Takashi Gaman
- Nickname
- Gaman, Tabo, G
- Birthday
- September 23, 1977
- Blood type
- O
- Snowscooting career
- Started in the 1995/96 season
- Why did you take up Snowscooting?
- When I was in Germany in 1995, I saw Snowscooting in a magazine and have been interested in it since then. Back in Japan in winter, I saw it again in the magazine “Lightening.” I immediately inquired of the company and bought a Snowscoot. I obtained a video of a French man riding one and rode based on that. I was a high school student and had no car. I pushed a senior student with a car to take me to the ski slopes. As I had skied since I was a child and was racing mountain bikes downhill at the time, I managed to ride the Snowscoot reasonably well almost from the start. Since 1997 I have been sponsored by Jykk Japan. That year, in the summer, I went to France and rode together with European riders, which was both a great experience and very stimulating.
- What other sports are you involved in, and what hobbies do you have?
- I ride BMX. At the moment I am also into radio controlled cars.
- What is the most dangerous moment you ever experienced?
- I think it was two years ago. It was at a ski slope and it was my last ride of the season. I dropped the nose too much on a landing and crashed into the ground. It turned out not to have been anything serious, but at that instant I thought my neck was broken. For about three months I could not ride BMX because of pain in my back and neck. I did, however, still enjoy radio controlled cars.
- What is the best thing about Snowscooting for you?
- I really like the idea of holding onto handlebars on a ski slope. I also get to know many people through Snowscooting. And there are moments when riding that feel particularly “perfect” – the same way that, after riding, having a cold glass of beer at home is so perfect!
- Please tell us about your riding style and what model you use.
-
Frame: Two units of a model a little bit before the Style-F
Stem: flybikes Street Stemhttp://www.jykkjapan.com/flybikes/
Handle: SimpleBike Jet Set Bar8.0http://www.jykkjapan.com/simple/
Boards: Type-G front and rear boards(G3 proto)
I often ride with my knees together and I am conscious of keeping it smooth and light. The ability to move on the Snowscoot itself is key to this, including the positions of the handlebars and strap. The Style-F is characterized by a big bend in the top tube. This means the knees rarely contact the tube and it allows me to push the board in a smoother, more balanced manner. Even if I start to lose my balance, it is easy to recover. When doing a lot of bunny hops, it is easier to flex my knees, using them as springs to control the application of my weight. This is a frame I can really enjoy. In addition, when force is applied to the frame, the bend in the top tube works to absorb and release it. Compared with my previous frame, I think I am less tired at the end of the day.
I have a primary Snowscoot that I basically keep in one configuration, that I use throughout the season, and another one that I use to test different parts and boards and settings. I think I ride the second one more locally. Other than that, I often ride Snowscoots used by other riders at events.
