Track Cycling: Velodrome Racing and Training Area - Any Track Bike Riders In Japan???

Ive been living in Japan for the past 3 years and have found it extremely difficult to find any decent bike shops here that sell anything track related.

Everybody rides bikes in this country but the bikes they ride are these crap $100 girl bikes that are basically rolling scrap metal. Anyway, the bike shops in this country cater to these type of bikes and the pro-shops here basically dont know squat about track bikes. Does anyone know of a track bike friendly shop around Tokyo?

PS- I once took my rear wheel (a converted Shimano 540 road wheel with the Surly track adaptor) to a bike mechanic to remove my rear cog and the mechanic refused to even try to take it off since he was unfamiliar with this set-up, is this sad or what? I had to order 2 chain whips from the States to take off a freaking cog!

Try Y's bikes. there are about 3 or 4 around Tokyo; there is one near Roponggi for sure. I think Aoyama Itchome but you'll have to check. I also ride a track bike and I know its hell getting anything. There is a decent bike shop in my city but they're a little overpriced and I when I was putting the bike together I had to custom order everything because they didn't stock many parts. I did find some used Nitto track drops in a bike shop in Shizuoka for 1000 en.

anyway good luck

Thanks for the advice, Ive actually heard of them in the Japanese mags. Is it me, or do most of the Japanese magazines just seem like catalogs telling people which stuff/gear to get just to look cool? I'll check it out and see what they got, THANX :D

these guys make NJS frames and their shop's in tokyo.
not in central but not that far out either.

http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~cherubim/

Also, check these places,
they're not in tokyo, but next pref.

http://www.cycleland.jp/
http://www.cycle-recycle-depot.com/

I haven't been to any, but I would visit if i were in Japan.
maybe next time.

I haven't even seen any cycling magazines of any sort since I've been here. But then again, Japans been good for my magazine addiction -- at least until I get more than my 150 kanji under my belt. Its true though, 99.99 percent of the people ride those obachan bikes (which i must confess, i've also grown to enjoy riding sometimes especially if I have a load of stuff to go in the basket) Those who do ride nicer road bikes are all decked out in the about 500 dollars worth of gear and thats just their cloths. Appearence is everything here man. If you could make up some louis vitton cork tape you'd likely make a killing.

Go to any famous English/International book store, i.e. Kino Kuniya and look near the car/motorcycle section. You'll find a few catalog sized road/mountain bike magazines. Also, you've hit the nail on the head when you say appearance is EVERYTHING. I like how people will be rocking a $2000 Louie Vitton Gym bag and Rolex but will be riding a $100 "Mama Chari" (short for Mama Charinko, or mother's chariot). And what's up with everyone carrying their kids in baskets while they're riding, doesn't that strike anyone as being DANGEROUS?!

I love this country but a lot of things also drive me crazy. For ex. one time a guy picking his nose on the train (he was past his 2nd knuckle) started staring at me when I began speaking English to a friend. He looked at me with his finger up his nose like I was the freak.

Anyway, thanks for the replies.

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