originaloli
Warming-Up
- Jul 28, 2008
- 9
- 0
Hi everybody,
I'm coming over to Tokyo Mad City in October. I'm a born and bred cyclist but I have some questions to ask.
1. I really don't think I can bring over all seven of my bikes (expensive and probably nowhere to store them). What would be recommended? I was planning to bring a racer (possibly carbon, possibly steel - was meant to sell the Kestrel but now it's getting closer I think it will break my heart to do that) for racing and training and an old steel fixie to tool about getting to work and around town.
2. How expensive is bike gear over there? I thought Shimano stuff grew on the trees but now it seems like Korea is the place for cheap stuff. Over here I make great use of 2nd hand gear via jumble sales and ebay as I'm not very rich at all. How easy is it to do that? Or should I buy plenty of cheap spares to bring with?
3. What's the racing scene like? I'm a six-foot Englishman so I like to trial and I don't know what a mountain looks like. I can't wait to get going into the local hills around Kanto.
4. I've worked as a cycle messenger for the last few years so I'm used to urban riding. Lots of people say it's suicidal to ride in London, but that's bollocks. It's great to ride in London. I hope it's the same with Tokyo - everyone says it's mad and insane but actually it's alright. Is that true? I'll go crazy if I can't even commute.
Thanks in advance for any advice or answers - I'll stand drinks when I get there!
I'm coming over to Tokyo Mad City in October. I'm a born and bred cyclist but I have some questions to ask.
1. I really don't think I can bring over all seven of my bikes (expensive and probably nowhere to store them). What would be recommended? I was planning to bring a racer (possibly carbon, possibly steel - was meant to sell the Kestrel but now it's getting closer I think it will break my heart to do that) for racing and training and an old steel fixie to tool about getting to work and around town.
2. How expensive is bike gear over there? I thought Shimano stuff grew on the trees but now it seems like Korea is the place for cheap stuff. Over here I make great use of 2nd hand gear via jumble sales and ebay as I'm not very rich at all. How easy is it to do that? Or should I buy plenty of cheap spares to bring with?
3. What's the racing scene like? I'm a six-foot Englishman so I like to trial and I don't know what a mountain looks like. I can't wait to get going into the local hills around Kanto.
4. I've worked as a cycle messenger for the last few years so I'm used to urban riding. Lots of people say it's suicidal to ride in London, but that's bollocks. It's great to ride in London. I hope it's the same with Tokyo - everyone says it's mad and insane but actually it's alright. Is that true? I'll go crazy if I can't even commute.
Thanks in advance for any advice or answers - I'll stand drinks when I get there!