Crankee Blog

Moving On Up!

2010-08-20T15:14:00.000+09:00

To all three of my regular readers. The Crankee Blog is moving. I decided to upgrade the blog and move it to my own server. I will not be updating the Blogger.com site any longer. If you wish to continue reading all things Crankee please go directly to www.crankee.me . Asalam Ma lakum, No ham, no bacon.

CrankeeTV!

2010-07-26T15:22:00.005+09:00

I may have mentioned before that I rode across the Japanese alps last month with two other friends. We met up with a Japanese TV crew and they proceeded to interview us. Our segment was cut down to only a few seconds, but hey, it was my brush with Japanese fame. I've edited the show down to 2 minutes. Our part is towards the end. Enjoy.

Yuki's Purple Ride

2010-07-09T12:44:00.007+09:00

Yuki and her new ride

The beautiful Yuki (featured in the Nagoya Love Wheels Calendar as Miss. January) recently picked up her new ride at Circles Bike Shop. The frame is a standard Omnium track frame by Giant. The crank set is a SRAM Omnium. Shin Tanaka of Circles did the custom paint job himself. A nice two tone purple paint job with masking tape. It really changes the whole look of the bike and you can tell from Yuki's smile that she just loves it. Yuki plans to race her new bike in next month's Bang King track race at the Ishikawa Uchinada Velodrome. Good luck Purple Mama!

Sram Omnium Crank set

Circles Logo

The cycling Egg

2010-06-27T20:22:00.006+09:00

Tama5 (Tamago)

The Circles Bike shop is fast becoming a way station for touring cyclists passing through Nagoya City. Over the last few months I've met several there, and today I had the pleasure of bumping into Tama5 (pronounced "Tamago" which means "egg" in Japanese). He kicked off his two month tour a few days ago in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and plans to cycle down to Osaka, around the Kyushu island, up the coast of the Sea of Japan until he reaches Toyama prefecture before making his way down to Matsumoto then over to Tokyo. Quite an impressive task when you consider that's he's doing it on a fixed gear bike. He's outfitted his Surly Steamroller with a touring trailer where he hauls his essential, tent and a supply of bike stickers bearing his unusual logo which looks like a guy with his head up his ass. See for yourself.

His logo...Don't ask

Tama5 seemed like a fun and easygoing character. He represents what I consider to be a trend in cycling and lifestyle in Japan. More young people are opting to work and save many to allow them time off for these types of excursions. This is a positive development and I welcome it. No cross-country cycling tour would be complete without a blog, and Tama5 has got one too. If you're in any of the cities on his itinerary, be sure to give him a hearty welcome.

My fashion shoot

2010-06-15T21:28:00.008+09:00

For all my readers who think I'm a sell-out and just another over-rated bearded bike blogger, here is the confirmation you've been waiting for. Yours truly is currently featured in Simple Bicycle Style #4. (a popular Japanese cycling fashion magazine for people who insist on making the iron donkey a fashion statement) You can see me demonstrating the awesomeness of my BBQ bike as well as modeling my stained cycling hood. Look out for my nude spread in the next issue of Saddle Sore Quarterly.

Everybody Vogue

Japan Coast2Coast: A new beginning

2010-06-11T15:28:00.010+09:00

The Three Amigos

Last Tuesday afternoon, myself, Lowell and Mark, packed our bikes into our portable carry bags, gave a last glance at the gray blue palette of Itoigawa city and sat quietly waiting for our train back to Nagoya City. The week-long trek through the majestic Alps of Japan was now just a series of images captured in our cameras, blips of memories in our minds and a collection of bruises, stains and tall-tales which the three of us will no doubt reflect on over the coming months. As I recount the distance we traveled and the mountains we scaled, I am beginning to think that this trip was the oddest display of a mid-life crisis if ever there was one. I can only hope I have many more "crisis" in the years to come.

One theme that underscored the whole trip was WATER. Wherever we cycled, you could hear the presence of rushing streams and rivers. It reminded me how blessed Japan is with this very basic human necessity. Whether it was a trickling brook, a crashing waterfall or a supine glacial river cutting a swath through a valley, water served as a reminder of why I really undertook this trip; to raise money for the construction of water wells in poor Cambodian villages. To that end, the three of us were able to raise over ¥600,000. This is enough to help about 20 families obtain needed water for their crops and living. In doing so, we also help them become self-sufficient. Damn, that feels good.

So, what now? It doesn't end here. If you would like to donate there is still plenty of time to do so. Just drop me an email and let me know. We're already planning a Short version of the Japan Coast to Coast this fall. Most likely the route will start in Nagoya bay and end in Tsuruga bay about 120 kilometers away. We're planning to make it a short two-day trip with open registration. So if you're interested in joining us let me know. The big Coast2Coast across the Alps will likely happen again in September 2011. We're thinking of forming corporate teams and so far one company has already committed a team.

Things are shaping up. What started as a simple challenge/tour is slowly turning into a platform for the promotion of a healthier lifestyle, a way to discover Japan and most importantly a vehicle to help our friends in need of a better life.

The end? Not Likely.

Why I alway pack extra rubber

2010-06-06T22:13:00.000+09:00

Woke up in Kamikochi today to a flat tire. Actually it was only flat
on the bottom. Luckily I brought a spare innertube. 15 minutes later
we were on our way to Hakuba. Rubber rules.

Day 5 of Japan Coast 2 Coast

2010-06-05T07:15:00.000+09:00

Picture pefect morning in the highlands of Norikura Japan. A popular
ski resort in Nagano. It's off season so we had the whole lodge to
ourselves. After. Hearty breakfast we'll set pedals for Kamikochi in
time for their annual Walter Weston Festival.

Day 3 of japan Coast 2 Coast

2010-06-03T20:25:00.000+09:00

Just completed a 103km ride to yabuhara in Nagano. Arrived wet and
friggin tired at a small minshuku run by a little old lady. She had a
hot bath and a tastey Japanese home cooked meal waiting. Tomorrow we
head up to Norikura.

The wind down

2010-06-02T18:28:00.000+09:00

After a few tough climbs today we stop at a traditional Japanese inn
for a hot bath and a meal. Tomorrow we plan a 100km ride to Kiso-
fukushima. May the gods smile down on us.

Damn! That's some dam.

2010-06-02T13:29:00.000+09:00

Day two of the Japan Coast to Coast tour. Behold. The Sakuma dam
Shizuoka prefecture.

All packed

2010-05-31T22:25:00.001+09:00

Bike and bags all packed. In less than 12 hours we're off for the
Japan Alps. Arrivederci baby!!

Japan Coast 2 Coast Countdown: 5 days

2010-05-27T20:41:00.003+09:00

Countdown 5 days left before the Japan Coast to Coast tour. Lowell, Mark and I met today to review the route. We've learned that some of the roads we planned on cycling will be closed for construction (including the Norikura Skyline road which we were all looking forward to cycling on). This leaves us with a few extra challenging tunnels to navigate through. No worries. We're men dammit! There is still time to show your support for our ride through the alps by pledging a donation today. Below is a video which helps demonstrate how your donation will be used. Take a moment to watch it. You won't be sorry.

Hope Realized from Mackenzie Sheppard on Vimeo.

Chasing The Cherry Blossoms - Audio Book

2010-05-26T14:04:00.004+09:00

My riding companion in next week's tour across the Japanese Alps, Lowell Sheppard has just released an audio version of Chasing The Cherry Blossoms, a book he wrote ten years ago detailing a 2000 mile journey across the length of Japan. As in the printed version, the audio book paints a serene yet challenging account of the 6 week Cherry Blossom season starting in the southern most part of Japan all the way up to Hokkaido. The audio book is available for download at CDBaby.com.

And now for something totaly different

2010-05-25T21:53:00.002+09:00

Thanks to my man in Brooklyn, Bike Snob for this little gem of a find. I dare you to keep a straight face while you watch this video.

Japan Coast 2 Coast Blog

2010-05-24T09:22:00.003+09:00

Just one week left before the start of our epic ride across the Japan Alps. Lowell and Mark have been busy prepping their bodies for the arduous climbs. I've been busy marking all of the Mos Burger joints between Hamamatsu and Hakuba on my maps. In case you're not aware, we have a blog site up dedicated to the tour. We'll try to keep it updated with photos and details of the trip as it's happening. Visit www.japanc2c.com .

Groovy Bicycle Posters

2010-05-20T09:20:00.004+09:00

Over Grown by Brian Turner

I just got word from Lad of Poster Caberet that their 2010 Bicycle Print Set is now available for $25 each. All 16 prints designed by 15 artists commemorate National Bike Month taking place this month. My favorite is the print entitled "Overgrown" by Brian Turner. A trippy illustration that reminds me of a dream I once had. Groovy. Click here to see the full line up.

Rie's New Ride

2010-05-17T09:36:00.005+09:00

Sassy gal Rie shows off her new ride: A Giant Omunium frame set with a sweet customized paint job by Shinya Tanaka of Circles Bike Shop in Nagoya City. Rie rode the Giant to Kyoto with us a few weeks ago.

"It's sooo FAST!!!", she said in her Japanese-San Diego accent.

Rie is off this week to the ECMC 2010 15th European Cycle Messenger Championships. Looking forward to seeing her ride her new bike around town this summer.

Low angle shot

♥ Frame and Forks: Giant Omunium
♥ Color: Rie's special flower (hand painted by Circles kyutai works)
♥ Chainring: Candy Cranks
♥ Crank Set: Sugino RD-2
♥ Wheel: HED 3
♥ Stem: DEDA Newton
♥ Handle: FSA Riser
♥ Seat: SanMarco Regal
♥ Seatpost: Miche SuperType
♥ Tire: Panaracer pacella BL
♥ Pedal MKS Touring Premium
♥ Clip: Brooks
♥ Strap: Brooks

Frank van Rijn - World Cyclist

2010-05-14T09:27:00.002+09:00

As part of my regimen to mentally prepare myself for the upcoming tour across the Japanese Alps, I thought I should watch an interview with Frank van Rijin as he discusses some of the challenges he faced cycling around the world.

Crankee Does the Alps

2010-05-11T14:23:00.005+09:00

Stay with me. I want to throw out a few names and see if you can guess what they have in common (ah ah! No Googling allowed) Ready? OK, here are the names: Frank Lenz, Thomas Stevens and Allen & Sachtleben. If you guessed that they all lived in the 19th century and likely sported long handlebar mustaches, you're partly correct. These men, like many after them, have felt the uncontrollable need to travel vast distances on a bicycle. Thomas Stevens circled the planet on a friggin Penny Farthing if you can believe that. And since I am a blogger that writes about cycling topics, I would be remiss if I didn't attempt some kind of grand feat of cycling daring-do. So I would like to announce to all 6 of my blog readers that generalissimo Crankee along with close friends Lowell Sheppard and Mark McBennett, will set off on June 1st from the Pacific Ocean coast of Hamamatsu City Japan on a eight day journey across the Southern Alps of Japan to Itoigawa city on the Sea of Japan coast. The trip is part vanity, part charity and a little mid-life crisis thrown in for good measure. We'll be raising money to help poor farmers obtain access to water and help them become self-sufficient. Something I've been striving for unsuccessfully since my 20's. If you'd like to donate to our cause, just visit the Hope International web site and click on the SPONSOR US banner. For more info about our trip visit our blog here.

Three guys, a mountain range and one bike

There you have it. Crankee does have a heart. And to prove it, I plan not to drop dead cycling up some of the highest peaks in Japan while raising money for poor Cambodian farmers. Take a moment to pledge a donation and I promise to think kindly of you. Really, I will.

Nagoya to Kyoto in a Day!

2010-05-04T18:04:00.028+09:00

Wasn't sure what I was getting into when I agreed to join the Love Wheels Nagoya Calendar Girls for a ride to Kyoto city from Nagoya. After all, it's only 45 minutes on the Bullet train right? Well, what takes 45 minutes on a super fast locomotive took us 15 hours on a mixture of road, touring and fixed gear bicycles. I've cycled across France so I'm no novice to long distance cycling, but 15 hours on the saddle (even if it's a Brooks saddle) is just inhumane. When we finally arrived at the Kyoto guest house at 9:00 PM, we had just enough energy in us to soak up at the bath house and grab a quick bite before passing out on our futons. Needless to say, I will never try that again.

5:00 AM early start and no idea what awaited us.

Crossing the Kiso River

Mmmm. A quick mid morning snack.

Justin & Señor Crankee

A little bicycle CPR

Maki trying to fly to Kyoto

A late night stop at a popular cycling cafe in Kyoto

Breakfast: Brown rice and veggie curry

Contemplating the day's ride

Cutie Emi posing in front of the guest house

Riding the streets of Kyoto

Stopping for directions

A nice little fixer-upper

One of many temples in Kyoto

Unique cycling shoes in the fashion of Japanese Jikatabi shoes

Sou Sou le coq sportif cycling fashion shop

Two Kyoto beauties waiting to enter a restaurant

The youngest member of the group: Keisuke celebrates his 17th birthday

Kyoto, land of the geishas

Almost there

2010-05-02T18:18:00.000+09:00

This is the longest my sore ass has been on a saddle. Over 13 hours.
26km more till destination.

First big hill

2010-05-02T10:59:00.000+09:00

Taking a rest after our first big hill climb. We're near Maebara town.
Less than half way to Kyoto.

Crossing the Kiso River

2010-05-02T10:56:00.000+09:00

Nagoya to Kyoto

2010-05-02T05:46:00.000+09:00

The start!

A bevy of Pedaling Beauties...and me

2010-04-30T14:21:00.008+09:00

Group Ride to Kyoto

Aaahhh! Golden Week has arrived. This weekend marks the start of the yearly 5 day sabbatical when half the country tries to fly to Hawaii for a quick vacation, while the other half gets stuck on the expressway. Señor Crankee knows better. Sunday I'll be cycling from Nagoya to Kyoto City with most of the girls from the Nagoya Love Wheels Calendar. The plan is to set off on Sunday morning and make it to the Moonlight Guest House in Kyoto by nightfall. I'll be posting photos along the way. Have a super duper cYcLoTastic holiday!

Moonlight Guest House in Kyoto

Guesthouse business Center

Doggy Style

2010-04-29T12:07:00.001+09:00

Bird's eye view of hot dogs grilling on my bike.

Something stinks here

2010-04-29T12:01:00.000+09:00

Tomohiro, the traveling man

2010-04-27T14:47:00.001+09:00

I met Tomohiro Kanamaru a few days ago at the Circles Bike shop. The young slightly tall Japanese approached me as I grilled a few hot dogs on the back of my bike. He ordered a dog with mustard and handed me his name card along with ¥200. As he ate my wiener, I took a moment to read his name card. Just below his email address he detailed how he is traveling around Japan learning all he can about food and hopes one day to have a job that is connected with his love for things culinary. A man after my own heart. Tomohiro is living the dream. The young man saved some cashed and several weeks ago set out from Tokyo with a year long mission to travel all over the land of Yamato and experience the life of a two-wheeled vagabond. I envied him. And to show my admiration, I gave him a second helping of mustard for this hot dog. Tomohiro keeps a blog of his travels which he updates with his mobile phone. Young Tomohiro is one of the reasons I love this country. To see people drop everything, pick up a bike and cycle with no real plan in mind fills me with hope for the future. It is for this very reason that I love cycling. For every time I place foot to pedal, I know that I will meet someone with an interesting story to tell. Or at least someone who has figured out a new way to take their pet along for a ride.

Living the dream, one bark at a time

Hot Dogs, Green Curry and Coffee...must be Sunday

2010-04-26T17:37:00.003+09:00

Yesterday afternoon I sold my world famous Hot Dogs made on my BBQ bike grill at Circles Bike shop downtown. I was joined by Keita who sold a very tasty green curry lunch and Rie with her super cute bike cafe. Though my appearance at the Circles Bike shop will be occasional, Rie and Keita will be selling their food and coffee at the shop every Sunday afternoon. If you're in the area on a Sunday, please stop by the shop and try the Curry. Maybe even pick up a new saddle bag for your bike.

Keita and his green curry lunch 600 YEN (a good deal)

Rie serving up some of her gourmet coffee

Dirty Dogs and Hot Coffee

2010-04-24T09:58:00.003+09:00

Just a quick note. I will be at the Circles Bike Shop tomorrow (Sunday) noon serving Hot Dogs on my ShishkaBike. Rie will also be there with her Cafe Bike and another dude will be preparing curry rice. So if you're in the Higashibetsuuin area tomorrow, please stop by for a dirty dog and good coffee. Map below.

View Circles in a larger map

New Japanese anti-theft bicycle device

2010-04-21T21:16:00.004+09:00

Fido & Strida

On my way back home I stopped cycling for a moment to have a closer look at a Strida Bicycle (aka The Testicle Crusher) leaning against a pole. I approached the triangular specimen much like Jane Goodall approaches chimps, when suddenly I was startled by white scrawny looking dog that was tied to the bike. I hadn't noticed the Bike Mutt, since he was leaning low on the ground trying to blend in with the fauna. My command of dog dialect is a bit rusty, but I gathered from his raspy bark and display of teeth that he didn't want me anywhere near the damn bike. Naturally I obliged. I took my photo and hauled ass. I found it interesting that the $800 bicycle was not actually locked to the pole. The only thing protecting that bike from theft was old snaggle tooth and his bark. I think the Japanese are on to something. After all, we use dogs to protect our homes, why not lock them to our bikes too?

April NUTs & Tasty stews

2010-04-16T15:04:00.002+09:00

This Saturday night's monthly NUTs bike race will be held as usual at Shirakawa park at 8:30 PM. We're no longer having the after party at Cafe Palwr (we're still searching for a new home). This month's race will be a "Nabe" race. Participants will race to designated supermarkets to buy what they need to make a Japanese Nabe Stew. We will all meet at Meijo Park for the stew making party. Last year my group made a "Chocolate and marshmallow" stew. It tasted a lot better than it sounds. Bring your bike and your appetite. See you Saturday night!

City Cycling Scenes: The Nagoya Death Star

2010-04-09T22:27:00.003+09:00

It seems the Japanese have taken the whole dolphin and blue-fin tuna issue personally and have begun construction of a Death Star to vaporize those pesky vegans. Or maybe this is the the nearly complete Nagoya City Planetarium by Shirakawa Park. Apparently, this planitarium promises to be the largest in the world. One thing for sure; you won't see any stoners tripping on the Pink Floyd Laser Show.

Nagoya's Death Star

Note the laser canons beneath

Pedaling in Pink Petals

2010-04-07T15:46:00.002+09:00

One of the simple pleasures of living in Japan. A mid day ride among the Cherry Blossoms.

More shots from the Nagoya Chari Fes

2010-03-31T19:14:00.007+09:00

Crankee here. Have a gander at some picts from last Sunday's Bike Fest in Nagoya City.

Nagoya Chari Fes - Bicycle Festival

2010-03-27T09:56:00.003+09:00

Quick reminder: The CharFes bicycle festival will be held today and tomorrow at the Yabacho underpass (across from Parco department store). All kinds of bicycle events planned. I'll be there Sunday noon with my ShishkaBike serving up tasty hot dogs (made with extra pig anus). Stop by and say "Haroo" if you're in the area.

The muddy waters of FSCX

2010-03-23T16:29:00.006+09:00

The annual Nagoya City FSCX, sponsored by Circles bike shop was held yesterday along the Shonai river just before route 41. We had a decent draw, considering it was a Monday (national holiday). Heavy rain the night before guaranteed us a very muddy and challenging course along the riverbank. The mud was almost a foot deep in some places, and I sure as hell was not going to ride my Surly Steamroller through that muck. Luckily Sal loan me his Surly Karate Monkey with super fat tires. Still I managed to muck up my pants and shoes. The day's winner was some cat from Osaka. Nothing like the good clean fun of free style cyclo-cross.

Sal...before the race

Gay

Fun FSCX style!

Hopping the course

You think they look hot now, you should have seen them after the race. Dirty girls.

Spicy Kebabs, 300 YEN. Señor Crankee never passes up a chance to capitalize on a cycling event

2010-03-22T21:40:00.000+09:00

Pedaling my Surly along the riverside road,

cherry blossoms stick to my rims

and I swerve left nearly hitting a 200 year old woman.

Bent like like an upside down L

she glances and sneers at my ride,

"Poser" she spits, loud enough for me to hear,

and continues down the path,

counting the cracks on the pavement for the next 200 years.

Pedaling my Surly along the bumpy path,

I imagine time slows down as I hit warp 10.

The cherry blossoms stop mid-flight,

and I ride through the pink cloud mouth open,

tasting the high pitch laughter of Japanese girls.

Vintage Mizutani Moped

2010-03-21T10:42:00.007+09:00

Came across this vintage motorized bicycle yesterday outside a small antique shop. The maker (Mizutani Bicycles) has been around since 1924 and judging from the condition of the bike, I'd say it has to be over 50 years old. Wonder if she still runs...

Still in pretty decent condition

"Mizutani Ringyo" label on saddle

Motor case reads "Diamond Free Patent Motor"

Miniature guard dog

Alley cats, Cyclo Cross and Chari Fes

2010-03-07T14:13:00.003+09:00

The cold skirts of winter are finally peeling away and showing us warm and fuzzy patches of days to come. Lots of bike crap going on this month. Here's what's on the calendar for March:

NUTs Alley Cat race
Date: March 20
Place: Shirakawa park, Nagoya City
Time: 9:00 PM
Entry fee: 600 YEN (After party at Cafe Palwr)

Annual FSCX Free Style Cyclo Cross Race
Date: March 22
Place: Shonai River Park Kansenjiki (near Fure ai bashi bridge) right along the river.
Time: 10:00 AM
Entry fee: 500 YEN

I had a lot of fun at last year's race. Bring any bike, a helmet and if you want to eat BBQ, a plate and chop sticks.

Nagoya Chari Fes (Bike festival)
Date: 27th 1:00 pm～7:00 pm／28th 10:00 am～5:00 pm
Place: At the Yabacho underpass, Downtown Nagoya (sakae)

Our resident freaky guy Date san (aka Dirty) is once again putting together a fun two days of cycling events for all to enjoy. Among the planned activities are:

Flea market
Bike tricks and fun
Safety tips
Curry rice festival and more!

A Valentines Caffine fix

2010-02-15T11:05:00.009+09:00

Wild gal Riebo celebrated Valentines day by setting up a little coffee shop on her bike. Rie has been studying proper coffee making techniques at a local café and thought it would be a good time to show off some of her skills. With beans roasted by a small company in Chita, the coffee was actually very good and kicked Starbuck's ass (not a difficult feat).

Coffee-Meister, Rie in action

Slow brewed and good

Little Emi & Friend trying the coffee

She set up her bike café at Circles bike shop and sold lot's of hand brewed coffee to friends and customers. We even got to sample some delicious chocolate treats made by Izumi and a few other local girls. Rie thinks she might make this a weekly event starting sometime in March. I plan to bring my BBQ bike the next time so we can have a little coffee and hot dogs action.

Hand made chocolate treats

Cycling Scenes in the City: Feb 13, 2009

2010-02-13T19:48:00.005+09:00

Cycling scenes from my hometown Nagoya, Japan

Not a "death" bike. Just a Japanese knockoff

Bike parking area by Matsuzakaya department store

Small urban bike with a hint of Penny-farthing

Canadian foot fetish

2010-02-10T19:32:00.003+09:00

A Canadian custom

There's only one thing I enjoy more than cycling, and that is getting free cycling stuff. The cultured and highly advanced Canadians running the PezCycling News site were kind enough to send me a pair of their branded cycling socks (unused, odor-free). The socks are a Canadian way of saying thanks for allowing them to use some photos from my Love Wheels Nagoya Calendar. I like Canadians, in fact, I have quite a few Canadian friends here in Japan. They can always be counted on for helping you move furniture or when you're in need of a quick self deprecating humor fix. The custom of gifting socks in exchange for sexy girlie photos has its origins in the long harsh winters of the Saskatchewan plains. Early settlers and beaver hunters would pass the long winters stuffing their wool socks with pages from the bloomers & pantaloons sections of the Sears Roebuck catalog. In addition to preventing frostbite, the pages were thawed out in the summer and exchanged for new socks at the local general store. I love history. And Canadians.

Buried treasures in Osu Nagoya

2010-01-30T18:10:00.009+09:00

Namikoshi Park in Osu, Nagoya

Cycling around Nagoya City affords me the opportunity to discover nooks and crannies that I would not easily find inside an automobile. The Osu section of Nagoya, a popular shopping district comparable to Tokyo's Harajuku, never disappointments. I've been visiting Osu on an almost weekly basis since I moved to this City over 18 years ago, yet, I can always count on finding a little surprise around the corner. On top of that, Osu has been in a perpetual state of flux since about 1999. Old shops close, new ones open, nothing stays the same. So it was with no small pleasure that I discovered a tiny park located about 300 meters from the Osu Kannon shrine.

Park sign

The Namikoshi Park site is less than a 1000 square feet in area and you'll miss it if you cycle by and blink. What caught my attention was the bulbous hill in the center of the park which indicates it was once an ancient burial mound. According to a sign on premises, Namikoshi was the first public park opened in Nagoya city back in 1879. It remained the most popular park for 30 years until overshadowed by the much larger Tsurumai park about 3 kilometers away. All that remains of the park is this mound, ad old gnarly tree and a sign. Overall, I'd say it was a good find.

Old steps leading up the burial mound

View Larger Map

Final call for the Love Wheels Nagoya Calendar

2010-01-28T17:32:00.003+09:00

Mica - Miss August

I have less than 15 Nagoya Love Wheels Cycling Calendars left. I want to get rid of them by the end of this month. Don't be the only kid on the block without a cycling calendar brimming with young perky Japanese girls and their rides. Order 5 copies and get a sweet discount. Remember, shipping is FREE....anywhere on god's green earth! Order Here.

Why I do as my wife says

2010-01-26T13:38:00.010+09:00

I go to the gym every morning. It's one of my secrets to staying beautifully fit and handsome. I'll cycle to the gym unless I'm with Mrs. Crankee, then we take the Honda. Today I was going alone and decided to bring my Surly Steamroller.

"You need to pick something up for me, so you'd better take the car", she said.

"But it's such a nice day and I want to ride my bike", I whined. I do that a lot.

She won, I lost. Surprise.

Well, 3o minutes into my warm up stretches, I hear a loud bang and thud. I look out the second floor window of the gym and stared at the spot on the corner where I usually chain my bike, right by the Chez Toto restaurant street sign. This is what I saw:

Where I usually chain my bike

Apparently some poor sap lost control of his car, plowed though the Chez Toto sign, jumped the curb onto the sidewalk, continued straight down the block, destroyed the awning belonging to a seafood restaurant, crossed the street and crashed through a small fence. The couple in the car didn't seem terribly hurt, but the wreck they left behind them will certainly give their insurance carrier a fit. First thing I did was email the wife and thank her for forcing me to bring the car instead of the bike.

Smashed awning

Had my bike been chained by the street sign I would have been spending the afternoon picking up bits of Surly and cursing my bad fortune. Unfortunately, Muto san, one of the gym employees, wasn't so lucky, his scooter now looks like Godzilla slept on it.

"Ah, no worries, I was planning on buying a new one anyway." he said.

Damn Japanese optimism.

This is a good place to park

Frozen cats

2010-01-18T13:46:00.003+09:00

Last Saturday night's alley cat race went off well except for the slight cold weather. Turn out was about 30 strays. I'm noticing more new faces lately and quite a few young ones. One of the top winners that night was a high school kid. Good to see the young'ems getting some exercise.

Emi & Rie showing off their cap collection

Racing makes you hot

2010-01-15T16:53:00.005+09:00

Yeah I know it's too damn cold for an Alley Cat Race, but do you think General Washington told his men he wasn't crossing no friggin frozen Delaware river just to fight some pansy-ass redcoats? No. He manned up, rowed that dingy across that cold river and the rest is grammar school history. And to honor those men who braved the cold to fight for your freedoms, the NUTs people will be holding their monthly alley cat thingamajig at Shirakawa park this Saturday at 9:00 PM. Bring a bike, a sweater and a dingy.

Purrrfect combination

2010-01-11T20:56:00.008+09:00

Hello Kitty

It seems that the only thing that will distract a cycling enthusiast more than a sparkling new Vanilla track bike is a hot Asian girl riding one. Which is a good thing since it means I'll be selling more Nagoya Love Wheels 2010 calendars, which incidentally have been selling like mad. In the last two weeks, I've shipped calendars to Finland, Thailand, and every place in between. Just about every continent now has a copy of the Love Wheels Nagoya Calendar. Local cycling beauty Emi (pictured above) has told me that she will not bathe until every bike pedaling primate has ordered a copy of the calendar and slobbered all over her photo (she's miss March by the way). Still lots in stock. So do us all a favor and help Emi clean up her act. Order your Calendar now!

But seriously...

2010-01-09T09:55:00.005+09:00

It's no small task writing about cycling culture in a land that is famous for absorbing, borrowing, pilfering and genetically modifying ideas from other cultures. The Japanese are nothing if not inventive. Take for example the camera. We all know that the best cameras in the world are made in Japan. But did you know that the idea for the modern Japanese camera came from a 19th century American invention used to extract boils with electrodes? How a boil burning gadget morphed into a Nikon D3000 is a mystery lost to time. What we do know is that the result is a big improvement over the original idea, and that is at the heart of the Japanese spirit: Improve what the white devil creates. Take for instance the idea of cross-dressing cycling. We've all seen pictures of men in drag cycling in events from Portland to Portafino. According to legend, the first cross-dressing cyclist was an engineering student from Caltech who lost a bet to an art history major from Whittier College. The student cycled from Pasadena to Pomona and was never heard from again. And faster than a Williamsburgh Fixie rider buying the latest Rapha $300 toe-clip warmers, the cross-dressing phenomenon spread to every corner of the globe. So it was with warm comfort that I witnessed my Japanese pedal brothers eagerly accept the challenge to work through and improve on this most irreverent of cycling styles. The results? Well, judge for yourself.

Greasy Geishas

Occi, Sal (aka Tracy) and Necco, the Charlie's Angels of Nagoya City, have done us all proud in carrying on the Japanese tradition of outstanding workmanship and quality improvement. I mean, who else but the Japanese would have dreamed up the idea of sequin and bullhorn handlebars? Bravo sons of Yamato, bravo!

Big deal, new year, so what?

2010-01-05T14:34:00.004+09:00

In case you're wondering if I've made any New Year's resolutions, let me put you at ease now. The answer is NO.

Well, kind of, NO. Not exactly. Whatever.

All of us (and by "us" I mean me) at the Crankee blog have been busy working on interesting (and by "interesting" I mean boring) stories for the blog. We'll have more interviews with Japanese custom bike makers, a look into the glamourous world of Japanese bicycle messengers and and interview with one of the coolest bike mechanics in the far east. At least Crankee thinks he's cool. We also plan to expand the Crankee Store with hard to find Japanese bike gear and accessories (including messenger bags made entirely from recycled feelings of inadequacies, very eco-friendly) As always, your comments and suggestions are welcomed. Here's to a better year ahead, and fewer saddle burns behind.

Merry Friggin Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:04:00.003+09:00

To all my fellow cycling miscreants and degenerates, Señor Crankee wishes you all a very merry Christmas and a happy Festivus (you know...for the rest of us). And don't forget to order a Love Wheels Nagoya Calendar to help keep track of all the days you promised to go out cycling but stayed home instead to watch reruns of The Bachelor.....looser.

Merry Friggin Christmas!

Love Wheels Calendars Have arrived!

2009-12-21T10:42:00.005+09:00

Finally, what many of my male readers (all 4 of them) have been waiting for has arrived! I've just received shipment of the Love Wheels Nagoya 2010 Cycling Calendar. You may recall that I wrote about my friend Rie who was working on a picture calendar featuring many of the cutest girls in our cycling group posing in fun and sexy outfits. The Love Wheels Nagoya Calendar won't disappoint anyone who enjoys the perfect combination of Asian beauties and bicycles. You can order your copy of the calendar from the Crankee Store. Supplies are limited and given the number of horny, lonely cyclist, we don't expect inventory to last long. Order today!

Nagoya Chari Fes - Bicycle Festival

2009-12-14T11:00:00.004+09:00

Wild Man Tsuyoshi (aka Dirty) is organizing a bicycle festival (Nagoya Chari Fes) this Saturday & Sunday at the Yabacho underpass in downtown Nagoya. Some of the activities planned include bike polo and basic bike maintenance (sponsored by our friends at Circles bike shop). More info (in Japanese) can be found here.

The Circle continues...

2009-12-07T19:19:00.015+09:00

Higashi Betsuiin Circles Bike Shop

I first met Shin Tanaka at his tiny bike shop in Nagoya City when I was shopping around for a new bike for my planned trip through the French countryside. Shin exudes "Bike Cool". He had spent some time in America, so his English was peppered with urban slang and decidedly non-Japanese gestures. I liked him immediately. Shin has a very simple approach to how he sells bicycles: He doesn't sell them. He's no pusher. He will usually steer his customers to spending the least in money and the more in riding. When I finally decided to purchase a Surly Traveler's Check for my trip to France, he suggested I pick up the frame during one of my visits to the States thus saving $500.

I took his advice and let him handle the final build. This is why, over the last three years, Circles has become the premiere bike shop for people who are serious about cycling. And with the growing popularity, came the need to move to a more spacious location. Last week Circles opened their new shop in Higashi Betsuiin section of Nagoya.

Nice collection of Japanese and International cycling wear

The first floor features a gear, bike and clothing store, as well as a back section used for bike building & repair and a separate area for customers to work on their own bikes. This last thing is the coolest part of the new Circles. Customers can now rent a work area complete with all the tools and pro advice you will need to work on your own bike. A one day fee of ¥1000 is all you pay. If you wish to have unlimited access to the work area, the yearly membership fee is only ¥12,000. I think this is a great way to learn about bike repair; hands-on, all the tools you need and Makoto or Sal within arms reach if you need a little help.

Makato san showing us the universal hand sign for carbon forks

The second floor is the "build room". Arranged like a tony boutique, here customers can get advice on customizing their Vicious frame set with a Brooks saddle, Lino drop bars or whatever their heart desires.

Second floor customizing room

Shin has gone out of his way to make the new Circles more than just a bike shop, but a place cyclists can grow a better appreciation for their bicycles through education and assistance. The staff at Circles are all top rate and if you need English language help, Shin or Sal can handle that too. At any rate, stop by the new shop and say hi to the guys.

Member's work Space

Circles Bike Shop

View Circles in a larger map
460-0012
名古屋市中区千代田4-14-20
tel:052-331-3232
fax:052-331-3231
・地下鉄名城線「東別院」駅1番出口より徒歩約5分
・都心環状線「東別院」出口より約5分

New Circles Bike shop location and kick off party

2009-11-30T14:03:00.001+09:00

Nagoya's favorite bicycle shop Circles quietly closed the doors to its Fukiage shop last night and began preparations for the re-opening of the shop at a larger and better location in the Higashi Betsuuin section of Nagoya. Come join us to celebrate Circles' 3rd year in business as well as the opening of the new shop on December 3rd. The party will be held Thursday the 3rd at cafe a che pa'ti in Higashi Betsuuin (Do a google search for directions to the cafe) Party starts at 7pm, Fee:¥1500(with 2 drinks & food). We plan to have performances by SOUL ORGAN BOGALOO & びちょぬれアイドル as well as DJ Hirotaka Katoh. Hope to see you all there!

New Circles location as of December 3rd
〒460-0012
名古屋市中区千代田4-14-20
tel:052-331-3232
fax:052-331-3231

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Nagoya Chicks on bikes! 2010 Cycling Calendar

2009-11-24T14:51:00.000+09:00

The ever active and pretty Riebo is busy putting the finishing touches to the Love Wheels Nagoya - 2010 Bicycle Calendar. The calendar will feature pictures of some of our local girls posing suggestively with their bicycles. These calendars are sure to sell fast (I've reserved a few copies for myself). Riebo included a section on the back of the calendar for sponsor ads. One spot is only 5000 YEN (about $50) and you get two free copies of the calendar. There are still a few spots left, so if you have a business or website you'd like to promote in Japan (or abroad...we think this baby is going to be popular all over the map), email Riebo at lovewheelsnagoya@yahoo.com and reserve your spot. Deadline for ads is November 30.

Vandal Cargo backpack: Keg to go

2009-11-21T22:17:00.000+09:00

As if I didn't have enough bags (back packs, messenger bags, tote bags, leather bags, sports bags, bags bags bags). I once tried counting the number of bags in my storage room, it made me depressed. Just one week after my latest bag purchase Vandal comes out with this new Cargo Backpack. It's ridiculous really. I mean, who the hell needs to lug around a small beer keg? Besides me. My palms are starting to sweat now, but I am NOT going to buy this friggin bag. Enough already. What am I turning into? Some aging hipster bag hoarder?

Say it ain't so

Wipe Out!

2009-11-16T14:54:00.000+09:00

Riding back home alone yesterday afternoon after the BBQ I hit a concrete excrescence on route 19 and faster than you can say "Fuck" I was on the ground tasting some of Nagoya City's finest Asphalt. I can't explain how it happened, I can't even remember much after it happened. All I know is that I got up quickly and staggered over to the sidewalk to check for damages, on the bike, not me. The leather handle bar strap was ripped, I noticed a deep scratch on my wrist and felt pain on my right knee. But I knew that I wouldn't become fully aware of my physical damage until the next day, so I got back on the saddle and rode over to Circle's bike shop to have Makoto san fix my handle bar strap. This morning I took inventory and counted 8 bruises and cuts on my leg, hip, arm and shoulder. This is only my second spill on a bike in the last 5 years. I'm still getting used to riding my new track bike and the awkward riding position places the center of gravity further forward than my road bike. In addition, my Surly Steamroller is much lighter than a road bike and this makes it easy to fly forward through the air like a crazed gymnast whenever you hit a pothole. Did I mention how many people approached me to offer assistance? Zero. That's cool. I probably wouldn't approach me either.

BBQ Ride to Tokai City

2009-11-14T11:04:00.000+09:00

Just a quick note that Riebo is organizing a ride out to Tokai City tomorrow (Sunday). Meeting time is 9:30 AM at Circles bike shop. Here's a map of the route. Planned events include a BBQ and welding workshop. Fee is ¥600. See you there.

The Yellow man and the iron donkey

2009-11-12T17:06:00.000+09:00

Living in Japan, or just about anywhere in the far east, you get used to bicycles. Whether it's the sandy streets of Phuket, the crowded alleys of Shanghai or the glossy avenues of Nagoya City; Asians and bicycles go together like dim and sum. Yet lately, I've noticed a change in the attitude my Asian brothers display toward the iron donkey. No longer a utilitarian device, the bicycle is now an accepted fashion statement, a luminescent neon sign that screams "I have a lifestyle". And as with any lifestyle, you get the cliques, logos, rules and memos. I'm actually enjoying watching the evolution of cycling culture in Japan, and you know....it's a good thing.

My new ride

2009-10-27T14:31:00.001+09:00

Yesterday I picked up my new Surly Steamroller at Circles Bike shop. As you can see from the photos, the custom camouflage paint job and classic Lino drop green handlebars make this one very PUURRTY bicycle! This marks my introduction to track bikes and fixed gears. Since I'm a 44 year old chicken and not some 20 something hipster, I've set my flip flop gears to freewheel and installed front and back brakes for added safety. When I feel confident enough I'll switch to fixed gear and practice falling on my ass. The ride this morning was all together different (which I expected). Track bikes position the body for optimal speed and not necessarily comfort. It will take some getting used to. The smaller drop down handlebars leave little space to move the hand, and I went back to using strap clips instead of SPD clips. After a few minutes, I started to get into the groove and noticed how much faster the bike responds to my body movement. And this baby is fast! This will be my city bike for rides downtown and occasional day trips to the countryside. My Surly Travelers Check will remain my choice for long trips, hilly rides and for BBQs. Enough yapping. Time for a ride.

This name is making me Cranky!

2009-10-25T19:04:00.000+09:00

For almost a year I've been blogging under the pen name PedalPapa. I got this name form my much younger Japanese cycling friends. But lately I'm starting to feel my age, so I've decided it's time for a new name. One that better reflect my personality and love for things cycling. The name....Crankee, a nod to that most important piece of metal found on all bicycles, and a slight reference to how I feel most of the time. There you have it...I Am Crankee!

Trick O' NUTs

2009-10-18T10:57:00.000+09:00

The Halloween themed NUTs alley cat race went off well last night. Many of the riders came dressed in their Halloween best. Dirty organized the race this time and as usual he was off the chart with his antics and comedic presentation. Here are a few picts I managed to take before and after the race.

Riebo as a little ducky

Sie Chan as the wicked witch

Neko & Dirty doing what they do best

Halloween Alley Cat

2009-10-14T21:01:00.000+09:00

This Saturday we will have our monthly NUTs alley cat race. Meeting place as usual will be at Shirakawa park. If you can, wear something spooky. See you there!

NUTS! Fes 2009

2009-09-28T19:48:00.000+09:00

The 2008 NUTS! Fes cycling event-rave-performance art-whack fest was a blast. It seems we may have had a little too much fun the last time, causing the local Inuyama residents to deny us permission for using their camp site for this year's repeat performance. No worries, the pedal monkeys at NUTS found a better place for the 2009 NUTS! Fes, and the party will go on! Grease your bikes and get ready to pedal on October 24th, 25th to the town of Yaotsu in lower Gifu prefecture (map here). You can find more detail about this year's event here. On the menu we'll have the usual mix of cycling, races, battles and silliness. In addition, we'll performances by 5 bands and a slew of DJs. The event will be held at a restaurant/Inn, so no need to bring a tent. Indoor sleeping area will be provided for about 100 people on a first come first serve basis. Just bring a sleeping bag and warm clothing. Tickets for the NUTS! Fes are available here or you can buy them at Circles bike shop in Nagoya City. There will likely be an arranged group ride from Nagoya City to the event location. I'll post again when I have the details. Hope to see you all there!

Alley Cat Surprise

2009-09-21T21:29:00.000+09:00

Last Monday night the NUTs group held the monthly alley cat race in downtown Nagoya City. I expected to see the usual bike nuts eager to ride and drink afterward. Little did I know that we would be joined by about 100 fellow cyclist from around the world! To make a long story short, Izuru san organized a group ride of about 100 visiting cyclist in Japan for the CMWC event in Tokyo (Cycle Messenger World Championships). The group met in Kyoto and rode up to Nagoya Monday night in time for our Alley Cat race. I had never seen such a large group of smelly, tired and jet lagged cyclist in my life. I was immediately conscripted as an interpreter/organizer. Many of the guest cyclists joined in the evening's race and met at Cafe Palwr. We helped organize sleeping arrangements for those who needed it. I really enjoyed meeting so many fellow cyclist from just about every continent I can name. The next morning the group was off on their journey to Tokyo for the big event. I hope they made it all there safely. I won't be in Tokyo for the CMWC event, but we have a couple local guys racing and I'll be rooting for them.

Cycling BBQ at Shonai Park

2009-09-13T10:11:00.000+09:00

Just in case any of my cycling friends are in the area, today I will be in Shonai Park by the lake with my Surly BBQ Cycle. Stop by, say hi and taste my ride.

September Alley Cat Race

2009-09-12T09:39:00.000+09:00

Quick reminder that this month the NUTs Alley Cat bike race will be on Monday the 14th instead of Saturday. Meeting time is 8:30 PM at Shirakawa Park with after race party at Cafe Parlwr in Shin Sakae. Happy cycling!

Bang King 2009 - A banging success

2009-09-01T20:29:00.000+09:00

Just back last weekend from the Bang King Track bike race in Kanazawa City. It was great seeing a lot of my Nagoya cycling friends and even managed to make a few new friends. Though the race is rather laid back and friendly, we had two people there who proved to be serious contenders and good sports. On the Dude side was an Aussie named Rob who just only started racing less than a year ago. He was quite impressive and left everyone behind in the sprint races. Rob eventually won the whole shebang and took home a track bike and messenger bag for his effort. On the femenina side was a Japanese lady who turned out to be a semi pro track cyclist. I missed her race but I heard she took home top prizes too. Over all the event was fun and we all got to enjoy a nice BBQ at a local beach campsite. I'm really impressed by how the local cyclists go out of their way to cultivate a friendly and fun cycling culture that lacks the usual pretentiousness of hipster cycle chic. It seems like Tokyo and Nagoya are the two cities helping to define what cycling is in Japan and leading the way in showing people how to have fun on two wheels. I look forward to partaking in more cycling events with my Japanese pedal freaks in the near future.

2009 Bang King Track Race

2009-08-27T21:20:00.000+09:00

Saturday I'm off to the Keirin Velodrome in Ishikawa prefecture for the annual Bang King Track race. Many of the Nagoya Nuts will be in attendance as well as cyclists from around Japan (here are some picts from last year's race. We expect a weekend of racing, riding and BBQ, but most of all a great excuse for cyclist to get together and have fun. This event tends to be casual and light-hearted even though many race to win. I'm not racing since I don't have a fixed gear this time around. Maybe next year I'll muster up the guts to ride fixed. I'll post pictures of the event next week.

August Alley Cats

2009-08-24T10:04:00.000+09:00

We had a good turnout Saturday night for the monthly alley cat race. This time the race resemble more of a Critical Mass ride through downtown Nagoya than a race. It was fun nonetheless and the night was just right. Afterward we met at Cafe Palwwr for a Kakigori (shaved ice) eating content. Did I mention they you had to eat all of the ice topped with chili sauce? Major ice headache.

For all you fixie freaks out there

2009-08-14T15:23:00.000+09:00

My Girls

2009-07-10T18:58:00.000+09:00

Here 's a picture of some of the female members of my cycling group (Nagoya NUTs). I love these girls. All of them are sweet, fun and love cycling. And they all look sexy on a bike. We all have lot's of fun on our regular cycling trips and races. Love live the NUTs girls!

Let's Biking

2009-07-08T18:51:00.000+09:00

Local Cycle Nut, Justin Miller is organizing a little cycling fun event Sunday July 12th at Tsurumai park. Everyone is invited. Meeting place will be by the park fountain at 1PM. The Let's Biking event will feature a short group ride, some food and beer and maybe even a little performance art. If you've got a bike ad want to hang with some cool people, cycle on down to Tsurumai this Sunday.

Flashy shirt

2009-06-27T09:34:00.000+09:00

My sound activated shirt was a hit the other night at the NUTs alleycat race party. Here's a shot of me and Riebo yelling at my shirt.

Alley Cats and After party

2009-06-24T14:31:00.000+09:00

Saturday nights monthly NUTs alley Cat race was by far the Fun-est we've had. After the race we all met at Cafe Dufi for an after party sponsored by Circles bicycle shop. Live DJ, cold beer and good food made for a night of cycling heaven. The NUTs events are awalys a treat and the most important thing is that everyone is in it for the fun. In the end, that's what cycling is all about right?

Dai Nagoya University Ride

2009-06-14T10:07:00.000+09:00

Some of the NUTs cyclists were asked to demonstrate cycling safety to students of the open university (read: no campus) Dai Nagoya University. We all met at the TV tower in Central Park and broke up into groups. I lead my group on a short ride to Shonai Park then back to Meijo park for a small picnic. The ride was good and the people all seemed enthusiastic. Nagoya City is starting to develop a nice cycling culture.

Tony's Theme Song

2009-06-09T19:35:00.000+09:00

Here's a song by the Pixies about a cycling Super hero named Tony? It must be me!

BBQ Bike: The Video

2009-06-08T08:16:00.000+09:00

Here's a video of the BBQ Bike in action.

Biking & BBQing

2009-06-08T08:10:00.000+09:00

Here it is! At last, my strangest creation...the BBQ Bike! I installed a small propane gas BBQ grill onto my Surly bike rack. Took it out to the park for a test run. The results were: Delicious!

Planes & Penis

2009-05-02T21:27:00.000+09:00

Just a quick video I put together of our cycling trip to the Tagata Shrine festival in March. Enjoy!

She gives good helmet

2009-04-24T15:30:00.000+09:00

Cool video to remind us to wear helmets when riding.

Alleycat race this Saturday night

2009-04-15T17:16:00.000+09:00

The monthly NUTs alleycat race will be held on April 18th. This time we'll be meeting at 8:30 PM by the water fountain entrance of Meijo Koen (Park). If you've ever attended a Walkathon event, you'll know the spot. Entry fee for the race is 300 YEN. Bring yer wheels and a set of groovy legs. Check out the calendar link to the right for more details.

2009-04-14T14:08:00.000+09:00

コビッチ其の十二　 from jun iwai on Vimeo.

Cycle Cross Race at Shonai Park

2009-03-31T09:47:00.000+09:00

A Sunday full of sweat and pain. The usual suspects gathered last weekend for a day of racing at Shonai Park. Needless to say, I finished next to last. I was trying to be last. Better luck next time. Here's a video I made of the event.

Cruising

2009-03-28T22:54:00.000+09:00

Some more picts from the Himakajima trip. Gotta make plans for another ride down there soon.

Himakajima - Continued

2009-03-22T16:20:00.000+09:00

The ride down to Himaka Island was alot of fun and the NUTs riders were up to their usual antics. The free Sake samples in the Handa city Sake museum was probably not a good idea, but it sure was tasty! Riebo did a great job organizing the ride and getting us transportation to the Island as well as reseving the rooms and dinner at the Ryokan. The Chita peninsular is a fun and fairly easy ride and good for a two day trip. I think I'll plan another ride down there later this Spring.

Road trip! - Himakajima

2009-03-22T09:40:00.000+09:00

Friday morning, 11 NUTs met at Chita Handa station and spent the day cycling down the coast of the Chita peninsular. The winds were out of control but we made it safely to the southern tip to catch a water taxi across to Himaka Island. I'll post photos of the ryokan we stayed in and some of the blow fish we ate that night.

The Great Penis Festival Ride

2009-03-16T10:38:00.000+09:00

Yesterday's ride to the Annual Tagata Shrine Penis festival went swell. The NUTs cycling group rode up to the Shrine with a short food stop by the old Nagoya airport runway to watch a jet land. The festival was crowded and boisterous as usual and things penis-like were well represented. Next Friday the group is riding down to Chita for an overnight stay at a seaside inn. Items on the menu that night include beer and fugu (poisonous puffer fish, yum!) I've uploaded more videos from the event on my YouTube page. See the right side for links to the page.

Tagata Shrine Festival - Shlong Party!

2009-03-13T11:47:00.000+09:00

It's that time of the year again. This Sunday I'll be riding up to the Tagata Shrine in Komaki City for the annual fertility festival. Meeting place is at Circles Bike shop at 9AM. If you enjoy watching ladies take turn riding atop of a large wooden penis, then join the fun. The weather looks good but chilly for Sunday. Check out my event calendar for details.

Alley Cat Race tonight!

2009-02-21T09:35:00.000+09:00

Quick reminder. Tonight's NUTs alley Cat Race will start at Shirakawa park at 9PM. Bring your bike and a warm jacket cause I think it's going to be friggin COLD! Click on the Calendar link to the right for more info.

Cycling for Trout

2009-02-10T16:58:00.000+09:00

Last Saturday was a picture perfect day for a ride. Our little gang of pedal punks (Me, Lowell, Brian and Blane) met early Saturday morning and cycled through some of the hills of northern Seto City. The ride proved a bit challenging, especially in the area around Nagoya University. But the clear sky and brisk air kept me charged for the duration of the trip. We stopped at a small family owned trout farm and tried our hand at some fishing. I've always had bad luck with fish, so it didn't surprise me that I didn't catch any. The guys caught more than enough for our lunch. The cute Mama san quickly prepared the catch (grilled, fried and the rest sashimi styled). Served with rice, pickels and red miso soup, I must say that it was the best trout I have ever eaten in my life (and I've lived in Japan for almost 20 years). Let's face it: The Japanese know fish. Yes, cycling and fresh trout. A perfect day in my book.

Trout on a stick!

Showing Off

2009-01-28T20:40:00.000+09:00

Took my Surly out for a ride today. The weather was superb and I couldn't resist taking a few photos to show off the new Toshio Handlebar leather tape I bought last Saturday. Looks nice huh? Trying to get a couple of the guys together this weekend for a ride in Seto Shi. Hope the weather holds.

Packing your Travelers Check!

2009-01-22T20:10:00.000+09:00

When I first decided that I wanted to try cycling through Europe, I knew I needed a bike frame that could travel light and cheap wherever I go. Lo and behold, Surly came out with a new touring frame that promised to answer my needs. The Travelers Check is basically Surly's already popular Cross Check frame but with nice S&S couplers added to allow you to split the frame into two pieces. I bought the Frame and the way over-priced travel case in time for my cycling tour of France. Let me warn you if you're thinking of getting the Travelers Check; packing the bike into the special case is no picnic. It took me a month of trying different variations before I was able to get it all comfortably into the case. Surly and S&S websites offer little or very poor examples on how to pack the bike. In the future, I plan to make a video outlining how I did it. For now, here is a picture of the finished results. A bit of advice if you plan on getting the Travelers Check and the case; you'll need to remove the crank set, back derailers, handlebars and fork. And forget about placing the front wheel on top of bike parts as suggested on the S&S website. It doesn't work. You'll need to shove the wheel into the top half of the travel case as shown in the picture (deflate both tires beforehand). After a few tries, you'll get the hang of it. I can now pack the bike in about 45 minutes.

Cold Alley Cats

2009-01-18T09:56:00.000+09:00

The monthly NUTs alley cat race last night started out cold but soon heated up once the pedaling started. I did poorly but had a good time riding around the city. There was a last minute change of the starting location due to some other group meeting there. So if you plan to join the next race on Feb 21st, better confirm it will be at Yabacho and not Shirakawa park. Ride on.

NUTs Monthly Alley cat race

2009-01-15T10:08:00.000+09:00

Quick reminder for those in the Nagoya area. Local cycling group NUTs will be holding their monthly alley cat race this Saturday at 8:30 PM at the Yabacho underpass in Sakae. As usual, we'll all meet at Palwr cafe afterwards for drinks and bragging.

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Cycle route: Nagoya to Kameyama

2009-01-14T14:57:00.000+09:00

Found a nice cycling route I might try if the weather clears up soon. Can probably do this in one day with time to spare for a dip in a hot spring bath.

Nagoya - Kameyama
Find more Bike Rides in Nagoya, Japan

Winter Blues

2009-01-12T13:16:00.000+09:00

Winter is no friend to PedalPapa or any other cyclist for that matter. Cold rain and snow, wind-chill factors and all the other little things that making cycling in January about as much fun as sitting on a wet toilet seat. But here in Japan, every once in a while we get a break from old man winter with a few rays of sun and tolerable winds. I'm hoping for a break later this week. In the mean time, I'll work on my Surly and upload some more videos to my YouTube account. Happy Pedaling!