Fumiyuki Beppu Pro Cycling Racer Profile

One of the most talented Japanese professional road bike racing.
Beppu has been racing Trek bicycles since the beginning of his professional career except two years spent with the Skil-Shimano team in Netherlands. 
Trek brand lost of its prestige with the down of Lance Armstrong, nevertheless the American brand is still strong in Japan.

DOB: 10th April 1983
Birth Place: Japan
Current Residence:
Nationality: Japanese
Height: 180cm
Weight: 69kg
Strengths: TT / 1 day race
Pro Since: 2005
Favorite Race:
Marital status: Tour de France
Hobbies:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Instagram:

Watching Keirin Tv live video streaming (All Japan)

Keirin literraly means "Horse" and "Wheels".
Keirin is not regarded as a sport in Japan, it is a gambling hobby, despite the fact that all japanese people will tell you that there are no money games and gambling in Japan.

There are in facts 3 official gambling sports, these are boat races, horse races and bicycle races.
Undergound gmabling goes on in Sumo and Baseball, but these are not relevant to today's post.

Japan Mini Velo 2012 trend (Part I)

Here is the second post specific to japan market only Mini Velo.
These are getting a lot of attention abroad recently.

A quick reminder of what is a Mini Velo category bike.
To sum it simply, it is a 20" wheels sized diamond frame style bicycle.
Confused?
It is an adult bicycle designed with 20" wheels.

(Diamond frames refer to the frame shape featuring 2 triangle, hope this helps to understand)

Ok, back to Mini Velo Show!
The range of Mini Velo available in 2012 have grown up significantly in Japan.
More brands, more models, more exciting designs.

Enjoy!

Shimano Company turns 90 in 2011

Shimano is the World Leader in Bicycle parts manufacturing based in Osaka city, Japan.
The company hold between 60 and 70% of the world bicycle parts market depending of the year. (Bicycle market is a 3 year cycle, up and down +/-10%)

The company which was created by Mr Shimano 90 years ago is still 75% privately owned by Shimano family, 15% directly and the rest via various private holding companies.

Shimano is the cycling shoes world leader with over 1 million pairs sold per year, the company own private factories in China and Cambodia.

Shimano purchased Pearl Izumi in 2008 which allow the company growth in cycling clothing market.

75% of Shimano sales are bicycle parts, then comes the fishing Reels which share similar cold forged parts that Shimano is a specialist, 3rd Shimano business is manufacturing gear box pinion for Toyota and Honda, again, cold forging small parts.
Shimano 4th business market is Canoe kayak.
The company stopped investing in Golf market, it is now focussing in Rowing market, rowing shoes and straps. There is nobody else in this market...

Back to cycling business.
Shimano sponsors for free 6 Pro Teams out of the 18 UCI Pro Tour Teams, that means the team ask to Shimano to be equipped with the newest Shimano Dura Ace Di2, each teams got 150 bikes to be equiped.
This allow Shimano to be the most represented for free (well parts still cost money, in retail value it is big, but since it is manufacturer sponsor, it is better than cash out).

Happy birthday Shimano...

For the 2011 season, of the 18 pro teams that participate the UCI Pro Tour, 6 are on Shimano Dura Ace, some Di2 some cable type (BMC, Euskatel, HTC, Leopard, Rabobank, Sky), 7 are on Sram Red (AG2R, Astana, Garmin, Katusha, Saxo, Radioshack, Vancasoleil), 5 are on Campagnolo Super Record, Movistar is on electric Campy (Lampre, Liquigas, Movistar, Omega, Quick-Step)