I want to start bicycle commuting

I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains filled
with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The length
between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

taro wrote:
> I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains
> filled with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The
> length between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

the best tip is not to overthink things and just do it.

Any bike will work -- as you're just starting, I'd buy one through the want ads or from a friend.
Just have a mechanic look it over before you start.

scott

Hi,

I commute about that same distance...About 10 years ago I bought a nice 'used' road bicycle from a
reputable bicycle dealer and put some panniers, lights and fenders on it and I still use it to this
very day...In fact it's probably one of the best investments I've ever made! I keep it in top
working order and I only use top line parts and equipment on it. To do less would only mean flats,
breakdowns and such.

I keep a change of clothes in my panniers (Dockers, Underware, Socks, Street Shoes, Sport Shirt &
Sport Coat) I also carry a laptop computer in a back pack I use! I have a shower at work so I arrive
about half hour before I start work and shower and relax before the day begins...You'll find you'll
be more alert as the morning ride tends to really get the blood flowing...The same can be said for
the ride home too as you ride off the stress of a busy day!

So find yourself a good bicycle dealer and buy a nice 'used' road or touring bicycle and fit it out
with the things you know you'll need. Then on a weekend, go out and ride the route you've chosen to
go to school. You may find what looked good in a car isn't so good on a bicycle...Adjust your route
accordingly and good cycling!

Best wishes and good studies(!), Arous Seattle Bicycle Commuter

"taro" <urotagia@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:2a6d7a93.0306302231.332e93c7@posting.google.com...
> I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains
> filled with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The
> length between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

taro wrote:

> I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains
> filled with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The
> length between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

You'll be riding 16 km in and about Tokyo proper?

IIRC, that was a pretty wild place to be riding a bicycle, but this was 40 years ago!

Tokyo was pretty flat as I remember, so just about any bike will
do. The Japanese used to have some very nice 3-5 speed bikes complete with baskets and those brakes
using steel rods instead of wire cables. I think you can still pick them up quite cheaply.

Theft wasn't much of a problem when I was there, but I understand that is no longer the case, so a
good lock will be needed.

The real challenge will be riding technique. You'll be mixing it up good with automobile traffic and
I'm not certain how the Japanese currently regard bicycle-motor vehicle interaction on the roads. In
US urban/suburban areas, it is sometimes very difficult to use the roads with any efficiency,
irrespective of your right to it. You may end up being more a pedestrian, when getting across
streets or making left turns (actually right turns in Japan) across traffic.

If congestion is still really bad making for slow traffic, you can probably ride your bike just like
you'd drive a car. Do the Japanese get distraught at this behavior from bicyclists?

Anyways, any bike will do. Invest some time in finding the most bike friendly route for your
commute. I'd think a 16 km ride would only require about an hour at most in traffic. Probably you
could get to and from your destination faster by bike than by train and almost certainly by car!

Good luck.

SMH

On 30 Jun 2003 23:31:58 -0700, urotagia@yahoo.com (taro) from http://groups.google.com/ wrote:

>I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains filled
>with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The length
>between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

You need a fixed gear bike with no brakes. Ride it as hard and as fast as you can. Jump curbs. Slash
wildly through traffic. Drink lots of coffee and play Go.

--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace Mmmmmm-MMMMMM!! A plate of STEAMING PIECES of
a PIG mixed with the shreds of SEVERAL CHICKENS!! ... Oh BOY!! I'm about to swallow a TORN- OFF
section of a COW'S LEFT LEG soaked in COTTONSEED OIL and SUGAR!! ... Let's see ... Next, I'll have
the GROUND-UP flesh of CUTE, BABY LAMBS fried in the MELTED, FATTY TISSUES from a warm-blooded
animal someone once PETTED!! ... YUM!! That was GOOD!! For DESSERT, I'll have a TOFU BURGER with
BEAN SPROUTS on a stone-ground, WHOLE WHEAT BUN!!
2:25:43 PM 1 July 2003

Kevan Smith <kevansmith23@yahoo.c0/\/\> wrote:

> Ride it as hard and as fast as you can. Jump curbs.

There aint no curbs in Tokyo, at least in the area I used to live and bike as a teen.

Go go Godzilla.

RFM
--
To reply, translate domain from l33+ 2p33|< to alpha. 4=a 0=o 3=e +=t

"taro" <urotagia@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:2a6d7a93.0306302231.332e93c7@posting.google.com...
> I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains
> filled with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good .

http://www.electricstar.org/eride2004.html

you won't even have to pedal

> The length between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

On 30 Jun 2003 23:31:58 -0700, urotagia@yahoo.com (taro) wrote:

>I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains filled
>with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The length
>between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

Over in uk.rec.cycling there are a couple of guys who live and work in Japan at present, so it might
be worth your while asking there as well.

Guy
===
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In article <2a6d7a93.0306302231.332e93c7@posting.google.com>, urotagia@yahoo.com (taro) wrote:

> I am a university student in Tokyo. I came to Tokyo this Spring. And I was tired from trains
> filled with people! So I decide to commute by bicycle. Please tell me what bicycle is good . The
> length between my room and university is about 16 km. And please advise some tips.

As someone mentioned, just do it. Any ol' bike will do it. I have been commuting for the last eight
months and find that it takes as long or adds minimal time to my commute to use my bike. Plus I get
the exercise and the thrill of passing motorists.

The more you ride the better you'll know which bike you might need based on the one you have. Other
thing to consider, not knowing the area, but you don't want to necessarily spend a fortune on a bike
if the risk of theft is high. Other things to consider, which Iearned the hard way:

- Allow extra time for flats, especially over that kind of distance.
- Carry an extra tube, or two, and something to keep your hands clean.
- Carry a change of clothes, most especially when it's hot.
- If you're riding on the streets and in the dark, consider bike lights. Removable, of course.

That's what I've gotten so far, none of which cost a fortune. Good luck and keep us updated!