sharing

Pilot Bicycle Rental Projects in Saitama and Fujisawa

Beginning in September 2010, bicycle rental projects have been established in the Japanese cities of Saitama and Fujisawa.

As part of a project to promote the use of bicycles and develop a traffic system not centered on automobiles Saitama City conducted a bicycle share experiment in the city between September 25 and October 22. Rental bicycles were made available at various points around the city, which could be used by the public without pre-registration, but pre-registered users were able to use bicycles at a lower rate.

Meanwhile a bicycle sharing project between industry, academia and government was begun in Fujisawa at the beginning of September 2010.

Both projects are part of a larger trend in Japanese cities, including Kyoto, Toyama, and Kanazawa, where rental bicycles are being promoted as a viable alternative to automobiles.

accidents,

Japanese police officer ignores traffic accident to question cyclist

Found on Debito's site this morning, a video showing a cyclist in Japan who has been stopped for a bicycle registration check being questioned by a police officer.  This is not an uncommon occurrence for foreigners in Japan as bicycle registration checks serve as a convenient excuse to stop and question us dangerous foreign criminals.

But on this occasion we hear a traffic accident in the background, and rather than attend the accident the police officer continues to question the cyclist.  At the prompting of the cyclist the police officer eventually calls dispatch and notifies them of the accident then returns to questioning the cyclist rather than attending to the accident to assist any possibly injured people, or even direct traffic around the accident site.







During the confrontation with the officer (in which the cyclist does a good job of standing up for his rights) the cyclist indicates he is filming the incident and will put the video up on the web, to which the police officer essentially responds "go ahead and upload it".

So not to disappoint the officer, the cyclist uploaded the video to YouTube, and I'd like to do my bit to make sure it gets viewed by as wide an audience as possible.

This is Japan where it seems that questioning suspicious foreigners is more important to the police than attending the scene of an accident.  Sometimes foreigners in Japan are overly sensitive about incidents like this which is why I would like to ask:  What would a police officer in your country do in such a situation?

laws

Bicycle Registration Checks on the Rise?

Is there a crackdown on bicycle registration checks going on in Tokyo at the moment?  On my morning commute through Setagaya-ku yesterday I noticed the police carrying out registration checks in three different locations and this morning two more.

Bicycle Registration Sticker

I've been cycling in and around Tokyo since 1996.  I commute to work almost every day. I cycle almost every weekend. I ride the family Mamachari to the supermarket in the evenings, ferry my daughters around by bicycle on the weekends.  Despite the number of hours I spend on a bicycle each week I have not once been stopped for a registration check.  I frequently ride 4 different bicycles and I must be on a different one each time I pass a policeman and I'm still never questioned.

I have read so many complaints from overseas residents of Japan that the police use bicycle registration checks as an excuse to pull over foreigners to check their alien registration cards and visa details.  I must not fit their target profile as I've never been stopped for a registration check nor hassled by the police at Narita.  The only time I've really been spoken to by the police in relation to my cycling habits is during the road safety campaigns the hold a few times each year at which time the come down hard on everyone for a few days they go back into hibernation.  Oh, and when I've broken some usually unenforced cycling law.

Have you ever been stopped for a bicycle registration check and do you think there was a deeper motive in getting you pulled over? 

recycling

Have you "adopted" an abandoned bicycle in Japan?

Well its finally happened, a mountain bike that has been abandoned outside out apartment for almost 2 years had been removed.

I originally wrote about this bicycle, and how would have loved to repair it and send it to a loving home before the elements destroyed it, in May 2009 after it had been sitting in the street for over 2 months.  A little love and care and it would have been good as new, but even though it was obviously abandoned, me taking and repairing it would still amount to stealing it so I left it to its fate.

Soon to be scrapped.

Little did I know that its fate was to sit in the same place, stuffed halfway into a hedge beside the sidewalk for almost 2 years.  In April this year I commented again on how surprised I was that the bicycle had not been collected for recycling or destruction.

By the time it was collected last Tuesday it had been stripped of a fair number of usable parts, and thoroughly ruined by the elements, sadly rendering it unfit for recycling and resale.

In Tokyo where abandoned bicycle are usually removed with ruthless efficiency I was perplexed by the staying power of this little white mountain bike.  But disappointed that it wasn't collected earlier when it could still have been recycled, rather than being left to rot then sent to scrap.

Friends have done it, but I've never "liberated" an abandoned bicycle.  There is a Giant Escape which has been abandoned at our apartment for almost 2 years that is still salvageable.  Its amazingly light for such an inexpensive bicycle and would make an awesome commuter bike with its slick tires, rack and fenders.  But as it is registered to its previous owner, and that owner has left the country there is no way to legally transfer ownership, so its left to rust away.  What an unfortunate waste.

Have you ever adopted an abandoned bicycle in Japan?

commuting

Switching Commuter Bicycles for a Day

If you read my last post you'd know that I've been getting bored with my regular commuting route and have been looking for ways to spice it up a little. 

Commuting, for me, is about getting to and from work in the shortest time possible, safely of course.

In the mornings I walk my daughter to school before jumping on the bicycle and cycling to work, arriving with just enough time to change and freshen up before the workday starts.  In the evening there is 10km of road between me and my family that I want to cover as fast as I can so I can be with them in time for dinner.

While changing my well worn route will add some variety to my ride, it will also add time to my commute and doesn't sit well with me.

This morning however, just by chance I discovered another way to add some variety to my ride which should have been blindingly obvious.  I rode a different bicycle.  My usual commuter is a Giant MCM One small, light, fast and fitted with narrow slick tyres.  Its a tough mountain bike that I used to race in the past, but over time its been modified become a speedy commuter bike.

My Daily Commuter

Well, the Giant is in need of a new front brake disc, and some pads.  In such need that its actually become dangerous to ride.  So this morning I brushed the grime off the Cannondale F300 MTB that my wife rescued from the pound (Suginami Green Cycle).  It has a larger frame, wider handlebars, a rack and big bouncy mountain bike tyres which made for a much different feel to the ride to work this morning.

With three bikes in my stable I really should take the opportunity to use each of them on my daily commute.  They're not all "commuters" but they all do the job.  By changing bicycles occasionally I can spice up my commute without having to change route nor add excessive amounts of time to my journey.

touring

Lodging for Bicycle Tourists with WarmShowers.org

Camping has long been the preferred choice of accommodation for bicycle tourists world wide.  But there are times when you could really do with some more comforts such as a warm shower, a working washing machine, and the opportunity to compare notes with a local, like minded individual.  Till now you'd probably head for a hostel, but there is another option.

The website WarmShowers.org gives you the opportunity to network with people who are willing to offer their hospitality to bicycle tourists who are passing through.  They may be able to offer a bed, a couch, a place on the floor for a sleeping bag, or space in their garden to pitch a tent.  A warm shower, and use of a washing machine is also a welcome treat after weeks on the road.

Most members of the WarmShowers site are bicycle tourists themselves and are sympathetic to the needs of fellow bicycle travelers, others are just generous souls who enjoy the cultural exchange that comes with hosting a guest from overseas.

If you're planning a bicycle trip in Japan or elsewhere then WarmShowers.org is well worth a look, as is the ever popular CouchSurfing.org.

commuting,

For Bicycle Commuters Variety is Not the Spice of Life.

While browsing around last week I clicked on a link to an article entitled "10 Rules for Urban Commuting".  I didn't think I'd learn anything new, but its always wise to compare notes with other bicycle commuters so I read on.

I've been growing bored with my commute recently and have been toying with the idea of mixing it up a little by changing routes every now and again.  After all, it couldn't hurt to add some variety could it?  That is when I read this piece of advice:

Variety is not the spice of life. Save the mixing it up for whatever else you like to do for fun.  You’re riding a bike to and from work for chrissakes, isn’t that fun enough.  You don’t need to alter your route just to add variety.  Knowing your route – every pothole, blind right turn and nasty intersection of it – is critical to riding safely.  Be predictable in your riding and your route.  Get a tattoo or something if your route isn’t exciting enough.

Odd, that a blog article should bring up the very issue I was contemplating only moments before reading.  (Changing route, not getting a tattoo.) Initially I brushed this rule off, but eventually it got me thinking. Just how well do I know my current route?  Surely I don't know the location of every pothole, does anyone, do I?

To my surprise it turns out that I actually do.

After reading the article I paid attention to my riding style and realized that for years I've been veering left here to avoid a pothole, right there to avoid another, even lifting the weight off my front wheel to go over one particularly nasty one too wide to safely go around.

Its not just potholes.   I know the traffic light sequences.  I know if one light is red when I arrive then the flowing two will be also.  I know traffic conditions at different times of the day, different days of the week.  I know which intersections cars like to sneak across on the orange light.  I know where it is narrow and cars will give you a fright by overtaking too close for comfort. I know where taxis are likely stop suddenly without warning.  I know the location of a gravel yard around which you find numerous large trucks and concrete mixers.

Without being consciously aware, I have intimate knowledge of the smallest details of my route.  At first I doubted the statement that you know every pothole on your commute, but if you've cycled the same route for any period of time chances are that you do, you're just not aware of it any more.

Have a think what "local knowledge" you have of your commuting route and share it here, you'll be surprised at all the details you recall.

Lovely cycling weather in Tokyo recently.  Enjoy!

Cycle Mode International Tokyo, November 5, 6, 7

Cycle Mode International 2010 is the largest sports bike exhibit and test-ride event in Japan, where new 2011 models of sports bikes, frames, parts, and bicycle wear are introduced and attendees can test-ride the newest model bicycles. The best part of the show is that you can test-ride and compare all the bikes - road bikes, cross bikes, mountain bikes, motor-assisted sports bikes, and the popular single-speed bikes -- brought together for this exhibit. Attendees can test-ride the bike of their choice, in a fun, comfortable atmosphere.


A large variety of dress-up and tune-up parts is part of the fun, too. The exhibit also includes casual wear for city cycling and cycling jerseys. Information on a number of related events is available.
Everybody will discover something new about cycling.

The event will be held at Makuhari Messe on November 5, 6, and 7.  Entry is Y1000 if purchased in advance, or Y1,200 on the day.  For more information visit the event homepage.

Tokyo Alley Cat Race November 7, 2010

NUTS!fes 2010 - No Bike, No NUTS!fes

After last year’s tremendous success the organizers of NUTS!fes have decided to expand their horizons a little and launch themselves into another fantastic open air music festival... "NUTS!fes 2010"


The event is a two day open air music festival aimed at raising awareness about pollution global warming, deforestation and other ecological issues.

But what sets this music festival apart is that you can only gain entry by bicycle.


So leave all your gas guzzlers at home, mount your two wheeled vehicle and get peddling to NUTS!FES 2010.

Spread the word and bring all your friends!

For all the details, including artist and event lists, visit the NUTS!fes 2010 homepage.

Cycling the Miura Peninsula - Video

Last April Greg McNevin borrowed my loaner bike for a cycling trip around the Izu Peninsula and to my delight compensated me with a six pack of Sapporo Black Label beer and a set of new brake pads.

At it again, last weekend Greg completed a two day, 130km tour of the Miura Peninsula.  The carefully planned trip saw the distance split sensibly over two days.  Day one consisted of 120km stretch followed by 10km the following day .. oops!

Anyway, here is a video of he ride that Greg shot along the way for us all to enjoy.

bikes,

Mama-chari, not just for transporting your kids.

A while ago a reader asked if I knew of bicycle shop that has a lot of different mama-chari on display as she was planning a purchase but wanted to compare a number of different models.  Unfortunately even the larger bicycle stores that sell mama-chari really do offer only a limited range of the wide varieties to choose from.  I directed her to amazon.co.jp where she could browse and compare models before deciding to purchase.

Of course mama-chari are for transporting children, so being a father myself  I eventually asked about her children.  In return I received the following photograph :

In order for my reader's 17kg staffordshire terrier to get a good run each day they had to travel over an hour on foot via Shibuya to the excursive yard in Yoyogi park.  But with a mama-chari that time could be reduced dramatically.

So if you see a cream Angelino mama-chari with an enormous black staffy up front cruising Shibuya or Yoyogi, you know you've spotted another resourceful Tokyo By Bike reader.

Aside from children what unconventional items, or pets have you transported by mama-chari?

Coast to Coast Bicycle Challenge - October 10-11

A note from The Three Amigos:

The next Japan C2C is coming up and we are excited.

This two-day ride is ideal for the entry level cyclist as well as the experienced cyclist who desires a leisurely ride.


The ride will begin at Nagoya Port and end at Tsuruga port where we will have a celebratory meal before catching the train back.  The ride will be partially supported as we will have a car accompanying us to carry most of your luggage.  However every rider will be expected to have what he or she needs for the ride itself.  Please see the list below.

If there is enough interest we may also consider having a group start in Kansai, and we will all rendezvous at our accommodation in Nagahama on Lake Biwa.

To cover administrative costs and support vehicle with a driver, there will be a 10,000 yen non refundable registration fee which needs to be paid by Sept 30th.  This event is in aid of needy families and we encourage everyone to use this adventure to raise as much money as possible for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.  HOPE International Development Agency can help you by providing you a pledge page on the HOPE Global Challenge Website where you can direct sponsors.  On the registration form you will see various targets and projects you can raise funds for.

We hope you can join us.  Register Now!

The Three Amigos
Japan C2C

When
October 10-11, 2010 (Sun-Mon is a national holiday)

Where
Day 1 / Nagoya Port to Nagahama, Biwako (90 kms)
Day 2 / Nagahama to Tsuruga Port (50 kms)
See the planned route here

Accommodation
Nagahama Cycling Center (Website, in Japanese only)

Cost

• 10,000 yen registration fee
• Approx: 10,000 yen in accommodation and food costs. The actual accommodation at cost 3,500 yen per person, leaving plenty in your budget for food and drink.

Fundraising
Minimum fundraising target of 10,000 yen for HOPE International Development Agency. Choose your own target and project:

• 10,000 yen for a tent for one family in the Flood Zone of Pakistan
• 25,000 yen for 25 Hygiene Kits for 25 families in the Flood Zone of Pakistan
• 80,000 yen for a Cow in the Cambodia Cow Bank Program
• 100,000 yen for a well for five families in Cambodia
• 135,000 for school supplies and uniforms for one class ( 50 students) in a rural and very poor community in Cambodia

Equipment Needed

• Bicycle:  either a road bike or a mountain bike with smooth tires. Please make sure you have a bell and a front and rear light.
• Repair kit: spare inner tube and the tools to change a tire.
• Helmet.
• Shirts and Shorts that wick the moisture from your body. Shorts should be bicycle shorts with the padded inner lining which guards against chafing
• Water bottle

Please Register by sending us an email with the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Age
• Gender
• Cell Phone number
• Email address
• Type of bike
• Your fundraising goal and project
• Payment Method: Furikomi or cash envelope. We will send you the details

Register Now!

events,

Tokyo Night Pedal Cruising Video

Video shot at the June 2010 Tokyo Night Pedal Cruising event.  The Tokyo Night Pedal Cruise is held on the last Thursday of every month beginning at the intersection of Omotesando and Cat Street in Harajuku at 8:30pm.

gear

We are cyclist. These are our FUEL.

I am blessed with a beautiful wife, who not only tolerates my cycling obsession, but actually encourages it.  On Saturday she bought me this t-shirt from Tokyu Hands in Shibuya.


OK, so the English isn't perfect, but that adds to the charm.

A couple of weeks earlier she returned from Shimokitazawa with a Giant t-shirt from Uniqlo for me.

Pretty soon my wardrobe will consist of nothing but cycling and marathon t-shirts!

laws

Pedal Policy - Confused by Japan's Cycling Laws? You're not the only one.

 After being stung by a policeman for performing a right hand turn at a busy Tokyo intersection on his bicycle, as he has done unmolested many times in the past, Metropolis editor, James Hadfield, began to question Japanese cycling law, and the local constabulary's understanding and enforcement of those laws.

What he discovered is that beat cops don't have a detailed understanding of the traffic laws, the laws tend to be ambiguous and open to interpretation, and that these inconsistencies tend to work in favor of the cyclist unless they encounter an over zealous traffic cop or one who got out of the wrong side of bed.

Read the full article at Metropolis.

best,

No need to know the law, but you must obey it

One of the most popular articles on this site is entitled "Of Japanese Cycling Laws and other Mythical Beasts" in which I express my opinion that Japanese cycling laws are poorly understood, inconsistently enforced and largely ignored.  At the end of that article I concluded that if you exercise some common sense, and ride safely you can conveniently ignore most of the rules of the road.  Because unless you are disturbing the peace, or present a direct danger to yourself or others the police turn a blind eye to most cycling.

This week Japan Times' reporter Colin Jones wrote an interesting piece on how the Japanese enforce vague laws entitled "No need to know the law, but you must obey it".  While not specifically about cycling law, although it does provide some examples, I was surprised to find that it  confirmed a number of points I had made in my article about the inconsistency in the policing of laws in Japan and goes on to explain why this is the case.  Most certainly worth a read.

The Giant STP1, this is no commuter bike

Last Friday I decided to ride my Giant STP1 to work.  This is no commuter bike.

The STP is designed to take a flight of stairs at full speed, to survive large vertical drops, and is much more at home in a skate park, than on the streets of Tokyo.  The correct way to ride such a bicycle is with as few wheels on the ground as possible, which is the direct opposite of commuter cycling where rubber on the ground is considered essential.

To my surprise the ride to work was a lot of fun.  The STP1 is a very playful bike, with just a single stroke of the pedal I'm transformed back into my 10 year old self.  I want to go fast, I want to ride through the puddles, not around them, I want to hit those bumps in the road that I normally try to avoid.  But above all the urge to launch myself into the air is just irresistible. 

With time on my side I managed a few detours around Shimokitazawa, and Setagaya Kouen to take in some terrain not normally accessible by commuter bicycle.  Needless to say the ride to work was one of the most enjoyable in a long time.

The mornings ride left me in a great mood for a day at the office, and I spent all day looking forward to the ride home.   Unfortunately the return journey was a chore.  I was in no hurry to reach the office in the morning, but in the evening my main goal is to get home to my family as fast as possible and for that I require a much different bicycle.

Would I commute on the STP1 again?  Sure I would, but maybe on a day when my family aren't waiting at home for me, because as enjoyable as spending time with my STP1 is, it just can not compare to the pleasure I receive by being with my family.

events,

23rd Night Pedal Cruising in Tokyo

This months Night Pedal Cruising promises to be a wet and wild affair, being smack bang in the middle of Tokyo's wet season.  But don't let that discourage you from participating, just come prepared for the worst!


Riders will assemble from 20:00 on Omotesando near the enterance to Cat Street for the 20:30 start.  This month's course is roughly 11km and will take riders on a round about route from Harajuku, to Shinjuku Central Park before finishing up in Yoyogi Kouen.



View larger map. Date: June 24 (Thursday)

Reception: 20:00
Start: 20:30 Omotesando
Finish: 23:00 Yoyogi Kouen

Cost: Free
How to Join: Simply assemble on Omotesando between 20:00 and 20:30

What to bring:  Your tricked out bicycle, lights (lots of lights!), sounds (lots of sounds!) drinks, camera etc.  Helmets and insurance are optional but recommended.

What if it rains?  Its July so you can expect it to be wet.  Whatever the weather the ride will go ahead, just make sure you and your bicycle are prepared.

See you there!

gear

Bicycle brand t-shirts from Uniqlo Japan

Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo has teamed up with a number of bicycle manufacturers to produce t-shirts for some well known bicycle brands including Giant, Jamis, and Pinarello.  On sale now while stocks last for Y1,500.
 
      

accidents,

Mortality Check

On my commute home from work on Monday evening I was given a quick reminder of my own mortality.

I was cycling west on a reasonably heavily trafficked road just south of Shimokitazawa when a traffic light roughly 100m ahead of me turned red.  As I began to slow, the impatient driver of the car behind me decided he couldn't coast the short distance to the traffic light and began to overtake me.

Partway through this overtaking maneuver the driver realized that he'd better get back in the left lane or he'd be left with half of his car in the lane of oncoming traffic when he stopped at the red light ahead. Clearly not wanting this he began to slowly move to the left forcing me ever closer to the gutter.

In Japan the gutters in front of driveways often have metal plates or ramps installed.  This is because the gutter in front of a driveway may be up to an insurmountable 2 inches high!  Obviously no modern motor vehicle can overcome such a rapid change in altitude over such a short distance, thus the use of a ramp is necessary.

As I was forced further and further into the gutter I clipped out of my pedal in preparation for what might come.  While in the process of clipping out I noticed the ramp beside me but was unable to lift my wheel on to it before the side of my tire came into contact with the front lip of the ramp and began to travel parallel with it leaving me without steering.

The grating of rubber on steel continued for what seemed like forever as I tried to maintain my balance.  The only thing that saved me from falling over was an almighty crash as my left bar end (followed by my left shoulder) came into contact with a utility pole on the sidewalk.  This rapid deceleration allowed me to touch ground with my clipped out foot, regain balance, shoot past the front of the killer car and continue on my way.

As I looked back I noticed the vehicle that caused all the trouble was an imported, left hand drive vehicle.   Typical!   Why the authorities allow left hand drive vehicles on Japanese roads is beyond me.  They're a menace, but I've ranted about that in the past.

I'm naturally wary of a lot of situations when cycling, getting pushed off the road is one of them, but the metal driveway ramp was new to me.  I will be more aware of them from now.

Anyway I'm alive, the bicycle sustained little damage and I've related enough of this story as my wife may be reading and I haven't told her of this little encounter yet!

infrastructure,

Bicycle parking in Japan, I prefer the old way.

Articles about bicycle parking in Japan have been a popular topic on cycling blogs worldwide.  They usually describe Japans high tech underground bicycle parking garages where customers place their bike on a small rack, punch some buttons and their bicycle is automatically whisked underground and parked with thousands of others.  Bicycles can be retrieved from the system in under 30 seconds.  Convenient, safe, tidy, cheap and awesome.

But while the number of automated underground parking lots around Japan are on the increase, lets not forget that in reality bicycle parking in Japan is a lot more like the photo on the left which was taken at our local station just last weekend.

When the day arrives that bicycles are all safely stowed away underground, off the streets and out of the way of pedestrians, I will miss the random chaos that was once bicycle parking in Japan.

I won't miss the damage my bicycles have received in this chaos, but I will miss crazy scenes like the one in the photograph because surely this sculpture is more interesting than a stretch of empty pavement, is it not?

routes

7th Mt. Fuji Hill Climb

This weekend is the 7th Mt. Fuji Hill Climb bicycle race.  Unfortunately around the time entries opened I was preoccupied with the Tokyo Marathon and didn't get an entry in before the race was full, but four guys from my office will be taking part.

The Fuji hill climb takes place each June starts at the base of Mt. Fuji and is a mere 24km long, the only drawback being that the 24km is directly up Mt. Fiji to the 5th Station, a total gain of  roughly 1300m in altitude. 


If you're thinking you'd like to climb to the 5th Station of mount Fuji by bicycle you don't have to wait until next years event.  Its a public road, its open to bicycles and you can do the ride anytime you like without having to pay an expensive race entry fee and without having to share the road with thousands of other cyclists.  Just get yourself to Fujiyoshida and follow the signs, its that easy.

If you climb the mountain early enough you'll still have time for a nice leisurely, and mostly flat, ride around one or more of Fuji's five lakes before heading back to the metropolis.

touring

The Loaner Bike

Last week a friend of a friend borrowed one of my mountain bikes for a 4 day cycling tour of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka.  Last night he returned said mountain bike along with a six pack of Sapporo Black Label and a new set of brake pads.

This got me thinking.  I should lend out this bike to anyone who promises to return it with a six pack of beer and a new component, until it has been fully upgraded and I have a beer gut that reaches the floor.

Obviously this will only work while it is possible to upgrade a cheap component such as a cable, or the grips.  Nobody is going to borrow it on the condition that they return it with a new set of cranks!

But hey, its worth a try.

Señor Crankee, at a book store near you

While out for a walk on my lunch break I stepped in to the local book store to peruse the bicycling magazines.  Who did I find staring back at me from page 18 of "SIMPLE BICYCLE STYLE 4", none other than Señor Crankee himself posing with his custom designed ShiskaBike.


Remember Crankee is currently cycling over the Southern Alps of Japan raising money for Hope International and that its not too late to donate to his cause.

mamachari,

New Zealanders Adopt the Japanese Mamachari Bicycle

With cycling so commonplace in Japan it is easy to forget that dedicated groups and individuals around the globe are working hard to promote cycling, not as a sport, but as a viable alternative to the automobile.

Two such people are environmental entrepreneurs Jason and Sarah Penny who recently started the business Mamachari Bicycles in Wellington, New Zealand.  Mamachari Bicycles imports second hand, upright bicycles from Japan in order to recycle them back on to New Zealands roads, similar to what New Zealanders have been doing with used cars for decades.

Stumbling upon their business by accident I was intrigued to know what gave them the idea for the business, and to learn how it was being received in New Zealand so promptly contacted Jason with a flurry of questions.

What motivated you to begin importing and recycling Japanese mamachari bicycles?

The Mamachari Workshop in the beautiful city of Wellington, New Zealand.

It's been welcomed with open arms. The kind of people who buy our bicycles tend to be of a very positive disposition. The people who still prefer thier car look on what we're doing as very positive, and I try to preach a moderate line. Our customers are brilliant. All the old boys come in a tell me about the old Raleigh 20's with the Sturmy Archer gear and the older ladies talk about how our bikes are like the ones they used to ride when they were girls. I had one couple come in a buy a bike to replace the one their 77 year old father had had stolen. He was Indonesian and had been riding up till then. We have had many people from places like Japan and Holland where cycling culture is well established, and they come to us for a normal bike.

Inside the Mamachari Workshop

To me Jason and Sarah's story is absolutely amazing.  Two people with no previous experience importing and selling goods from overseas taking a huge personal and financial risk to introduce New Zealanders to cycling as it should be and as a result one by one reduce the number of cars on New Zealand's roads.

I wish them every success and encourage our New Zealand based readers to look them up.  Maybe you're happy with your formula one road bike or high end rally car of a mountain bike, but if you hear someone mention they'd cycle more it it was more affordable, or if the bicycles were more accommodating then you'll know to send them to Mamachari Bicycles.

Mamachari Bicycles is based in the beautiful city of Wellington, New Zealand.

You can contact them by phoning, texting or emailing, or better still, drop by their workshop/showroom down on the beach.

Opening Hours

Wednesday – Friday     10am – 5pm

Saturday – Sunday         10am – 4pm

Monday – Tuesday         Closed

Phone: (04) 384 8610

Text: (021) 065 0801

E-mail: jasonhpenny@gmail.com

running

Tokyo Marathon 2010 Race Report

The first four months of 2010 turned out to be incredibly busy for me due to an exceptionally large project at work.  As a result this blog didn't get updated over that period, and I neglected to let everyone know about my experience of running the 2010 Tokyo Marathon on February 28.  So its late, and not the least bit cycling related, but please enjoy my Tokyo Marathon 2010 Race Report.

Tokyo Marathon 2010 Race Report

laws,

Come on Japan, keep to the left. Is that too much to ask?

 In Japan it is customary for vehicles to use the left side of the road out of common courtesy to other motorists.  This custom has become widely accepted due to its inclusion in the Japan Traffic Act, large fines and the possibility of death for not doing so.

Now, I grew up in a country with a well established car culture.  In my home country children ride in cars from birth onwards, and almost everyone learns to drive when they're 16 years old, sometimes earlier.  One fact so widely accepted that they don't even bother quizzing you about when you go for your driver's your license is that vehicles use the left hand lane.

Essentially from birth your brain is being conditioned accept the keep left rule.

In Japan, on the other hand, not all children are ferried around in cars, my own children ride in cars just a few times each year.  Also, a much smaller percentage of the population hold driver's licenses.  Of those that do hold licenses many do not drive on a regular basis, these people are known as paper drivers.

As a result a large proportion of the population haven't been conditioned to or learned about the generally accepted keep left rule.

Often I'll be cycling, on the road, on the left, only to almost be involved in a head on collision with an approaching cyclist who is not only riding on the wrong side of the road, but often reading/sending mail, talking on their phone or holding an umbrella.  These people annoy me primarily because I am always the one forced to take evasive action which involves swerving further out into the lane.

But what disturbs me more about this practice is the number of times I see adults  with a young child in the child seat or an older child on a bicycle trailing behind.  They're not only risking a serious accident on this single trip, but also conditioning their children to believe that cycling towards traffic is an acceptable thing to do, thus increasing the likelihood of an accident in the future.

Its not only cyclists, as a jogger I'll run on the left side of the path only to have someone running towards me on the right try and barge right through me.

As a pedestrian its a little more complicated, as a lot of the time you're forced to move with the crowd.  But in less crowded areas can't you please walk on the left, or at the very least walk in a straight line?

Another quaint custom in Tokyo is that of standing on the left when using an escalator, leaving enough space on your right for those in a hurry to walk up.  But go to Osaka and this is reversed, stand on the left and you're just getting in everyones way.

To add to the confusion our local station was recently upgraded to a shiny new building.  When approaching the stairs there are signs and arrows indicating "keep to the right here".  Yet on the escalators everyone stands on the left, as is generally accepted!

The lack of standardization is doing my head in!  Come on Japan, as a country can't we standardize on a general keep left when moving policy?

Is it just me or do people cycling, or waking on the "wrong" side annoy the hell out of you?  More so when they glare at you as if you're in the wrong for not getting out of their way.  Or am I just becoming a grumpy old man?

accidents,

The Humble Bicycle Bell, it may save you a fortune

Let us not forget the humble bicycle bell.  Considered lame by myself and my peers when growing up, one of the first items to be removed from any new bicycle along with the reflectors, the bicycle bell's true value has long been overlooked.

I'm here today to tell you that a bicycle bell from the 100 yen shop could end up saving you thousands, and here is how:

Recently a reader, lets call him 'bell-less', contacted me for some advice after being involved in a bicycling accident.  Bell-less was cycling down a typical narrow Tokyo shopping street where he caught up with an obasan cycling in the same direction, but meandering all over the road as obasan are known to do.

To cut a long story short, bell-less found an opening on obasan's left as she swerved to the right.  As he took advantage of the gap obasan veered left, they made contact, she went down breaking her arm in the process.

Be it law or lazy police work, in Japan the largest party is almost certainly held to blame in accidents where fault can not be easily attributed to either party.  In this case where the vehicles were of equal size and fault could not clearly be attributed to either party it seems the generally accepted rule is that the uninjured party shall shoulder the burden of the injured parties medical expenses.

At the end of the day obasan would not negotiate and demanded bell-less pay all of her medical costs.  Police encouraged bell-less to simply pay up without a fuss.  Lawyers encouraged bell-less to drag out the whole process while they lined their pockets with gold.

Given the options bell-less paid up.

A simple "Sumimasen" , or "On your left", from behind and the whole situation may have been avoided.  But to really get a Japanese person's attention nothing works better than the crisp clear "ding" of a bicycle bell.  Its like Moses parting the Red Sea, to the point where I've often felt like carrying a bicycle bell as a pedestrian.

After hearing this story play out I visited my local 100 Yen shop and purchased a bicycle bell.  Its a tiny metallic blue bell that matches my frame incredibly well.  Now its fitted and I can send pedestrians scurrying away with only the power of my thumb, I can not understand why I never had one in the past.

Still think bells are lame?  Check this article from X2 Tokyo and the Tokyo Bell website and you may change your mind.

Cycling in Japan, its second nature

Outside of Japan a child learns to cycle when they're ready. In Japan a child learns to cycle once they're too heavy to ride in a child seat on the back of mum's bicycle. 

Its a natural progression, you crawl, you walk, you get carted around on mum's bicycle until you're too big then you're pushed out of the nest and find yourself on a bicycle wobbling from side to side trailing a parent to the dry cleaners. 

By the time you're old enough to question it bicycling has become second nature.

fixie,

Tokyo Fix and Xtreme Sport Biker iPhone Applications

Ollie Magazine have released an iPhone application for all you fixed gear riders in Tokyo, or those planning on a visit.

The application Tokyo Fix, available for 230 yen or $1.99 via the app store, will help you locate fixie friendly shops all over Tokyo, or just those near your current location.  It also includes links to photos and videos relevant to the Tokyo Fixie crowd along with video tutorials so you'll master even the most complex of tricks in no time (or break your iPhone while trying).


If you're up for a hit of fast, muddy mountain biking fun while on the train then Xtreme Sports: Biker will give you access to 25 levels of forest, mountain, urban and park action.


Although why the action has to be viewed via a scuba diving mask I'll never know.

bikes,

Tokyo Bike's New Sydney Store

Tokyo Bike have followed the recent opening of their London store by opening a store in Sydney.

Great to see these bicycles, specifically designed for city cycling, expanding into more and more countries.  Even if you're not in the market for a new bicycle why not drop in and see for yourself why I rant on so much about how ideal these bikes are for the streets of Tokyo, London and now Sydney.

Tokyo Bike
1 Mary's Place
Surry Hills
Sydney

Phone: (02) 9357 1223

Website: www.tokyobike.com.au

Opening Hours: Sunday & Monday 11am-5pm, Tuesday & Wednesday Closed, Thursday & Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday 11am-6pm

mamachari,

Cycling Tokyo with Tokyo Rent A Bike

Update: It appears that Tokyo Rent A Bike is no longer in business. For an updated list of places you can rent a bicycle in Tokyo please refer to this post: "Where can I rent a bicycle in Tokyo?"

Spring, the perfect time of year for cycling in Tokyo.  If you're in Tokyo for a short visit or don't have a bicycle of your own then you're not out of luck thanks to Tokyo Rent A Bike.

Tokyo Rent A Bike can furnish you with a 6 speed city bicycle, just like the locals ride, for Y900  per day, or as little as Y700 per day for multiple days.  Each bicycle has a comfortable seat and a front basket large enough to carry your backpack or any shopping you may do on your tour.  Their bicycles also come equipped with their own lock, so you can stop anywhere, take a walk around, have a snack or do some shopping confident that your bicycle will be there when you return.

Contrary to popular belief Tokyo is quite compact and easy to get around by bicycle.  From the Tokyo Rent A Bike office in Nakameguro it is a leisurely 10 minute ride to Ebisu, Daikanyama, and Meguro.  Cycle for as little as 20 minutes to reach Shibuya and in under 30 minutes you'll reach Roppongi, Harajuku, Shinagawa, Yoyogi park.  Even destinations such as Ginza, the Imperial Palace, Odaiba and Ueno are not out of your reach when cycling around Tokyo.

Navigation isn't a problem as Tokyo Rent A Bike will provide you with a map, with suggested routes, and some local knowledge so you can find your way around the areas in between the major centers that tourists taking the subway never get to see.

Blogger and Dad, James Christian used a bicycle from Tokyo Rent A Bike last summer to visit Hiroo, Roppongi and Aoyama with his 2 year old son, discovering places he would never have known about had he taken the train. You can read about the days experiences here.

Tokyo Rent A Bike are located in Nakameguro at the end of the Hibiya Subway Line, or just 2 short stops from Shibuya on the Toyoko Line.  You can pick up your bicycle any time between 10am and 1pm, and return it before 8pm.  Check their English website for more details and don't hesitate to give them a call with any further enquiries in English, or Japanese.

Cyclists pedaling to Osaka for hearing-impaired pupils

Last Friday, 15 bicycle riders lined up on the campus of Meisei Gakuen School for the Deaf in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, to kick off their second fundraising charity ride to help the school purchase playground equipment.

Organized by Give a Dream a Chance, known as GDC, a voluntary group founded in 2009 by employees of AXA Life Insurance Co. Ltd., the event brought in ¥800,000 last year with a 1,200-km ride from Tokyo to Hokkaido.

This year, GDC members and other participants are cycling 920 km from Tokyo to Osaka with the aim of raising ¥3 million. As with last year, GDC will donate all of the money raised to the Bilingual Bicultural Education Center for the Deaf Children (www.bbed.org), a nonprofit organization that supports Meisei Gakuen.

“Last year, we were here to start the ride to help the school to set up a junior high school. This year, we’ll help you build your playground equipment,” said Don Kalubowila, one of the founders of GDC.
Donning T-shirts emblazoned with drawings by one of the school’s students, the riders were greeted by the students, their parents and teachers.

Meisei Gakuen is the only private sign-language school in Japan. Established in 2008, signing is the school’s primary language for education. Thanks to help from GDC and other organizations, the school, which used to be only for kindergarten and elementary school children, opened a junior high section this spring.

“If you didn’t do the charity ride last year, we may not have had the junior high school today,” said Hiro Tamada, one of seven new students who entered the junior high this spring. “Thank you for doing the event again this year. This time for younger students.”

The 15 riders cycled in the schoolyard alongside children who happily ran around, waving their hands, before they headed off for a 7-km ride to AXA’s office building in Minato Ward.

The event was initiated last year by Kalubowila, a Sri Lankan-born Canadian national, who came to Japan three years ago.

“The moment I arrived at Narita International Airport, I decided that I will cycle across Japan. I cycled from Tokyo to Fukuoka in the first year. And last year, I wanted to combine cycling with something else. I wanted to do something different. Something to change the society,” said Kalubowila, who leads the tour.

After hearing about Meisei Gakuen from one of his colleagues, he and his coworkers decided to organize the charity event to raise money for the school.

About 15 people participated in last year’s 12-day charity ride, but it was only Kalubowila who made it all the way from Tokyo to Sapporo.

Kalubowila, a veteran cyclist who has made bicycle trips in 10 different countries including Canada, South Korea and the Philippines admitted that it wasn’t easy to complete the long journey. Plagued by heavy rain and stormy weather, he thought of quitting for the first time in his cycling life.

“Also, on the 11th day of the trip, my grandfather passed away. When I got the call, I thought of quitting again,” he said.

But he kept going all the way to Sapporo, where about 10 hearing-impaired local children greeted him.

“The children kept me going. I love children. When I reached the goal, I was exhausted, but when I saw their faces, I promised them to do the charity ride again,” said Kalubowila, now the father of a 9-month-old son.

Another GDC member, John Morris, also noted that they are doing the riding event again for the children.

“We used our private time to prepare for the event. So last year, we were already tired on the first day of the event. But when I went to the school to start the ride and met the children, my feeling all changed. The children were just amazing,” said Morris, also an AXA employee.

“This year, we have about 40 people taking part in the event. Among them, five will go all the way with me to Osaka,” Kalubowila said. “We also have a 7-year-old boy joining us on the second day. And we’re very, very excited about that.”

After the short ride from Meisei Gakuen, they were joined by 13 more riders at AXA’s office before taking off for the first day’s goal: Honjo, Saitama Prefecture.

They were to travel to Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, on the second day. From there the cyclists will push on through Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui and Shiga prefectures before reaching Osaka on Friday.

“I told all the riders to take the flier (which has a photo of the school’s students at the top), so that when they get exhausted and think of quitting, they can see the photo. It should make them keep going to the goal,” Kalubowila said.

Its not too late to make a donation to support this worthy cause!

touring

Follow Randy van der Heide, as He Cycles to the Southernmost tip of Kyushu

Growing increasingly restless at his job as a Software Engineer and rapidly falling out of love with the country he once admired, Dutchman Randy van der Heide decided he needed to make a change in his life.  So, he quit his job and decided to cycle from Kanagawa to Cape Sata at the southernmost tip of Kyushu.

Of course it wasn't such a rash or ill considered decision but rather one he had been mulling over for months.  Given the multitude of options available to him, the decision that could ultimately shape his future was not an easy one and to use Randys own words "I decided not to decide."  He decided instead that he needed time to sort out his thoughts, and time to explore Japan to see if he could rediscover what he once loved about this country so much.  If at the end of his journey he was still disillusioned with Japan his decision to return to the Netherlands would be an easy one.

So it was in February that he made his intentions known via his blog entitled The Colorful Wolf and began preparations to begin his journey in April.  First up his bicycle needed some repair, he had to get rid of all his worldly posessions, and of course there were the thorny visa issues to sort out.

Randys trip began on April 13 with a surprisingly simple blog post "Today is a beautiful day. I'm waiting for electricity to get cut off, then I can leave."  Not long after he is in a bicycle shop getting a new front tire fitted!  Not exactly the start he was looking for and hopefully not an omen for the rest if his journey.  In the following weeks he meanders his way south west and blogs about his experiences as he travels to Mount Fuji, Wakayama, Nara, Kyoto and more interestingly the places in between.

When I questioned Randy about his route he readily admits has nothing planned just a general direction in mind.  He tries to avoid setting goal distances to ride each day, and stops or detours whenever something interesting catches his eye.    For acommodation he is carrying a tent and sleeping bag, but also relies upon youth hostels and business hotels.  I asked if he was carrying any cooking equipment (a rookie mistake in Japan) and while he had considered the idea he decided to take advantage of Japans wonderfully convenient convenience stores, family restraunts and cafes.  After all when you're trying to enjoy a wonderful bicycle tour in Japan who wants to cook and clean?  


April is an amazing month to begin a bicycle adventure.  Spring has sprung and the temperatures are on the rise, at least it was that way before climate change screwed it up for everyone.  Unfortunately for Randy this April has been the coldest on record in Japan since, well, since the Ice Age wiped out all the dinosours and prehistoric bicycle tourists.  When I asked him about his most usless piece of equipment to date he replied that the "Most 'useless' equipment so far has been my tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat. It's really too cold to camp." Then goes on to tell the stories of some of the cold, cold experiences he has had so far.  I can't believe the weather hasn't forced him to give up.


Luckily over Golden Week the weather has picked up as have Randy's Spirits.  Not even a night surrounded by oyaji in a Himeji capsule hotel managed to dampen his spirits.

As for the most useful pieces of equipment on the trip thus far Randy cites a waterproof bag and his netbook.  Using his netbook and a USB device from DoCoMo Randy is able to connect to the internet at any time.  He is able to survey the following days route and scope out accomodation options online, and also uses the netbook to upload stories and photographs from the day to his blog.

Randy blogs daily, sometimes multiple times per day, I find myself visiting his blog religously each evening to check his progress.  His blog posts highlight some beautiful and not so beautiful spots in Japan.  He talks of some of the interesting, and most down right boring people he has met on his travels and there is always something valuable about bicycle touring in Japan to be learned from his writings.  But more than this I find myself reading his blog  daily for its honesty on his own mental state.  He has only been underway for a few weeks and thus far has had some very low lows mostly due to the punishing weather we have been having.  Of course there have been good moments too, but will they eventually overshadow the bad ones and convince Randy to stay in Japan?

I am keen to know the outcome of Randys journey as I believe every foriegner in Japan goes through a dark patch where they have to decide if they will stay here or move abroad.  Everyone tackles that question in a different way, and I certainly admire Randy's quest for a solution.  Occasionally he writes along the lines of "I'm 70% in favor of staying in Japan right now", then a few days later he changes his estimate to 50%.  Other days he admits he may have made a mistake even thinking that this trip would help him decide his future.

I must admit in all my years on the internet I've never wanted to follow a journey this closely and I highly recommend you follow his story as it unfolds day by day.

Good luck Randy, I hope you have somewhere dry and warm to sleep tonight.