Note: When I say 'bike' I mean a mountain bicycle with fat tires ridden in an urban environ, not a 'racing bike.' A lot of these tricks surely don't apply.
Here is a crash course to bike riding in urban Japan. First of all, it's good to keep in mind that in the city center and outlying areas of Japanese cities, the time difference between riding a bike, public transportation, private car or taxi is negligible. This makes for a great argument for going green on a lean machine. Here are a few navigation tricks:
Use streets whenever possible but if sidewalks are safer or your only accessible means of riding, you will have to dodge objects and people (don't worry, everyone rides his bike on Japanese sidewalks). This mean you will be 'braking and cranking' an awful lot, especially when it comes to people. Slow down and be very careful around people. Their movements are unpredictable and you could seriously injure someone easily. They congregate around bus stops. As for inanimate objects such as poles, and narrow spaces- go for it. Test your skills.
Ride the streets as much as possible. Drivers in Japan are used to cyclists and are patient. Stay to the left, hunker down and try to keep up with traffic speed as best you can (often you'll be faster). There is always a danger in riding the streets; cyclists can be hard to see. The chances are though that you'll be just fine. I know a lot of cyclists and haven't heard of anyone getting hurt yet.
Put your weight on your feet. Try to keep your upper body as limber and as light as possible. This results in better flexibility, response, speed, and a more comfortable ride. It helps you absorb shocks and keeps you more observant as well. It's also essential for that really cool maneuver, once you're used to it: the curb jump.
This article was written by Dinah Jackson who enjoys writing about science, travel and Pokemon. To find hundreds of articles about Pokemon written by many different authors, check out the Pokemon black & white news site. There are hundreds of articles to choose from. Completely free. Learn all there is to know about Pokemon plushie, pokedolls, charms, plush toys, keychains, figures, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and much more. Get all the latest Pokemon news about new products.
Here is a crash course to bike riding in urban Japan. First of all, it's good to keep in mind that in the city center and outlying areas of Japanese cities, the time difference between riding a bike, public transportation, private car or taxi is negligible. This makes for a great argument for going green on a lean machine. Here are a few navigation tricks:
Use streets whenever possible but if sidewalks are safer or your only accessible means of riding, you will have to dodge objects and people (don't worry, everyone rides his bike on Japanese sidewalks). This mean you will be 'braking and cranking' an awful lot, especially when it comes to people. Slow down and be very careful around people. Their movements are unpredictable and you could seriously injure someone easily. They congregate around bus stops. As for inanimate objects such as poles, and narrow spaces- go for it. Test your skills.
Ride the streets as much as possible. Drivers in Japan are used to cyclists and are patient. Stay to the left, hunker down and try to keep up with traffic speed as best you can (often you'll be faster). There is always a danger in riding the streets; cyclists can be hard to see. The chances are though that you'll be just fine. I know a lot of cyclists and haven't heard of anyone getting hurt yet.
Put your weight on your feet. Try to keep your upper body as limber and as light as possible. This results in better flexibility, response, speed, and a more comfortable ride. It helps you absorb shocks and keeps you more observant as well. It's also essential for that really cool maneuver, once you're used to it: the curb jump.
This article was written by Dinah Jackson who enjoys writing about science, travel and Pokemon. To find hundreds of articles about Pokemon written by many different authors, check out the Pokemon black & white news site. There are hundreds of articles to choose from. Completely free. Learn all there is to know about Pokemon plushie, pokedolls, charms, plush toys, keychains, figures, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and much more. Get all the latest Pokemon news about new products.
评论
发表评论