Spending holidays cafe-hopping on a road bike.

Hello, this is Ikeda.

The other day, I borrowed a carbon road bike after a long time and went cafe hopping in Hiroshima.

The road bike was a Cannondale SuperSix EVO, and I opted for slightly wider 700x32c tires.

These slightly wider tires felt quite good for city riding. The SuperSix EVO has generous tire clearance, so it seemed like even wider tires would fit.

Lately, I've mostly been riding touring bikes and MTBs, so I was surprised by the speed of a road bike all over again!

It's true that I could cover a lot of ground in a short time, which made my sense of time a bit strange.

This time, I wore Patagonia's Houdini and Terrebonne Joggers for a leisurely cycling trip.

Of course, riding a road bike is fun, but taking the time to stop somewhere and enjoy the atmosphere and scenery is also special.

This time, I cycled along the coast, enjoying a relaxed time before heading into the city.

I swapped out the wheels for a pair custom-built at Grumpy. I wanted to hear the distinctive sound of the Chris King hub, the "Angry Bee" sound.

Being able to add a touch of color to the bike is also a great advantage of hand-built wheels.

I heard that a new cycle park (velodrome) had opened near Hiroshima Port, so I went to check it out right away.

Outside, there was a park for children to play in, athletes practicing on the track, and people thoroughly enjoying keirin racing.

Although it was still under construction this time, they said a BMX track and a bike shop would also be built. It looks like it will become quite an interesting place for cycling enthusiasts in the future.

Next, I headed to a cafe in the city.

I was surprised to discover how many cafes had sprung up in Hiroshima without me realizing it.

This time, I visited ninin, a lovely cafe in Hakushima. I enjoyed a blissful cup of coffee, a short break after my ride.

This cafe ride was a rediscovery of how quickly and efficiently you can ride a road bike in Hiroshima, visiting many places even in a short amount of time.

There are indeed sights you can only see when you can move lightly and swiftly.