Cycling

[katoftw]

7 hours ago, kndy said:

I wasn't in to cycling but this guy got me into it...motsu of a defunct music group, m.o.v.e (probably most familiar for people who watch "Initial D").

Off topic.  But was a huge fan 20 something years ago.  Also love the colab the did with 8-ball for the 2007 Speed Master movie.

[Cat]

Four, maybe four and a half, hours in the saddle yesterday at the Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham Massachusetts.
 
Very nearly done punking up my bike.  Next addition will be a sheepskin seat cover, it's a little sore sitting down today.
: 3

Edited May 14, 2023 by Cat

[railsquid]

Mrs. Railsquid very kindly found some "strategically padded underwear" which has proven as essential as cycling gloves for longer trips.

 

Which reminds me, here is Asamayama visible far in the background the last time I made it out of Tokyo prior to being turned into a couch potato courtesy of a random pangolin.

 

[Cat]

29 minutes ago, railsquid said:

Mrs. Railsquid very kindly found some "strategically padded underwear" which has proven as essential as cycling gloves for longer trips.

I spotted those in my googling.  I do have some well padded shorts that I wore under my skirt for roller derby that would probably work for this application too.  
 
Just ordered a nice burgundy coloured sheepskin covering that will work well with the steampunk styling.  If that's insufficient padding, I should be able to cut a piece of foam to slide under it.

[Cat]

Just got an action photo from yesterday, velocipeding away:
 
 

[tossedman]

I've always cycled a lot but kind of fell off the wagon over the past 10 years. Still rode but not nearly enough. Last summer my wife and I bought eBikes and are loving them. They're pedal assist and you can work as hard or as little as you like. The best thing is they take out the hills and head winds. We've ridden about 1000 kilometres in the few months we've been riding them. We're lucky on that Calgary has the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America. The City maintains approximately 1000 km of regional pathways and 96 km of trails. Gets a might cold in from November through March but lots of people still ride all winter. I used to but seem to have gotten soft as I aged and no longer do so as much. This time of year though... let's go!

 

 

 

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

 

 

Edited May 14, 2023 by tossedman

[Martijn Meerts]

I'm getting close to 4500km on the bike I use to commute to and from work, and I've had it for about 1.5 year now I think (mostly go into the office 3 times a week for now)

 

[railsquid]

So I finally managed my preferred ca. 90km cycling route for the first time since being struck down by The Virus at the start of the year, it's a route I'm quite fond of because the majority is non-road cycle path and most of the rest is reasonably nice wide road. However here's the dedicated cycle path along the Iruma River as of this weekend:

 

 

It's always like that at this time of year (didn't help there was a spot of "guerilla rain" just before which has flattened the foliage), and will actually be cut back in September (being Japan there are dozens of signs along the route informing of this). Moreover the non-cycle-route path along the top of the dyke is much clearer, and has nicer views. It's also only a couple of km from the main Kato factory, which I intend to swing by one day when it's not so damn hot.

Edited August 30, 2023 by railsquid

[Cat]

Fun day velocipeding at a big Halloween event on Sunday.
 
Since my last post, I have added a [not visible in this photo] burgandy sheepskin seat cover, with as much closed cell foam under it as I could squeeze in.  That's helped a fair amount.  After several hours in the saddle, it's still somewhat sore sitting down this week, but not as bad as before.
 
Also added a pair of loud brass bells, but outdoors in a crowded situation, many people still don't pay attention to the mad ringing advancing in their general direction.
: 3
 
 

[cteno4]

Did you end up running anyone down? Flattening one or two might have gotten some respect for your bells!

 

jeff

[Cat]

A few startled looks from folks who looked over their shoulder at the last second.

Those nice Sketchers work boots I'm wearing are my brakes — I put one foot down and swing the tiny back wheel around to do sort of a hockey stop.
: 3

[Mutro]

I often wondered why some people are drawn to trains and cycling,  Here's my take... https://wordpress.com/post/jimsgreatcyclingadventures.wordpress.com/14312

[N-Osoi]

Anyone biked the Shimanami Kaido? I'm trying to work it into my itinerary for March next year. Looks great. I cycle a fair bit already, but it looks like it will take up a couple of days in the itinerary. 

[Mutro]

Yes I biked that spectacular route on the tail end of our 13-day Shikoku Pilgrimage bicycle tour, from Koyasan to Onomichi by way of Shikoku and the Shimanami Kaido.  (my blog: https://jimsgreatcyclingadventures.wordpress.com/2018/06/19/shikoku-pilgrimage/)

 

As I remember it, the route is well marked and relatively easy riding. But weather can make it difficult.  Fortunately, we had mostly good weather on the islands and the bridges.

Day 11: Imabari to Omishima 54km, 539 m climb. (half-day riding)

Day 12: Omishima to Onomichi 74km 818 m climb. (full-day riding)

 

Our tour organizer, CyclingJapan provides a detailed description on their "Shikoku Pilgrimage" tour note: https://www.cyclingjapan.jp/tours.htm

 

 

 

 

[N-Osoi]

Fantastic, thanks!