Happy New Year to everybody.....
Picking up my Maruishi 3 wheeler later. My 1st bike (trike) for 2012.

I hope that's not a book/magazine holder!

Got my Maruishi 3 wheeler yesterday. Upgrade to follow later.



Sourcing for the following : White sided tires, stainless spokes, front alloy brake, dynamo hub, rear hubs, and LED lights.

Just thought I'd show the other side of the bike trade from the Japanese side. This is how the bikes are confiscated in Japan and then sold off elsewhere. If you park in the street, convoys of trucks lap the city confiscating the bikes. Sad thing is when a mother comes back to locate her bike with her child and it's gone. Baby holder and all. Kids bikes are taken too. They simply don't care. This even happens at night until about 8pm.

Have you seen where they take them! I have a yard near my place in Saitama and there must be thousands of bikes all lined up neatly waiting for their owners to come and get them, if they ever do that is!

My ( Boy Nepo ) Maruishi Rakurin after a clean-up and installation of LED flashers and a plastic carrier.





Wheel sets (hubs, spokes, and tires) to follow.

Yes I have, they keep them here in Kyoto for 2 weeks only and charge you 3000 yen to pick it up. The holding yards are scattered all over the city and next to impossible for you to locate your own bike, so naturally, they are shipped off. Nice little money earner.

As you probably know, no locking device stops them. At least they leave your lock if they have to cut it. This is what remained after my friend's bike was "removed"

Looks like the 3 wheeler is getting the attraction of some cyclists here in our area. So far two of my friends are setting up their 3 wheelers. One got a Bridgestone Mina and the other a Picnica Wagon. Watch for the pics to be posted later. So far I have seen a dozen here in our area Malabon.

Yes here in Japan many old people or cyclists with mobility problems use those three wheeler bikes before they are taken. You will start seeing the new three wheelers for mothers appearing there in Phili. They have a lower center of gravity with two wheels at the front to support the baby carriage.

Just bought 2 pcs. of new white sided tires for the rear of my 3 wheeler and sets of stainless steel spokes for the trike. i had them mounted and also changed the hub. A Nexus dynamo hub was installed in the front wheel and luckily I found a Maruishi LED headlight to match the Nexus dynamo. I'll be taking pictures of the trike later this morning.

Boy Nepo's Maruishi Rakurin as of Jan. 13, 2012

Replacements & additions : Rear Tires, spokes, baskets, hubs, Dynamo Hub, LEDs, seat, reflectors, bell, umbrella holder, seat post lock, and front wheel lock.

Just bought my 4th 3 wheeler a Miyata Scarf Windy 2WD yesterday.



Today this is how it looks after a wash over.

My Miyata Scarf Windy as of today.
Installed a Miyata LED headlight, rear stainless basket, front chromed basket, flashing LED, reflectors, and new seat post & seat.

I just mounted stainless steel rims size 26 x 1.50 in my Bridgestone Transit Sport. These rims are very rare here so when I came across a trader with these rims I didn't let the opportunity pass-by. Pictures to be posted later.

My Bridgestone Transit Sport with new set of stainless steel rims (Ukai 26 x 1.50). These rims are very rare and hard to find here in the Philippines.

A TV news coverage on bicycles was made here in Malabon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

In all my years of cycling this guy impressed me. A friend of mine introduced Norman to me and let him demonstrate his cycling abilities. See for yourself this special guy.

With a balancing bike.


Video
https://www.flickr.com/photos/73616003@N06/6828224437/in/photostream

Now see this.



Video
https://www.flickr.com/photos/73616003@N06/6828198157/in/photostream

I just got this Putchalin two days ago. Front wheel is 16 x 1.50 and rear is 24 x 1.75. I had the derauller and rear wheel aligned and headpost/handlebar changed. I will be sourcing for a rear carrier, stainless steel rims/spokes and wide sided tires, 3Speed IGH and dynamo hubs, with painting to follow. This is another unique frame design to add to my collection.

Brought home my 1st alloy minivelo, a Miyata 16 Alight. Will be posting pictures later this afternoon.

Miyata Alight 16
I changed the tires to 16 x 1.75 and installed a longer seatpost. I'll be sourcing for stainless steel rims & spokes, dynamo hub & LED headlight, and Nexus 3 speed IGH. Cables are worn out also and subject to change.

A friend that moved to Japan wrote and said that before you can even buy a car there you need to demonstrate you own a place to park it.


So where can you park bikes legaly in Japan? I thought some peopke here had problems not being able to bring a bike into their apartment building but Japan looks worse!

This is not exactly the case here.

They only confiscate those bikes that are already ticketed (it's sort of a warning note they attach to those bikes that are illegally parked). After a while (normally at night time), they come back later that day or sometimes the following day to confiscate your bicycle. They dont sell it. Confiscated bikes are being transferred to their office and the charges for redeeming your bike is around $30.

bicycle stands/parking are normally available outside of the commercial establishments.

As for the apartments, some do have a little space for their bikes provided by the owner. Other peeps park their bike at the hallway or inside the house.

Maybe in your city but this is NOT the case in Kyoto city. A car leads the trucks by 10 minutes. The person in the car tickets the bike and 10 minutes later the truck picks them up. They do this between the hours of 9am to 9pm. They repeat this process twice a day in the city. I know because I see it every day. They DO sell the bikes if you don't locate it at one of the many holding yards usually well outside the city (not office)within four weeks. Of course if your bike is taken and it is your only mode of transport, you have very little chance of recovering it because it is difficult to get to the yards without your bike.