Cycling: Big In Japan

[RadNomad]

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Pensioner age local dude zippin around on his BMX. Now that is cool

 

[RadNomad]

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Police patrol. The plastic tubes at the front are for carrying lightsticks for directing traffic at night and maybe for an umbrella. Rear hub gears with gripshift type shifter. There is a rear wheel lock activated by conventional key barrel and a bowden cable running up to the headset which looks like it might be a steering lock activated simultaneously. Not sure though.

 

[RadNomad]

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Licensed messenger. Single speed steel bike with flat pedals and old skool clips n straps.

 

[RadNomad]

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Another messenger. This guy is running a standard Giant TCR. Note the mountain bike pedals and shoes for more convenient walking.

 

[RadNomad]

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Some great shops here, fun to look around..
This place sells mostly urban fixies, cheap quality stuff but very colourful!

 

[RadNomad]

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"Blue Lug" is a treasure trove of good quality products

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

Konnichiwa, Interesting, I have spent some time in the last three years in the far south of Japan, near Nagasaki and there is little or no cycling culture going on, the odd guy in his Rapha kit, and that was about it.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I'd say it was fairly big from my limited experience, plenty of mums, business men and students on mamacharis with umbrella holders, designed for daily use. As with everything in Japan the etiquette on a bike is exemplary, they ride on the pavements but everybody takes care, no city boys on carbon bikes trying to beat a strava segment like London. Obviously there is the Kierin, Rinko and a big (high end!) vintage scene too.

And Blue Lug is amazing, I spent an hour in there just wandering around picking stuff up, and then promptly putting it back down and considering my mortgage payments. That other place is right above the big Nike store in Harajuku right? If I recall correctly, it was called 'Pist' which I found fairly amusing.

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

Hoping to get to Tokyo later this year, I find lots of Japanese product names amusing, who in the west would by a isotonic drink called 'Sweat'

 

[Adruzzz]

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What a fascinating thread, thanks for sharing