欧州自転車レース追っかけ日記

According to wort.lu (http://www.wort.lu/en/politics/animal-welfare-cats-to-be-microchipped-in-luxembourg-under-new-law-57e8e2cdac730ff4e7f66f5f Please be aware that this link won't be there permanently), domestic cats will be micro-chipped under the new law soon to be in effect (I hope). I welcome this.

The reason for this proposed regulation change is, however, very aggravating. The article says that because people just abandon their pet cats when they go on a vacation and don't want pay for the cat sitting services. So the government wants to teach people some lessons.

WTF!?

When I had two cats with me in Japan, I did everything I could for them. Sadly one (female) cat died earlier after 4 or 5 years. The other lived (I was in Europe then but he stayed with my parents) about 20 years before he succumbed to old ages. He was taken to the vet when he was not eating well or sick. He was even cremated and his ash remains with my parents. This is the way a loved pet cat should be treated.

By the way In Japan cremation is the dominant way of disposal of the dead. I think it is by law compulsory except on some small remote islands where burial is allowed as maintaining cremation facilities is too much burden on the local government and a quick transport of dead bodies (to the closest cremation facility on bigger islands or the main land) is impossible when the sea is rough.

In Japan cremation of pets is getting popular. I was surprised that one of those existed in my small home town. On the other hand, people who abandon their pets are also present. I am not too happy about them. I despise them.

The article also says that sterilising and castration of some cats will be compulsory under some conditions. This, I think, might mean that the government has the right to intervene when the authorities spot crazy cat people.

I mean that sometimes people who love cats so much and keep too many beyond a proper capacity and those cats keep multiplying with no control at all.

Tour de France 2017 Esch-sur-Alzette

Luxembourg Wort (http://www.wort.lu/en/sport/2017-tour-de-france-esch-sur-alzette-s-tour-ambitions-fall-flat-57ea6056ac730ff4e7f6708e)

Le Quotidien (http://www.lequotidien.lu/sports/esch-sur-alzette-privee-de-tour-de-france-2017/)

It seems that Esch-sur-Alzette is not going to host the finish of Stage 3 in 2017.

On the other hand, Mondorf-les-Bains is going to host the start of Stage 4.

SkaterTrainer

I bought it (them as they come in a set of four). They will be delivered to me in two weeks or so, I hope. I will practice how to kickflip the skateboard.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Cats (in Luxembourg) to be micro-chipped in near future?]の続きを読む

テーマ:ヨーロッパ - ジャンル:海外情報

1. 2016/09/27(火) 22:44:06|
2. Info Luxembourg
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I did not know that there was a skateboard park right in the middle of the city of Luxembourg until I google-searched for it. There is also a skateboard shop right in the middle of the city called Olliewood. Now I know what it means or what the name is made of. Ollie (a trick jumping over an object) plus Wood, to make it sound like Hollywood. Actually, in French 'H' is not pronounced at all, so Hollywood in French will sound exactly like Olliewood anyway.


I will drop by the shop and look for the tool to tune the board. I should have gone this shop first to buy a skateboard instead of driving all the way to Decathlon in Belgium. I should have google-searched for it first. My bad!

In fact I will visit the shop this afternoon. I am now watching the fourth stage of Eneco Tour now on live TV (la une, a Belgian broadcaster).


Later .....

I visited the shop this afternoon. It is located just one block (or two blocks depending on which one thinks the center of the city) off the city center. It was a small shop (of course the rent is very high here in Luxembourg) but I found it very tidy and nice. I wanted to buy a tool. I found the tool sold on ebay and it cost (past tense) only 3 euro or so including the shipping from China. I knew they would be there and they were. It cost (past tense) only 12 euro (irony intended). I could order it on ebay and pay only 3 euro but then I would have to wait for two or three weeks for it as it takes a slow boat from China.

I have tightened the kingpin and now my skateboard feels solid. I think I can live with that.

I will start practicing how to skateboard starting this Sunday. Let's see what happens! One day I will make a sensational debut at the Skateboard Park.

I will visit there and see how it goes without the skateboard. I am afraid that there will be sign saying that one has to wear a helmet and other protections to play there as precautions.

Roaming charges really abolished?

(http://www.wort.lu/en/international/eu-scraps-time-limits-on-free-mobile-roaming-plan-57e3e9e4ac730ff4e7f66cac#)

Really? An article on Wort.lu got my attention again. For me who want to use data roaming during the Tour de France it is a bliss if I don't have to spend any extra money on roaming in France (or anywhere in EU countries).

Make it happen!

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Skateboard park is in Luxembourg (and I did not know that)]の続きを読む

テーマ:ヨーロッパ - ジャンル:海外情報

1. 2016/09/22(木) 23:11:55|
2. Info Luxembourg
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How to be a skateboarder

I learned to ride a bike when I was 6 years old or so. Actually I rode my bike with those assist wheels earlier and then soon I took them out to learn on the two wheels.

Now I am learning to skateboard. I took the film package off the board and stepped on it for the first time. Damn! I almost fell off the board. This thing moves and tilts! After balancing on it for a while in my room, I got comfortable.

The truck (I did not know this was called truck before) seems to be too soft for my taste. Should I tighten the kingpin to make it less flexible? Or should I wait for a while to see if it is too soft or just right.

The wheels are small in diameter and narrow in width because my skateboard is the one for tricks, not intended for going faster straight forward. If I were to get one of those electric skateboard kit, I would get taller and wider wheels.

For example, the wheels used by Eon are 80 mm in diameter to accommodate the motor inside. Taller wheels might require a riser (a spacers between the deck and the trucks).

Balancing on the board, I realized that those skateboarders doing those tricks are insane! How do they do it?

Eneco Tour Stage 3

Peter Sagan won the bunch sprint. The breakaway was caught just a couple hundred meters before the finish. He made it look so easy to win. He zigzagged a bit to pass through other sprinters to pull through to cross the line first. Amazing. He started the season with early Spring Classics win, continued to win some races including the stages of the Tour de France and now just before the WC (World Championship) he can still win. Amazing.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ
[Learning how to skateboard]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車レース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/21(水) 22:31:47|
2. Diary
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Eneco Tour 2016

I am watching the Eneco Tour on live TV while writing this. Yukiya Arashiro is in the breakaway group. Today, I believe, is his birthday and he must have prepared a nice birthday present for himself before the stage, getting the permission to get on the breakaway and try to get a win from his team manager. Go Yukiya!

To be a good skateboarder

Skateboarding has not been done yet. the board is still in a original package and in my car (a.k.a. Ka). I will train and get to know the feel of it later.

I am also planning to get some ride in the afternoon. It is a nice day to ride!

I was checking on the youtube.com to get some instructive videos for practicing how to skateboard. I encountered one of those Sky and Ocean Brown videos and spent some time watching them.

Wow! I am very sure I will never ever get to that level of skateboarding skill in my life. They are only kids and skateboarding (and surfing) like they were born on them. Entertaining and inspiring!

I don't know why they are living in Miyazaki, Japan but they do.

I also found some other videos related to skateboarding. Skatertrainer, Brakeboard and others.

This skatertrainer (www.skatertrainer.com) gadget is cool if I aspire to learn some tricks.

This brakeboard (www.brakeboard.com) gadget (skateboard braking system as the name suggests) is cool but rather expensive. The very price of it would get me a cheap electric skateboard.

MacBook Air 3.1

I am buying some MacBook Air related things Today. I don't need them but they are for a friend of mine. He is selling his MacBook Air 3.1 (11-inch late 2010) to his brother in law. Before selling it off, he wants to make it tidy by changing the internal battery (already too weak) and supplying a charger. I am the one buying them and later installing the battery. I will get the money back later, of course.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Skateboard and bicycling]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車レース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/21(水) 15:23:46|
2. Bike Races
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Skateboarder!

I drove to one of the Decathlon store nearby (but not in Luxembourg) in Arlon, Belgium and bought a skateboard. I found cheaper skateboards on ebay or Amazon (Germany) but I wanted it quickly so I drove there to get one.

It was not so special. I did not know the varieties of skateboards. I belatedly found that there were ones like that I got (both ends curbed up and used for tricks), ones that are short and flat-decked (for cruising) and longer ones (directional, used for downhill or high speed cruising).

I was also interested in electric skateboards. I checked for them in places like ebay, Kickstarter.com or Indiegogo.com. There are many cheaper electric skateboards sold directly from China. There are sites selling kits (motors and so on) to convert non-electric skateboards into powered skateboards.

There are more expensive versions that look cleaner and more functional.

How about this (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/eon-world-s-1st-electric-skateboard-powertrain#/)? It is called Eon. It is not too expensive as this (http://www.mellowboards.com/).

There is this melonboard and there is a comparison table on its site.


There is this ELWING on Indiegogo site.


This Eon seems reasonably priced.


Anyway, I have to start practicing first.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Soon to be a skateboarder!]の続きを読む

1. 2016/09/20(火) 19:56:26|
2. Diary
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What to do next week

Eneco Tour is kicking off on Monday, 19 September and ends on Sunday, 25 September. I am going to get there and watch at least one of the stages.

For some strange reasons (maybe because my job is really a menial and trifle one), I don't get to know the work schedule until the last minute. I prefer the stage on Friday, 23rd because 1) the venue of the stage is closer to me, 2) it is a TTT stage so that I don't miss a thing even though I happen to be sleepy 3) and also it begins rather later in the afternoon so that I have extra time to get there by car.

According to the time schedule, the course is "free" (of general traffic, of vehicles) between 12:00 and 13:30. Most of the teams try to do the practice round during this time.

It turned out that I had a day free on Wednesday. On Wednesday, 21 the stage is held near Brugge (or Bruges), Belgium. It is a bit far and


I noticed

1) Mr. Greg Lemond's site (lemond.cc) has been put under renovation. Although I have no immediate plans of getting his Washoo bikes (not because I don't want one but simply because I don't have the luxury to buy one), I have been a rather regular visitor of this site.

The reason for this renovation seems to be the reorganization of his company. It seems that his company will put more emphasis on the carbon composite business rather than simply selling bikes carrying his name.

2) My bank account is running (at all time) low (hahaha).

3) Garmin's map (for use on their GPS devices and on Macs/PCs) has been updated (to 2017.20). I intend to update it on my MacBook Pro for use on Garmin BaseCamp but don't intend to update it on my nüvi.

4) TomTom's map (for use on iOS devices) has been updated. I have updated it on my iPhone 4 (iOS 7). It won't be too long before iOS 7 support is discontinued.


What happened to . . . ?

1) Ashton Instruments (www.ashtoninstruments.com)

I had once hoped to get one of these and signed up for the e-mail updates. I have never once received one. The site has been there for more than three years (I guess) but no new news. I just wonder.

At that time I signed up for the update e-mail service, there were not so many inexpensive power meters on the market. Now the market is literally (actually, figuratively) flooded with them. I just wonder if they (Ashton Instruments) are still serious about bringing the products to the market.


I want a skateboard now

I don't know why but I want a skateboard. I will get one soon. If I am not too bad at skateboarding, I will eventually get one with an electric motor built in.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [17th of September, 2016 and it is Saturday]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車レース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/17(土) 15:20:31|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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I was lazy to google "NFC Luxembourg" before I posted the last blog.

NFC does exist in Luxembourg. They have started the service in Luxembourg albeit not so widely.

My bank, BIL (Banque Internationale de Luxembourg = International bank of Luxembourg), has also started the service.

It seems that the service is based on BLE (Blootooth) technology. It means that mobile phones and some other device when the right app is installed can pay at some limited places.

It occurred to me that I should correct myself for saying that NFC did not exist in Luxembourg when I entered one of the branches of BIL this morning to see "NFC" logo on the counter.

Now I am writing this to say that NFC has started in Luxembourg tentatively. Auchan Luxembourg has also started adopting the technology, as one of the news articles (I found on the Net) says.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ
[NFC in Luxembourg already]の続きを読む

テーマ:ヨーロッパ - ジャンル:海外情報

1. 2016/09/14(水) 14:19:52|
2. Info Luxembourg
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Vuelta a Espana

The last day before the parade run. The last fight before the dust settles. If something has to be decided, it has to be (done so) in the mountains!

I am almost sure that Nairo Quintana is going to win the overall.


A small side note

This morning I went to SNCT (Société Nationale de Circulation Automobile) to have my Ka inspected. I failed. I have to have my Ka repaired before having a re-inspection. I will do it next week. It is Saturday Today and there's nothing I can do.


NEO by Reelight

The situation is getting ridiculous. I am upset. Clearly Reelight is f*cking us.

First, they (Reelight) have totally ignored the comments by the backers at Kickstarter.com. It is unacceptable.


Andy Schleck Cycles re-open Monday, 12 September!!!

Andy is back!


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Watching Vuelta a Espana on TV and dissing Reelight]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車用品 - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/10(土) 20:07:54|
2. Bike Races
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I have mentioned this topic (No roaming charges within EU countries) several times already. I welcome this yet-to-be implemented law because I live in Luxembourg and I spend extensive time in France during my vacation (and other neighboring countries casually).

There were turning points (and maybe still more) concerning this law. Once it was announced that it would be in effect as soon as 2015 or so. Then the date was moved forward into 2017 or so.

Now, according to a Luxembourg Wort online article, some consumer groups criticised the regulations. In essence, the current draft of the law says that it is not totally true that roaming charges are gone but that it allows only a 90-day grace period before the roaming charges kick in.

For me, it is still acceptable as I don't spend more than 90 days in neighboring countries.

I guess that Luxembourg (or its mobile carriers) would benefit from this 90-day grace period but other countries (and their respective mobile carriers) would be very unhappy if the roaming charges are totally gone.

Big countries need more mobile facilities and small countries fewer. If the roaming charges were gone, big (geographically speaking) countries would lose motivation to invest in the mobile infrastructure. They (big countries) would accuse the smaller of 'free-lunching.'

I am happier if the law gets into effect sooner with this grace period caveat than (the law gets into effect) much later with longer grace period or than never with no restrictions at all.

If some would spend more than 90 days in a country other than her/his country of residence, she/he might consider buying a prepaid SIM card from 'that' country or getting a contract from that country. Yes, I know that changing the mobile number means notifying friends, contacts and family. A bit of toil, maybe.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [No roaming charges within EU scheme met with criticism]の続きを読む

テーマ:ヨーロッパ - ジャンル:海外情報

1. 2016/09/09(金) 15:01:59|
2. Things European
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iPhone 4S fiasco is seemingly over

Concise history
1) I found an iPhone 4S on an ebay auction and bid and won it. It was described as iPhone 4S 16GB (UNLOCKED).


2) I received it and tried to activate it in vain. I suspected it was LOCKED.

3) I contacted the seller to find out whether it was locked or unlocked.

4) The response was not complete or logical. In the meantime I found that an unactivated iPhone could display IMEI.

5) Based on the IMEI, I found that the phone was LOCKED and contacted the seller with the fact.

6) The seller refused to acknowledge my finding and continued to insist that it was UNLOCKED.

7) I have to seek help from ebay and asked to intervene.

In the end, ebay's intervention wholly supported my humble claim. Based on ebay's decision to uphold my claim, the seller conceded to give me the refund and the return shipping fees.


notes:

One of the things that the seller said was that the seller (maybe female but this can not be confirmed) used this iPhone with a carrier and the mother of the seller used it with another carrier.

This may (or might) be an indication that the phone is SIM UNLOCKED but actually not conclusively.

For example, Orange Luxembourg (one of the three carriers here in this country) used to operate under another name (up to, I think, 3 or 4 years ago). This mobile carrier had been owned by Orange (France?) but just operated under another name. SO, a phone SIM locked to this carrier (I don't remember the name) can even now work with Orange Luxembourg's SIM. Two seemingly different mobile carriers but under the hood they are just one carrier.

Now I use a prepaid SIM card with Post. When I put the SIM in my iPhone 4, the carrier LOGO appears as Post. The actual SIM card carries a logo from LuxGSM. Yes, when I bought this SIM, the carrier's name was LuxGSM. It just changed the name about 1 or 2 years ago.

So I am assuming that the seller's claim can be (halfway) true. Maybe the seller does not realize the fact those two carriers are just one carrier under different names.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Well, ebay returned the verdict in my favor.]の続きを読む

テーマ:iPhone/iPad - ジャンル:携帯電話・PHS

1. 2016/09/08(木) 22:15:27|
2. iPad, iPhone and iPod touch
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I bought this Wacaco minipresso NS a while ago.

I was curious even before I had ordered this portable expresso maker whether one of those Nespresso® recycling techniques bore fruit. I mean reusing the used pod shells or using one of those (plastic or metal) multi-use pods really worked.

I looked for them and also read the reviews of the products. Reviews were generally not favourable.

Using the pods (capsules) purchased at the supermarkets with the minipresso NS brews a decent cup of espresso. I wonder preheating the device will make it even better.

Anyways, what I have been curious about was this:

By using the recycling methods, one uses the fine ground espresso powers sold on the shelf (or freshly grind one with a mill). How would the tastes from the electrically operated rather expensive machine and from minipresso differ with the same ground coffee powder?

I recycled the used pod and filled it and then sealed it with aluminium foil. I brewed a cup of expresso with the minipresso. I also prepared a cup with a massive machine intended for the cafes or restaurants.

The one from minipuresso was weak (watery) and did not have much crema on top. The one from the machine was just as expected (good).

I am not sure if the tampering in the pod was OK. I am not sure if the aluminium foil sealing was OK. I just knew that recycling the pods would be difficult. I thought I would keep buying those inexpensive pods from supermarkets.

Limits Power Meter

They are arriving according to the reports posted on Mr. DCR's blog (http://www.dcrainmaker.com/limits-power-accuracy). The upsetting thing is that they are arriving seemingly at random customers other than in the order of order placed chronologically. They should be arriving on the basis of "first come first served."

What are they thinking? I remember they clearly stated on the original campaign perks description that the power meters would be sent to the backers on the 'first come first served' basis.

They continues to piss us (backers) off.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [A small experiment with Wacaco minipresso NS]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車用品 - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/06(火) 11:22:21|
2. Camping in Europe
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There are numerous sites that feature this topic.

Lately I have been visiting this site regularly, (http://velopeloton.com/2017-tour-de-france-route/). The latest update (September 1st) has added some more city names and other features.

Christian Prudhomme said at the course presentation something like, 'it has become a tradition to have mountain stage within 24 hours before the Champs-Elysées finish.'

Until recently this Velo Peloton's predicted that there would be a ITT on Saturday before the Paris finish the next day. The latest update retracted that prediction and now it says that there will be a mountain stage between Briançon and Col d'Izoard (2,360 meters). It seems that Monsieur Prudhomme intends to continue with his favored tradition in 2017, too.

This site also predicts that there will be an air transfer after the stage 9 (Sunday, July 9th) before the first rest day. Air transfer means that the riders will take a flight after the stage to get to the hotel where they will spend the rest day. We (race followers) and others (team staff and others) have to drive a long way to get to the destination (likely Périgueux).

The peloton will tackle the mountains of Vosges (Alsace) and then head to the Pyrenees before visiting the Alps.

Wait a minute! In 2015 the Tour made a counter-clockwise move (Pyrenees -> Alps). In 2016 the Tour also made a counter-clockwise move to accommodate the rest day in Bern, Switzerland. In 2017 the Tour may, according to this prediction, will make a kind of half counter-clockwise move with a zig-zag twist to accommodate Pyrenees -> Alps transition.

A counter-clockwise course layout and clockwise course layout used to alternate. Not anymore. Will there be a third consecutive Pyrenees -> Alps transition in 2017?

In Japanese: 続きどうぞ



[Tour de France 2017 course rumors]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車レース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/02(金) 22:37:59|
2. Tour de France
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It is almost 2 O'clock in the afternoon of September 1st. My door bell rang and there it was, a package arrived.

I opened up the package and set it up on the seat stay on my Cervélo RS.

As my bike seat stay is notably thin, I cut the band a bit shorter just in case.

Mounting was easy. I turned the crank up. Voila! The rear began to light lit up.

As I am indoors and cranking up while lifting the bike up I don't know the actual speed that bike would go (on my 700c wheel). I have an impression that the speed have to be a bit too high. I will know the actual speed outdoors later.

And, tada!



The backup does not work at all!



The light dies as soon as the wheel starts to roll slower. Not a flicker!

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Neo (by Reelight) has arrived and I had a brief test.]の続きを読む

1. 2016/09/01(木) 13:18:43|
2. Bikes and related things
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4. | コメント：0

iPhone 4S fiasco

Now the iPhone 4S trouble is going to come to an end, I hope. Today I went to the local post and made an inquiry. The returning shipping fee would be 9 euro. This service comes with a nice small box and registered and tracked so that both (sender, me and receiver) can be sure o f its safe travel.

One last thing is that the sendee has to agree to pay the amount.

The seller does not agree. The seller still refuses to acknowledge that it is SIM locked. The seller refuses to pay for the returning shipping.

What can I do? I asked ebay to step in and resolve the issue. In 48 hours I will see the response from ebay. I will see.

I want to move on now.



Neo by Reelight

It is getting a routine for me to peek in to the post box everytime I pass by even on weekends when no delivery is expected. Where’s my Neo? I know by now (from the various reports from those who have already recieved) that it does not come with any notice e-mail nor a tracking number, which is OK but what a suspense.

In the meanwhile, Reelight has posted a short movie in its latest update on their Kickstarter site. The message acknoledges that there were products with defects but they don’t specify what that defects were. Another evasive maneuveur.

They also mentioned that because of the some fefects they needed extra time to check the products and that was why the shipping was seemingly late.

They did not, on the other hand, mention any of the things reported by those having problems with the products. WTF?

The video that they posted was the instruction video of how to mount the light.

I am not impressed.

First of all, I want to say (maybe belatedly) that the mounting mechanism works well (best) with a tube with a round profile or at least an oval profile. It won’t work too well with seat stays with an aero thin profile or worst an edgy (rectangle/square) profile.

In fact, I ordered a rear light because my Cervélo RS’s seat stay is oval, thin but oval. I did not need a front light anyway but my bike’s front fork is an aero shape one. I did not expect the fixing mechanism worked well with it.

Second of all, I wonder why and how Reelight did not mentioned this obvious fact.

Look at other (or all other) bike light makers! They all specify the place one mount goes and ready different mounts for other applications. There are mounts for handle bars. There are mounts for seat posts.

They just advertized as if one fits all, which did not turn out to be true.

They should have (at least) warned that the standard mount would work with round/oval shapes and not on edgy shapes. I would have if I had been the one responsible for it.

And in the instruction video, the rear light is featured. There, the rear light worked and the stand light also seemed to work (at least for a short period of time as the movie fades out before we see how long it lasts).

One thing that got me worried was the fierce frantic cranking mameuver in the video. It seems that you have to get to some high speed before the light turns on. It seems to confirm the reports that the light need high speed to get turned on.

Seemingly so. I can not personally confirm the facts by myself but I don’t have one by me!

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Somebody (at ebay) save me (from this misery)]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車用品 - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2016/09/01(木) 11:07:25|
2. Bike Races
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