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Racing in Japan

xDOMx

Maximum Pace
Nov 21, 2014
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After a long time deliberating, I feel like I'm ready to (at least) explore racing.

This would be at a very low level to start and perhaps on fun events to gauge ability but I'm aiming to find a race team.

If anyone has any pointers it'd be much appreciated.
 
Enter solo into a race first, to show how fast you are.

If you are good, you can then start looking for a team.
 
Pointers to what? Racing in general or links to races in Japan? Are you familiar with a LBS? If not it would be a good time to make yourself known. Solo racing is fine but if you can tag along with people that know the ropes it makes it more social and a better experience. Good luck.
 
@xDOMx, the race schedule and other information found on the JCRC website may be a good start, if you can read Japanese.
 
I don't think you need to be fast or good to join a team. Joining a team first and let them guide you and help you pick a good race to enter. They'll help you with applying for the race, getting you to the race and probably training for the race. Depends where you live too. I would never have raced without the support and prodding of my team. It won't hurt to enter solo either but it's nice to possibly be a part of a team from the beginning knowing you may have some support on standby.
 
If you are looking for a cute little oyaji team, who have a cartoon character on their jersey and just do it for a laugh, then get on Strava and see who is riding at about your pace in your area, then stalk their profile and see what 'Club' they are linked to on Strava. You will most likely see a few 'teams' appearing more than once. If you find one that looks suitable, get in contact with them, and link to your Strava.

If you are looking at hard, fast, high level training teams who compete at near-professional level up in the ranks of racing here, you are going to need a CV to give them, of your performance so far. You said you are starting low level though, so get on Strava and have a hunt about.
 
More responses than I expected so cheers all.

In terms of pointers, I have been looking more for racing in general as I'm just starting out.

I may speak to some mates from LBSs that I frequent as I ride with those guys a lot.

I live near Jiyugaoka so not a million miles from the Tamagawa stores/teams.

@TCC I guess I am not entirely sure yet but not a cute little team as you put it. It's more towards fast(ish) racing but I do need to be with a team to train more specifically (there's only so much reading and YouTube videos you can consult on this!). I just don't know how it works.

I'll also take a look at the JCRC too.

Thanks again all for the tips and, if anyone is in a team that's looking for 'fresh blood', do let me know.
 
Stuff to consider;

-It is going to cost you a lot of money. Bike, travel and entry costs, accommodation, etc. The last 3 are expensive in Japan.
-Go and do an Enduro race, which is usually a 4 hour thing, round and round a short course. This will let you know how fast you are in comparison to a lot of people, and also if you are willing to put up with the level of ridiculousness you get with how the locals ride their bikes in races. I know this is not the same as an A-B stage race, but the vibe is close.
-Know that it is not glamorous in Japan. Even if you hammer it and win, you will get a sallow round of applause from about 25 people, half of them smoking fags, and grunting. Crowds don't line the streets like they do in Europe.

If you can be arsed with all that, then go for it.
 
You put such a glamorous sheen on it @TCC ! Must be a fellow Brit!

It's more for me that I'm doing it (as a test of myself more than anything) but an enduro has certainly been mooted amongst friends as a starting point.
 
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Haha, just keeping it real. That is the reality of it here, not trying to put you off!

All good for wanting to get into it mate. Yeah, give an Enduro a go, and see how that feels. That is easy (to organise) and you don't need a team. At the most, you need a couple of people to take turns with you over the time period.
 
Stuff to consider;

-It is going to cost you a lot of money. Bike, travel and entry costs, accommodation, etc. The last 3 are expensive in Japan.
-Go and do an Enduro race, which is usually a 4 hour thing, round and round a short course. This will let you know how fast you are in comparison to a lot of people, and also if you are willing to put up with the level of ridiculousness you get with how the locals ride their bikes in races. I know this is not the same as an A-B stage race, but the vibe is close.
-Know that it is not glamorous in Japan. Even if you hammer it and win, you will get a sallow round of applause from about 25 people, half of them smoking fags, and grunting. Crowds don't line the streets like they do in Europe.

If you can be arsed with all that, then go for it.

Head meets nail - Topanga
 
Step 1. Sportsentry is full of events that are all levels of competition. Jump on https://www.sportsentry.ne.jp/top/en and locate a race. I think hillclimb events are a good tester, quite safe and will give a bit of soft entry into the whole thing and there are races somewhere nearly every weekend.
Step 2. Do it again
Step 3. and again

Get some experience riding on the rivet (the limit) so that you are not a menace to others or yourself and hillclimbs are a reasonably controlled environment as the hill sorts out the group based on ability. Big bunches in road races at lower levels are full of crashes and that is not the way to get expereince, well i guess one sort of experience. And the one thing to rememeber is that it is a journey, there will always be someone faster and quicker, so learn to hurt and learn to suffer and you never know, oneday you may be the faster and quicker one. Most of all, have fun!
 
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