Mobility Matters!

Before making the journey, I was in communication with an exiting ALT (assistant language teacher). We arranged that I would purchase some of the items he acquired in two years here. One oh so important item that he did not transfer to me, is a bicycle. The public transit seems to be fairly solid here, but my daily usage really adds up. Even if the train were free, I would still want a bike, it is just one of those necessary things.

Last week I arranged to go bike shopping with Jess, a veteran ALT that knows the shops and speaks some Japanese. I was shooting for a simple device that would move me around, and be an alright ride. I soon discovered the used bike market to be a sad one. Here, good bikes are kept, and bad ones are ridden into the ground. I would have to go new. I shopped the bike shops, I shopped the department stores. On the streets of Shizuoka, and probably most of Japan, you will find two primary types of bike. Type 1 is an old style cruiser: heavy, short pedals, and a mandatory grocery basket. This model makes up about 80-90% of the bikes around here. Type 2 is a smaller model that often has the ability to fold up, though I doubt anyone uses the feature. They make up about 10% of the bike population. Both of these styles accomplish A to B travel, but do not look like much fun or comfort along the way.

I was faced with a decision. I could spend a minimal amount of money and get a working bicycle that I could leave behind when I move on. Or, I could spend some more money, and get a bike that I would definitely bring back to the States with me.

Tossing my original budget out with the rubbish, I went for option two. I will say right now that I have a bike back home that I love very much. I would never replace my Bianchi road bike, not even for a newer, faster model. I made a point to get a bike very much different from the one I already have, and love.

In shopping the stores I saw the brands available. I then went online to find the best model. I read reviews. I looked at pictures. Sometimes I would just stare at the pictures, as if they might materialize. I tried showing the pictures and the specs to my new friends here. They did not really get into it. Once my mind was made, I went to the one shop in town that carries the brand, and placed my order. I was going to play hardball, and work my way into some free accessories, but once I pointed out my future ride in the catalog, the twinkle in my eye outshined my poker face.


The mighty stead arrived today. Outfitted with headlights, fenders, and a complimentary bell, I picked it up coming home from work. The bicycle is a Trek Soho S model. Quite different from my 27 speed road bike in that this one has only one speed, an increasingly common commuting outfit. On days that I am feeling especially frisky, I can flip around the rear wheel and the single speed becomes a fixed gear. For those unfamiliar, a fixed gear bike is essentially locked between the pedals and the rear wheel. If the pedals are moving, then the bike is moving. If the bike is moving, then the pedals are moving. No coasting. A serious fixed gear bike has no brakes, and the user just locks their legs to skid to an eventual halt. I am not so brave, and so I have breaks.

I do not yet own a wrench, and so I can not perform the gear switching operation just yet. Hopefully this weekend I will get to try the fixed gear feature.


The biking/driving/walking in this town is a whole other matter. That may be subject for a later day.