#ThisIsMyRide by Keisuke Watanabe

“This Is My Ride” is a series where we share the most memorable, unique, or challenging rides from our community. Maybe it’s a first century ride, an epic climb, or a regular Sunday ride with friends: we want to hear about that special something which makes this particular ride epic for you – and your Argon 18. Want to share your ride? Email us at marketing.web@argon18.com.

I love hill climbs. I also love photography, so being able to capture the view from the top of a climb is great - I always have a compact camera in my back pocket while riding. I often go on a 100-200km ride on weekends. If you ride a little distance from my home in Japan, you enter Nara and Wakayama prefectures. Nara Prefecture is known for its natural beauty, and Wakayama Prefecture is home to a World Heritage Site. These are my favourite rides.

These three photos are from Tenkawa village in Nara prefecture. The 20% slope begins just beyond the gate.

Since my height is only 164cm, getting the right fit on a bike is important for the type of riding I do. I also was curious about disc brakes to reduce hand fatigue on descents, since the climbing I do also involves descending, of course! The Gallium Pro Disc turned out to be the right bike for me. The XXS size frame and 3D headset system gave me the perfect fit. Although it is a frame for disc brakes, I was surprised by how light it is – perfect for climbing. The disc brakes have greatly reduced my hand fatigue on long descents, which means I feel like climbing again right away.

This is a shot of Mt. Koya from Wakayama prefecture. It is a registered World Heritage Site.

Due to its high rigidity, my cruising speed on level ground also increased. It's very smooth and it's very fast from the moment you start putting pressure on the pedals.

I also use it for commuting, and I ride about 50km - while making a small detour - to the office. I often take pictures on my way home, and have shared a few here.

Photos by Keisuke Watanabe