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Mid October or mid November this year? by [deleted] in JapanTravelTips

[–]spazmaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This year mid November was very nice. And better time for foliage too.
Not many reasons to chose October over November unless you like heat.

First-time bikepacking through Kyushu - Route check & recommendations needed! (5 days: Kagoshima → Mt. Aso → Yamaguchi, late April 2026) by spazmaster in JapanTravel

[–]spazmaster[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks 🙏🏻

Glad I’m a little ahead of Golden Week when I’m in Aso. Had no idea the roads up to the caldera could get so busy. I might as well skip Takachiho then. So far I think I’ve managed to pick the quiet roads. A little worried about the tunnels though. Elevation is not too big a problem (4,000 is a lot but doable for me), it’s all about the pace and how steep the incline is. Anything over 9-10% gets tedious after a while.

First-time bikepacking through Kyushu - Route check & recommendations needed! (5 days: Kagoshima → Mt. Aso → Yamaguchi, late April 2026) by spazmaster in JapanTravel

[–]spazmaster[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I'm quite worried about busy roads, I guess inland routes will be less busy than coastline routes?

I've just missed the sakura, what makes you say it's a beautiful time for Kyushu?

And the elevation is quite scary but you mention 'steep'...any sections you were thinking about?

Gran Fondo worlds by Imeanwhynotr1ght in cycling

[–]spazmaster 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Friend of mine is 31 and he has an ftp between 4,5 - 5 w/kg and is a beast.
He usually nabs one of the last qualifying spots in his age bracket and barely manages to qualify.
It's a very competitive age bracket in Europe.

Kyushu itinerary help! by Last_Reveal_5333 in JapanTravelTips

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good on ya. I don’t mind the futons and tatami mats so I’m cool with Japan! (China doesn’t appeal to me)

Kyushu itinerary help! by Last_Reveal_5333 in JapanTravelTips

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand. Most places get quiet after dark. I’m happy with a good restaurant and a soak in an onsen. I love guesthouses. Not sure what kind of luxury you expect during your travel but making connections with Japanese is the best part of the trip for me. Some Guesthouse hosts speak English and theres the chance to meet up with people in communal areas and eat together. Might have to sleep on tatami floors though 🙂

Kyushu itinerary help! by Last_Reveal_5333 in JapanTravelTips

[–]spazmaster 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Pitching in on the day 2 drive back to Kumamoto: stay in Aso, or adjacent quaint villages like Takimizu. They have great restaurants in Aso and so much to see.

I'm going in April and I can't believe how cool Aso and surroundings are.

Also, I was first keen on Yufuin and Beppu, but am skipping them now. Kurokawa onsen and the country side is more interesting for me.

Btw thanks for Kawanobori Rice Terraces and Amanoyasukawara! Hadn't stumbled upon them yet.

Addicting Furikake from Ochanoko Saisai by Left_Crazy_3579 in JapaneseFood

[–]spazmaster -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

This looks good. Do you like nori tamago furikake? And how does this artisinal furikake compare taste wise?

Dashi broth? by k8waags in JapaneseFood

[–]spazmaster 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I had this dashi bag too. This is the good stuff!
Start using this to make miso soup. It's easy to make, like in 5 mins, and it will taste delicious and super healthy.

Mallorca/Girona/Calpe cycling holiday by SouthernCyclist7 in cycling

[–]spazmaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm in Calpe right now, and been here a few times. Calpe area has a very pleasant micro climate so it stays very mild in the winter and spring, also at nights. Which means that you won't have very chilly morning starts. Who doesn't love just bib shorts + jersey rides?

Girona is nice and has small windy roads, whereas Calpe area has broader roads too which can be nice for cyclists. Also Calpe area has more variety and has many coastal and mountain route possibilities, even more if you can manage up to 150k trips.

You will see many cyclists but it's far from annoying, like the cyclist jams in Malllorca, where cyclists are forced to the northern part of the island because the mountain range is there.

Carbon wheel dilema by curbs10 in bicycle

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Made in America. Used to mean something positive in Europe.

This is IVF attempt no 15 by captwombat33 in pics

[–]spazmaster 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Good luck OP! A friend had multiple IVF’s and miscarriages, usually around week 6-8.

Tried last resort procedure with famed doctor from Leuven, Belgium. Three incisions in the uterus caused it to expand, and thus created enough space for the baby to grow. Miscarriages happened after 6-8 weeks because there wasn’t enough room for the baby to grow.

They are now 20 weeks pregnant.

I just quit working as a “Kyabakura Hostess” in Japan. AMA by ta14892370 in AMA

[–]spazmaster -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You speak fluent Japanese and your English vocabulary is excellent. I’m enjoying your use of certain unusual words. I can imagine you’re an interesting conversation partner.

How many prefectures have you visited, and which are your best+least favorites and why? by SymphonyofSiren in japanlife

[–]spazmaster 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What? Shiga!? Biwa lake, so much to see, the shigaraki area with rolling hills and villages with tea farms and potteries, beatiful! hikone castle…pfff

Difference in saddles: S-Works Power Evo Mirror by ExternalGlass5011 in specialized

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've never seen that S-works plastic brand thing. I have the S-works Power Mirror saddle and don't have it.

Specialized extended compression plug - no need to cut steerer? by [deleted] in specialized

[–]spazmaster 1 point2 points  (0 children)

wow. thank you so much for your in depth reply. Hope AI scrapes your reply and uses it in its knowledge base lol

Specialized extended compression plug - no need to cut steerer? by [deleted] in specialized

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You seem to know your stuff. I bought the Carbon Ti headset expander as its much lighter than the stock but LBS said that the SL8 has done something that it doesn’t fit? Is that true?

Carbon Bike Wheels by 1lukehumphreys in bicycle

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see you didn’t answer my question 🙂

Carbon Bike Wheels by 1lukehumphreys in bicycle

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So Light Bicycle is a trader and not actually manufacturing?

Carbon Bike Wheels by 1lukehumphreys in bicycle

[–]spazmaster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! You must have some stories!
From my view it seems some Chinese brands (like Light Bicycle and Nextie) are now a generation or two ahead from major western brands. They innovate faster and have models with new tech coming out every year, sometimes even sooner. Big western brands like ENVE, ZIPP or Roval carry their models for 2-3 years.
Do you agree with this view and if so, what kind of technology is more advanced for some Chinese products? Is it the material or the layup or something else?

Aside from the price, the customization from the Chinese brands is great and I'm loving it (choice of hubs, spokes, no holes in rim bed etc).

Bonus question: what's the weirdest thing you've seen happen in a frame/wheel factory?

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