[Tadashi]

Hello!

I'm a Russian guy, 20 years old, living in Tokyo (more than a year already). Not so long ago I got addicted to cycling. I'm riding a track bicycle (with a freewheel for now, a flip-flop hub allows it, I may fix gear it later and uninstall brakes). I also plan to buy a very good road bicycle a bit later, for extensive training and races. I'm interested only in speedy bikes though, I totally hate MTB and hybrids with suspension.

Well, I'm a student in a Japanese language school, still learning the language. I'm planning on becoming a bike messenger (yes, you've read it right) soon. I think it may be a bit hard for a gaijin to become one, but I'm gonna try my best to do it, mainly with polishing my language skills. Also, any help (info about chances and so on) on this is greatly appreciated.

I also, wonder are there any gaijin folks here riding a single speed/fixie? I see a lot of the Japanese (mostly messengers) riding it. I really like single speed for the reason that it makes me so much stronger. And it's damn fast too.

I'd really like to participate in your trainings and races. I don't have a proper road bike yet, but I can use my hybrid for mountains stuff. On flat surfaces I will be riding a ss. Speaking of it, I have no problems anywhere in Tokyo with my gear ratio (48/18 ), I'm strong enough to climb up all the hills. So, if you're planning a ride inside Tokyo or around it with no really really steep hills, then I can join you on my track bicycle. My average speed is around 30 km/h. Is it good enough to catch up with you guys, I wonder?

I live in Nakano-ku, I'm usually training on Kannana-dori, sometimes going up to Yokohama and back. I wonder though what is the best place to train on my ss, or even fixie?

Hope to find here some cyclist buddies. Cheers!

よろしくお願いします。

[Thomas]

Welcome aboard!

Most of the TCC members are road bikers, but I believe there are one or two ss riders here as well. Check out the subfora on official and unofficial tours to get an impression of what our rides look like. Hope to see you around soon! And good luck on your messenger career. Even if you get accepted as a foreigner, I doubt it will make you rich.

[Sora]

Hi Tadashi-san,

welcome to TCC!

I am looking forward to seeing you.

I have one advice. The bike with fix geared and uninstaledl brakes is illegal, even though there are many in Tokyo. Now it becomes very big problem in Tokyo because it is too dangerous not only for rider but pedestrian and other traffic. So Tokyo Metropolitan Police is becoming very nervous for no brake bike. Recently a sport equipment company inserted the advatisement pict with no brake and fixed gear bike on a magazine, and next month they inserted the article to apologize about the pict: "Sorry to insert the shot that might encourage to ride on a illegal bike."
I recommend you not to ride on a no brake bike in public road.

[Tadashi]

Thanks for the warm greeting!

Thomas,
Thanks for the reply, nice to see some serious gaijin cyclists around here. I almost never see foreign folks riding on the streets of Tokyo. And even if I do see them, they're riding mamachari or mtb on a sidewalk.

Sure, I know this job won't make me rich, but I'm young, wanna try many things to just have fun. And I think this job is just intense fun, riding bicycle everyday, becoming stronger. I definitely want to try it.

Sora,
Hi, thanks for you reply. Looking forward to see you too.

Yes, I know about the brakes law. I don't care though. As much as those mamachari bastards don't care about traffic laws. They ride sidewalks, ride in a wrong line, use their keitais while riding and so on. And fixed geared bikes HAVE brakes, those are your feet, with which you have to stop the pedals. I may leave the front brake for a while though, but the rear one will definitely go off.

[Phil Harris]

Welcome to TCC.

[Edogawakikkoman]

A messenger is a great job for a Russian.... rushn' here and rushing there....



There is a Canadian guy in Japan who used to be a messenger. He loved it.
If I had to start my life over again I'd be a messenger in London or something...for a year or so...

Hope to meet you on a group rise soon.