Cold Manju in Akiyama

Sunday I rode again with Todor, joined today by Eric, Chris, and Ryan (Chris' brother in law visiting town).  Clear, cold weather.  We planned to meet again at the Yanokuchi Lawson at 8AM, ... but Eric rides out Komazawa Dori from Yutenji and pulled up as I was waiting for the light at Kampachi around 730AM, just after leaving home.

Another ride up the river, then out Onekan -- but nothing felt old, with the novelty of a new group of riders, sorting ourselves out on the climbs and descents.  We continued from the far end of Onekan, along the "Tank Road", then through the sprawl of Aihara NW of Hashimoto, then around the North shore of Tsukui-ko.  We stopped briefly at the top of the climb, then again on the narrow suspension bridge over Tsukui-ko, enjoying the tranquility of being suspended high over the water, no wind or other noise, and the heavily treed hills all around us, colorful with the changing leaves.

Todor, Ryan, Eric and Chris at the top of the hill N. of Tsukui.

Todor, Chris, me and Ryan, on the suspension bridge

Onto Route 412, then Route 517 with its climbs and descents, a short jog along Route 76, and eventually we ended up on Route 35 heading through Akiyama and gaining elevation on the lower part of climb toward Shin Hinazuru Tunnel.  I just did this route on the Nishi Tokyo brevet in early October, so at least had some memory of the nasty little climbs.  We were working under a 4PM return deadline for Todor to the Yoyogi/Shibuya area, and the weather was quite cold once we got past Sagamiko and started to get the inland mountain climate, so we set a goal to try to make it as far as the little manju shop before turning around.

The autumn flowers, green pumpkins and an oddly shapred daikon.

The original "O-no-ire manju -- both anko and miso filled

We made it to the manju shop a few minutes after noon.  Unfortunately, it seems at least at this time of year they finish baking the day's manju mid-morning, well before our arrival, so while the sweets were not quite as cold as the surrounding air (a few degrees C), they were not piping hot either, as they had been the last time I visited.  Not quite the treat I had anticipated.  At least the proprietor brought out a metal bucket in which he had put embers from the cooking fire, so we could eat out front in relative warmth.

On the trip back our riding was focused on the goal -- get home.  After a nice descent back through Akiyama, fewer beautiful country roads with short climbs but low traffic volumes.  We took a different route through the Hashimoto area -- Route 508 instead of 413 or upper Machida Kaido.  As with Saturday, the Strava segments for Sunday suggest I was riding at a faster pace than normal on many stretches, mostly trying not to get too far behind Eric!  150 kms, 1770 meters of climbing.  

A very good ride.  And we can be thankful to live in Tokyo, where it is possible to do something like this in early December!

Eastern half of the ride (first and last parts).

Western half of the ride (middle parts).

Onekan Coffee Run

I took a short ride today, with 3 members of the ASIJ (American School) community, Todor, Jonathan and Scott.  It was the coldest morning of this fall, only just above freezing at 650AM when I headed outside, and not much warmer at 9AM when we came out of the Starbucks at the far end of Onekan at the turn-around.  As Todor said at one point, it was a "MAMIL ride" with a nice coffee stop ... but nonetheless, riding on the Canyon Shark, with others, in brisk weather, attacking the rollers, Strava tells me that I was definitely going faster than usual on Onekan.

The Canyon Shark and my Q36.5 hybrid jersey/jacket and long bib shorts were perfect -- while riding I was neither hot nor cold.  I quickly hand washed my gear since tomorrow's forecast is pretty much identical.

I should do more of this kind of riding -- out early, push some (more) on the short climbs, back home by 10:30AM, a quick shower and I am not totally wiped out.  ... but tomorrow I will do a longer ride.

Sunday 8AM start from the Yanokuchi Lawson -- Kawasaki side of Tamagawaharabashi.

Sunrise over Da Saitama

The last two weekends I was in the U.S. with family to celebrate a son's college graduation and my 30th reunion, off the bicycle.

So I planned to join Todor, Eric and 4-5 others for their annual Sea-to-Sea Stupidity ("SSS") ride.  The ride departs Shinjuku at 230AM Saturday morning, heads north to the Arakawa, then NW through Gunma, Karuizawa, Ueda, Nagano, and over a last hill before a descent into Naoetsu (the same descent that is part of the new, 2011 et seq. Tokyo-Itoigawa course).   After a celebratory toe-dip in the Sea of Japan, there should still be time for beer and food (in that order) and a train ride home Saturday evening.  It sounded like a perfect substitute for Tokyo-Itoigawa (held during my trip to the U.S.) and way to get to know a few other long-time expat cyclists.

Everything went fine until around 4:15AM, 48 kms from my house, as we headed up cycling paths along/near the Arakawa making very good time.

Then, as I turned a corner on a short gravel/construction stretch and started to accelerate again, I heard an awful sound from my drivetrain, and after another half-pedal, my feet locked.  I quickly unclipped to take a look.

A piece of wet tissue/baby wipe had somehow gotten mangled into my rear derailleur, pulled in along the chain.  The derailleur had swung back and snapped off near the base that connects to the hangar.  The derailleur had been carried back through the cassette and forward toward the front derailleur, where it had jammed with enough force to twist the front derailleur around the seat tube 20 degrees or so, and of course mangle its cage.  Baby wipe-1, SRAM Wi-Fli Rival rear derailleur-0.

A wet tissue-jammed chain should NOT result in a metal fracture at the base of the rear derailleur.

Shredded rear derailleur, shredded front derailleur

It only took a few seconds to figure out that my ride had ended for today.  I said my farewells and sent the others on.  Then some work with the chain tool to get the bike to where it would at least roll to the nearest train station.  There are also some nicks on the large front chainring, but I hope it is still usable.  And also the chain jammed inside the rear cassette, so I needed to cut the chain in several places to get the rear wheel to roll ... and now will remove the cassette to dig out the remainder.

I enjoyed a ride on the 5AM Saikyo Line local train from Sashioji to Akebane, then the Keihin Tohoku local from there to Oimachi (standing room only, at 5:45AM on a Saturday morning!), then Oimachi line local home, arriving a bit before 7AM.

SSS - Next year!

UPDATE (August 2014):  Since the SRAM derailleurs are warranted for 2 years, and were within this period, I sent a note to Wiggle with photos of the trashed front and rear mechs.  They consulted SRAM, which while SRAM did not fess up to this actually being a warranty-covered issue with their gear, they agreed to replace both derailleurs and the chain that I needed to cut as a result of the accident.  Wiggle's and SRAM's customer service -- even for a mail order purchaser from another part of the world -- wins big.   This keeps me a happy customer.

I like the SRAM double tap shifting -- precise, nice and much better brifter ergonomic fit with my hands than the last few Shimano generations (though I think 9000/6800 is a bit better).  And this kind of customer service makes me willing to consider SRAM for the groupset on my next bike, whenever I should happen to be in the market!