My weekend is shifted

This year 2011 is quite special year for all Japanese people. As you know terrible huge earthquake and tsunami attacked and nuclear power plant accident.

Of course, I can work almost normal.
I don't say anything I think about north of Japan area.....

I am working in commercial vehicle produce company. Almost car makers are shifting weekend in this summer for energy saving.

I feel very strange....every morning I can't understand what is today. Little bit confused.

My motivation is not increase!!!
Because it's different between my weekend and my wife weekend.
And in my case, I can contact to European cooperation companies only 3days in week.

Probably, shifted weekend will be used in next year and next and so on......
Who will check this years effect??
I will check by own after shifted weekend season.

Interest bicycle frame

Hi,

I found very interesting road bike frame that is Ridley Noah FB.
Source of some photos are
Bikerader.com

New Noah FB has "full integrate brake system in frame" is called "Fast Brake".
Both brake arms are integrated on Front Fork and Seat stay.

It's like the V-brake system. I wanna ride it!!

And Cervelo released new Aero Road frame name is S5.

I think it is combine S3 and P4. Looks very fast!! Also I wanna ride!!

Each frames (Noah FB and S5) are so expensive. I wanna purchase but I have not enough money.....next year model???

Very special month for me part 1

Hi, already half past this year...so fast.
Last month (May) was very special month for me.
Because I went to Europe two times during three weeks, same companies. It's crazy I think.

Visit to many cities and met lot of people. So exhausted but had very fun time!! Europe is summer time, sunset time is too late. Tokyo is before 19:00, Germany is around 22:00!! Little bit strange.

Put many photo in Europe. See follow

Baden Baden in Germany.

Move by DB

Vienna Austria

To be continued to part 2

Memories of Snowboarding

Lot of Moments of Carving of my snowboarding friends.

One month has passed

Today is 11th April.
One month has passed since the tragic earthquake occurred.....

Aftershock of 3.11 M9.0 is still continue.
I am not sure when it is calm down....

So, Reactors of nuclear power plant is still keep stable.
We want to say to our government and TEPCO, "We want to know correct information of plant condition and radiation level!!" and "Who is the Leader??"

I have to do possible my self day by day.

Chain broken

Hi,

Last Sunday, it was little bit cold. Was it returned winter??
I did ride fixed gear bike 50km. I had a trouble that my bike chain link was broken!!

I was riding at 20km from my home. Suddenly my crank did no reaction force!!
I did stop the bike immediately and confirm, chain derailed from rear cog. I think it is strange because single gear bike chain line is straight!! It has not push force of side direction.

I putted chain on cog again and re-started. I hear some noise from chain, confirm again during riding.....a point of chain was bending!! I stopped again and check carefully.

Oh my gooooood!! Chain link was broken!!
See Photo!!

However, I was lucky because broken link plate only inside!! Still connected!!
I had no chain connection pin and chain cutting tool.....I decided to return to home with broken chain.

I had to ride carefully especially in starting situation. I kick the ground hardly on starting!!
And very careful acceleration.

Finally I returned to home safely, but take about 1.5 hours for 20km. (normally less than one hour)

Checked broken link plate with scope. It is metal fatigue due to tensil stress cycle after small crack. (I found start point of crack and shell mark of fatigue sign)

My estimation of process of broken is follows;
1. 1st small crack was occurred by chain connect and remove because I had bend to inside link plate for connect and remove.
2. It has tensile stress in forward and backward pedaling (it's fixed gear), 1st small crack should be propergated.
3. Inside link plate was broken. I could not find. However, I heard some noise from somewhere before few minutes of derailed chain.
4. Finally, then accelerated bike, broken link was in front of rear cog, outside link plate was pulled by big pedaling force and bending to outside direction, chain derailed!

Why chain link crack occurred?
In my opinion is this chain's connect link specification is not so good for many time connect and remove.
I wrote I had to bend to inside link for connect and remove chain. I did two or three times.
Link plate has large strain at sometime, perhaps over the yield point of metal material or small crack was occurred.....


I purchased new chain is not necessary bend for connect and remove.

I have to check other critical points.
Brake wire, brake pad and other.....

Keep fun and take care!!!

Bye.

Got new weapon, but....

It is still critical situation in Japan. But I have to do to my life and work possible normally.

Anyway, today's topic is my new weapon of snowboard.
Got new snowboard from Virus Snowboards Germany. It is Ultimate Free Carving 163.

163cm board is shorter than current my main board is 180cm GS board.

Before parchase, I did contact to Frank Dietzel is CEO of Virus Snowboards. Because it was difficult to choose length for me.
I got advise from him.
He said, UFC is very very fast board. If you want deferent feeling to current board. 163cm is better for you.

I decided to parchase to 163cm.
UFC has been arrived my home on 28/Feb from Germany, when I was in Germany for business!! It's funny....

I opened the box after Euro trip.
It's so nice snowboard!! Deck is Titanium and Carbon!!

I checked stiffness of bending and torsion. I think it is little bit soft compare with my current and past used boards.
UFC has so big side cut radius, therefore it is little bit soft. Rider have to more stand angle at into turn situation for same radius of SL boards.

Nose of this board is "hammer head" and "rocker" shape. They are strong effect to into turn situation and stability. But I have to arrange riding little bit for this may be.

I did set up binding and edge tune and waxing.

My stance setting is follows;
Stance width: 540mm (possible wider)
Front angle:55 degree
Rear angle:50 degree
Side cant : No
Toe and heel lift: higher as possible
(my stance width depends on amount of lift)

I planed to go to test ride on 12th/March.
But as you know, Japan had hard attack by terrible earthquake on 11th/March. I could not go.

At the moment (end of March), perhaps I am not sure go to ride to mountain in this season. If I can go to there, I will report to impression of this board!!

I am looking forward to riding UFC soon.

Bye!!