von | 8. Januar 2009 · 15:09

Cold Fever Ride

I don’t like getting out of my warm bed early in the morning on a cloudy winter day in Yokohama. Or any other city. If I had knew, that I would be in my bed again 13 hours later, would this have changed my mind? No, because out of this 13 hours, I would have been on the bike for 11.

Ludwig and me met at Tamagawahara bridge, our new meeting point at 8.30 AM and discussed where to go. Doshimichi to Yamanakako was one idea, Kazahari Rindo another. We were in the middle of a heated discussion [as usual] when I looked down my bike and noticed that I did not only forgot to bring my water bottle, but also my bike bag. So we had to come up with something that would bring us home on the bike or at least close. We decided then to go for Tsuru and Tawa as this was a new road for Ludwig and one I have not taken since summer [when I went there with Tom, Nishibe and Laurent on my failed approach to climb Odarumi].

We had some headwind at the Tamagwa and did not progress too fast. So it took some time until we reached Aurore bakery in front of Ome station where I had my traditional breakfast of Royal Milk Bread, delicious as always. Then we decided to make a turn over the bridge close to the house of Ryoko & Stephen and continued on the right side of the Tamagawa towards Okutama lake. Immediately we encountered a group of three bikers [brands of the bikes as well as crank types unknown] which were not exactly slow but no match for us. In order not to be overtaken by no means by these guys we speeded all the way to Okutama and then we made the climb to Okutama lake which went pretty well. We saw the first snow of the season on stretches of the road in the shadow.

A had my Assos Fugu jacket on which is that warm, that I was profoundly sweating inside and I carried more water up the hills in my jacket than I do normally in my water bottle.

A longer lunch break at a non-traditional restaurant was followed by a trip along Okutama lake where we passed by the david J memorial traffic light and continued to the village of Kosuge, the startpoint to four famous passes: Matsuhime, Tsuru, Imagawa and Daibosatsu Pass [大菩薩峠]. Has somebody been up there? We asked a guy at the local grocery store if it is possible to ride up there, but he said „No way!“[道がありません] which of course doesn’t mean anything to us. Something for a MTB?

TOM’s comment: Congratulations Michael & Ludwig…that is a long ride for the mid-winter season! As to Daibosatsutoge, I attempted this one last Summer and confirm you cannot cycle up there which is a pity as it would be a nice alternative to the sometimes boring Yanagisawa. As you can read in my blog, I did the South-side approach where you can go all the way up and cross a ridge called Kamihikawa-toge　上日川峠 and then descend down to Yamato/Sasago. Excellent little road! As you go up, you can see on your righthand side those viaduct bridges leading to Enzan.

Actually I pondered the idea of buying a MTB after the excursion to route 76. After thinking for a while it became more than clear to me that in fact I do own a MTB, my Cannondale Bad Boy and I just need to buy a new set of MTB wheels, as I have now small 23C road wheels mounted. So I can get a MTB for about 40 – 50k JPY and start to explore the trails of Okutama – great. A new set of wheels will also not raise any suspicions at home of overspending as a new bike will most certainly will.

We started the climb up from Kosuge and for a moment we were thinking of riding out to Matsuhime, but the thought of riding back from Otsuki on route 20 let me state a definite „No“. After we have reached already elevation 800, we lost about 100 meters and then the rather steep climb to Tsuru started. I have never gone up that way before, the road is partly like an Autobahn and partly very steep. The whole route is in a valley and it looks somehow desolate and dark with only scare vegetation.

It reminded me of a place in South Tyrol where I went skiing with my parents when I was a kid. We were mostly skiing in a village called Taisten [or Tesido in Italian], which was on the top of a hill and fairly sunny, but sometime we went to a village in a nearby valley called Santa Magdalena which was in the shadow of the nearby mountains, always freezing cold and people used to be poor and grumpy. I always thought: Why are these guys there not moving to the next valley, Spain or California when life is so miserable there that one has to revert to and name places after catholic saints, perhaps to find some consolidation after death. Well, I guess it is the same reluctance that prevents us from marrying at the age of 20, buying a compact crank at 45 or shopping for adult pampers at 75.

We made it to the top and the following ascent on Tawa is much shorter than I had in mind. Then we followed the road to Uenohara and continued on road 20 to Otarumi where Ludwig made his attack and left me far behind. However, at Takaoguchi around 4 PM, Ludwig took the train home while I continued my punishment, partly through the dark.

Below you can see the MapMyRide Map, resulting from Ludwigs Hollux GPS recordings, and below that you see my CICLO data. Clearly one can see the Otraumi peak to the very right of Ludwigs MapMyRide, whereas I continued after the said peak (at less than 3/4 of the distance) and added another 55 km to this ride. I reached the Tamagawa in the sunset and the starting point of Tamagawahara bridge in complete darkness. Finally, after another 20 km through urban Yokohama I was home after an eleven hour trip of 195 km distance. I have not done many longer trips, except for Itoigawa and Shimoda in the summer and for sure I have never done a ride of similar distance during the off-season (November to February). But somehow it was a good training for the upcoming race on Saturday.

In the evening I had fever, agne and was basically I complete useless human being which could not provide any service whatsoever for my family. But I guess that is OK if it is for the sake of a higher purpose. Whatever that may be. Perhaps waking up in the morning in Teneriffe and joining the Astana team for a 3.000 meter ride?

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Eingeordnet unter 2009, Mob

von | 7. Januar 2009 · 03:21

Tour de Kusatsu

The Tour de Kusatsu is one of the first hillclimbs of the year. I had a wonderful experience there last year and just signed up for this year’s Fourteenth Edition taking place on April 19.
Anyone from Positivo Espresso joining besides myself and perhaps/hopefully Ludwig? Come on, Michael, plenty of time left to get ready for this one! I’d be glad to arrange for the accommodation. Our friends from TCC will also be present.
Excellent training track for this hillclimb is the Kazahari Rindo (a.k.a. „Togebaka No. 9“ & also featured in Ludwig’s post below).

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Eingeordnet unter Mob, tcc, Tom

von | 6. Januar 2009 · 08:50

The Lost Valley

I was longing for some excitement last Sunday and wanted to explore something new. Of course the idea of doing route 76 popped up, but mob wanted me to wait until spring and do it together. I also realized that it is almost exactly eight kilometers from one gate to the other, and another five through the tunnel down to where the proper road starts, so potentially up to 13 kilometers of unpaved road, and thus up to 2.5 hours of walking, which I’d rather not do in solitude. Though solitude I got on the ride I chose instead, but at least on a very pleasant climb on the sunny side of a mountain. 
I left home at the usual time of 8am and enjoyed a particularly crisp and clear sky on the Tamagawa.
Much to my dismay, I found that the Tamagawa cycling path was being peppered with ever more obstacles:
This is just one example – there were at least half a dozen of them on the way. And this is not counting the increase in the number of green speed breakers. I’m all for safety on the cycling path, but how about warning pedestrians to be more careful instead of making life more dangerous for cyclists, especially when the dark breaks?
Having navigated successfully through all the new obstacles, I entered the road to Itsukaichi where only red lights become obstacles in their own right. Overtook a bunch of club riders. Earlier on Tamagawa, I had overtaken at least three riders on a Pinarello, a Colnago and a Campagnolo. It always makes me feel great seeing that expensive brand bikes don’t make riders faster, and that my Canyon provides much better value for money, even if it doesn’t look quite as flashy as the Italian makes.
After a pit stop at a conbini in the town, I followed the Akigawa upstream, on the usual road leading towards Kazahari Toge. The air was very fresh whenever I passed through stretches that the sun had not reached yet, and there were some signs of frost, but no ice on the road.
Some ten kilometers upstream from Itsukaichi, the river splits into Kita-Akigawa and Minami-Akigawa. Route 33 to Kazahari Toge follows the south river, but I turned right into route 201 following the north river. On every single map that I can get hold of, this looks like a long valley without an exit – but maybe the Ministry of Construction has in fact provided for an escape? I wanted to explore. In the worst case I could always return and go up Kazahari Toge the normal road or pass over to Sagamiko.

I certainly had no reason to regret entering such a picturesque valley. Nice farms here and there, the road winding along the river mostly on the north side and thus in warm sunlight which contrasted with the ice that had formed here and there in the river. Almost no traffic as soon as I had passed the first small hamlet, and still a road as broad and nicely paved as a German autobahn.

But eventually everything has to come to an end. And so did the autobahn.
A rather detailed map alerted me to the existence of a waterfall just one hundred (altitude) meters up, so I went to see it. 

Getting to it involved a three-minute hike without bike through a nice forest.
Returning back to the end of the autobahn, I continued straight along Kita-Akigawa until turning right onto a paved road leading up to the hamlet of Kurakake. From this point on the road became really steep, and my compact crank and 12-27 cassette served me well even when going out of the saddle.









Almost continuously in warm sunshine and with increasingly good views of the lost valley below with solitary farms here and there, and a view eventually expanding all the way from the Kazahari mountains to the skyscrapers of downtown Tokyo, I reached Kakekuro, famous for its mushrooms (or so they think). It even boasts a helipad.

This is where the public road really ends, and the world of forest roads starts.
But what a nice forest road – despite all the warnings, it was nicely paved and nice to ride – just a little steep at an average of 14 percent.

Eventually I reached the top of a long long climb, just at Kazahari Toge, where the forest road meets route 206.
From there, the view of the valley and downtown Tokyo 60 kilometers afar (or so my GPS told me) were simply magnificent.

As I was getting ready to descend, noisy Sunday drivers in their sports cars drove by. Shortly after I heard a police siren and was pleased in my schadenfreude.
However, having gone down to Tominnomori for a lunch stop, I couldn’t help noticing a large assembly of police cars, ambulances and fire brigade trucks – at least two each, but probably more (I did not count). Too bad they had not caught a noisy speeding car…
In inquired at the shop where I bought two warm mochi for lunch to learn that someone had collapsed. But why then so much presence? Well, they always go out together. 
There could be an oilspill or something here in the mountains, so one would need more than just an ambulance, was the answer I got.

 Hmm – and then they want to make us believe there aren’t enough policemen and paramedics in Japan? Now I know where to get them from!
On I went all the way down from Kazahari Toge, meeting a number of riders fighting their way up. At the junction with route 33, I turned right and went for another, albeit much shorter, climb to Kobu Tunnel, beyond which I got a very nice view of the Tanzawa mountains and Fuji-san.
Despite my compact crank, I had no difficulty racing down behind a motor bike to the village of Tsubaki. From there, I decided to try and work my way around the awful Uenohara, which involved several more short climbs. I was rewarded by a nice view of Mito-san, the peak towering above Kazahari Toge, but invisible from the road around the pass.
Missing the last turn towards Wada which would have kept me straight on route 522 to Fujino, I ended up on route 521 and found myself at the outskirts of… well, Uenohara. So on I went on route 20 towards Sagamiko, and tired of a long day of cycling, I took Otarumi Toge with the speed necessary to get things over quickly (judging from my GPS marks, it must have been just 20 minutes – not a Bakatoge record, but not bad for the end of a cycling day).
After 140 kilometers of cycling and 2,100 meters of climbing, I got onto a train home from Takaosanguchi. It had been a very nice tour: beautiful landscape and views, basically no traffic in a long valley and on a long climb, in nice warm sunshine (which makes going up Kita-Akigawa to Kazuhari and down route 206 a nice winter climb). Only to be recommended, even if (or because?) maps are useless.


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Eingeordnet unter 2009

von | 6. Januar 2009 · 04:51

Gear inches and advice

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 21 23 25 27
53 127 116 107 100 93 87 82 73 66 61 56 52
39 93 85 79 73 68 64 60 54 49 45 41 38
50 120 110 101 94 88 82 77 69 63 57 53 49
34 81 75 69 64 60 56 53 47 43 39 36 33
52 124 114 105 98 91 85 80 72 65 59 55 51
39 93 85 79 73 68 64 60 54 49 45 41 38
30 72 66 61 56 53 49 46 42 38 34 32 29

I am continually going backwards and forwards about what to do with my gearing. So I decided to post something and maybe get your opinions and in that way help myself make some decisions.

Trek – Triple (52/39/30) with a 12-25 cassette
Cervelo – Double (53/39) with a 12-25 cassette
Klein – Compact (50/34) with a 12-27 cassette

I will leave the Trek alone.
I intend to sell the Klein in the spring but before that I need to give myself some lower gearing on the Cervelo and might want to use parts from the Klein.
My options are to swap over cranks, or change cassettes, or both.
Obviously the 50-34 gives me a few more low gear options, but I am tempted to stay with the 53-39 from a ‚purist‘ perspective. Silly?
I liken this to getting carving skis. I learned on normal straight alpine skis and eschewed the use of the ’new‘ carving skis for a number of years. When I finally got ‚carvers‘, they were a revelation. The carving skis are a compact crank. I really like it on the Klein.

Also, given that I will swap the wheels over too (Mavic Ksyrium SL for Zipp 808), I was thinking that the Klein might be more ’saleable‘ (as a triathlon bike without the aggressive geometry) with a 53/39 on board and the Zipp wheels.

Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully accepted. Yes, I am extremely fortunate to have these ‚problems‘ 🙂

21 Kommentare

Eingeordnet unter Uncategorized

von | 3. Januar 2009 · 10:30

Scotchlite 680

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2409360&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1
Bright Bike from Michael Mandiberg on Vimeo.

David.. as mentioned on a recent ride.

3 Kommentare

Eingeordnet unter Uncategorized

von | 2. Januar 2009 · 14:41

First 2009 Positivo Espresso Team Training Draws Huge Crowd


Tokyo/Japan [Jan 2nd, 2009]
from our Japan correspondent David Graham [who rarely writes]

Approximately 127.77 million spectators, equal to the total population of Japan minus four wives of attending Positivo Espresso team members, lined the streets today between the Tamagawa and Moto-Hakone to watch the first team training of the Positivo Espresso Team in 2009. Although time and route of the first training has been a well kept secret, after rumours have spread on the news, police and volunteers struggled to keep the masses under control.

The crowds virtually went crazy. Some adults in cars tried to break through the corridor of policemen so that they could be close to their idols.

A bunch of twenty something students in short trousers with strange sashes kept running all the way from Kawasaki to Moto Hakone behind the team. A guy from Toyo Ｕniversity came closest, but missed the team by 8 minutes on the top.


In order to avoid to be recognized by the crowds, the team members took precautions and did not wear today the new

cycling jerseys, sponsored by Mars Petcare, HABA Toys and Wegmans Baggels.

The training was under direction of the new team coach Car Chrismichael, brother-in-law of Chris Carmichael who was contracted on January 1st to coach the four elite riders who attended the training today and all other 128.76 million members who are supposed to join the team in 2009.

„Lance Armstrong might climb up the mountain above Kaloko, wherever that is, in the rain and post photos on twitter …. but who can confirm that he really rode up there? We want to make sure to be seen by a huge crowd of people.„, Chrismichael stated at the start of the day.

Today’s ride included an 80 km more or less flat stretch between Kawasaki and Odawara.


„I want to teach these guys some new skills, such as stopping at red lights. OK, this is a situation rarely encountered at races, but one needs to get a feeling for seeing a red light, processing this information and pulling the brake lever against all logic.“

Because of this new approach, the previous record [set by David Jacob in Okutama July 2008] of 28 policemen and volunteers watching in awe while he blissfully rode through the only red traffic light ever installed in Okutama, was never in danger. David managed a poor „2“ on the open ignored policemen magnitude scale and Ludwig was at least almost hit by a flag wearing volunteer.

The training also focused on „riding together as a team„, however the approach failed after 40 km, when each team member choose the road it would like to go best.


Despite the ethusiastics crowds, there were also some critical voices heard on the sidelines: „These guys should really make more training rides,“ Iijima Koi (36, housewife from Shibuya) said, „I don’t want to ride in crowded trains and stand in line for hours just to see these guys for four seconds.“ And Kudo Ryosuke (98, unemployed) added: „With all Pachinko Parlours closed and only stupid quiz programs on TV, to come here is the only thing one can do on January 2nd anyway.„

The second part of the training consisted of a 14 km long 745m elevation meter climb from Hakone to Moto Hakone. As everybody stared at the team members, it was hard for them to give up or take a break and they were forced to climb up in one go. This resulted in a new Hakone Toge Baka record. Also it showed that guys in their forties are impossible to be outsprinted up a hill by guys in their twenties [provided that the former are on 500.000 JPY plus bikes and the later run].

A police motorcycle escorted the leading rider through the goal area to ensure his safety at the last kilometer. Nevertheless he missed the goal at a left turn and continued straight as he had much power left and didn’t wanted to stop. All riders made it to the top where they attended a soba banquet conducted in their honor at Hakone pass.

When the banquet reached its high point, they sneaked out of the door and continued their training on route 20, nominated not only as „Most beautiful cycling road in Japan“ but recently the decision to ride on route 20 was voted as „The mother of all best decisions“ by an independent panel of decision makers.


They were shadowed until the town of Atami where it seems that they a) bought beer and b) hopped on a bullet train in direction Tokyo where c) later four empty beer cans where found in the garbage container at the rear of car #5.



10 Kommentare

Eingeordnet unter 2009, David, James, Mob

von | 1. Januar 2009 · 13:25

Racing Schedule 2009

I am still not finished with writing my New Year Resolution; I got distracted when I opened the JCRC website and noted that the race schedule for 2009 is already decided. Which races to do in 2009? Here are some information and ideas

Example

MAR 15 JCRC TDJ Kawagoe R [type: R/road, HC/hill climb, E/endurance, T/track] 15 km [distance or time/hrs], I [I/individual, T/team], B [Priority,M/must, A/highest, C/lowest] Comment

APR 26 Mitsumine Hill Climb HC ?km I B new race, first time hold

APR Kusatsu HC ?km I C

MAY Itoigawa Fast Run R 294km T M

MAY 24 TOJ Tokyo Stage R 21km I A

JUN Fuji Hill Climb HC 23km I A

JUN 28 JCRC TDJ Hitachi Naka R 21km I A

JUL Tsukuba Enduro E 8hrs T A

OCT Yokohama Stadium Enduro E 5hrs I/T B

OCT Motegi Enduro E 7hrs T B

OCT 04 JCRC Shiobara HC TT:7km/HC:19km I M The official team race of 2009

NOV 08 JCRC TDJ Saiko R 20km I/T A

NOV SEO Festival R ?km I C

DEC Tokyo Enduro E 4hrs T C

If I have the chance and can do some more training with Hiroshi, I would like to do a track race also this year. If there are more proposals, please let me know. Let’s try to get the complete team to the Itoigawa and Shiobara races.

3 Kommentare

Eingeordnet unter 2009

von | 31. Dezember 2008 · 14:11

The dance

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Eingeordnet unter Uncategorized

von | 31. Dezember 2008 · 14:01

Happy New Year Positivistas Espressi

I saw this on James website and I thought, hey I could do the same with the Positivo Team. I hope it will show up properly on the web.

Happy New Year from the German proprietor of this website who is not the proprietor – all Positivistas are.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards


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Eingeordnet unter 2008, Mob

von | 31. Dezember 2008 · 13:36

Shortest Trip possible


As suggested by Ludwig, a brief post about the shortest ride today. 24 km from my house to the Tokyo American Club, temporary residing in the area between Gotanda and Shinagawa. I played 45 minutes Squash with Carsten. He won 4 times, I did two. We recognized that we already became old men and we should not engage in this kind of activities. My body still hearts terribly, I can hardly move and life is only bearable with a bottle of red wine in reach.

After squash an hour back to Yokohama. Rode on my Cannondale Bad Boy.

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Eingeordnet unter 2008, Mob