The Radavist

Photo by Kyle Kelley

… to hang out with Circles, Sim Works and Chris King for a few weeks. Expect Reportage to roll in beginning with the PBS this Wednesday at Circles!

Next week I’m taking off for Japan, to tag along with the Sim Works and Circles crew on various rides, including a bikepacking trip around Mt Fuji and the Gourmet Century! There’s much more to come, but for now check out details for the Circles Personal Bike Show happening this Wednesday below.

Yesterday, we looked at Amsterdam’s cycling infrastructure. Today, let’s look at Tokyo.

Toyo Frame has a long legacy of framebuilding in Japan and this video looks at their facilities.

Finding a strong, lightweight, chromoly rack ain’t easy. Especially one that has the light mount on the correct (for US riders) side. That’s why Compass went straight to the source: Japan’s Nitto to fabricate their new rack. It’s got a 22lb carrying capacity, comes in at 167g and yes, has the light mount on the road side, not the shoulder side.

See more at Compass and read up on the rack at the BQ journal.

Pas Normal Studios take us on a ride through Toyama, Japan where the snow fell along with the temperature. See the full story at Pas Normal Studios.

What an interesting pairing… Gillette takes a look at Japan’s Keirin racing in an ad spot for their razors.

This year Chris King’s Gourmet Century took to the wonderful backroads of Japan, landing in Asuke, a town in the Higashikamo District. Here’s a ride report from Terasu.

Off-road machines like this are so smart and having been a long fan of Ocean Air Bicycles, I was anxious to see how Blue Lug in Japan’s first Rambler build would turn out. So far, so good! Built using Phil Wood, White Industries and a SON generator system, this all-road vehicle is ready for anything. See more at the Blue Lug Flickr.

Nitto’s newest offerings are now in stock at Blue Lug in Japan. The MCR65 Stem and RM-3 Dirt Drop are for 1 1/8″ bikes looking to be run with a high position dirt drop but in a classic design. These new shapes are available in black or silver and as evident in the photo above, add a different feel to a bike like the Surly Crosscheck.

Photo by Olivier Chételat

If you’re not following Olivier on Flickr, you’re missing out on a lot of beautifully capture cycling photography. From landscapes to roads and even components like these Bosco Bullmoose bars by Nitto. If you’re on a 1″ threaded frame and looking for a more relaxed position, look no more. Head over to Rivendell… Also, follow Olivier!

Chris King and company were recently in Japan for their Gourmet Century. While there, they met up with Ryota Kemmochi who made this video showcasing their travels.

Beautiful cityscapes and tourism vibes abound on top of a handful of Dosnoventa track bikes.

We’re used to seeing Japanese artist Ko Masuda’s work engraved on classic Nitto components, so when this Saffron frameworks road with modern Campagnolo came across our inbox, it piqued our interest… Check out more of this extremely custom bike at the Ko Masuda portfolio site!

Even though Icarus couldn’t fly close enough to the sun, he apparently has no problems flying over to Japan, where our friends at Blue Lug always take building up these frames with pride. Check out the latest from Austin, Texas framebuilder Ian Sutton of Icarus Frames at the Blue Lug Japan Flickr!