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Help guidance plz!

ykoura

Warming-Up
Mar 31, 2014
4
0
Hi!

Im currently visiting Japan for a 7-day cycling trip around kyushu and am planning to stop by Tokyo afterwards (April 8th - 10th). I would like to use the opportunity to buy a road bike while I'm there.

For starters I plan on visiting Y's road in akasaka.
I'm 153cm tall with an inseam of 72.5cm.

My budget is rather flexible provided I get a good deal!

Appreciate any guidance you can provide here.

Thanks much!
Yosra
 
In a bid to narrow it down, please answer the folllowing;

-Are you a beginner?
-What kind of riding do you do, mainly (slow touring, medium paced riding, fast and hard riding, climbing, racing, etc.)
-What is your flexibility like?
-Are there any brands you don't like, or brands that definitely do?
-What colour do you want it?:alien:
 
Yes I'm a beginner. .. been using a Trek (borrowed off a friend) and interested in buying a specialized.
I'm buying it to do a 650km ride along the Danube this summer. Most of my rides are long distance on flat terrain but wouldn't like to limit myself to a particular style at this stage.
I can do either women's or men's bikes (been told easier for resale). Budget will stretch considerably if i go for a carbon as opposed to aluminum. My absolute cut off budget is 2500 usd.

Thx in advance!
 
So, that is about 250,000yen.

That gives you a fair amount of choice, and puts in the following range;

-Entry-Mid level carbon frame, from a trusted manufacturer with associated international warranty backup.
-High end aluminium frame, again from a trusted manufacturer with warranty.
-Mid-level Shimano gears (105, with the odd bit of Ultegra upgrade here and there)
-Entry level wheels to get you going, which will be heavy but rugged.

I think instead of suggesting endless possibilities here, before you have been to a shop, which will only serve to confuse you and pretty much just end up as a list of every bike company in the world, it would be better to do the following.

-Assume you are going to spend 250,000yen on the bike.
-Go to a few different bike shops, and find bikes in the 250,000yen range.
-Take photos of each of them, and post them up here for critique / suggestions and recommendations.

You may possibly need to budget for helmet, pedals, shoes, etc, if you don't have these already too.
 
Yes have the shoes and basic gear. What I'm really after is advice for shops in Tokyo (preferably with English-speaking staff) and to get an idea on whether there is something like what I'm describing on sale through TCC.

Thx!
 
There are plenty of shops in Tokyo which other members will be able to help you with. If you are willing to come up to Saitama, there is a good bike shop there.

English speaking staff; occasionally, but this is not really a regular feature. You don't really need it though, just point at the one you want and get on with it.

The issue you might have, if you only have a small window of time to do this all in, is any particular shop might not have the size you want in the model you want, when you go looking, and may need to order it in. This adds time to the whole procedure, of course. You might get lucky, however.
 
or you could buy a Trek :)


Editing this: Given your height, I would definitely take a look at a Ruby or similiar womens model. They come in 44cm. Another option could be an Anchor, who make pretty nice smaller sized frames.

Blech...cant believe I am recommending my previous employer.
 
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They are currently on my shit list, but Cannondale also do small frames, and a womens' specific range, in both aluminium and carbon, with something to fit your budget.
 
http://www.cannondale.co.jp/catalog/product/view/id/32167/s/caad10-5-105/category/916/

199,000yen retail. 44cm available, or a 48cm depending on how you sit on it.

A wicked bike, with 105 gears which are spot on. You could upgrade this frame to Dura Ace and the frame would still be easily good enough to warrant those high end parts.

Just an idea, but I have seen loads of smaller women riding these frames with no issue... I know for a fact that the upper Tonegawa QOM destroyer does so on a 44cm CAAD10 with Mavic Ksyrium Elite, and 105 gears, because I built it for her. The geometry doesn't go all whacky even at low frame sizes, like a lot of smaller frames. The only issue with it, is there is no chance in hell of getting 2 water bottles in the front triangle, but that will be the case with most small frame sizes (I have the same issue, now that I have a 40cm Evo with a 300mm stem)
 
For a starter bike and for the same specs - why not get it from yahoo auction or get it 2nd hand for very low price considering it's still 10 spd. Example below;

Caad 10 with 105
http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b155202832
or several options from here (44cm) and here (46cm).

Then save the remaining money for your next bike after you trashed this one.
 
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planning to stop by Tokyo afterwards (April 8th - 10th)

She is only in town for 2 days, and does not have a fixed address here, so Yahoo Auction would be a bit difficult. Good find though.
 
She is only in town for 2 days, and does not have a fixed address here, so Yahoo Auction would be a bit difficult. Good find though.

oops didn't see that :(
 
Thank you all for your tips and advice!

I have rather limited access to Internet during this part of my trip but would like to arrive inTokyo witha fair idea of how much time I will send bike shopping. All boils down to pre-planning and mapping all the places out (my hotel is in Ginza btw).

Would you please provide specific names of stores (and their areas) you recommend? There's was one mentored in saitama - please include that one!

Thanks again!
Yosra
 
Y's in Shibuya has a store which specializes in women's bikes and supposedly has lots of smaller size bikes. http://ysroad-shibuya.com
I don't know if anyone there speaks English but as noted above, I am sure you will be able to get what you want with pointing etc. This shop is very close to Shibuya station. If you find the side with the bus station on, looking across the bus station, keep to the right side of it and go across it and the road in front on the walkway. The shop is just a bit further up on your left.
The best place in Tokyo for English speaking staff would be GS ASTUTO but while they may have had bikes in your size within your budget that they would only be worth a visit if you can set up something through this site in advance.
 
I think if you are getting a bike in Japan, you should get a Japanese brand, so look at Bridgestone Anchor, they have a good variety of bikes in the smaller sizes. You can see an example in your price range here http://www.anchor-bikes.com/bikes/rs8eq.html but given your time constrain ts you should start bike shopping as soon as you get in the city. Good luck.
 
On the contrary, if you are only in Japan for a very short time, I would stay away from the Japanese brands, and go for something more international, as there will be a much higher chance of getting it fixed / warranted if something goes wrong and you are in another country, than something specifically Japanese. Also, the main language of an international company will be English.
 
Yosra
If I was you check out the used shop in higashi ginza - I cant remember the name of it but if you are directly outside the cartier shop in Ginza (a landmark in the area) crosss the road and walk straight for about five minutes (a few blocks) once you have crossed a noticebly busy street ( vehicles not pedestrians) the shop is on that street on your right.
Lots of good mens and womens bikes in there.
I can guide you there if you want.
 
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