Since our staff is generally off on Thursdays, we often head out for rides together. However, when we received an invitation for a mountain ride from some CRC members whose days off happened to align with ours, we didn't hesitate to say yes and joined them.
I’m guessing we rode about 50km, connecting a scattering of single tracks via paved roads? There’s nothing quite like the excitement of riding in a new place.
The bikes we had gathered ranged from full-suspension to hardtails, with wheel sizes covering 26", 27.5", and 29". With monster cross and cyclocross bikes also in the mix, it was a truly diverse lineup. Yet, no one was significantly faster or slower than the others, and once we got moving, we were all just laughing and chatting away. Even though we were each riding different bikes, the sense of fulfillment, the physical exhaustion, and the fun we all shared were the same.
The flow of the clouds, the sound of the wind, the chirping of birds, and the crunch of fallen leaves under our tires. It’s a feeling of engaging in a dialogue with your bike, concentrating your senses on the ever-changing terrain while feeling nature with your entire body. Mountain cycling is just so much fun!
The thrill of trying to ride through a section thinking, "Can I make it?" without falling is exactly like when we were kids, competing with friends to see who could ride their bike off a curb. Here is the shop owner of Ariba showing us a textbook example of how to crash, lol.
Well, it was a ride filled with laughs and perhaps even some inspiration (?), so a big thank you to our guides, Mr. Egami and Mr. Fukuzawa from CRC!
You might think you need a specific type of bike to head into the mountains, but if you happen to ride something like a Surly Long Haul Trucker or Disc Trucker, try putting some knobby tires on it first. I think you'll find that's more than enough to have a great time. It’s exactly like this. ↓
Surly Long Haul Trucker *Check out this blog for more details!
A ride is always an adventure, and it’s a great opportunity to reclaim that feeling we sometimes forget.
Even as the times progress and things evolve, this ride reaffirmed that we are going to keep playing our own way!
Year-End and New Year Business Hours
12/25 (Wed): 10:00 - 20:00
12/26 (Thu): Closed
12/27 (Fri): 10:00 - 20:00
12/28 (Sat): 10:00 - 20:00
12/29 (Sun): 12:00 - 19:00 (Last business day of the year)
We will be closed from 12/30 to 1/3.
1/4 (Sat): 10:00 - 20:00
1/5 (Sun): 12:00 - 19:00
We will resume normal business hours thereafter.