Tokyo Cyclist

 Especially in these pandemic times, many people think of an eBike as a low cost, eco friendly, and germ free alternative to cars, trains and busses.  All of that is true, but let's delve into the cost a bit more, shall we? Any discussion will be anecdotal at best, but because I have had numerous bikes for a fair period of time, my experience should be somewhat representative of real world costs.   So the first thing to think about are all the normal costs that would come with owning any type of normal bicycle.  Most eBiles are, after all, basically bicycles with some specialized components added onto the basic tried and true bicycle system.   Which is to say, most have chains and sprockets, handle bars and frames, saddles, and reflectors and lights, brakes and brake pads, kick stands, etc. In my experience, the most common thing that needs to be repaired or replaced is the tires and/or tubes.  I have probably had 4 tire changes in as many years a...

Okay, so back when I did my original review of the YPJ-MT Pro, I said that one of the most bothersome things about it was the lack of removable battery.  Yet I have to admit, that isn't strictly true - you see, the battery is of course removable - just not conveniently.   You have to remove two security Torx bolts which hold the black plastic mud guard/battery cover on, and then once that is gone, there is a larger bolt neat the bottom of the battery that you have to loosen, which will allow you to turn a spring loaded locking lug out of the way so that you can then remove the battery.   Honestly, because locking lug is spring loaded, it's basically not going to turn on its own, which means you don't really even need the last bolt.  It's there just to make double sure that when you take a huge jump across a cliff or something, that the battery has no way to come out, no matter how much G force it is subjected to. (Also, even if the battery did come out, it ...

As I mentioned in my initial review of the Yamaha YPJ MT-Pro almost exactly a year ago, one of the major things that irked me about it was the use of plastic where it doesn't belong - namely the brake levers and the pedals.   When I wrote that review, several people chimed in to tell me why I should in fact be happy, because: a. Pedals are a "personal thing" and it's better if you select your own anyway. b. Shops in other countries apparently sell bikes without pedals at all. I respectfully reject both of those arguments.  I bought a bike, I expect it to be ride-able from the moment it's delivered.  Not including pedals is not an option.  I would be very happy if Yamaha also offered a "Bike Kit" that had the frame without the wheels, seat, pedals, reflectors, bell, or handle bar grips - but that is not what I ordered.   And what is so personal about the pedals compared with the handlebar grips or seat?  I would say all of those things are fairly ...

 It never fails that if I post a photo of one of my bikes to an online forum, someone will say something like "Oh my god! I can't believe you keep that outside!  It would be stolen here in under ten minutes!" - but I think people who keep their bikes inside do so for multiple reasons.  One may be to prevent theft - but another is probably to protect it from the ravages of the elements. On the other hand, most Japanese houses don't have garages, or don't have enough room for a car and a bike even if they do.  Furthermore, most people live in apartments or condos - which are even less likely to have a garage.  This means that basically speaking, for most people their bikes will be left outside in front of their house, or in a bicycle specific parking lot of some sort if they are lucky.   For the most part, I have found that this causes surprisingly few problems, but let's take a look at the problems I do find: 1. Rust - all of my bikes are aluminum, so r...

 I realize that some people might be interested in cycling related items, but not other things I post that aren't cycling oriented. Here are some links to past cycling related topics from my other blogs: Karoo 2 and Leomo Type S eBikes: The Uncanny Valley Running Cost: Bikes vs. Cars vs. Motorcycles Mountain Bikes in the City Juiced Bike Horn/Alarm Panasonic XM-D2: One Year On Panasonic XM-D2 Electrical System Upgrade -