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Name your Fav cycling route

fluro2au

Warming-Up
Jan 29, 2007
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I've been reading with interest some of the rides people do around Tokyo. But where are they?? (tanagawa?)

I am fimilar with the loop at the warf that people turn up to, but where are other good areas to ride through??

Could people start posting their favourite rides?
Could you include a map (ie gmap http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=678116) This is the imperial palace but is only a 5k loop. :(

I know when I ride up the the Arakawa (spelling not sure). I can usually do about 2.5hrs up the river before I run out of path. I think this will give me about 130k.

What other good routes are there??

Cheers
Paul

P.S Is it possible to do hill training in Tokyo. The Imperial palace and a smalll loop behind it is all I can find??
 
Humm, Yokohama seems a good starting point for a trip.
From there, you could make a round trip yokohama/Kamakura/Yokohama (120km)or yokohama/Hakone/Yokohama (180km).
Of course you have to take train with your bike in bag but the both courses are very nice.

We should do that one day:rolleyes:
 
Hill-climbs!

Hey Paul,
This is Travis (also a fellow Aussie).
It sounds like you already know Arakawa - Out of all the river routes, I think it's the best one.
Tamagawa (on the map: 多摩川) is on the southern border between Tokyo and Kanagawa prefecture. It's tricky to navigate, and usually too crowded.
ie. Stick to Arakawa.

As for the mountains, this is where I can help you! I usually go in hill-climb races.
The next one being "Tour de Kusatsu" in mid-April, which is 13km up an average 7%.
This will be my third time, and I will start training for it from early-March in the hills to the west of Tokyo.
TCC did an official tour on one of them not too long ago: check "Tour d'Okutamako" in the "Official TCC Tours" section.
This is a great ride, because it's very similar to the Kusatsu race.
Some others are; depending on what you're looking for:
Wada toge (pass): 3km. VERY steep (I've never done it without stopping at least once).
Mt. Tsukuba: To the northeast of Tokyo: 4km, steep, and then slightly up (not very high though).
Yanagisawa pass: 20km long constant up - not really steep (av.5%), but challenging - if you do the 90km loop, there are 3 big climbs on the way (including Okutamako from the opposite side).
Oo-toge: I think THIS will be my main training ground this year: 24km, very steep! (BTW, the name means "Big Pass", and it's true! - Elevation; 1,560m).
I plan to do all of them at least once before the race this year too (and "Big Pass" at least twice). All of the rides will be 70-100km - not just the climb itself - so if you're interested in joining me, let me know.
Also, nearly all of these rides require a train journey of about an hour or more from Shinjuku station, so a bike-bag is necessary.
Rubber Down! T
 
going further on arakawa

On Arakawa, have you tried crossing the river into Saitama (where the bike path forces you to cross the road)? Once you cross, you can go through Akigase park and scoot up well past Kawagoe and beyond.

I've not found very many hill rides - unless you journey out far (towards Hakone, Takao, or Okutama) or take trains. There are the hills on the Kanagawa-side of Tama-gawa, but the roads are narrow (at least for me). I think Travis is your man here.
 
On Arakawa, have you tried crossing the river into Saitama (where the bike path forces you to cross the road)? Once you cross, you can go through Akigase park and scoot up well past Kawagoe and beyond.

I've not found very many hill rides - unless you journey out far (towards Hakone, Takao, or Okutama) or take trains. There are the hills on the Kanagawa-side of Tama-gawa, but the roads are narrow (at least for me). I think Travis is your man here.

It was a long time that I last rode there but if you go out Artakawa up the river past Okegawa and turn left towards Higashimatsuyama and find the kanto bunkadaigakku campus there is a loop the locals ride as well as the keiren boys from Omiya that has a reasonable climb and then you can go up to Moroyama lake , more a pond for a nice cool lunch . But from Tokyo that would be quite a ride. Sorry for missed spellings but it was at least 10 years ago.

Plenty of hills up here in Aomori 'cept they got too much snow on them.
 
One more!

Thanks trad,
You reminded me of one more climb.
You're absolutely right! Once you cross to the other side of the (Arakawa) river, and ride up past Akigase park, the bike road continues on to where the river splits in two. From there, if you go up the middle section between the (now) two rivers, you pass a small airport, and it's not too far to a small town called "Ogose-machi", near Chichibu.
Then, you have a choice of routes to either "Ono-toge", or "Shira-ishi-toge" (although I've only done "Ono-toge" once, I hear that "Shira-ishi" is nasty too).
However, the roads are hard to follow, and once you've ridden nearly 70km up the river to get to the start of the climb - sometimes into a fierce headwind - you don't usually feel like climbing too much.
But still, they are good climbs that are technically "riding distance" away.
T
 
Thanks guys.

I really appreciate this. I start doing my research over the weekend to try and find these places.

Anyone out riding around the palace this morning? A guy on a green bianchi came flying past me. Second time I've bumped into him now.

Conditions were perfect. That sunrise was spectacular.

Paul
 
Thanks guys.

I really appreciate this. I start doing my research over the weekend to try and find these places.

Anyone out riding around the palace this morning? A guy on a green bianchi came flying past me. Second time I've bumped into him now.

Conditions were perfect. That sunrise was spectacular.

Paul

Hi Paul,

For moment, I am concentrated on my running training program for the coming tokyo marathon, after that I will be happy to join you for monring ride.

Last year, I did the Ishigaki & Nojiriko Triathlons + some others cycling races
(sorry for any mistake in my message, I am not fluent in english:eek: )


terry
 
not a ride in Japan but interesting

This is one of my fave rides around where I live in Northern England.

basicaly it consists of about a loop 128-144 km, and in my case it is for a good leg day. From Newcastle you head north to Scotts Gap and up to Rotherly Cross Roads then the hills start for real! the pain starts with going over Coldrife then droping down and along the valey then up the Bilsmore climb (you get up to 80kmh plus going down the other way). The final little tester is the climb out of the village of Elsdon called the Gibbit or more correctly Winters Gibbit, then you have a gentle roll back to Newcastle.

So if any of you boys and girls are visiting the UK come to Newcastle upon Tyne and I am sure that I and my club will be more than happy to have you come along(Gosforth Road Club):bike:
 
hi there people,

im new to tokyo and have a bike. ive toured france and get out for day rides a bit. at the moment im looking for training rides around tokyo to get back into shape after a knee injury.

im thinking the arakawa river ride seems pretty good. how do i get there?! what do i look for? any chance someone can post a map to this ride? i live in takadanobaba by the way.

cheers
 
California rides

The Tour de Peninsula in San Mateo. California has some of the best rides in the country.
Description:View attachment 119
Tour de Peninsula is a 33mile, 21mile, or 17mile non-competitive bicycle tour from Redwood City to Millbrae (the 33M distance on the Sawyer Camp Trail) and back to Sequoia High School for a post ride party with live music. There are many other shortcuts; just ride as much as you want. A catering company will be preparing barbeque if you wish to purchase lunch. We have tech support at Sequoia as well as on the course, and should a sag wagon be necessary, we can transport you and your bike back to Sequoia. The tour benefits the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation; they go the extra mile to keep support and maintain our parks and they are responsible for keepingCanada Road free from auto traffic for "Bicycle Sunday."
 
Here's a map for you, Snaplock!

If you're going from Takadanobaba, ride up to Meiji-dori, and turn left!
Follow it past Ikebukuro for about 3km, then turn left again on route 17. Once you turn onto Rte.17, it's less than 9km to "Toda-bashi (戸田橋)。Toda-bashi is the bridge that goes across Arakawa.
DON'T cross the bridge! The cycling road is on the Tokyo side - find your way to the river-bank, and it's the wide-ish road with the green-line down the middle!

If you go up-river (to the left), it's about a 40km ride until you run out of road.
If you go down-river (to the right), you can go all the way to Kasai-rinkai-koen, on Tokyo bay!
It's your choice, but whichever way you go, you should be able to get in at least a 100km round trip! Check the map to the riverside!
Hope this helps! Travis

http://www.mapfan.com/routemap/rout....7&COND=normal&HW=default&FR=default&REST=use
 
thanks guys,

the links and directions are great. ive been coasting round the city for the last few weeks. tomorrow im onto arakawa. Im on a silver trek by the way.

cheers
 
Snaplock? Arakawa review?

Snaplock,

Did you have a chance to ride the Arakawa yet? In which direction (toward mountains or Tokyo Bay)? If you have a chance, would you mind writing a small review. I have never ridden it yet, but am planning to do so very soon. I'll be leaving from Shinjuku to start my ride so will take basically the same path as you to get there. Any additional things you might add on the directions to get there, or were the directions already kindly posted as easy to follow as they sound?

Thanks!

Jason
_________________

possibly boring Shinjuku Cycling Blog
 
Arakawa...

Hello Jason,
If you follow the directions above to get to Arakawa on Rte.17, you can head either way!
If you head southeast, towards Tokyo-Bay, it's about a 30km trip (one-way), and then you'll have to head back.
If you head northwest, towards the mountains, it gets a little more complicated.
You CAN go all the way to the mountains that way, but about 20km up, the river splits in two, and you have to cross over into the middle section for another 15km or so. It's hard to navigate on your own, but this time of year there should be a lot of other cyclists that you can follow, and ask directions from.
To hit the mountains on that side (Chichibu), you will finally have to leave the riverside about 30-35km up, and then turn left into the mountainous areas west of Kawagoe / Ogose. That will make for quite a long ride though; about 70km in each direction.

This time of year though, the wind is blowing decidedly "UP" the river towards the mountains, which will mean your return trip will be into a headwind.
If however, you decide to ride down to Tokyo-Bay into the headwind, your return-ride will be much quicker.

I can tell you this because I've been commuting along Arakawa once or twice a week for the last 2 years, on my way to Urawa.
I've been "down" to Tokyo-Bay many more times than I can count, but I've only been up the river past Rte.17 about 5-6 times... and only ONCE to the "Chichibu" mountains from there. But that's enough to tell you to "just follow the cyclist in front of you, and ask for directions - if necessary"!

At this time of year, heading down-river first would definitely be easier, but if you want the challenge of heading north, into the mountains, ask the guys around you for directions!

Hope this helps. Rubber Down! T
 
thanks!

YellowGiant,

Thank you for the additional details about Arakawa!

Weather permitting, I'll probably try heading toward the mountains (but not all the way) on Saturday.

Jason
 
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