The ways to enjoy cycling are expanding these days. Different members, styling, objectives, backgrounds, and other factors combine to make each ride a completely different session.
In “Snap Journal,” we will post snapshots that capture the atmosphere of a ride in Japan, so that we can preserve the style of cycling of the moment.
This time, the destination was Osaka. We went to “MAAP Ride Osaka” organized by the bicycle store Backyard.
Text / Tats
Photo / Tats & Naoko
MAAP Ride Osaka by Backyard
This was the first MAAP community ride event held in Osaka.
More than 30 people gathered in front of the soon-to-open Backyard Ikeda store, the first time I have seen so many MAAP-clad cyclists in one place…!
Uphill makes everyone smile.
Due to the large number of people, Backyard pulled a route with less traffic, and as a result, the course profile was 62.5 km in distance and 1600 m in elevation gained, figures that were a bit grueling. It defies the image of a typical store ride and rather raises expectations.
The location is fantastic, with the hill climb starting just 3 minutes from the shop. Suddenly, the unrelenting incline cuts into your legs.
Ride in small groups to avoid clumping.
The picture of all these people being MAAP is great.
The road continues with few cars and traffic lights.
The group is made up of people who are riding well because they are wearing MAAP.
Tategu-san, representative of Backyard. He is creating a new movement in Osaka.
Lunch was at JOZU+, a restaurant just opened last September, produced by the furniture maker. The carefully prepared meals, mainly fermented foods, were very delicious, and the restaurant’s space design and comfort were too nice.
Since the course profile was in hard mode this time, they had prepared a short course with a lower elevation gain. After lunch, we split up with the short course group, but since I had come all the way to Osaka, I continued to climb further on the regular course.
Beautiful winding road
After the climb, the cider sank into my body.
Long course group (some fierce climbers climbed twice)
There were no signals at all, so we went almost non-stop throughout the ride (I didn’t have enough energy to hold the camera at the end of the ride…).
At the end of the ride, we rented out a cafe for a rest, and were treated to Australian sweets in honor of MAAP.
Finally, there was a rock-paper-scissors tournament to win MAAP items. The prizes included musettes and mugs, as well as the right to win a MAAP jersey + bib of your choice for first prize! This was a lot of fun.
Heading to the end of the course.
A day full of fun until the sun went down
Bye-bye. See you soon.
Personally, it was my first time to ride in Osaka, but the participants were strong and kind, the store attendants were perfect, and the course was easy to ride and had some slow and steep sections (but mostly “steep” lol).
I was filled with a feeling of “Osaka Ride is fun…! Thank you very much for organizing such a wonderful ride.
I would like to visit Osaka again when Backyard Ikeda opens.
Text / Tats
Photo / Tats & Naoko
Thanks! Backyard & MAAP members
