig that.


Riddle me this... .why do fixed gear riders always complain that they aren't allowed to race in road races yet you never here a roadie complain that he can't race his bike in the madison, keirin of other fixed geared races?

If you guys are serious about showing your stuff on a fixed geared bike why not race them how they were ment to be raced? In fact the Keirin assosiation is begging for new blood in the fixed gear scene.
 
Great! BTW - the Chichibu Onsen was a real treat! And there were camping cottages close to the start - but not sure how to book them - we slept 'rough' next to them.
 
Great! BTW - the Chichibu Onsen was a real treat! And there were camping cottages close to the start - but not sure how to book them - we slept 'rough' next to them.

I'm in Tim! Let's try the cottages this time. No more icefishing!
 
Those look way nicer than the ones we were camped by. But I think i recall seeing something like that around the same place. The ones we were close to were very rustic and minimal - like small container huts setup on stilts. There was a common toilet area not completely enclosed so it was quite chilly.

Is this the cottage you have in mind?

http://www.ryuseinomachi.co.jp/camp/yamaai.htm
Booking only available by phone & during weekdays.

Eugen
 
The race homepage says they stopped accepting the entries before the deadline - it's all full. I guess, I won't be racing this year :( but might still come to watch and ride for fun.
 
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