CheapyD's Bike Adventure

[CheapyD]

It seems like bicycle is the primary form of transportation here. From young kids to grandmas and grandpas, every where you go, people are riding their bikes. This just an example of bike parking, taken at Toys R Us in Kameido.

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/biketru.jpg

Not to be left out of the fun (and necessity) of owning a bike, I picked out one of the few bikes that would actually fit me. I decided on a Mountain bike by Giant (the 4500SE Rock, to be exact). It was pretty reasonably priced at around $250 US. Keep in mind, most Japanese ride piece of shit bikes known as mama-chari (http://www.thejapanfaq.com/mamachari.jpg), so my ride is a Rolls-Royce in comparison.

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/bikeferris.jpg

So, today, I'm going for a ride on this great bike path by a river and am having a grand old time, despite the fact that I am terribly out of shape. I decide to take a little rest and watch these guys screw around with their gasoline powered RC cars.

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/rcguys.jpg

Its pretty fun watching them race their shit up and down the hill, but it is pretty noisy. All of a sudden, I hear a really loud engine, which sounds like its from the biggest RC car ever. I turn around and was completely shocked to see this guy taking off, only 30-50 feet away from us:

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/flyingman.jpg

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/flyingman2.jpg

Crazy Japanese...every day is an adventure here!:bouncy:

[Negative]

Stop throwing it in our FACE!!!! Seriously, J-town looks fun!

[OntheDL]

I heard he's gonna land on the 50 yard line during the halftime show at this year's Super Bowl.

[WhipSmartBanky]

:rofl: Make some CAG flyer stickers and put them all over your bike. Represent!

[corrosivefrost]

That's awesome.

Nice bike, btw. I tend toward specialized myself, but Giant makes a pretty nice bike too. And I'm totally diggin the color. :)

[Ledhed]

Try to somehow get a picture of yourself riding your bike amidst a sea of other bikes, with you clearly visible above the crowd.

[thorbahn3]

Now Miyamoto saying he rides his bike to and from work doesn't seem too odd.

[jennie25]

ever consider getting a motorcycle for your primary transportation needs?

[2poor]

It's The Fan Man!

[Shinkuu Ryao]

<3 The bike, wish I could ride one, damn you ear surgery!

[Wombat]

we all know the real reason you got the bike, the jobs availible for white guys in Japan is food delivery guy

[mykevermin]

Glad to see that some cultures aren't dependent on cars for dragging their supersized carcasses 3 miles to pick up a gallon of ice cream and taking their little shits to ballet practice.

That picture of the mama-chari, with the two children and the woman *still* on the cellphone indicates to me, however, that perhaps our cultures can find common ground in our general disregard for safety when it comes to matters of flaunting technology.

EDIT: I'm curious if having a bike lock identifies you as "American" even when you aren't in the vicinity of your bike. Y'know, padlock culture and all that.

EDIT 2: It just occurred to me while walking my dog that "mama-chari" is probably spelled in katakana, and is a slightly shortened version of "mama" and "chariot," and is probably implied the same way Americans speak of "soccer moms" and "minivans."

[CheapyD]

Most people seem to have locks, but mine is definitely on the more rugged side in comparison.
I gotta take a picture of someone riding thier bike while talking on the cellphone and smoking a cigarette.

ever consider getting a motorcycle for your primary transportation needs? I did, but then I realized:

1) I've ridden a bicycle once in the last 15 years. The non-powered version is challenging enough for now.

2) They are more expensive than a bicycle.

3) I really have no place to go and wouldn't know how to get there if I did.

4) I currently have no health insurance.

[jkam]

we all know the real reason you got the bike, the jobs availible for white guys in Japan is food delivery guy

LOL!

[CheapyD]

we all know the real reason you got the bike, the jobs availible for white guys in Japan is food delivery guySadly, I am not qualified for that job. I'm not kidding (I couldn't find anyone's house and my Japanese is brutal).

[PyroGamer]

I wouldn't have recommeded a mountain bike. I could hook you up with a nice road bike for around $70, and it's faster and easier to get around in.

I wish I could visit Japan sometime.

[doctorfaustus]

Glad to see that some cultures aren't dependent on cars for dragging their supersized carcasses 3 miles to pick up a gallon of ice cream and taking their little shits to ballet practice.

LOL I nearly soiled myself when I read this.

[Graystone]

Oh great, Japan one day I will visit and possible live in your great country. Very nice bike cheapy you got to customize it though. I'm talking baseball cards, cool TMNT stickers and a light on the front so when you pedal faster it gets brighter. man Japan looks awesome.

[gunm]

The streets are so narrow in Tokyo, plus if it's far you'd end up going by rail anyway, so it's no wonder so many people use bikes for quick jaunts around town. It's just easier in the long run.

[dude2003]

so cheapy since you are not working *yet* in japan, are you having a new adventure everyday?

[evanft]

I never learned to ride a bike.

[help1]

I never learned to ride a bike.

What? are u kidding?

[woobacca]

Nice pics!
Try to somehow get a picture of yourself riding your bike amidst a sea of other bikes, with you clearly visible above the crowd.Seconded :lol:

[zewone]

Fucking FanMan. That's awesome. I demand more wacky adventures.

[CaseyRyback]

It's The Fan Man!


isn't he dead? I remember seeing on ESPN that he died not too long ago

[masha]

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/flyingman.jpg

http://cheapassgamer.com/ymij/flyingman2.jpg

Crazy Japanese...every day is an adventure here!:bouncy:


This would put New York and whole Nation on the Highest state of alert! Media would be all over this guy. F 16s would try to shoot him down .....:hot: and just like that he peacefully flies through the afternoon sky of Japan. Amazing!!!

I'm planning to visit Tokyo next year. Looking forward to it. Thanks CheapyD for the inside out view -)

[ValkyrieVF-1S]

CheapyD, you need to form a bike gang!!!! DO IT, DO IT NOW!!!!

[guardian_owl]

Anyone one else here the biking theme from Punch-out in their heads when looking at these's pics?

[XboxHardcore.com]

Seems fun. And that's a shit load of bikes.

[praystation]

You sure you are in Tokyo Instead of Beijing / Shanghai? Anyway. Cheapy, Have you met any Gaijin from US who say "Hey's it's you, the guy from CheapArse!!!"?

[Mind_n_Soul]

your bike could use some tassles and a basket, a horn would look cool too

[bobthecat23]

that orange bike is the shiat cheapy it looks nice

[Stoneage]

that orange bike is the shiat cheapy it looks nice
This thread is almost ready for preschool. Why the bump now?

Also, is Cheapy in better shape yet?

[blackjaw]

Dang, nice orange bike. Are beach cruisers cool in Japan or unpractical? Thats all we ride around here.

[Temporaryscars]

You bought a mountain bike to get around on paved streets? Jeeeeeze, that's what they make road bikes for.

Anyway, since you've got the bike, now you need some books. Start with Zinn and the art of Mountain Bike Repair.

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193138259X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0073878-3108757?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185511848&sr=8-1

[Loyaltist Shinra]

gasoline powered RC cars.

Gyro planes is a common sight in Japan. Also Biking is the main transportation in China and India for most people. Owning a car is a luxary in Japan like me owning a Air Conditioner when I don't need one.

[kaaspeer]

That's nothing compared to amsterdam, take a look at this:
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/7421/70054bikeparkinggarageacd7.jpg

Basically bikes everywhere there. Although it would surprise me if 10% of the people living in Amsterdam ride the bikes they bought themselves...
People get their bicycles stolen and they just nick another one and keep on riding.

[FeNoM91]

Japan looks pretty frickin cool man! Stop shoving all this in our faces!!!

[GrimNecroWizard]

Do they not get stolen all the time over there?

[BlueLobstah]

You bought a mountain bike to get around on paved streets? Jeeeeeze, that's what they make road bikes for.

Anyway, since you've got the bike, now you need some books. Start with Zinn and the art of Mountain Bike Repair.

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/193138259X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0073878-3108757?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185511848&sr=8-1

Giant makes some pretty nice hybrid bikes which work well for both off-terrain and roads. I've had mine for almost 10 years and have had very few problems with it... at least until I got hit by a car. I just wish the US was more biker friendly.

One day, I will move to Tokyo... one day...

[Koggit]

You bought a mountain bike to get around on paved streets? Jeeeeeze, that's what they make road bikes for.

That was my first thought too.

Back home in Louisiana, no one biked for transportation, only for recreation, so everyone owned mountain bikes. Here in Seattle, many bikers do so for transportation, and nearly all of them own road bikes. The only people with mountain bikes are people who, literally, ride them on mountains (the Cascades), in which case they must first drive to the mountain.

When I moved here, I went to a pawn shop and bought a mountain bike. Very bad idea. It takes a ridiculous amount of effort to move any reasonable distance. It was slow and exhausting. I sold the mountain bike for a cruiser (not a road bike, but still, smooth skinny tires) and the difference is really quite shocking. I don't get tired nearly as easily and enjoy riding much more.

I don't know much about bikes so it's hard for me to make recommendations, but I would suggest reassessing your use of the bike, Cheapy. If you plan to use it off road a lot where smooth skinny tires are dangerous, so be it. But if you plan to use it for transportation, or even recreation on paved roads, you should look into something lighter with smoother tires that have less contact with the pavement. No need to overexert yourself.

Edit: I should add, to the poster above me, Seattle is very bike friendly. Especially Redmond and Bellevue. Nearly every road has a bike lane. The only problem is the bikers think they own the roads, despite the fact that our car tabs pay for them. As a driver, they're pretty frustrating, they think traffic laws don't apply to them.

[BlueLobstah]

I know there's some cities that are biker friendly, but they seem to be far and few between. That was one of the things I liked about Washington, a lot of the cities I visited had paths for bikes, and were relatively flat enough for a bike to a good alternative to a car.

Here in the southeast, bike paths are a rare occurrence, and a lot of drivers don't realize that bikes have the same rights as drivers. I can't tell you how many times I've had people try to run me off the road. Even with all of the downsides to biking around here, there are still quite a few people who bike frequently.

[Danil ACE]

I live in Bellevue, WA and I hate the bikers that use the road instead of the damn bike lane right next to it. :bomb: Either drive the speed limit or get off the road.

[Number83]

Less Riding...More updating on who won in the Child's Play Raffle. Just so I know who I'm supposed to send the DMC: 5th AC to...;)

[Dragon_Master]

nice bike but why did thsi thread get bumped back up?