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2004 Japan International Cycle Show

I was able to spend several hours on Saturday at the Japan International Cycle Show and have posted some of the photos in the Cycle Show 2004 album. The event was bigger, and more well attended than I expected. The aisles were far from being crowded, but there was a decent turnout which should have made the 200+ exhibitors very happy.

The show regulations prohibited test rides in the aisles, though there was a special riding area setup behind the building. To get around the restriction some of the companies like Panasonic had very large booths with space set aside to test ride. This may have been a waste of money since there seemed to be very few customers actually using the test riding areas. The JD Razor exhibit also had a large area set aside for customers to try their products, primarily kickboards, but was very sparsely used.

One of the primary themes this year seemed to be brand licensing. Every aisle had exhibitors featuring products with famous name labels. Here's just a few examples-

Left to right: Jeep, ellesse, United Colors of Benneton

Left to right: Corvette, MG Rover, Hummer

Just about everyone was showing some sort of folding bicycle. In the past this was pretty much limited to smaller bikes, but this time there were a lot of full sized folding bikes including folding racing bicycles. Some of the designs made a lot of sense, but others looked devices from some medieval torture chamber. They were certainly interesting to look at, but anyone that actually tried to ride them for any reasonable distance would probably end up with very sore joints. There were even some that seemed to defy the basic laws of physics. I'm not sure how it's possible to maintain decent balance while cycling on a bike that features tires just a little larger than a kickboard and has a folding frame that resembles a praying mantis. I'm not saying that it couldn't be done. In fact I'm sure that there are some people that have the physical aptitude to ride almost anything. I just don't happen to be one of them.

Other items that caught my attention-

 

Kid's bikes and toys:

Low-rider bicycles:

Recumbents - especially a dual recumbent:

A ski board with handlebars:

And, of course, the ever present "Hello Kitty":

Exploring: The Tama River Trails - Tokyo, Kanagawa, Kawasaki

There are times when I want a really strenuous workout, and there are times when I just want to cruise along on my kickbike and enjoy the day without having to climb any steep hills or end up dripping buckets of sweat. On the days when I'm in a 'cruising' mood, one of the best kickbiking/cycling places I know of in the greater Tokyo area is the Tama River. It's extremely easy to access by train, car, or bicycle; has very long stretches with no cross traffic; abounds with great photo opportunities; and provides the safety of knowing that you'll be able to find food, bicycle repair, access to rest rooms, or local help in an emergency just a few blocks from the river.

Numerous train lines, both JR and private lines, intersect the river usually with a station convienently placed on one side or the other of the river. Parking for cars is available (for a price) at quite a few locations along the length of the river, and, if you're lucky, you might find an open free parking space. Just keep in mind that the river can be a very popular place for people to enjoy on weekends and holidays when the weather cooperates. Personally, I've found it much more effective to take the train or cycle than to drive.

The elevation is extremely mild with no vertical challenges to speak of other than the occasional short ramp. For example, from Nakanoshima station on the JR Nambu line down to the area around Sangyodoro station the total change in elevation is only 30 meters. There are good, usually well maintained, cycling paths on one side of the river or the other - sometimes both.

Like most major rivers in the Kanto area, there are quite a few baseball, soccer, and even cricket fields setup along the river banks. In good weather, and sometimes bad weather, teams will be out practicing and don't mind if you stop to watch. I've stopped to enjoy cricket and rugby matches, sometimes with players from India and other countries. There are also some great opportunities to photograph trains as they cross the river at different locations. Be sure to look for the Shinkansen (bullet train).

There are rest room facilities (Japanese style) in a number of local parks along side the river, and the local convenience stores will almost always let you use their restroom - at least I have yet to have one turn me down. Convenience stores, in case you need to buy food or bottled water, seem to be pervaisve. There is almost always one within a few blocks. That being said, the area close to where the river enters Tokyo Bay is heavily industrialized, so you are less likely to find stores in that area that are open on the weekend.

I've indicated on the map above the sides of the river that I normally like to cycle, though with a little creativity you can certainly make your way up, or down, either side.