Fuji Loop Via Hakone and Fuji Skyline

Having DNF the 400km brevet ride last weekend due to bad weather, I needed a bit of long serious ride as training ride before next month 600km brevet. I decided to do Mt Fuji loop and using first portion of last week 400km brevet course to give my legs that big mountain muscular endurance. 

Left very early around 3:30AM and this should provide the dark/sleepy riding acclimation needed for my next brevet. The weather was forecasted to be sunny, but I didn't get the sun until afternoon. The south side of Mt. Fuji was mostly foggy and cloudy.

The ride was tough but was able to ride almost continously expect for a few hunger pang stops and nature breaks. 

Hope the weather will cooperate on the next big one.

Rare One

I was fortunate enough to be a recipient of a Titanium bike frame from Tom, who owns this famous blog. It is a very nice and well maintained frame but it just need a little fixing!

This was the picture posted by Tom when it was up for grab. It has a narrow clean crack on the outside seat stay. (During welding, it was found to have another small invincible crack on the inside opposite the visible crack).

Before the welding....

I was interested in Tom's frame but not sure if it could be fix and if fixed, is it reliable to ride. I remember there are lots of small specialized shops on one of the small cycling/jogging riverside near my place and I was able to find a small welding shop that does also Titanium. I talked to the shop owner and he said it was fixable but would not guarantee it's safety. I was a bit concerned first but then I figure I can use it as my indoor training bike. I then send a message to Tom and mentioned I was interested. We arrange a pick-up date/time and I got the frame.

I quickly went to the shop for the welding and the owner was very nice and the place looks very professional. He does welding on a lot of different metals and fixes almost anything. Here is the quick video of him working on the metal.

And here is the finished weld. The colour characteristic shows an excellent weld. Well done! I highly recommend this guy.

After the welding: Viewed from inside of left seat stay

After welding: Viewed from outside of left seat stay 

I named the new born again titanium bike 'Rare One'.

I slowly ramped up the forces on the stays and it hold up pretty well. After a few months of testing on different terrains and forces on the pedals, it stood up to the test of time. Now it is one of my stallion and has proven itself and already broken a few Strava segment personal records.

Rare One during one of the Autumn Test Ride...

...at Lake Tsukui. (See no handlebar tape yet!) 

New Spring Look of Rare One with my Old Roses with a gift of Aero wheel.

Front View with my English Roses.