By chance, I ended up going to Hawaii and found myself embarking on my first ever international bike trip. For cyclists, traveling with a bike is always a tricky endeavor. In the Part 1, I discussed the decision of how to pack my road bike for the journey and the durability of one of the ultimate bike travel items, the Scicon.
By some stroke of luck, I ended up participating in the Honolulu Century Ride. While my initial joy was short-lived, I soon found myself facing a perennial dilemma for road cyclists: the issue of transporting my bike. Yes, it’s the matter of bike transport.
I also consulted with Mr. Ito, the initiator of TURE DE TSUMARI, who had just completed the event recently. When I mentioned that I needed advice, he said that he would first like to hear about my current situation. A true architect, I couldn’t help but admire his attention to detail. He also looked up the elevation differences for the HCR in advance and suggested that I should ride for the expected duration to get a sense of my stamina and riding style. It does make sense…!
Alongside “My Ever Changing Moods” by The Style Council, which I introduced in the first installment of this column two months ago, one of the most memorable music videos featuring cycling that comes to mind is “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae, the singer-songwriter born in Leeds, UK, in 1979. I can’t forget the fresh excitement I felt the first time I watched this music video. It was reminiscent of the bittersweet feeling I experienced when I watched early short films by François Truffaut (his films often feature memorable bicycle scenes) during my younger days.
“The Kid With a Bike (Le gamin au vélo)” (2012, directed by the Dardenne brothers) is, as the title suggests, a story centered around a boy and his bicycle. The protagonist is Cyril, a boy living in a Belgian foster care facility. One day, his cell phone with his father suddenly goes offline. When he contacts the apartment manager, they claim that his father has moved away. He can’t believe it. His father wouldn’t just move without telling him. Moreover, his precious means of transportation, his bicycle, is still in his father’s apartment. Cyril runs away from the facility and visits the apartment, but as the manager said, his father has already moved, and there’s no sign of the bicycle. Cyril has been abandoned by his father.
This serial column, which began last month, started with an introduction. In the first installment, I wrote about “My Ever Changing Moods” by The Style Council, a song that accompanied my youth and how cycling made the world more enjoyable. In this second installment, let’s introduce Cordelia, a talented young British female singer-songwriter with a hauntingly beautiful voice, whose debut song was released just this summer.
Hello everyone, I am Yuya Ishizuka, a cycling guide covering the entire Hokkaido region with a focus on Sapporo. Today, I’ll be introducing you to a scenic cycling route that embodies the essence of Hokkaido, stretching around Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido.
Introducing a How-To Video on Traffic Rules for foreign cyclists who are interested in cycling in Japan. In Ehime Prefecture, which hosts the largest cycling event in Japan called “Cycling Shimanami,” they promote bicycle tourism and provide an introduction to basic rules of cycling such as traffic regulations and riding on the left side of the road in English. They also explain exceptions where cycling on sidewalks is allowed and provide important points to note in such cases. Additionally, they provide clear explanations of prohibited behaviors. Please take a look at the video for more information. *Note: While basic bicycle traffic rules are generally the same nationwide, some municipalities may have their own unique rules.
