Cycling in Japan

Found a very interesting Blog all about a cycling world tour. Some great photos and accounts that aren't too 'heavy'.

Climate Sweeping vistas along Japans east coast... We visited Japan from August 12 to September 20. The weather was very variable: we had sunny and cloudy days and some rain as well. Temperatures varied from 16 to 30 degrees (°C during daytime). It was often very humid.

Turbo Trainer Sweat Catcher Cloth

I used to have a turbo trainer and used it often in preperation for time trials on the Yorkshire roads. It helped me to get my time down very well.
There was of coursew the said prblem of the sweat not only dripping onto your bike frame but also onto the turbo trainer itself causing rust to set in with the saltlyelements in the persperation.

To get over this problem I use da tea towel and it did expactly the same job as this sweat catching cloth.

To all you turbo trainers out there, just don't bother buying this, us the tea towel method and save over ten quid!

clipped from www.merlincycles.co.uk SPECIAL OFFER! Extra 10% off All Turbo Trainers this week at the checkout Pay as little as £9.86! Protect your bike from sweat whilst working out Designed for use with all types of turbo trainers, minoura's safe-t net is designed to protect your bike from corrosive sweat and to keep the floor free from drips. Made from absorbant towelling, the safe-t net features velcro straps to attach it to the handlebars and an elasticated seatpost strap for a universal fit. In Stock Usual Price: £12.99 Save: £2.04 Our Price: £10.95

Japan c. 2002

From the site
www.bornplaydie.com/japan/travel/kofu/kofu.htm
Parking that is close to the train station is limited and expensive so driving to the station is not practical and as a result many people take the bus, walk, or ride bicycles to the station. Teenagers talking on their cell phones while riding, little old ladies on their way to the supermarket, and businessmen in suits riding their bicycles to the station, riding with one hand holding an umbrella in the other hand when raining are all common sights. I have even seen the occasional young girl riding her bicycle to a festival dressed in a kimono or yukatta. Because there are so many, bicycles are often left anywhere there is a space. People often leave there bicycles at the station for days. I have seen, at Nirasaki station, bikes literally piled one on top of the other forming a massive heap. The no bicycle parking laws are rarely enforced on a regular basis. A few times a year the city will announce that it will clear out bicycles on a certain day if not removed.

Yambol 2008

Another Yambol bike with the home made wire carrier. No brakes, single geared an a light blue women's frame.

50% Bicycle Yambol - Bulgaria

Not quite 100% bicycle but still had pedals so technically has bicycle ideology within.

Dawes Tourer 2008

www.evanscycles.com

clipped from www.evanscycles.com Frame: Reynolds 520 Chromoly - Fork: Chromoly unicrown - Gears: Shimano STI derailleurs - Shifters: 24 speed Shimano STI shifters - Crankset: Truvativ 5D with 170mm crank - Brakes: Tektro Oryx cantilever - Wheels: Rigida ZAC2000 double wall alloy rims built on Shimano RM40 front and RM60 rear hubs - Handlebar: Alloy ergonomic bend - Stem: Alloy Ahead 75mm - Saddle: Dawes touring - Pedals/Extras: Pedals included. Comes complete with Chromoplastic mudguards with safety stays and alloy tubular rack

This is a dream touring bike and would love to own one, if only I had to the time to tour on a bike though. Some of the best times of my life were just me and a bike travelling up and down Europe camping each night. This bike would have coped better than my DIY tourer.

Yambol Bike July 2008