It's been two days now that I have been using a bicycle in Japan, and I can already see why so many people use them here. For me, it means the freedom to explore the surrounding area of my dorm and go on small adventures with my camera. This is such a relief, as when I tried to do this before, I often got lost and worn out from carrying my heavy DSLR and the four lenses I can't live without. With my new bike, however, this is made soooooooooo much easier thanks to a little basket attached to the front of the bike. I always thought that it was for lazy or weak people, and that it was seriously lacking in style and masculinity. But two days in Tokyo with a bike that has a basket has changed that opinion completely. This is probably the best $50 US that I have spent since I've been here.
While riding it over the past couple of days, I couldn't help but hear the bicycle song from the classic video game Mother 2 (Earthbound in the states). If you've played that game far enough to use the bike, that music is really close to the feeling i had as i rode my way through the narrow streets and alleys, and through the nearby parks.
Some of the handy accessories include a built-in lock for the front wheel that requires a key to use the bike. On the front is a headlight that uses a turbine attached to the wheel to power itself (no batteries). There is also a rack in the back which allows the fastening of things that wont fit in the basket. The kick-stand is nice as well, because its actually a bar that lifts the back wheel off the ground. I of course could not omit the best accessory to ever adorn a bicycle: the bell! I know it sounds silly, but here in my little part of Tokyo people actually move aside when you ring it. This seems to be necessary because of the often narrow sidewalks and streets in Tokyo.
Some of the handy accessories include a built-in lock for the front wheel that requires a key to use the bike. On the front is a headlight that uses a turbine attached to the wheel to power itself (no batteries). There is also a rack in the back which allows the fastening of things that wont fit in the basket. The kick-stand is nice as well, because its actually a bar that lifts the back wheel off the ground. I of course could not omit the best accessory to ever adorn a bicycle: the bell! I know it sounds silly, but here in my little part of Tokyo people actually move aside when you ring it. This seems to be necessary because of the often narrow sidewalks and streets in Tokyo.
TIP: If you want to buy a bike in Tokyo, shop around as much as you can. If you are on a tight budget like me, your best bet other than receiving one from a friend is to look for a shop that sells recycled (refurbished) bikes, where you may be able to pay as little as 5000 yen. Mine was about 6000 total, which is not bad at all considering that I have not seen a new one for under 10000 yen.
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