Two-Wheeled Thrills
Less than two years before Olympic cyclists race one another in Fuji’s shadow, gear-shifting Members explain why nothing beats exploring Japan from the saddle.
Wherever you look in Tokyo, there’s someone on a bike. The metropolis’ sidewalks, streets and paths are full of cyclists. Young, old, business-suited and Lycra-clad, they’re all on wheels, from workaday mamachari shopping bikes to high-end, customized road bikes.
But for many Club Members, bikes represent more than a means of moving between A and B—they’re a way of channeling their spirit of adventure in the great outdoors.
What’s it like to cycle in a cramped city of more than 13 million people? Tokyo ranked ninth in the 2017 Bicycle-Friendly Cities Index, compiled by Danish urban design consultancy Copenhagenize. “Parking facilities for bikes are everywhere and impressive parking cellars with all the trimmings are located near train stations,” the guide says of the Japanese capital.
And while dedicated cycle lanes are almost unheard of here (Tokyo By Bike blogger Byron Kidd estimates there are only around 10 kilometers of cycle lanes in Tokyo), a 2014 Tokyo government paper, titled “Creating the Future: The Long-Term Vision for Tokyo,” declared that by 2020 there would be 264 kilometers of “bike lanes on roads,” double the total in 2012.
Club Member David Runacres is one of many Tokyo cyclists who braves the countless stoplights and congested streets to indulge in his hobby. He heads out west to the Tama River area or into the mountains around Tokyo two or three times a week, clocking up between 100 and 150 kilometers in total.
“These days, I am far less fit or competitive, so I ride to keep fit,” says Runacres, who is also a keen amateur photographer. “I enjoy riding and I enjoy the means of getting to know the city far better from the saddle of the bicycle than any other means.”
Born in Britain, Runacres, 53, began racing bikes at 12 years old in Australia. He represented the country in junior competitions and then Hong Kong in the late 1980s. Preferring to build his own bikes (Colnago frames and Campagnolo parts), Runacres is also obsessive about maintenance, which means he rarely faces mechanical problems.
“Tokyo is actually very safe to ride in as people and drivers especially are not aggressive,” he says. “However, they really are not used to the speed that seasoned cyclists can ride at and [are] sometimes surprised that cyclists are on the road. Being visible is crucial in this, so don’t be shy, show up.”
Two Members who stand out on Japan’s roads are tandem bicycle owners Risa Dimacali and her husband, Brian Burns.
Originally from San Francisco, the couple took to tandem biking because Dimacali couldn’t keep up with Burns, an experienced long-distance rider. If Burns rolled along at Dimacali’s pace, he wouldn’t get the workout he wanted. But if they rode separately, they wouldn’t enjoy the experience together.
A tandem proved the perfect solution. The customized bike is set to their heights and can be disassembled and packed into two suitcases for travel.
“We love the tandem because we get to explore together,” says Dimacali. “We cycle by the Tamagawa and to different parks, especially in spring and fall. Cycling through tunnels of falling cherry blossoms or gingko leaves is a magical experience. The other weekend we didn’t know our planned group ride would take us from Nakameguro, where we live, all the way to Zushi [on the Kanagawa coast].”
Their longest ride in Japan was a four-day expedition around Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula. “The dramatic coastline reminded us of Northern California, and the inclines were equally tough,” says Dimacali.
It’s a ride that would likely thrill Member Laurent Depus, a 30-year resident of Japan who usually cycles between 150 and 200 kilometers a day on weekends, often cruising hilly terrain in Nagano, Yamanashi or Saitama’s Chichibu mountains.
“I love cycling because of the freedom it affords, the constant discovery of beautiful areas of the country, the feeling of accomplishment one gets from successfully getting over tough difficulties and trials, and the ability to eat and drink without remorse afterwards!” he explains.
Growing up in Belgium, a country with a rich cycling history, Depus’ father introduced him to the sport. At age 11, Laurent earned parts for his first road bike by cycling up hills without stopping: one summit would secure him a single, crucial component. His hardware has since expanded to several road bikes, each for a different specialty, such as time trial racing or climbing. Depus’ pride and joy is a Merckx 525 by Belgian brand Eddy Merckx.
Japan is seeing an increasing number of competitions for amateur cyclists, including the Niseko Classic, a set of 70-kilometer and 140-kilometer races in Hokkaido that serves as a qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Europe. Boasting eye-popping views of Mount Yotei and the Sea of Japan, the fifth Niseko Classic in July attracted nearly 1,000 riders.
Depus, 55, is a fan of such challenges. He participates in Gran Fondo events, a type of long-distance competition that originated in Italy in the 1970s, in Karuizawa, Sado and Tohoku. He also tackles a stage of the legendary Tour de France, in a pre-race event for amateurs called L’Étape du Tour, each year.
The surroundings of the Kanto Plain regularly feature in his rides, too.
“If one wants to ride a bike in town, there are safer areas, such as around the Imperial Palace or simply on the cycling roads along the main rivers like the Tamagawa or Arakawa,” he says. “But the pleasure of riding really comes outside Tokyo [with] beautiful nature and sights and much less traffic. One can ride a train to Ome or Takao and move on from there, or beyond Yokohama and around the Miura Peninsula, which is beautiful in winter when mountains are not accessible.”
Member Jim Whittle shares Depus’ love of the open road, particularly when it’s winding its way up one of Japan’s many peaks.
A veteran of mountain bike trails in the United States, Whittle switched to road biking in California, where he joined the Santa Rosa Cycling Club. His strict cycling regimen now sees him up at 5:30 three mornings a week for 50-kilometer loops of the Imperial Palace, with 150-kilometer rides on his Pinarello Dogma F10 in the mountains of Saitama, Yamanashi or Kanagawa most Saturdays. Last year, he logged 12,000 kilometers and 110,000 meters of climbing.
“I love cycling not only because it keeps me lean and fit at 58 years old, but because it is a stress reliever and sanctuary for me,” says Whittle, who advises rookie cyclists to buy a bike bag and hop on the train for the mountain roads or join a group like Half-Fast Cycling.
“I find that cycling can be a religious experience with the nature and things I see out there on the bike in the mountains and woods that you would never see, hear, smell and feel if you were riding a car,” he explains. “You can feel refreshed and renewed after a cycle ride. It has all the endorphin natural high you get with running or swimming. I cannot image life without cycling.”
Members looking for a high-intensity workout or an indoor training ride should explore the range of indoor cycling classes at the Club.
Words: Tim Hornyak
Image: Benjamin Parks
