Special Thanks / Photo By Kenji Muto a.k.a @muto_photo
The day before a race, I get nervous.
As always, a final check of my bike in my home warehouse is essential.
I cast my eyes over the small bolts, and while chanting, "Handlebars, saddle, pedals. The three 'handles' are my magic words," I check that each one is tightened properly.
Finally, as part of my routine, I rest my hands on the saddle and close my eyes.
"May I have a fun time until the very end."
It’s been about 5 years since I first learned of the existence of sfiDARE CRIT JAPAN.
My memory of visiting "104 Cycle," run by sfiDARE CRIT representative Toshifumi Kodama, also comes back as if it were just recently.
Mr. Kodama:
"Hey, what's up?!"
"Thanks, thanks. You're Uno-kun from Circles, right?"
Me:
"Nice to meet you, my name is Uno."
"Yes, I work at Circles in Nagoya."
Mr. Kodama:
"Well, well, it's a small shop, but come on in and let's sit and talk."
"By the way, what made you come visit us (104 Cycle)?"
Me:
"Thank you very much. (It's a small bench seat, haha)"
"Well, you see... when I saw the race at Bike Lore Osaka held in Umeda back in 2019, I was shocked, like 'What is a fixie crit?!' When I saw that, I thought, 'I want to race too!' and that's why I came to see you, Mr. Kodama."
Mr. Kodama:
"Is that right! We're also looking to grow and make SfiDARE even more exciting. Let's build it up together and have a blast."
Through my conversation with Mr. Kodama, I found myself inexplicably drawn into the charm of SfiDARE CRIT.
Contrary to his calm expression, his inner "SfiDARE spirit" was burning brightly deep within, and I caught a glimpse of it.
I wanted to follow that fighting spirit, which is probably why I’m still chasing after Mr. Kodama's back to this day.
GIFU GODO MINOURA CRIT
Well then, shifting gears—I participated in the final and greatest fixed-gear race of the year, held on Saturday, November 18, 2023, by temporarily closing off public roads in Godo-cho, Gifu Prefecture. I hope you'll stick around to see how it all unfolded!
Also, looking back at late September this year, the "YOKOHAMA CRIT" held during the "CMWC 2023 Yokohama" race event had a huge impact and caught the eyes of people all over the world.
Keep a close eye on the still-developing "sfiDARE CRIT JAPAN," and as I feel the wind of Godo, I’d like to share my thoughts in my signature style, so please enjoy the read.
Don't Neglect Preparation
The weather that day involved cold winds, with occasional sleet and rain falling.
To be honest, it was colder than I imagined—enough to make my body stiffen—and I felt a bit of stress being in an environment so different from standard race conditions.
Some racers were scrambling to put on windbreakers, while others applied hot cream to their bodies before hitting the course; it made me realize once again just how important it is to be flexible in these environments.
I felt acutely aware that my know-how for varying race conditions is still lacking, so I'll be laying out the details of my race, which was full of lessons learned, in this first half. (Sweat)
So, "preparation" is critical for everything.
First, I finish the pre-race registration and confirm my name. Next, to ensure no accidents occur, I must undergo a bike inspection.
It's one of the rules of SfiDARE CRIT, you see.
I want you to imagine this. The bikes have no brakes, and the riding happens completely "brakeless."
Of course, I understand that the participants take pride in being "SfiDARE CRIT riders," but even so, we perform this crucial double-check to minimize the risk of any accidents.
BICYCLE SHOW
This time, a first-time initiative called the "BICYCLE SHOW," organized by Go Sato, a.k.a. "FUMIKIRIGANG," was unveiled here in Godo!!
Allow me to call him Sato-chan.
He is a man who is absolutely passionate about fixed-gear bikes.
When he picks up a camera, he turns into a different person, drawing out the playfulness of bicycles from all sorts of angles.
The Bicycle Show was born from the desire to create a space to express one's commitment to their bike—much like a car exhibition—by lining up custom and rare bicycles. I remember the lively time spent with locals and visitors from afar during the reveal.
Sato-chan, thanks again for all your hard work on this "BICYCLE SHOW!"
I hope you’ll continue to bring in even more FUMIKIRIGANG fans for the next one!
Thanks for organizing such a wonderful project in the cold!! (Thanks to your helper Kamo-chan as well.)
Men's and Women's Individual Time Trial Qualifier
A characteristic of the GODO MINOURA CRIT, just like last year, is that we first advance to the next stage through individual time trials.
The course is about 1.0km per lap, and each rider's time is measured; the top finishers then move on to their respective classes based on their times.
For me, personally, this is a very difficult course. (Sweat)
Both the home straight and the back straight are long, and the corners feel compact and easy to ride.
But the reality is that I’m still not strong enough to powerfully cut through the wind of Godo.
I fully understand these lessons, and I intend to work hard so that next year I can firmly keep up with the backs of the other racers.
I’d also like you to watch the race video from last August in Kameoka, Kyoto, filmed by Sato-chan—the "FUMIKIRIGANG" I mentioned earlier—so you can get a feel for the fun of sfiDARE CRIT.
It might be a bit intense for first-time viewers, but be careful not to fall in love with the riders' speed.
It was expected.
Toshifumi Kodama (a.k.a. Tossy) returned with the best individual time trial time, completely unfazed.
I wonder where he gets that strength from, considering his slender build...
But his technique—gradually increasing speed right after the start, his trajectory remaining unchanged even in the latter half, and his flawless bike control, as if he were just waiting for the final stretch—was absolutely insane and overwhelming.
The individual time trials are coming to a close for all riders.
Before we move on to the final stage, let me introduce one person.
Is he the "Blue Jersey Man"?!
His name is Mikihiro Manjome (a.k.a. Mickey). Mickey is my senior in sfiDARE CRIT history.
He occasionally shows his face in Nagoya and visits Circles as well.
I feel a sense of rivalry toward him for no particular reason.
Mickey is always stoic and "hard to read," but he pays me a compliment: "I always look forward to your blog, Uno-kun!" (Happy!) *Though his expression doesn't change at all (haha).
In this race, Mickey was a step or two ahead of me both in terms of results and physical condition.
It's incredibly frustrating, but I’d like to head into the new year with the image of me chasing down Mickey and passing him on the final lap.
"Mickey, I’m going to win next time. You better keep training until then. (Fire)"
Kids' Race Experience
The kids can't just sit there and watch quietly, either.
I mean, seeing the adults having so much fun riding their bikes makes them want to get in on the action, too.
That feeling doesn't last long, though, as they quickly start maneuvering their bikes with bright, happy faces.
The "Kids' Race Experience," a staple at sfiDARE CRIT, is scheduled into the race events because we want children to experience the joy of riding, too.
It's definitely an event I’d recommend for first-timers, so please feel free to join!
For more details, ask me, Uno-kun!
By the way, we also have a full awards ceremony just for the kids, and we’ve prepared plenty of prizes so that no one goes home crying. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.
Welcome to the Final Stage
The riders are waiting.
Tossy, looking great in his pale jersey, is already standing there, "ready for action."
It’s impressive enough that they’ve made it to the final stage, but I can't wait to see what kind of mark they’ll leave on the asphalt of Godo.
Well, though I may be repeating myself, please watch the final and greatest race of the year!!
Here is that "blue jersey" again... wait, if you look closely, flames have been added to it too. That’s right, his name is Masakazu Sadasue (aka "Chan-Sada"). Chan-Sada is a high-energy rider who always leads the pack and keeps things moving in the sfiDARE CRIT scene.
He works as a bicycle messenger in Tokyo, and while he sometimes hones his bike skills in the same industry, his ability to fight for the top spot in fixed-gear criteriums is truly impressive, standing right up there with Tosshi.
Perhaps fueled by the frustration of the YOKOHAMA CRIT, Chan-Sada seems to have set his sights on Kobe with an extra-intense gaze.
His riding style is defined by a level of guts that sees him charging ahead regardless of who he's racing against. Of course, his wealth of racing experience is another major strength, and I am consistently blown away by his speed, endurance, and especially his cornering technique, which makes it look like his tires are glued to the ground.
"Chan-Sada, thank you for showing us a performance that gets better every time!"
"And, congratulations on the win!"
Closing
Yukio, the Akita dog, is watching over us. Yes, Yukio is a cherished member of the Kodama family and a vital presence supporting sfiDARE CRIT JAPAN.
Let's enjoy sfiDARE CRIT next year too
With the pandemic settling down, we were able to participate in all sorts of events this year, making for a very full and memorable year. It went by in a flash.
Once again, I feel that the bicycle has allowed me to take on so many different challenges. It has also been a year that reminded me of my own shortcomings and the importance of focusing seriously and deeply on everything I do.
The time I get to spend meeting everyone at the sfiDARE CRIT venues has become truly irreplaceable to me. I want to keep loving sfiDARE CRIT. I want to keep talking about sfiDARE CRIT forever.
I hope to remain "Uno-chan," cheering for the future of sfiDARE CRIT JAPAN, for the next year and five years from now.
So, everyone, let's continue to make "having fun" our motto and push forward, believing in our infinite possibilities.
I look forward to seeing you all again next year!
