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Group rides from Tokyo ?

hudson

Warming-Up
Dec 23, 2010
5
0
Im in Tokyo for 10 days visiting in laws and brought my bike this time to keep training for a 130k ride in Adelaide in Jan. can anyone suggest any group rides from Tokyo ?

or even where the best riding routes are ?

Thanks

Hudson
 
Some general info

About riding here, lifted from a mate's website:

There are several places in Tokyo for cycle training: Oifuto, the Tamagawa river, the Arakawa river and the Imperial Palace.

Oifuto is a cargo loading area for container ships near to Haneda airport. On a weekday the roads there are busy with large trucks but on any Sunday or national holiday it's a mecca for cyclists. You'll find numerous cycling and triathlon teams cycling in pelatons around a 9.5km loop. It's flat except for one bridge. To get there simply head to Shinagawa at from around 08:00 to 09:00 and follow the riders.

The Tamagawa river has a cycling path but it's pretty narrow and sometimes you're better cycling on the road beside the path.

The Arakawa river has a much better cycle path, but you still have barriers to get through at several places. How to get there: Head North along Meiji Doori (the road that goes all the way from Shibuya to Harajuku, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. About 3km past Ikebukuro station you reach O-ji station. Go under the tracks and immediately there's an intersection. Go straight and eventually the major road will become a minor road. Eventually you reach a T-Junction. Turn right there and you very soon reach the river.

On a Sunday or national holidays you can cycle around the Imperial Palace but the earlier the better since you're sharing the road with car traffic. It's a 5km loop and definitely not flat.

For serious hills, stick your bike in a bike-bag and head out West by train (Chuo-sen) to the mountains. If you go to the mountains with your friends, 1. Take a route map 2. Make sure your mobile phone is charged and 3. Make sure everyone waits at junctions!

I'll be at Oifuto at 08:00 tomorrow for a couple of hours. But dare I say it here, I will be running there too.

Hope this helps,

Keren
 
Keren,

Thanks so much. I did Arakawa this morning and it was as you said wide, no cars and the road in good condition. put in a good 50 km from todabashi to shinsuna and back. only problem was finding my way back to otsuka which was fun.

will be back to it this week.


About riding here, lifted from a mate's website:

There are several places in Tokyo for cycle training: Oifuto, the Tamagawa river, the Arakawa river and the Imperial Palace.

Oifuto is a cargo loading area for container ships near to Haneda airport. On a weekday the roads there are busy with large trucks but on any Sunday or national holiday it's a mecca for cyclists. You'll find numerous cycling and triathlon teams cycling in pelatons around a 9.5km loop. It's flat except for one bridge. To get there simply head to Shinagawa at from around 08:00 to 09:00 and follow the riders.

The Tamagawa river has a cycling path but it's pretty narrow and sometimes you're better cycling on the road beside the path.

The Arakawa river has a much better cycle path, but you still have barriers to get through at several places. How to get there: Head North along Meiji Doori (the road that goes all the way from Shibuya to Harajuku, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. About 3km past Ikebukuro station you reach O-ji station. Go under the tracks and immediately there's an intersection. Go straight and eventually the major road will become a minor road. Eventually you reach a T-Junction. Turn right there and you very soon reach the river.

On a Sunday or national holidays you can cycle around the Imperial Palace but the earlier the better since you're sharing the road with car traffic. It's a 5km loop and definitely not flat.

For serious hills, stick your bike in a bike-bag and head out West by train (Chuo-sen) to the mountains. If you go to the mountains with your friends, 1. Take a route map 2. Make sure your mobile phone is charged and 3. Make sure everyone waits at junctions!

I'll be at Oifuto at 08:00 tomorrow for a couple of hours. But dare I say it here, I will be running there too.

Hope this helps,

Keren
 
Just to get a bit of extra info.
Can you take your bike on the train without putting it in a bag? Is there a charge for the bike?
Do they have lockers at the train station for said bag and food/warm clothing etc?
 
Just to get a bit of extra info.
Can you take your bike on the train without putting it in a bag? Is there a charge for the bike?
Do they have lockers at the train station for said bag and food/warm clothing etc?

You need a bag-- or be lucky. There are a few threads on these boards about it.
https://tokyocycle.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=1523
No extra charge.
Best to avoid busy/intercity trains, though because they're so crowded.
Lockers vary by station. Major stations: usually yes. Tiny stations, don't count on it.

Enjoy!
 
Koribeyer,
I have noticed that you're in Kichijoji, which is where i'll be staying late feb to mid march. Just wondering about the best otion for a training ride?
In the past i've ridden down to the tama river and then followed the cycle path north until the bridge of route 7 which i follow west and then route 33 into the mountains. But that's about 35km before i get to the nice bit, which is a bit of a drag.
Maybe get the train from Mitaka to Akiruno?
Any thoughts would be welcome.
 
I usually take the train from Mitaka to Takao or Itsukaichi. But that's because I'm lazy and dislike fighting traffic. I'd rather just get to the mountains and spend my energy going up rather than getting frustrated at cars and traffic lights.

However, I do want to change this more in the coming year and ride out to rides more.

You can head straight down to the Tama (30 min-ish) faster probably if I could figure out a route that I both remember and is safe to bike fast. Or take Kanpachi Dori up to the Arakawa (40-50 min but heavy traffic)

The Tama-josui is a little river that you can take out to the Ome area.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/27544730
You have to switch back and forth from one side of the slew to avoid traffic but it's not a bad way to go.

There is a cycling path that leads out to the lakes near the Seibu Dome
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/27544892
Unless you are very early in the morning or in bad weather, I would NOT recommend it. The cycling path is appropriate for cycling under 15km/hr unless you like zooming through gates and across side streets at high speed and have no fear of hitting joggers, toddlers, and old people. It's a hazard for most 'fast' cyclists and best avoided.

I'll be, in theory, training for an upcoming brevet (what was I thinking???) and spending many weekends in the mountain this season, and am always happy for company.

I'm not so fast though...

Good luck and have fun!
 
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