Today October 2023

[Forsbrook]

Just returned from a lovely round trip to Sekiyado.
Not too many cyclists and the weather was fantastic.
A great time of the year to be riding in Japan.

After all of my recent flat tire issues,I was veery pleased to get up and down the river without any problems.

 

[adventurous cyclist]

After not having a flat tire for about a year,I have had 5 or 6 in 2 weeks.
Strange how things work.
Tires are in good condition as well.
I usually ride in Tokyo/Chiba and Saitama along the riversides, but last week I had to ride to my daughter's house in Tokorozawa to dog-sit her Labrador,when I woke up both front and rear tubes had punctures.
With the falling yen I have noticed how much tubes are going up in price as well.
Looks like I will have to start fixing my flats like I used to when I was a student.

That's right they tubes coming in from China have really gone up in price the last 2 years.

 

[Forsbrook]

Nice 160KM weekend for me.
Great weather.
So refreshing and reviving after a long week at work.
Hope all TCCers also have enjoyed the fine weather.

 

[Chuck]

I want to do a ride in Gunma, north of Mt. Akagi. Shorter days and my general lack of stamina means that if I can take a bus to the base of the mountains, I'm far more certain I can get the ride done. There is a bus line from Numata to Nango, that would work. From what I can glean, putting bikes on busses is at best, hit or miss. On a local bus in the countryside, I'm guessing it's pretty iffy. If anyone has any experience with bikes on busses, should I just forget about it or do I have some chance they'll let me on?

 

[nateberkopec]

I'm headed to the Mt Fuji area this weekend (North side, near kawaguchiko). Anyone have any tips for climbs to do?

I'm looking at doing the Fuji ascent via the main Subaru line... is this worth it or too many cars?

 

[joewein]

I had intended to ride my October Century on the first day of the month but changed my mind because of the weather forecast. The following weekend I spent with my family in Karuizawa for my daughter's wedding. The Wednesday after the wedding my wife and I headed to Haneda for a one week trip to Umbria, Italy. We got back last Friday just before midnight. Saturday I spent recovering before finally riding 162 km on Sunday (on Strava).



I started late, leaving only a little before 9 in the morning. I headed out towards Machida on Onekan. There seems to be some road construction going on. Passing Machida Risu Koen (Machida Squirrel Park), a pet zoo for small children I aimed for Sakaigawa, the river down to Enoshima.



South of Icho Danchi (Icho apartment complex) I met a rider on a vintage randonneur bike. We stopped to admire each other's bikes. He has been riding his for 45 years and it's in mint condition. The front and rear derailleur are not original but from the era and the current paint job is the third one. The bike was sparkling clean.




I don't often ride the Sakaigawa route and was amazed how many cyclists there were. I followed it to the mouth of the river in Enoshima.




By then I got hungry and searched for some a Nepalese, which I found at Danfe, two kilometers away. It was tiny and very busy so I could only get a takeout curry. They seem very popular.

The main road to Kamakura was one traffic jam, as usual on a Sunday afternoon.

There were lots of windsurfers out at Zushi.



I continued down the coast to past Hayama with a few photo stops and one conbini stop.



After the sunset pictures I turned around towards Kamakura.



I followed the main road towards the Hachimangu shrine, then up the mountain over to the Yokosuka side up towards Yokohama. I took some pictures around the Minato Mirai area but progress towards Tokyo was slow.



It was just one red light after another. I was still riding in shorts and my long sleeve summer jersey but that was OK, it wasn't too cold.

After crossing the Tamagawa on Rt15 I took Rt311 (Kannana) to Setagaya. When I got near home I was still a couple of km short of my distance so I did a few loops of Bajikoen (the Horse Park).

It was exactly midnight when I opened my front door.

 

[joewein]

I'm headed to the Mt Fuji area this weekend (North side, near kawaguchiko). Anyone have any tips for climbs to do?

I'm looking at doing the Fuji ascent via the main Subaru line... is this worth it or too many cars?

In my experience it's not too bad. In the official season (July / August) there can be lots and lots of buses. I think now that the hiking stations are closed for the season there will be far fewer visitors. You'll still get cars and buses of people enjoying the fifth station and the views from there but nothing scary.

Here is the report from my ride in October 2011, twelve years ago. I think the views are well worth the ride.

 

[joewein]

If not, I'd suspect that you have the problem that I had: ageing rim tape.

Years ago I had the exact same experience. When the rim tape ages, it may stretch so that it bulges into the spoke holes of the rim and the tube will follow that shape, stretching the rubber thin in those bulges, which makes it prone to tear. Two layers of new rim tape solved the problem.

With my current rim tape I have not had that problem for years.

 

[jdd]

@joewein That other rider's bike--what with the chainrings? Looks like two close/high rings, and one mini/granny gear?

 

[joewein]

@joewein That other rider's bike--what with the chainrings? Looks like two close/high rings, and one mini/granny gear?

I looked for the crankset and found this.

The crankset consists of the two crank arms with a drive side 5-arm spider extending only as far as the innermost bolt circle that you see on the picture above. The other rings must be attached via the outer bolt circle to the large (outer) chain ring that is directly attached to the spider. I have no idea what brand or model the rings were but probably something like in this setup. The closeness in size between the larger two rings suggest that this bike uses so called "half-step" gearing (e.g. 52/48 + granny).



Triples started getting popular on touring bikes and randonneurs in the 1970s I'm told, which corresponds to the age of this bike.

EDIT: The marking on the very left of the large chain ring looks like "TA" so most likely it's a Spécialités T.A. chain ring set from France.

 

[microcord]

After a total of well under 50 km of (level, placid) riding in six weeks, and a bad cold, I was not in good condition today to tackle Kazahari (via the mushroom centre). But October is ending soon, and a geezer's gotta do what a geezer's gotta do, so I went up Kazahari (yes, via the mushroom centre). In order to conserve energy I went by train as far as Itsuka-ichi, then directly to Tachibana-bashi, then skipped Tossaka; and at the top, after the obligatory monkey-stick selfies, I simply turned left and followed the road back to the station. Despite all the energy conservation, it was a terribly slow climb, with lots of pauses (and, er, snot rockets). But hey, I did it, and I'm still not dead.

 

[mrkamot]

on a car turned left after shin maruko bridge going towards futakotamagawa and i saw a gentleman on a roadbike with a white and red jacket jersey/jacket.

me : "oh that was @Half-Fast Mike (i think!), too bad wasn't able to stop and meet him."
wife : "half assed who?"

 

[Half-Fast Mike]

me : "oh that was @Half-Fast Mike (i think!), too bad wasn't able to stop and meet him."
wife : "half assed who?"

Oh, shoot. That could cause some confusion...

 

[bloaker]

The good news... I am still alive and kicking.
The bad news... bikes are still remaining dormant as I adjust to life as a father of 3.
I get the occassional ride in, but it is limited. Nothing longer than 35km.
I am hoping I can get into a routine in the next few months. The winter is coming and that is prime MTB weather locally.

 

[kiwisimon]

Good to hear from you Bloaker

 

[pedalist]

The good news... I am still alive and kicking.
The bad news... bikes are still remaining dormant as I adjust to life as a father of 3.
I get the occassional ride in, but it is limited. Nothing longer than 35km.
I am hoping I can get into a routine in the next few months. The winter is coming and that is prime MTB weather locally.

Every ride counts.
Just enjoy the moments on two wheels as well as with your now bigger family.
I hope to be able to meet you again sometime.

 

[bloaker]

Every ride counts.
Just enjoy the moments on two wheels as well as with your now bigger family.
I hope to be able to meet you again sometime.

Me too! I am actually surprised at how long you have been back and I have not made on Saturday Yokosuka ride.
We will make it happen even if it doesnt really involve bikes!

 

[pedalist]

Me too! I am actually surprised at how long you have been back and I have not made on Saturday Yokosuka ride.
We will make it happen even if it doesnt really involve bikes!

My joinings on the Saturday rides are super infrequent. But firmly planning on this week's ride. No excuses since tonight's basketball was cancelled and Saturday's appointment is not until afternoon.

 

[jdd]

Bontrager R3, not sure but 2 (3?) years old, ridden pretty lightly in dry/good conditions, parked indoors and never sitting in sun. I have a replacement (not R3) arriving tomorrow.

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Some closure on this. Local shop sent their own pics to Trek, both this tire and another that I got at the same time and had roughly equivalent use. It took a while, but Trek gave me--via the shop--¥4000 credit towards something from the shop. I opted for some work on the bike: new hoods, new wires (gear/brake), new bar tape, and had them mount a new tire that I already had.

It took a while, since Trek was slow, then we traveled for almost a week, then I got sick (wife, too), and at the end the shop had asked for a few more days to do the work (closed wed/thurs) and I was busy yesterday.

Bottom line is I picked it up this morning. I got the credit/discount towards some needed stuff, shop got some work to do, and I might get a few rides in on this bike before winter gets too messy.