Pleasant Social Ride to Onyu Pass
Looking North at the Ocean Salvo, Lianca, and Manseki Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠), in the mountains a few hours north of Kyoto -- Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Looking North at the Ocean
Salvo, Lianca, and Manseki
Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠), in the mountains a few hours north of Kyoto

We had a nice social group ride to Onyu Pass, 75km (47 mi) of mountain roads north of Kyoto. The entire trip was about 150km (93 mi).

Morning Meetup at the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge in Kyoto L-R: me (USA), Manseki (Japan), Ionut (Romania), Yifen (USA), Lianca (South Africa) (Salvo, from Italy, joined us a few minutes into the ride) photo by Manseki Kanemitsu -- Copyright 2016 Manseki Kanemitsu
SC-02H at an effective 21mm — 1/540 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 — map & image datanearby photos
Morning Meetup
at the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge in Kyoto
L-R: me (USA), Manseki (Japan), Ionut (Romania), Yifen (USA), Lianca (South Africa)
(Salvo, from Italy, joined us a few minutes into the ride)
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu
Morning Stretch or Wonder-Woman power pose, I don't remember ( the lens flare makes me think “ morning stretch ” ) Lianca was also present for my very first little ride 1¾ years ago -- 三条大橋 -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Morning Stretch
or Wonder-Woman power pose, I don't remember
( the lens flare makes me think morning stretch )
Lianca was also present for my very first little ride 1¾ years ago
Departing Through Kyoto 7:24am -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/800 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Departing Through Kyoto
7:24am

The first three hours would be just moving north, and would cover most of the length of National Route 367, thereby mostly mimicking the start of my recent Stupid Cycling Tricks ride.

Passing Through Ohara 8:01am -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Passing Through Ohara
8:01am
First Big Climb up the hairpins to Hanaore Pass 8:49am -- Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/80 sec, f/11, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
First Big Climb
up the hairpins to Hanaore Pass
8:49am
Being Overtaken by a faster group on one of the hairpins 8:51am -- Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/100 sec, f/11, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Being Overtaken
by a faster group on one of the hairpins
8:51am
Kyoto's “ I Fall ” Tower so named (by me) because the 308 steps to the top will do that to you -- Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/80 sec, f/16, ISO 280 — map & image datanearby photos
Kyoto's I Fall Tower
so named (by me) because the 308 steps to the top will do that to you

I've cycled these hairpins eight times so far, but had never stopped for the view. Today was a relaxing ride, so I indulged. The big tower in the center is the subject of Kyoto’s “I Fall” Tower almost eight years ago.

First Tunnel 8:57am -- Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/16, ISO 2000 — map & image datanearby photos
First Tunnel
8:57am
Another Tunnel 9:05am -- Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/16, ISO 1600 — map & image datanearby photos
Another Tunnel
9:05am
Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Theme for the Day riding on a road alongside a river 9:12am -- Otsu, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/5, ISO 320 — map & image datanearby photos
Theme for the Day
riding on a road alongside a river
9:12am
Big Salvo Smile 9:28am - taken while cycling at 39 kph (24 mph) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/9, ISO 1100 — map & image datanearby photos
Big Salvo Smile
9:28am - taken while cycling at 39 kph (24 mph)

Salvo had been getting into and out of an aero position just to stretch his back, and had to laugh when I asked him to repeat the process for the camera. But repeat it he did...

Fake Aero 9:28am - taken while cycling at 43 kph (27 mph) (but we did speed up a bit, so perhaps not so fake) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/9, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
Fake Aero
9:28am - taken while cycling at 43 kph (27 mph)
(but we did speed up a bit, so perhaps not so fake)
Back To Normal -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/9, ISO 1000 — map & image datanearby photos
Back To Normal
Rest Stop 9:55am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/9, ISO 560 — map & image datanearby photos
Rest Stop
9:55am
Ready to Continue photo by Manseki Kanemitsu -- Copyright 2016 Manseki Kanemitsu
SC-02H at an effective 21mm — 1/2200 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 — map & image datanearby photos
Ready to Continue
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu
Photo Op 10:14am - taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/9, ISO 400 — map & image datanearby photos
Photo Op
10:14am - taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)
Entering the Next Climb through an animal-control gate 10:18am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/9, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Entering the Next Climb
through an animal-control gate
10:18am
Lovely Road -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/250 sec, f/9, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Lovely Road
Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/7.1, ISO 5600 — map & image datanearby photos
Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1000 sec, f/7.1, ISO 5600 — map & image datanearby photos
Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Steep Section 10:35am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Steep Section
10:35am
Still Lovely 10:41am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Still Lovely
10:41am
Severe Bonk some carbohydrates and a bit of rest and you'll be right as reindeer -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/800 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Severe Bonk
some carbohydrates and a bit of rest and you'll be right as reindeer
Passing View -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 320 — map & image datanearby photos
Passing View
Finally at the Top Ohikodani Pass (大彦谷峠) -- Ohikodani Pass (大彦谷峠) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 3600 — map & image datanearby photos
Finally at the Top
Ohikodani Pass (大彦谷峠)
? ? ? ? ? ( I've no idea ) -- Ohikodani Pass (大彦谷峠) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 4500 — map & image datanearby photos
? ? ? ? ?
( I've no idea )
Chilly Descent the temperature hovered around 10~12℃ (low 50s F) all day -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 360 — map & image datanearby photos
Chilly Descent
the temperature hovered around 10~12℃ (low 50s F) all day
Picturesque Waterfall one of many we passed... one of many I don't have the skill to capture well 11:11am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Picturesque Waterfall
one of many we passed... one of many I don't have the skill to capture well
11:11am
Challenging Descent lot of rocks mixed in with the leaves 11:16am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
Challenging Descent
lot of rocks mixed in with the leaves
11:16am
Passing Through a Little Village 11:34am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 360 — map & image datanearby photos
Passing Through a Little Village
11:34am
Impromptu Bottle Refill 11:38am -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 450 — map & image datanearby photos
Impromptu Bottle Refill
11:38am
Mini Descent 12:01pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/5, ISO 2000 — map & image datanearby photos
Mini Descent
12:01pm
Bike Bling Ionut jokingly presented the ladies with flowers, with which they adorned their rides 12:09pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/5, ISO 500 — map & image datanearby photos
Bike Bling
Ionut jokingly presented the ladies with flowers, with which they adorned their rides
12:09pm
Starting the Climb to Onyu Pass 12:13pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/5, ISO 4000 — map & image datanearby photos
Starting the Climb to Onyu Pass
12:13pm
Early Flyby View 12:26pm - taken while cycling at 12 kph (7 mph) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/800 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Early Flyby View
12:26pm - taken while cycling at 12 kph (7 mph)

We all rode together for the first while, but I eventually had the idea to try to get some shots of the group from above, which meant going ahead enough to be above them on one of the many cutbacks.

Ionut Forges Ahead 12:27pm - taken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Ionut Forges Ahead
12:27pm - taken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph)
Susuki Grass sandwiched between a guardrail and a wonderful view 12:29pm - taken while cycling at 17 kph (11 mph) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/800 sec, f/8, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Susuki Grass
sandwiched between a guardrail and a wonderful view
12:29pm - taken while cycling at 17 kph (11 mph)

Not coming across any good views of the road below with people in them, I eventually gave up the idea of getting a picture and decided to give a real effort for the rest of the climb.

First I had to catch Ionut.

We're more or less evenly matched, though he's a bit on the stronger side, but I had the advantage of not having put in any real effort so far this day. He had done the previous climb in a monumentally-fast 21 minutes, while I had taken 37 minutes of lazy chatting and photography.

Plus, he hadn't done this climb before so had no idea what to expect or how best to pace himself. It was my fifth time.

So, I beat him to the top by 10 seconds.

Ionut Finally :-) Arrives at Onyu Pass -- Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 360 — map & image datanearby photos
Ionut Finally🙂 Arrives at Onyu Pass

I'm really happy with my level of fitness these days (compared to my earlier self). Despite the slow start and the pauses for photography, my time of 24:16 was a new PR (personal record) by three and a half minutes. Compared to others in my group I'm still solidly a middle-of-the-pack rider; to get into KOM (King of the Mountain) territory I'd need to shave off an additional four minutes, and that's not going to happen.

(UPDATE: it didn't happen for me, but it did for Ionut, who got himself into shape and by the next summer he crushed the KOM.)

Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 1600 — map & image datanearby photos
Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 560 — map & image datanearby photos
Group Shot of sorts photo by Manseki Kanemitsu -- Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠) -- Copyright 2016 Manseki Kanemitsu
SC-02H at an effective 21mm — 1/950 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 — map & image datanearby photos
Group Shot
of sorts
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

Manseki, why did you take the group shot without me?
Don't worry, you were in background.

Looking North Toward Obama the ocean is hazy but visible, 15~20km (~10 miles) away -- Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 125 — map & image datanearby photos
Looking North Toward Obama
the ocean is hazy but visible, 15~20km (~10 miles) away

The road continues on toward Obama and the coast, but the northern descent is not paved so I've not used this route for any of the times I've ridden to Obama (this, this, and this).

Mountain-Top Break discussing the decadent chocolate yokan I had brought along photo by Manseki Kanemitsu -- Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠) -- Copyright 2016 Manseki Kanemitsu
SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/590 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 — map & image datanearby photos
Mountain-Top Break
discussing the decadent chocolate yokan I had brought along
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu
Group Shot that I'm Actually In taken by an elderly couple who had driven up -- Onyu Pass (おにゅう峠) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 900 — map & image datanearby photos
Group Shot that I'm Actually In
taken by an elderly couple who had driven up
Descending 1:16pm - taken while cycling at 36 kph (22 mph) -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 720 — map & image datanearby photos
Descending
1:16pm - taken while cycling at 36 kph (22 mph)

The main metrics for cycling as a sport are speed while climbing, speed over long distances, and intense sprint speed at the end of a race. But I tend to really enjoy fast descents, and tend to be very good at it, so that's what I'll talk about. 🙂

Everyone had started the descent before me, but I quickly caught up with them and then spent the bulk of the descent placing myself such that my bike's two cameras (one facing forward, the other backward) might get good views of others, in case I ever find the energy to edit the footage into an interesting clip.

So, considering that I spent most of the time riding with the group and no time trying to make a fast descent, it's not surprising that it wasn't my fastest descent of this mountain by a long shot. What does surprise me, though, is that even though it was only my third fastest, it was still faster than anyone else registered on Strava has ever done it. 🙂

The Descent Ends 1:24pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 320 — map & image datanearby photos
The Descent Ends
1:24pm
South Through a Valley 1:25pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 160 — map & image datanearby photos
South Through a Valley
1:25pm
1:36pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 360 — map & image datanearby photos
1:36pm
1:46pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 720 — map & image datanearby photos
1:46pm
1:52pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 400 — map & image datanearby photos
1:52pm
1:54pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/320 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
1:54pm
Bicycle Maintenance 101 Lianca using the female version of The Force to fix her flat tire 2:03pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 450 — map & image datanearby photos
Bicycle Maintenance 101
Lianca using the female version of The Force to fix her flat tire
2:03pm
2:14pm -- Takashima, Shiga, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 3600 — map & image datanearby photos
2:14pm
2:34pm -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 2200 — map & image datanearby photos
2:34pm
2:37pm - taken while cycling at 17 kph (10 mph) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 140 — map & image datanearby photos
2:37pm - taken while cycling at 17 kph (10 mph)
2:39pm - taken while cycling at 17 kph (10 mph) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 900 — map & image datanearby photos
2:39pm - taken while cycling at 17 kph (10 mph)
The Glow of Satisfaction happy to be done with Nomi Pass (能見峠) 3:04pm -- Nomi Pass (能見峠) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/400 sec, f/10, ISO 6400 — map & image datanearby photos
The Glow of Satisfaction
happy to be done with Nomi Pass (能見峠)
3:04pm
3:18pm -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/640 sec, f/9, ISO 1800 — map & image datanearby photos
3:18pm

After climbing and descending Hanase Pass, we returned to Kyoto hungry and satisfied. Some of us got together for nabe and drinks. It was a fun ending to a fun day.

The only downside to the day for me was the descent to Kyoto from Hanase Pass. I was shocked to find that I had made a PR, even though I had stopped at one point to put on my windbreaker, and had generally ratcheted back the pace due to the encroaching darkness. It's not a descent that I try to go fast on anyway, because some sections of the road are brutally bumpy, making parts of the descent decidedly unfun.

So, the PR was unexpected but not unwelcome. What was unwelcome was that the mount used to hold my front camera (Cyclic Fly12) and cycle computer (Garmin Edge 820) to my bike — a $60 K-EDGE Garmin Mount XL — snapped when I hit one of those bumps. The whole thing would have gone crashing to the ground at high speed except, thankfully, I had a backup tether for just such an eventuality. I had been thinking earlier in the ride that I should just get rid of the tether because the mount seems so strong.

Well, the mount is strong, but the bolts holding parts of it together, not so much:

Bolt Sheared Off -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2016 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D4 + Venus 60mm Super Macro f/2.8 — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 6400 — image data
Bolt Sheared Off
Note: There's an update on this issue in Update on my Bike-Mount Failure: K-EDGE Comes Through.

The mount arm is actually two separate pieces joined with two small bolts, an odd design that creates a weak-link-in-the-chain point of failure in otherwise robust construction. I'm guessing that in this case, one of the bolts worked itself loose early in the descent, causing a lot of stress on the remaining bolt during subsequent bumps, eventually giving way on a big bump. The video of the descent becomes quite shaky leading up to the failure, lending credence to this theory.

This one bolt worked loose theory surprises me for a couple of reasons. One is that I had specifically checked the bolts for looseness earlier in the ride, trying to track down a rattling noise from the area. The bolts were secure. (It turns out that the rattling is coming from within the Fly12 camera.)

Furthermore, I thought that I had secured the two bolts particularly well, even using Loctite 222 to prevent them from working loose. I had noticed one bolt working a bit loose a month or so ago, so took care to make them snug with the Loctite. Apparently it wasn't enough.... perhaps next time I should use Loctite 262 High Strength Mil-Spec Red Threadlocker :-/

I can understand a design like this from an ease-of-manufacturing point of view because it lets you create separate halves for connecting to the bike and connecting to whatever accessory you want to mount, letting you then combine them in endless ways rather than having to specifically manufacture every permutation of bike-side/accessory combo. Still, it seems to place an inordinate amount of trust on two little bolts, and on the user's ability to tighten them properly and maintain vigilance that they remain tight.

I reached out to the company to ask about a similar mount with unibody construction, and to their credit they responded quickly with a desire to understand the failure and to make things right. (Merely by responding they have done more than TiGRA did when my TiGRA iPhone mount failed catastrophically, destroying my iPhone; TiGRA didn't even respond.)

I'll send the K-EDGE folks a bunch of photos and the video that shows the failure was during a ride (and not, for example, during a crash), and we'll see how things go. Not sure I'd want to trust the two-dinky-bolt design again. We'll see.

Update: As I write in Update on my Bike-Mount Failure: K-EDGE Comes Through, I'm trusting the mount again.


One comment so far...

Looks like you had a very enjoyable ride with pretty scenery on nice roads again. Was it a lot more difficult with the big camera?

Actually, not at all. I found myself wondering why I had switched to a different one. —Jeffrey

— comment by Rick on October 26th, 2016 at 10:57pm JST (7 years, 5 months ago) comment permalink
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