REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Japanese Snow Monkey (early sighting)

2175 Views 18 Replies 10 Participants Last post by number2, Mar 27, 2006

TheSingleGuy

Discussion Starter · Nov 27, 2005 (Edited)

3

Well, a little premature, but I couldn't hold out anymore. Just got a KM, and it rocks. Give me another month, and it might become a snow monkey.

Two (of the many) reasons I love Japan:

1. Because I can ride my newly acquired green monkey here all year round

2. Because I can buy one litre cans of beer in vending machines on the may home from my ride.

I love Japan. And my KM. Thanks for looking, next time I'll try to get some ride shots. Oh, wait, here's a teaser....

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l-dub1

· #2 · Nov 27, 2005

Nice bike! You forgot to mention that you can get a killer plate of Coco Curry on the way home as well; number 6 pork cutlett with 400g of rice! What bars are you running on the KM? Lot's of sweep... looks nice. If you're ver down towards Fukuoka, drive South and take the Kirin Beer Farm tour. The food and beer alone are worth the trip!

TheSingleGuy

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 27, 2005

l-dub1 said:
Nice bike! You forgot to mention that you can get a killer plate of Coco Curry on the way home as well; number 6 pork cutlett with 400g of rice! What bars are you running on the KM? Lot's of sweep... looks nice. If you're ver down towards Fukuoka, drive South and take the Kirin Beer Farm tour. The food and beer alone are worth the trip!

Wow! Fast reply! Thanks - I love the KM, but after seeing that huge Jones thread, I was starting to develop a bike inferiority complex.

yeah, Coco Ichiban curry really does hit the spot after a ride and an onsen, that's for sure! But level 6? That's pretty darn hot - I never made it past 4 - I am a curry wuss, I guess.

The Monkey bars are Bazooka trials bars - 15deg sweep, were 720mm wide (until I cut them), nice, but I gotta run a silly-long stem - the 120mm on there currently may not be enough. Or I may try a Salsa Pro Moto 11deg bar....

One day I'll get to Kyushu, I live in Shizuoka, right at the base of Mt Fuji, so it's a pretty long hike, but it's on my list. Right after Hokkaido, which, as you'd know, is the complete opposite direction!

Cheers,

Chris

l-dub1

· #4 · Nov 27, 2005

Location dependent!

Seems those Coco Ichi's are location dependent with respect to the spicy factor. I was blown out once with a level 3 in Akihabra; so you never can tell. I always wanted to make it up to Hokkaido for the ice festival. I've seen photos from there in the summer the terrain looks incredible. Any snow on the North face of Fuji yet? What's the riding like there?
That Jones thread is nuts man!!! I'm starting to look for a new frame for 06' but I don't have the $$$ or patience for a Jones... or Chester... so I'll be on a Kona Unit 2-9 or a brown KM. One day I'll saddle up for a Wily retro-cruiser, those things are killer.

The Tractor

· #5 · Nov 27, 2005

I envy you.....

I REALLY miss living in Japan (lived in Yokota AB). I'm trying to get back there but I have 1.5 years before I can try (AirForce). I miss the food, beer, seasons, riding (MTB and motorcycle) and the people.
BTW, do you teach English there? When I visit next year (my wife goes every year to visit her family) I'll get your info and drop you a line. Can't wait to get back.
BTW, Sapporo half-n-half beer is good, 1/2 dark and 1/2 classic. Went to the factory in Sapporo a few years ago and drove 1200kms across Hokkaido for a vacation. Fun times.

Bike related: Have you ever ridden Fujimi Panorama? That place rocks.
Rob

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TheSingleGuy

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 27, 2005

l-dub1 said:
Seems those Coco Ichi's are location dependent with respect to the spicy factor. I was blown out once with a level 3 in Akihabra; so you never can tell. I always wanted to make it up to Hokkaido for the ice festival. I've seen photos from there in the summer the terrain looks incredible. Any snow on the North face of Fuji yet? What's the riding like there?
That Jones thread is nuts man!!! I'm starting to look for a new frame for 06' but I don't have the $$$ or patience for a Jones... or Chester... so I'll be on a Kona Unit 2-9 or a brown KM. One day I'll saddle up for a Wily retro-cruiser, those things are killer.

I'm really lucky - the local riding is pretty good (in winter - mostly too overgrown and creepy-wet/spidery in summer). We have a lot of big paved climds here through the tea fields and then cedar forests, but have found a few good dirt tracks, some going across the mountains that noone else uses, and the DH here is awesome! well worth the long climb up. I just look at the climbing as more beer credits.

Around the Fuji-Five Lakes area there is a ton of great riding too - and its only about an hour from here by car, so I spend a bit of time there too. A lot less climbing there, and more singletrack. I'll stop to take pictures one day, I promise!

Fuji has a little snow right now - it's cold enough, but we've been blessed with a ton of sunny weather the last few weeks, so not really enough precipitation to pile it up - but no doubt it will soon.

As far as bikes go, I have only had the KM for two weeks, but I really love it. I never expected such affordable steel to ride so nicely. Even the fork, which I've heard so much bad stuff about. And it isn't that heavy by my standards (I'm no WW tho). I would recommend a KM to anyone!

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TheSingleGuy

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 27, 2005 (Edited)

The Tractor said:
I REALLY miss living in Japan (lived in Yokota AB). I'm trying to get back there but I have 1.5 years before I can try (AirForce). I miss the food, beer, seasons, riding (MTB and motorcycle) and the people.
BTW, do you teach English there? When I visit next year (my wife goes every year to visit her family) I'll get your info and drop you a line. Can't wait to get back.
BTW, Sapporo half-n-half beer is good, 1/2 dark and 1/2 classic. Went to the factory in Sapporo a few years ago and drove 1200kms across Hokkaido for a vacation. Fun times.

Bike related: Have you ever ridden Fujimi Panorama? That place rocks.
Rob

Wow, a lot of Japanophiles! Yeah, I'm gonna be sad to leave here. It'll be sooner rather than later, I'm afraid, but if things chnage, I will let you know - not enough people come to visit me here...

Can't half see the Russian influence there in the Sapporo brewery in Hokkaido!

This year was the fourth year in a row I bought a season pass at Fujimi Panorama, and indeed, it does rock. It's been my second home for a long time now (or so my students joke - yep an English teacher). I have a ton of friends and good memories from there too. Man this is a fun country. Unfortunately we can't buy half and half locally, but Yebisu Black is doing a pretty good job at filling the void in my life...

btw, I forgot to mention earlier, that mountain in my third pic is Fuji - just not from one of the classic angles where it looks symmetrical. Still pretty, and pretty imposing - it's really high seeing that is rises basically from sea-level.

l-dub1

· #8 · Nov 27, 2005

I used to work for Toshiba in the mid-90's and I would go over for 8 week shots for work; I never learned the language that well but I could order food & beer. Occasionally get directions too! I miss the culture... the Japanesse are a majestic people. Enjoy it while you can and remember that you can never drink too much of the local brew or eat too much food when you're over there; the US version just don't cut it!
Keep sending in more photos of the Monkey excursions when you can.
Wasabi!

Salsa Cycles

· #9 · Nov 27, 2005

An amazing place

I'm still disappointed you were out of the country when I visited last summer. It was my best trip of the year and one of the greatest experiences of my life. Truly, an amazing place filled with amazing people. I hope to come again this year. Hopefully, you'll still be there and we can discuss putting some Salsa parts on the KM!

Nice bike and great pics.

Jason
Salsa Crew

erol/frost

· #10 · Nov 27, 2005

Nice bike!

The Tractor

· #11 · Nov 27, 2005

Mt Fuji

I had some friends that where thinking about hiking Mt. Fuji with thier DH bikes on thier backs and riding down. Needless to say I don't think it happened, and from wlaking down Mt. Fuji, I think it would be very difficult to do so. The other think I learned from hiking Mt. Fuji is that you need to eat allot climbing up, wear TONS of sunscreen (I got 2nd degree sunburn) and take your time. I call it the stair-stepper from hell. I can say though, the view from the top is wonderful. You can see for ages.
As for the culture there, I miss it greatly.
As for bicycles, they do have some cool stuff and the riding is fantastic.

Rob

TheSingleGuy

Discussion Starter · #12 · Nov 27, 2005

Salsa Cycles said:
I'm still disappointed you were out of the country when I visited last summer. It was my best trip of the year and one of the greatest experiences of my life. Truly, an amazing place filled with amazing people. I hope to come again this year. Hopefully, you'll still be there and we can discuss putting some Salsa parts on the KM!

Nice bike and great pics.

Jason
Salsa Crew

Me too - would have been great to have met you for a Fuji-ride. We've found even more trails around there now, so if we can meet next time, it'll be even more fun.

mmmm....Salsa pars on Monkey....a sweet combo......I fell in love with the dark green proto monkey with the Salsa goodies, have been trying to recreate that bike ever since!

nohands

· #13 · Mar 25, 2006

TheSingleGuy said:
Well, a little premature, but I couldn't hold out anymore. Just got a KM, and it rocks. Give me another month, and it might become a snow monkey.

Two (of the many) reasons I love Japan:

1. Because I can ride my newly acquired green monkey here all year round

2. Because I can buy one litre cans of beer in vending machines on the may home from my ride.

I love Japan. And my KM. Thanks for looking, next time I'll try to get some ride shots. Oh, wait, here's a teaser....

Hey, another new bike?? If you're up I'll race ya fixies down C course! Whachya doing for a DH rig this year?

Tracerboy

· #14 · Mar 25, 2006

I want to see more riding pics of Japan.

markfielding1977

· #15 · Mar 25, 2006

5

I'm living in Japan at the moment and do a bit of XC and DH. I'll be getting a season pass to Fujimi Panorama this season. Here are a few pics of me and my friend riding in Japan. Hope you like them

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TheSingleGuy

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 26, 2006

Well, there's only one dude I know crazy enough to ride fixies at Fujimi, so how u doing Mike? There's been another recent addition to the stable too - my new DH bike, an Iron Horse Sunday Team. Like the one in MarkFielding's pics, but black. Can't wait to ride it at Fujimi! See you there Mark!

Fisty

· #17 · Mar 26, 2006

Now, about that beercan cage! DoH!!!

nohands

· #18 · Mar 26, 2006

TheSingleGuy said:
Well, there's only one dude I know crazy enough to ride fixies at Fujimi, so how u doing Mike? There's been another recent addition to the stable too - my new DH bike, an Iron Horse Sunday Team. Like the one in MarkFielding's pics, but black. Can't wait to ride it at Fujimi! See you there Mark!

Hisashiburi!

Doing well, thanks. Hope you are too. Didn't see Wendi's name on the Commonwealth final standings, figured she must be focusing on DH to whoop your tail this year!

A new DH bike?! Sweeeeet! I'm jealous! I won't be getting any new toys this year, but my newest addition is expected in the next 2-3 weeks

One of these days you're gonna have to come down and ride Mikkabi with me.

Peace!
m

number2

· #19 · Mar 27, 2006

I was in there in 1992 doing some consulting work at Tokyo Sea Life Park, beautiful country with very friendly people. We worked 12 hours a day so I did not get to travel out side of the city much. Would love to go back and go sight seeing for a month on my 29er.

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