Fixie bike race - Shiba Koen - Saturday 12.30

This flyer in a shop caught my eye today - a race for fixies is going to be held this Saturday in Shiba Park from 12.30, not far from Tokyo Tower. Sprints and a long 2 hour race. Oh, there's also a skid competition (but I haven't learnt how to skid yet :(....




Which shop? Well, I'm glad you asked. None other than the aforementioned Carnival in concretey Shibuya...




I went there today and spoke to Okada-san. Nice guy, good English. I bought some Nitto riser bars and had a chat about frames. He's also going to have a look around for a left crank for me.

Here's a video the guys in the shop made/and have on sale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lePP2BaZhJU&mode=related&search=

The back of their business cards have a bicycle gear ratio chart - a metric one...







Carnival has some nice stuff, but most of it is a bit overpriced. Kashimax toestraps are ¥8,000; a pair of old Gipiemme hubs are going for ¥21,000 and some beautiful old Campagnolo cranks that have been reworked, drilled and shaved are selling for ¥31,000 - although they won't last long on the street.

Now, in my last post I mentioned the bicycle jumble sale.

It's called the Sekidobashi Flea Market and it's on the third Saturday in April and October, starting at 9am (when all the best stuff gets snapped up - the early bird gets the Gan Well Pro). It's all cash only of course.

To get there, go to Nakagawara Station on the Keio Line, you can ride or walk from there.

On matters running, I went to Itaden, the massage center run by running champion Toshihiko Seko today. The massage was punishing, and I'm still sore now. I'll go for a run tomorrow. The woman who massaged me did little about the pain affecting my right knee. She gave the ITB/TFL muscles a really good going over though.