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Today Today - December 2015

@D'Pioneer - yes, I am free all day. What do you have in mind?
 
@Half-Fast Mike it's nearly 2016. Time for Di2.
Recently I've been reading reports about batteries suddenly not working and cables getting torn out.:p

Anyway, I don't have such limp wrists that shifting mechanically is ever a chore.

I could and probably should carry a spare shift and brake cable - then I'm ready to fix my bike or anyone else's on a group ride unless they have Di2 in which case SOL.

I'll consider it when my mortgage is paid-off... 2029 or so.
 
The new SRAM RED eTap system looks really nice. Battery is in each derailleur and are inter-changeable should you run out of juice in just the rear for example. Now that is kind of tempting for the first time.
Here's a quick link. You can always refinance...

Recently I've been reading reports about batteries suddenly not working and cables getting torn out.:p

Anyway, I don't have such limp wrists that shifting mechanically is ever a chore.

I could and probably should carry a spare shift and brake cable - then I'm ready to fix my bike or anyone else's on a group ride unless they have Di2 in which case SOL.

I'll consider it when my mortgage is paid-off... 2029 or so.
 
Crossed paths with a TCC cap out on the Arakawa today. @TimeTraveler, was that you? If you're out there on the reg we should meet up sometime!

Edit: dear god, I see that you were coming back from a truly monstrous ride. And still the energy to wave! Respect.
 
@koya_hijiri - yes, that was me. PM whenever you are planning to ride and maybe our schedules will allow.
 
@TimeTraveler word. I'm gonna be out of the country for a couple of weeks starting soon, but will definitely PM you when I get back into the river routine.
 
@koya_hijiri Great! I look forward to hearing from you when you return.
 
This is the intersection of Ogawa machi (not the one in Saitama, but in Chiyoda-ku) where I often meet @Andy in Tokyo during our morning commute, as was the case today too.

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Apparently, yesterday the jingoist right-wingers in the black vans we all know and love have stopped and harassed former PM Hatoyama's car there in the middle of the day, when he was on his way from some symposium or something. These people are getting more and more presumptuous, I wonder if the day when they'll feel emboldened enough to pull a similar stunt on a sitting PM may be closer than we realize...

Try stopping in the middle of that intersection and disrupt traffic as a cyclist though and see what happens. But these boys will be boys, it seems.
 
This is the intersection of Ogawa machi (not the one in Saitama, but in Chiyoda-ku) where I often meet @Andy in Tokyo during our morning commute, as was the case today too.

View attachment 12872

Apparently, yesterday the jingoist right-wingers in the black vans we all know and love have stopped and harassed former PM Hatoyama's car there in the middle of the day, when he was on his way from some symposium or something. These people are getting more and more presumptuous, I wonder if the day when they'll feel emboldened enough to pull a similar stunt on a sitting PM may be closer than we realize...

Try stopping in the middle of that intersection and disrupt traffic as a cyclist though and see what happens. But these boys will be boys, it seems.

I've just ordered some of these for all of us. Keep a couple in your back pocket and slap them on the back of those clowns' vans when the urge strikes.
 
Took the single speed out for some dirt fun...
A little cloudy but was able to get a shot of Enoshima from a nice little spot.

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Fuji clearly visible from the east side of Tokyo today. Just a short commute for me but very pleasant weather for those doing bigger rides, I assume.

Hope the rest of December is like this.
 
Made a mistake of showing up for a Half-fast ride under-dressed today, tricked by the sunny, calm weather. Turned out my new long-sleeve jersey is useless as a windbreaker and is just a glorified mesh base layer really. So after meeting up at Arakawa and doing a 15 km sprint with @Half-Fast Mike down the river my whole upper body, core and everything was so cold I had to cut the ride short and return home. Having a break at the windy Kasai Rinkai part and spending the rest of the day cold, returning home in the evening under significantly lower temp was a risk I just wasn't willing to take. Sorry about it guys. Ended up with just over 40 km but almost all of it at or near the threshold effort. It's back to the old, worn-out but reliable soft shell windbreaker for the rest of the winter for me.
 
Made a mistake of showing up for a Half-fast ride under-dressed today, tricked by the sunny, calm weather. Turned out my new long-sleeve jersey is useless as a windbreaker and is just a glorified mesh base layer really. So after meeting up at Arakawa and doing a 15 km sprint with @Half-Fast Mike down the river my whole upper body, core and everything was so cold I had to cut the ride short and return home. Having a break at the windy Kasai Rinkai part and spending the rest of the day cold, returning home in the evening under significantly lower temp was a risk I just wasn't willing to take. Sorry about it guys. Ended up with just over 40 km but almost all of it at or near the threshold effort. It's back to the old, worn-out but reliable soft shell windbreaker for the rest of the winter for me.
Sounds like you need to get yourself down to Rapha and get yourself a pro team jacket. Really versatile. Can be worn from Autumn through to Spring.
 
Sounds like you need to get yourself down to Rapha and get yourself a pro team jacket. Really versatile. Can be worn from Autumn through to Spring.

I second that. Perfect for today, and I was only wearing a mesh baselayer underneath.
 
I just checked it out on the Rapha site and it certainly looks great, with nice reviews and all. But the pricetag... Anyway, I do have a winter jacket which works good in January and February in Tokyo, but would have been absolutely too hot today. It's a soft shell Pearl Izumi, with fleece on the inside. I suppose the pro team jacket is lighter and more breathable?
 
Rapha quality is alright. Fits really well. I reckon the main benefit of the extra cost is in the after service though.

Everything I get from them seems to break, from faulty manufacturing. They replace it all without question though, and also their repair service is very good (takes ages though).

So far the broken list is...

Pro socks
Pro lightweight bibs * 2
Merino arm warmers
Mesh base layer
Pro thermal bibs

All broke due to being made badly. Stitching fell out, Lycra wore through on the third ride, etc. Pretty lame. But... it got replaced very easily.

I have had two pairs of shorts repaired as well, from crashing (so not a quality issue, other than the quality of my ability to stay upright). Both repair jobs were decent enough.
 
Thanks for the recommendation and the added info everyone. Will definitely consider this, if not for this season - my old winter jacket is getting out of the closet pretty soon anyway - than for the next one for sure. Bit surprised to hear about the shabby quality or finishing, kinda goes against the established image and what I read in reviews etc.
 
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