Love it...

Great racing art from Japanese artist Yuji Yamada.





See more here. Seen first at velo runner.

Keirin Berlin in Japan

I love this photo, from the Keirin Berlin crew's recent trip to Japan, because 1. awesome MASH Cinelli made just for them and 2. Japanese taxis! All the taxi drivers in Suva drive old Japanese taxis, and some of them are great, with self opening doors and other ridiculous accoutrements. Amy and I kind of want to own one... and a couple of MASH Cinellis wouldn't be bad either!

Keirin - Spreading the Love

I have no idea what the voice-over of this little Keirin ad is saying, but I like it anyway. Seen over at Keirin Berlin.

Keirin Ad

What a brilliant ad for Japan's pro keirin league. It got me so amped! Seen over at Milano Fixed.

Keirin Calendar 2009

The Japanese Keirin Calendar 2009 is out now. I'm not sure where you can get it from, but thanks to Tomity for bringing it to our attention.

That's Kiyofumi Nagai, Beijing olympic games Keirin bronze medalist on the cover.

I think it's the headband that makes this guy look like such a badass.

I need a bar like this in my life...

"On the 25th of September 2008 Ways&Means opened the KINFOLK speakeasy for the new internationalist in gritty Nakameguro, quite possibly the trendiest district on the current Tokyo scene.​ On the menu is a mixture of killer cocktails like the Cuban staple Ginger Mint Mojito, a drink for any occasion. The decor is vintage Japanese interior meets modern day safehouse. Drop into the mix a kaleidoscope of Japanese Keirin Track frames adorning the wood rafters and you have a bar built for drinkers with riding problems." Plus, they make frames. Check out more details here.

Refreshing Wave of Keirin!

It has been almost 40 years since women were barred from competing on the Japanese keirin circuit, but when ChrisP sent me this link I thought they might be starting again.

A Japanese keirin race with women track riders. This looks promising.

That's definitely a women's keirin... but the Love9 thing is throwing me off a bit... as are the relatively skimpy uniforms...

I was wrong. Apparently it's not the return of professional women's keirin to Japan, but is instead Love9, a group of cheerleaders/popstars that occasionally ride a demo race before the start of a men's keirin. I had super-genius friend of mine DavidP translate some of the page, and this is what it says: "the dream story started in Jan '07 when a refreshing wave of keirin was sweeping across Japan and we wanted to make the dreamy Japanese-born sport more widely accepted. 6 girls got together and cheered floridly for racers."

So there you have it. This is not the return of badass professional women track riders to the kerin circuit in Japan. Pity. However, we have learned that track racing is officially "dreamy" and florid cheering is all the rage. Also: refreshing wave of keirin.... Mmmm!

Love9 posing with Theo Bos.

Love9 posing with a Godzilla-legged winning keirin racer, and some fat bloke.

Check out the official Love9 page here.