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Rapha Festive 500 2020 - What's your plan this year with Covid-19 risks/concerns.

TheAussieinJapan

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Apr 15, 2014
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RAPHA #FESTIVE500

500 kilometres. Eight days. Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve. Restrictions come and go but some things never change. Rapha's annual festive riding challenge is back, with an all-new capsule collection and more ways than ever to go the distance.

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/stories/festive-500

This thread is for anything F500 related.

For the last 3 years I have closed out the year by chasing my 500km + as a goal to end the year on, and start the new year fresh. This year I was able to get all of the time off so no need to cram in the kilometres before and after work, but this isn't a normal year.

Last year I planned group rides almost every day, but with covid cases hitting 822 in a day in Tokyo (we know there are a ton more as testing is pretty low), and #GOTO not being cancelled until after Xmas, I think I will mostly be riding by myself this year, maybe a little bit of indoors to add extra as well. I will post my routes for anyone that is interested, and as much as I loved having buddies to take turns on the front and will miss the banter I am more worried about the other risks.

The other risk is that if hospitals fill then you have a bike accident the ambulances might have a tough time finding somewhere to take patients. So stay safe out there. I'll be avoiding Uber zones.
 
Here are the routes I have planned out so far.
Not sure which I will ride when, will depend on wind direction to try for less headwinds.

Last year when we hit the Tone River the tailwind had us doing 60km/hr on the flat and was terrifying. Got 201km that day.
Will mostly be powered by onigiri, sandwiches and homemade oatmeal bars, but will have at least 1 ride to Jindaiji Soba.

Festive 500 '20 Green Healthy Road & Arakawa
Festive 500 '20 Edogawa, Green Healthy Road.
Festive 500 '20 Kamakura ride
Festive 500 '20 1
Festive 500 '20 Easy ride
FESTIVE 500 HF Mike's Saitama Route
FESTIVE 500 '20 Turret, Tsukiji Asakusa & Kaw...
Tama Hills quickie by DEEJ + Soba
 
what's this "green healthy road" business?
Looking for alternatives to Arakawa road so thought I'd take one of the other cycling roads. The "Green Healthy Road" goes ally he was from Saitama's Kawaguchi up to Tone river near Gyoda.
 
have you ridden it before? is it a cycling only path, or just a strip painted along the normal road? if it's no-cars zone I gotta try it some day
 
have you ridden it before? is it a cycling only path, or just a strip painted along the normal road? if it's no-cars zone I gotta try it some day
I did around 20k on it and for the most part it's separated from the road, but not all the way.
Quite a nice chill path.
 
thanks both for showing me this. I'm interested enough to check it out sometime, perhaps during the year end holidays, weather and other tasks permitting. apparently, it's Greenery Healthy Road. don't let me hijack this thread with this tangent any longer, back to F500 ok. and in case anyone wonders what it looks like, this wouldn't be Japan if we didn't have the whole 55km ride shown on youtube for our enjoyment (now I feel I almost don't even have to go in person anymore haha)

 
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I think riding with other people in the pandemic, the biggest risk is going to be shared indoor meals where you sit face to face and talk as you eat. I would only do that in small groups, preferably with people you can trust not to be Covidiots.

I wouldn't worry too much about infecting each other while riding out on the road (there is plenty of air flow so not much viral load) and eating outside a conbini you can stay 1.5 m away from each other easily and use a mask while you do the shopping or using the toilet. Wash your hands, stay safe!
 
Thanks for the reminder - very inspiring to see others doing the challenge, good luck!

I live close to Komazawa Park, so planning to do ~210 laps around the cycle path to hit 500k...😅 Might be able to hit that across 3-4 days of grinding.

Just saw that Shibuya to central Osaka is just about 510km via local roads, but I'm a bit concerned that it might be hard to find lodging on the way there. Wouldn't want to be stuck out in the cold! 🥶
 
Just saw that Shibuya to central Osaka is just about 510km via local roads, but I'm a bit concerned that it might be hard to find lodging on the way there. Wouldn't want to be stuck out in the cold! 🥶
If you stay on the coast (maybe crossing Izu via Gotemba or near Atami) you can avoid higher elevations and ice. I did Aichi to Tokyo (i.e. the reverse direction) in October and could send you a RWGPS route. Or if you want to save the Shinkansen return fare, ride out 250 km and turn around!

If you want to do that, booking.com should be able to find something. Hotels are not exactly busy these days as most people are avoiding travel.

Personally I quite like ToyokoInn, a chain of inexpensive but well-run business hotels that offer all the basics for around 5000-7500 yen a night. You can book through their website (with a small discount) or through booking.com. I've used them in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Aichi prefecture. They've always provided a safe place to park my bicycle too.
 
If you stay on the coast (maybe crossing Izu via Gotemba or near Atami) you can avoid higher elevations and ice. I did Aichi to Tokyo (i.e. the reverse direction) in October and could send you a RWGPS route. Or if you want to save the Shinkansen return fare, ride out 250 km and turn around!

If you want to do that, booking.com should be able to find something. Hotels are not exactly busy these days as most people are avoiding travel.

Personally I quite like ToyokoInn, a chain of inexpensive but well-run business hotels that offer all the basics for around 5000-7500 yen a night. You can book through their website (with a small discount) or through booking.com. I've used them in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Aichi prefecture. They've always provided a safe place to park my bicycle too.
Hey Joe! Thanks for the kind offer - would definitely appreciate some insight into the good paths out west :). I'll most likely do the Komazawa park mind-numbingly boring loop for this year's 500 but will start taking trips when I'm a bit more at your level!

A quick question: I've used RWGPS routes before for training, but maps don't seem to appear on my Wahoo Bolt (i.e. the route is visible, but no streets/landmarks). I think it's a known issue with some Wahoos, but yet to be fixed. Do you have any tips for good route planning tools (I'm mainly using Komoot) that are particularly good in Japan?
 
I use Strava, mostly as it's easy to upload to Wahoo ROAM via the app integration and I'm a subscriber.

I check the heat maps, popular routes, google maps/Apple for satellite views. I also use Lookaround/Streetview even Instagram to plan routes. Usually I reroute away from crazy highway recommendations
Hey Joe! Thanks for the kind offer - would definitely appreciate some insight into the good paths out west :). I'll most likely do the Komazawa park mind-numbingly boring loop for this year's 500 but will start taking trips when I'm a bit more at your level!

A quick question: I've used RWGPS routes before for training, but maps don't seem to appear on my Wahoo Bolt (i.e. the route is visible, but no streets/landmarks). I think it's a known issue with some Wahoos, but yet to be fixed. Do you have any tips for good route planning tools (I'm mainly using Komoot) that are particularly good in Japan?
 
Hey Joe! Thanks for the kind offer - would definitely appreciate some insight into the good paths out west :). I'll most likely do the Komazawa park mind-numbingly boring loop for this year's 500 but will start taking trips when I'm a bit more at your level!

I used to run and later cycle at Komazawa koen but there were so many chances for pedestrian encounters, children on bikes, wet leaves, etc on that bicycle loop, I actually feel much safer getting my distance on the road, even if you ignore the boredom factor of a loop in the park.

A quick question: I've used RWGPS routes before for training, but maps don't seem to appear on my Wahoo Bolt (i.e. the route is visible, but no streets/landmarks). I think it's a known issue with some Wahoos, but yet to be fixed. Do you have any tips for good route planning tools (I'm mainly using Komoot) that are particularly good in Japan?
I use a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt too. Did you download maps for the prefectures you're riding in? You can do that from the smartphone app.

If for example you only have the North American maps installed but are riding in Japan or you installed the Kanto maps but ride in Kansai then you will only see the breadcrumb trail but not the roads and intersections.

In the smartphone app, go to Settings, Manage Maps. Under "Maps on Elemnt" I have Asia > Japan: Chubu Region, Kanto. You can use "Download more maps" to install maps for the areas you want covered.
 
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I downloaded the maps for Japan & Australia, deleted the rest too.

great advice to check for others what they have downloaded.

mice got Kamoot too but haven't had much use of it yet. This year I've avoided trains so missed out on the rinko trips out of Tokyo to enjoy more country rides and potential for rindo like in Tokigawa.
 
I used to run and later cycle at Komazawa koen but there were so many chances for pedestrian encounters, children on bikes, wet leaves, etc on that bicycle loop, I actually feel much safer getting my distance on the road, even if you ignore the boredom factor of a loop in the park.


I use a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt too. Did you download maps for the prefectures you're riding in? You can do that from the smartphone app.

If for example you only have the North American maps installed but are riding in Japan or you installed the Kanto maps but ride in Kansai then you will only see the breadcrumb trail but not the roads and intersections.

In the smartphone app, go to Settings, Manage Maps. Under "Maps on Elemnt" I have Asia > Japan: Chubu Region, Kanto. You can use "Download more maps" to install maps for the areas you want covered.

Thanks for the pro tips Joe, I honestly had no idea about the Wahoo maps option. You raise good points about the stress of biking in local parks, I'll seriously consider an actual tour out southwestward :). Have a Merry Christmas and Festive 500!
 
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