Tokyo Bound...

6:30ish A.M....my brother took off this morning for Tokyo...it's going to be a bit quiter around here...Good Luck Man!!!

Selle San Marco Zoncolan - REPORT

The saddle was super bad a$$ looking in person...unfortunatley, it was like sitting on a sack of jelly fish!!! If the saddle had some decent support, it might have been a keeper based on the looks alone! The shape was pretty good and flat all the way around too...too bad...it's back to Performance Bike...

I should have probably read better...it was called the Zoncolan Gel Around saddle!

Also, it weighed a ton at over 260 grams so, considering my bike is already pretty heavy, I can't see adding more lead to it, considering my Terry only weighs like 180 grams or so...with all missing leather and such...

Magic...

Ever saw real magic??? I'm not talking slight of hand...but for real kine???

Today...I saw real magic, in person, when Moanalua High School teenager Tadd Fujikawa shot a blistering 62 to shoot to the top of the leader board in the Sony Open. When Tadd played in the Sony 2 years ago and made the cut...it was also unreal: http://serikaku.blogspot.com/search?q=tadd+fujikawa

When my brother checked the Internet and told me he threw 3 birds in the first 3 holes, we were psyched and quickly ate breakfast and headed out to Waialae. We entered through the 12th green gate and on the leader board there, it said that Tadd was 5 under!!! While walking towards the tee of the 12th, we heard a LOUD roar and knew he must have dropped another bird on the 11th!!! 6 under and 2 off the lead!!!

We, along with a large Tiger like crowd, followed Tadd from the 12th to the 18th. We were standing directly behind him when he hit an awesome shot to the tucked back left pin on the really hard 17th par 3 hole...the gallery went crazy when he dropped that putt for bird, and 7 under. 17th hole: http://serikaku.blogspot.com/search?q=sony+open

Then on the next hole, he launches a 2nd shot 3 wood from the bunker ON TO the 18th from like 230 yards out...the Golf Channel's "Shot of the Day." Too bad we couldn't track that shot cause it was a super hard fairway bunker shot and must have looked unbelievable! 2 putts later and Tadd was tied for the LEAD in a real PGA tournament at 8 under - Holy Smokes!!!

The entire course was buzzing with energy when Tadd was out there playing today, what a magical day for Tadd as well as all the people of Hawaii.

This is a great quote: "This year, I'm out there to win, and I know I can do it." Good luck tomorrow...we KNOW you can do it!!!

Pulled the Trigger...

Mavic Ksyrium SLs, Elites, Cosmics, Open Pros; Velocity Aeroheds, Deep-Vs, Fusions; Heds, Neuvations, Williams, Other Shimano Wheels, Tubulars???, Miyamura Kinlin Specials, etc, etc, etc...

I'm not 100% sure I made the right choice...but after a month of research, demoing and thinking...I finally pulled the trigger on a set of these:

Dura Ace 7850 SL Wheels - hopefully I made the right choice...

They're Here.....Vittoria Unique 30th Aniversary...

Strikingly Stylish and Beautiful...



And like many of the finest things made in Italy, think Ferrari, looking like 300kph while standing still...

Fuji-san New Years...

Got this special New Year postcard from my friend Ats in Tokyo.
We WILL make this a good year too!!!

Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX - REPORT

What all the reviews say are true...this tire is AWESOME...

Same route, same turns every ride...and I've been noticing that my bike has been handling like cr@p over the last couple of weeks, front end drifting wide on every turn. So today I decided to do something about it and put a new front tire on - Vittoria's Open Corsa EVO CX tire, 700x23. I was going to go with a Pro Race 3...but, decided that I wanted Vittoria's tubular feeling 290 tpi instead of the 100 something with the PR3...I think I made the right choice!

I used to ride with good expensive tires (Conti's GP3000's) a long time ago...however, after getting so mad with too much flats I decided to just use cheap training tires. BAD MOVE! Even though this tire costed OVER $55 (w/ team discount at McCully), I now think it is totally worth it!!! (Caveat - front tire only, this will only see the back rim AFTER it's been well worn on the front...I still can't get myself to drop $50+ for a new back tire that will wear out super fast.)

With just the front, my bike now handles like my brother's Miata on R-comps! The turn in is sooooo good and fast now, especially this one off-camber turn that the foldable Seca handled decently well when new. But this CX is on a totally different level, the front end just turns right under you with tons of grip to spare...I even over turned on several of my usual turns, the performance is that good. I just really hope it wears well and the handling stays the same over the life of the tire - probably not though as I think most tires drop off once the middle starts getting sqared off...we'll see...

Also, like everyone says, it is really smooth riding. At the 100psi I usually use, I especially noticed that the supple front tire just eats up the sharper edged bumps, noticeably taking the edge off them compared to the Seca I had on there. I can only imagine how awesome one on the back would feel - must be super smooth...

About 225 grams...about average for racing tires, but not ultra light...


The only thing now is that I've been cleaning my front tire like every 10 minutes or so, when I even THINK I see glass...just making sure that it doesn't pick anything up...knock on wood!!!

Selle San Marco Zoncolan...

Got this ultra trick white saddle on order too...

My favorite seat is the Terry Zero (iow, my experiment with the Concor didn't work out).

But even though...I'm always always on the lookout for new seats that might fit my a$$. This one looks like it has a chance, pretty flat from side to side and front to back, and with a cut-out to boot.

We'll see how this works out...

New Shoes - Vittoria Unique

Got these new ultra light shoes on order:

I've been riding around on my RB-1 with my old Time Impact pedals and TBT Time shoes and, I think I like the stiffer shoes better than my current plastic soled Sidi Genius Megas. The TBT Times are old school "pro" shoes and even before carbon soles, the TBTs were known for being one of the best. But, the pedals and shoes do weigh a ton...

These new carbon soled Vittorias are super light (400g per pair) and they look good...I just hope their wide enough for my feet. If not, it's back to Performance and maybe on to the Sidi 6.6 Carbon Megas, or, maybe the carbon soled Shimano's in their wide size...
http://www.vittoria-shoes.com/schedaProdotto.aspx?imgBig=3&ID_prodotto=83&ID_pagina=3

Already 3 Days Into January...

Taken in September from the roadway above Bamboo Ridge fishing spot.
2009 is off to a flying start as today is already the 3rd day!!!

Spent it riding for about 3-1/2 hours out to Hawaii Kai with my RB-1 and the D-man and Todd. Good thing we had 3 people on the way out cause it was really really gusty, but, at least the rain stayed away...

Can't wait for this lousy weather to finally pass...I want to ride my race bike.

1st Sunset of 2009..

Spent yesterday, the 1st day of 2009, waking up late, then relaxing and fishing in the afternoon with my brother at Bamboo Ridge. We were going for Opelu...but didn't get any...

Sunset...


Crystal clear tidepool...