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Biking and trains

dryh2o

Warming-Up
Apr 5, 2008
12
0
Hi,

I'll be moving to Tokyo in 1 1/2 months for college and am currently considering what kind of commuting bike to get.
I probably won't be taking the train every day, but I would like to be able to take my bike on the train when I needed too.
How much of a hassle is it to regularly put a full sized road bike in a bike bag and take it on the train regularly?
Or would you recommend something besides a road bike, such as a folder, for use with regular train travel?

Thanks,

Joey
 
I commute 25km each way on a road bike, but I have indoor storage for it at work. Even in Tokyo I would worry about leaving it locked up outside all day, every day. Someone used to leave his MTB locked up on the corner opposite my office and one day after about a year there was nothing there but a cut cable-lock.

As for getting on a train with a road bike, for excursions out of town, it is no big deal. My bike bag fits under my saddle and I can bag the bike in under 3 minutes if in a rush.

For regular use on rush-hour trains, however, I think you would need a fold-up.
 
Thanks for the reply Pucci.

Do most bike bags require the removal of both wheels or just the front?

My college is in Mitaka-shi, is that far enough away from downtown to avoid being crowded during rush hour?
 
Do most bike bags require the removal of both wheels or just the front?

Some bags just require removing the front wheel. I had such a model but sold it. Saves a bit of time bagging, but the packed bike takes up a lot of floor space on the train (especially if you ride a large-size bike) and I found I was always worried about how crowded the train would be.
 
I've used my bike bag twice....prefer to ride to the destination rather than lug around the extra weight of the bag. I'm lazy like that! :eek:
 
Thanks for the reply Pucci.

Do most bike bags require the removal of both wheels or just the front?

My college is in Mitaka-shi, is that far enough away from downtown to avoid being crowded during rush hour?

Mitaka has 2 train lines servicing it - the Sobu and the Chuo and both are very crowded commuter lines. If you're heading from further towards the centre of Tokyo into Mitaka you may be able to squeeze your bike on the train but if you're heading the other way, forget it. It really depends on where you're going to be travelling to Mitaka from
 
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