Bicycles! Bicycles! Bicycles!

[Golgo_13]

During my trip back in April, one thing I notice right away about how Japan had changed since my childhood days was how many bicycles there are. I thought I was in China.

When I was a kid, it was mostly kids riding 20" and 22" bikes and teenagers on 5-speed 24" or 26" bikes. The big thing in 1972 was 24" and 26" bicycles with turn signal blinkers. These 5-speed bikes cost 15,000-30,000 Yen over 30 years ago.

Last April in Japan, I never saw any kids on bikes or a single 5-speed or 10-speed bike. They all looked to be the same style--with a basket on the front for carrying things. My cousin explained to me that these are inexpensive imports from China and Vietnam costing much less than 10,000 Yen. Many adults ride from home to the train station, and every station has rows and rows of bikes parked outside. Mad Pierrot and I even found an underground parking structure especially for bicycles at the Sakai station in Osaka. Many housewives ride for shopping and students for commuting.

It's great that adults of all ages, even those in their 60s and 70s, are getting exercise. Only complaint I had was that they're allowed on sidewalks and were nuisance to pedestrians.

 

[RockLee]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh *freaks out * don't talk about bicycles!!!!
Today I converted mine almost to scrapmetal !!! *Demon eyes*
I was coming back from the bus stop and when I got near my park at my home(note that I had my laptop on my shoulder) I steered with one hand(this is usually no problem :joyful: ) I drove up the small road but my f*****g wheel jammed so I got catapulted over my bike and landed with my face almost at the ground!!!Man my jacket looked like hell, bruises on my arm,knees...but I just layed for 5 secs on the ground looking if someone saw me trip....my body was exhausted like hell because of not enough sleep caused by learning until 2.30 am for a few weeks...I hate bicycles!!

 

[Duo]

Golgo, your post reminds me of Holland and its endless rows of bycycles by the train stations.

 

[Maciamo]

During my trip back in April, one thing I notice right away about how Japan had changed since my childhood days was how many bicycles there are. I thought I was in China.

I had the same feeling of coming to China... But didn't know it used to be different.

My cousin explained to me that these are inexpensive imports from China and Vietnam costing much less than 10,000 Yen.

That's right, which is why I wonder why the police spends so much time checking all the people riding after midnight everyday or bother people by confiscating their bikes if they forget it near the station during the night (and make them pay 2000yen, which after a few years isn't even worth the price of the bicycle anymore).

 

[Chipi]

I love bicycles and biking!
The only thing that bothers me though is that its allmost impossible to find a _legal_ place to park your bike in the center of the city etc! There are those signs that prohibit parking allmost everywhere(those green ones, with cross over an image of a bicycle)...any tips on this?

 

[Ewok85]

Park in a gap Just dont let them catch you, I got caught and they went off at me and i had to go round the block and park while they weren't watching