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Hello, and question about cross

Sile O'Mahony

Warming-Up
Oct 6, 2014
4
0
Hello all - I am relatively new to Tokyo (moved here in July) and have really enjoyed both cycling around Tokyo (surprisingly) and cycling on weekends around the Takao area. Now that Autumn is upon us, I was thinking of maybe doing some cross - as I heard it is really big here! Does anyone know of groups that do cross practice during the week (preferably)?
Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Where do you cycle in the Takao area? And what is cross biking? The term cross bike in Japan refers to what is called a hybrid in some other places, but I feel sure you mean it in somewhat a different way.
 
Hi Hokuto - usually get the train out to Takao station and then bike around, and then get the train back. I don't know a lot of the names of places or climbs there yet, but different routes up there that we map out in Google maps beforehand (or just bike and discover as we go along) - but have done the dams, Lake Okutama, Doshi, etc. Usually rides are between 60 and 120km.

By cross I mean cycle cross. See here for an example: http://www.cyclocrosstokyo.com
 
Hi Hokuto - usually get the train out to Takao station and then bike around, and then get the train back. I don't know a lot of the names of places or climbs there yet, but different routes up there that we map out in Google maps beforehand (or just bike and discover as we go along) - but have done the dams, Lake Okutama, Doshi, etc. Usually rides are between 60 and 120km.

By cross I mean cycle cross. See here for an example: http://www.cyclocrosstokyo.com

Right. I knew I'd heard that term used recently and now I recall it was right here on the TCC forum. Thanks for the reminder. I live two stops farther out from Takao (Fujino), and just got back into cycling last week after a hiatus of 4-5 years, so I'm taking my time getting my sit bones reaclimatized. But I doubt I'll ever get up to a 120km hike. Our area is characterized by frequent hills, at least in town. I haven't driven that way for some years, tho, so I don't remember what it's like farther out to Ohtsuki.
 
There are no regular open training groups that I know of. Mostly teams. Try talking to shops, like blue lug and above cycle, as they are trying to push cx. I might be up for something, but give me a couple of weeks to sort out my back issues.
 
I'm planning on racing the Chichibu CX (if they accept my application) and Nobeyama (currently registered) races. I have yet to dust of the trusty CX bike yet. I'm having some tires glued on this week. But I plan on going to a park somewhere and doing some drills just to freshen up and dial in the pressures.

One of the apparent issues with CX here is that you have to travel out there, stay in a hotel, drag all your CX gear etc. if you don't have a car (me). In the US, I'd just throw everything in the back of my truck and drive out. So everything from nutrition to a warm up trainer to spare clothes, shoes, bike, wheels etc. is in the car. Now that's not the case. It's going to be bare bones CX for sure....and interesting. Can't wait.
 
If you were to start an informal CX training group somewhere accessible I imagine there would be several interested people and the word would spread quickly.
 
I'll post once I find out something. In general I used to do drills along the tamagawa, which has everything you need.
 
There are a bunch of cc guys that train on the left bank of arakawa right down near the end of the road all winter. They have a track with cones and seem to be informally racing each other. I'm sure you could show up and join in sometime.

I only saw them on weekends cause that was when I might head down that way but you could ask @kawa if they were weekday warriors as well as he was a local in that hood.
 
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