What I like about the pics of the chinese bikes is that just about all of them have racks. These people ride and use their bikes and some even live on their bikes. Thanks for sharing Carkmouch.
Ernest

I've had the privilege to visit China on several occasions, mainly the city of Shenzhen (in the mainland just off Hong Kong). As you mentioned, I just love the way the Chinese are almost puritan about the everyday things in life. There's a certain dignity I find in street folk where there appears to be this absence of vanity. They just don't ridicule one another about external appearances, which I thought was so refreshing to see in a culture.

On my first visit, I was just bamboozled by the amount of bikes in the early morning before the cars and trucks take over the roads. Men riding with female (or male) passengers sitting side-saddle on the rear carriage, all going up this massive 6 lane overpass on single speeds! They don't look very fit but I only noticed a few of them stop and walk. I also saw this office worker in his business suit, riding a service bicycle of sorts in a dignified manner... not something I would ever see back home.



There's good and bad in any culture, and various countries are no exception to that. But each time I visit China, I just really enjoy watching a community that operates without sarcasm and malice (in my eyes anyway). It's just something I admire about the "mainland" Chinese.

I hope they stay that way...



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Pocko you know just about all you need to know about the Chinese in mainland China ( not Hong Kong),don't be fooled

Not to worry KungPaoSchwinn, I'm not naive. I was commenting on the manner in which the Chinese ride their bicycles. When I see something I like in a culture, I choose to celebrate it. Same thing I did when I visited the US... I look for the good.

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Here's some more pics from today







Me buying a pineapple on a stick from a tricycle fruit vendor


New electric bikes

Those double top tube roadsters are very common here in India too. These bicycles are extremely heavy, often going up to 30 kg's. All parts are steel, high tensile steel, even the rims, the wheels being 28 inch. Brakes are steel stirrup brakes and seldom require adjusting except for when the pads wear out. The racks on these bikes are heavy duty iron contraptions, strong enough to take the load of grown men. In fact, I regularly see milkmen riding along with a pair of large steel canisters full of milk (at least 20 litres each canister) hanging from hooks on the side of the racks.

Another use of the top tube is to carry a third person (the second being seated on the rear rack). The third person sits sideways with his legs hanging down one side. The pedaller's upright posture provides enough space for the front passenger to sit comfortably.

Most people ride bikes too large for them. As a result, they can not pass their legs over the saddle with the other leg on the ground. So, the way to mount these bicycles is to put the left foot on the left pedal and to set the bike in motion. As the cyclist gains balance, he then stands up on the left pedal, gaining height and then can lift his right leg over the saddle and get seated. Almost everyone who rides a roadster mounts this way. However, when one is carrying a large load on the rack, and even this method is not possible, the cyclist will pass his leg over the top tube after setting the bike in motion. This is more difficult, and it is easy to get one's heel caught on the top tube.

I like the "panniers" on that last picture there!

Please tell me which area in Tokyo is car free on a Sunday? I've never heard of this. Akihabara closes one street but a whole block or down town...I don't know of.

From last summer. Lots of bikes, peds, etc...

Some more pics from earlier today

Bi/tricycles as the utilitarian transportation machines in China, a subculture things however, those rich folks with their ( mostly corrupted doug) are switching to bicycles as the newest trend of status symbol

Here's one hell of a 'pie plate'

Indeed. I wonder what the story behind that is.

Keep the pictures coming! I love them.

Ain't nothin' dorky about that disc!

^ That's so cool, I want one!!

That's the ultimate freeride MTB accessory!

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/t...c_id=1313&v=s0