Bike commuting has it's ups and downs, but even though I had some bad luck today, it's still way better than being stuck in a car/train. Hoping for some better luck moving forward though :) Be safe out there everyone!
Hi Cruise, I am commuting by bike everyday (40 km) on really bad roads and gravel. Since I got so many punctures especially in winter, I decided to go tubeless this year! 0 punctures so far. If I do get a flat, I have maxalamis and a spare tube with me. You could try it out!
@@Swoonorama I was gonna say the same thing, good experiences with Tubeless here too, I use the Schwalbe G-One Speed, but if you don't need the extra grip I'd recommend the Continental 5000 TL.
@@CreRay yes, my friends do love their scchwalbe tyres! I have had great experience with gp5000 TL in 25 mm. Great tyres! I switched to WTB Cross tyres in 622-35 due to the harsh winter months and overall road conditions...
New subscriber here - I think what I like best about these commute videos is that I feel that I'm transported to Japan in a sense. Something about seeing the roads and sites that constitute the daily lives of the local residents. Really neat to watch these. Thank you!
I really enjoy the new commuting videos. Video and audio are really nice. Interesting to see parts of Japan and listening to you talk about living there as you ride. Looking forward to more of them!
Would it be possible to show or talk about how you maintain, repair, or check your bikes? Like a more detailed demonstration when you fixed up your tire after a flat tire.
Go to GCN (Global Cycling Network) and search on their How To series of videos. Lot's of content well presented. Here's one twowheelcruise should have watched last night as it addresses his exact problem. www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/no-more-inner-tubes-how-to-get-home-gcns-roadside-maintenance-series Since the powers that be haven't been cutting the grass along the commute, the final method shown here should work regardless of the condition of his rim tape. Enjoy!!
"That's one of the hardest things about bike commuting, the maintenance and the cleaning"...... Bro, I FEEL YOU THERE. I have three bikes that I rotate through based on commuting condition, but it's also so that I have another option in case on bike needs maintenance. ...I'm currently at ONE functional bike, lol. Gotta get new parts for all three, and I barely have time for the cleaning. But hey, getting flats on a bike is still way better than getting flats in a car!
I'm pretty similar. It's horrible when multiple bikes are knocked out with some issue.. you really start to feel the pressure :/ Definitely any bike flat is better than a car flat :)
Yeah car flats. My wife is 200 miles away at a conference in MY car. She called this morning from a shop. Slowish leak. Nail near the sidewall. The tires are a bit old, but I expected another year or two from them. The car is AWD. This means I need to replace all four to keep the diameters the same. I’m picky about my tires, so bam, $600. Ouch. The one nice thing about car flats is that the spare includes a whole wheel. The bummer is that you have to jack up the vehicle to put it on. And if the spare lacks pressure, you’re hosed. Check your tire pressures, everybody - including your spare!
Flats are the worst, I had a double flat day the other day too. I had to use a share bike to take my bike to the bike shop to get more tubes. I enjoy the commute content.
I have been commuting for the past 15 years. Since I started using Stan's tire sealant I've had zero flats. I might have had punctures, just no flats. The stuff is amazing. I run it in both my clincher and tubular wheels.
Enjoyed the vid! Seemed like a pretty long commute, though. Two to three miles one way would be enough for me. Got my first flat a couple of days ago. Noticed it when I got home. How cool is that! Took it to a shop to get it fixed and then had a couple of thorn resistant strips installed, front and back. Need to practice taking the wheels off and putting them back on and getting a flat repair kit so I'll be ready. Saw different kinds a puncture proof tires on the Internet. Look forward to the day when they become the standard type of tire for bikes.
Great vid! I was fortunate that where I worked we had a hot hosepipe right outside the workshop door so I could give my bike a thorough clean as soon as I arrived at work. It was a real bonus in the Winter given that I was cycling out of the suburbs and through the countryside, so I got the salt from the city roads and the shite from the country roads. :)
New sub. LOVE the commute vids. I'm getting more and more attracted to Japan as a country and the people/culture. Also a BIG fan of the music scene there.
I'm salaryman 😂. Commute in tshirt, change and wipe with wet towel in toilet before going up to the office. Aircon and a mini fan help to cooldown, dry quickly. Those with a shower at office are real lucky. Hey seems you don't have as much time to do long distance trip now. I'll sure be delighted to watch your next long trip ride.
Rough life of a salaryman ;) Yeah, I'm waaaay busier than before.. I catch up on my video editing on the weekends, so If I go for a long weekend ride, I won't be able to edit any new videos :/ Those videos also take a lot longer to edit.. But I am planning to still do a few every once in a while where I can :)
Thanks for another great video :) , one thing that just came to my mind when you had punctures , is that have you considered to try Tubeless it has really been a great change for me . I use Mavic Wheels and Mavic Ypsilons , and knock on wood have had no flats for 1 year so far.
Love the landscape! Good idea with the commuting and talk about different things. That's is really interesting. Just go slower by the dog parks, wanna see all these lovely Akitas running around :D
Saw your Grand Traverse Pie Company jersey!!! Thats my home town and never would have guessed I see that when i clicked on this video! Sorry about the flats but keep up the videos, subscribed!
Cheers! I was actually born in Traverse City, but raised in Rochester. Raced for the Einstein Cycling team in my last year of serious racing before "retiring"
Two flats that sucks, I am very paranoid about flats. Being handicap and can bike ride way farther then I can walk. So I carry 2 spare tubs and a patch kit. And now I got into CO2 got a couple cartridges and my pump for back up. Oh sealant in the tubes too I said I was paranoid 🤣🤣 love the videos. I use them and Thuong videos to ride with on bad weather days and stuck on the recombinant exercise bike indoors so I riding with you both👍. Take care stay safe.
I keep my patch kit in a pill bottle with a couple meters of good quality duct tape wrapped around it. Among other uses, the duct tape will patch over an area of bad rim tape.
Great video . Exiting times here in Belgium. Tour de France starts in Brussels, le grand depart or in english the big start on july 6 a 194.5k local race and july 7 a 27.6k team time race. It is going to be huge because Belgians are bike crazy.
Nice commute. Mine is 17km, 34km round trip, but I don't do it everyday.I can make it in 43min in the fast days and 55min in the slow ones, so it's about faster or the same time it takes by bus. Once you get used to it, a long commute is not so bad. You can get right into it if you're already phisicaly active, if you're not it would take a few weeks to get used to it. Here in Brazil this distance is quite common for a commute, though most people do it by bus.
That must've sucked, hope the walk home wasn't that far anymore. I'm riding the specialized diverge sport with 700x38mm tires since the roads are pretty bumpy here aswell..
I'm living in Japan and commuting with bike to school. And its the third month now and gotta say if you enjoy it everything is gonna be fined AS long as there's no head wind, sunny day, or rainy day.
You have a really nice run .. my ride in Tokyo is just messy 14 traffic lights, mind you it pisses off the Merc driver then he rushes off, you catch him at every traffic light ;-) I had a run of bad luck with flats mostly due to wires or staples
Hey man, love your videos! You have great content and I personally bike commuted to work a lot but never more than 15km. Except when I worked for a food delivery app in that case I was the commute haha it sucks when the flats happens but if you think about it, it could happen to the car and to the bus as well. Good luck in your commutes, have a nice one!
Thank you for posting this video! I have commuted a few times this year. I definitely want to do more but at this time it's not possible. Stay safe out there!
Hey man really enjoyed this video, as I did the one on your commute to work shame it was cut short, could yo do it again please . Also like the idea of you mixing up the route. Would very much like to see some more videos of the river cycle paths
Tubeless tires! No inner tubes necessary, just a small hand pump...using mavic UST, easy to inflate. 60-80 psi, no problem, no snake bite punctures, comfortable ride
Very interesting. You worked as a university lecturer before? What did you teach and where? And you’re from Michigan, a state I still want to visit. My late dad attended Olivet College on an athletic scholarship and Ferris State for pharmacy school. Happily, it seems that you have combined your passion for cycling and your work. Nice.
I taught front end web dev in St. Louis for a year, and then English in Japan for 4 years. Michigan is a great place to visit, especially the northern parts ;)
Great videos there Cruise. Wish my country has such a safe and nice infrastructure for daily bicycle commuter like us. Wish to cycle in Japan one day. Keep it up and ride safe mate!
No, this guy just happens to have a brilliant commute route. I live in a japan too and don’t get near paths like that usually. As he said, they are along big riverbanks, which I do not ride along on my way to work.
I commuted by bike for 12 years in NYC. My recommendations...carry a spare tube and two patch kits. Also consider Schwalbe Marathon or Marathon Plus tires for your commutes. It's difficult to get flats with those tires. They're a bit heavy and not so supple but the flat protection makes up for it.
I recently ran 30C Schwalbe G-One Speed tubeless tires with sealant. I ran them on gravel, rocky single track, and the road with zero flats. Supple and reasonably light. A light tread that is great in the wet. And they rolled seriously faster than my friend’s 23C tube tires. The only downside is that they wear out quickly, but that’s expected with light, grippy tires. Frankly, I would have gotten more life out of them had I not flat spotted them when a pedestrian unexpectedly stepped into my path. Fortunately, only the tires were injured - great grip provides an extra margin of safety. I came to a complete stop well before contact.
Another good option is the Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season 11Storm Tubeless Tire. My son got a pair of 25Cs for his rim brake bike. He lives in Portland, and the storms have a nice rain tread. No flats for him so far.
@@AandA697 Depends on where you ride and how much glass there is on your route. If you ride narrow tires and barely get any flats, there’s no reason to switch to tubeless. However, if you’re running wider rugged tires and still get a lot of flats, there’s no better upgrade than 30+ mm tubeless tires. Sealant takes care of virtually all punctures and Dynaplugs will save you in case of larger cuts. When worse comes to worst, I always have a spare inner tube in my saddle bag.
Chiming in with the love these videos :) Biking back from work is the best, since you can take detours and go as fast as you like without worrying about getting too sweaty for work :)
good video .. very well said .here's a laugh for you .. eight of us jumped on the river bed headed out to long beach from the city of commerce right from the start that day had the biggest laugh. We all ran over goatheads the little frinken throns about fifteen thorns per each tires haha ! and all this happen in the late 80's when cell phones were not out yet ... and in the middle of nowhere .
Cruise have you tried tire liners? They add a little weight to your tires but they are 100% puncture proof. They dont do anything against pinch flats tho.
What a bummer. Did you really have to walk 10K? Ouch. It would be good to see what you put in your bike kit. Do you just use spare tubes or patches? Also, might be nice to show a video on what is good to bring on long rides. I tend to bring a lot of food/drinks since I don't know what I'm going to find and don't want to have to spend money and time at a restaurant. But that means having bulk on the ride.
Where did you live in MI? I live there now. Totally agree on the lack of hills, we have to go to Marquette or Copper Harbor in the UP to get some serious mountain biking.
Crazy coincidence, my brother and I ride the trails in Rochester and Auburn Hills all the time, we live in Auburn Hills. The rail trails around there made me decide to get a gravel bike and do some longer rides. What a small world. Love the channel, keep up the videos.
Used to do a lot of training in Auburn hills and I actually founded the OU cycling club back in the day... Miss the rail trail network as well. Cheers! :)
I quit using Michelin Aircomp tube and Michelin Pro 4 Endurance 700x23C tires--they were ok and felt fast but I would still get flats every once in a while. I'm now using 700x25C Panaracer Evo 3 Race D (made in Japan) with Michelin Airstop. Haven't had a flat yet. It's not a race tire but it sure is not as slow as Continental Gatorskin or Schwalbe Marathon.
Two Wheel Cruise we were in japan last year. I personally loved the Kyoto area. So chill. My 13 year old son loved Tokyo. :). I saw a recent vlog from Kyoto. Everything is so quiet. Perfect time to visit mambo forest or fushimi inari
Maybe install some velox rim tape, that stuff is thick. I used Schwalbe Duranos on my road bike, heavy but very very puncture resistant which is great for commuting
Commute by Nagoya castle would be good I think. Also you could get from Nagakute-Shi to Nagoya castle by the Higashiyama dori. It’s a good contrast between the safe looking but actually dangerous small river roads. I hate the pigeons too!!! ;)
Flat tire happen at strange frequency and intervals, I got two flats in this Apr but I was good for 9 months in 2018. One was caused by a thorn spike and the second one by a huge stapler near road side. Pigeons and insects are constant nuisance, in summer time of Hong Kong there are worms that throw out spider silk along bicycle tracks that make people feel very itchy. As pigeons is concerned, they don't move out until the last second. Heard you think about a dog, my wife runs an animal sanctuary, we received an abandoned Shiba Inu last week and he snapped my wife in the legs twice within three days, I bought a pair of MTB leg guards for her safety afterwards.
You cycling so faraway and don't have spare tube or puncture kit? I'm always have 2 tube +puncture kit with me all the time. Also I have hard puncture tires. For one year and a half I got only one puncture.
I commute to work and ride all around Japan. Two years and nearly 40,000km. Continental Gatorskins kept me virtually puncture free for most of that time. I had only 3 puncture flats. Two more flats were the result of pinches. I also used Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for three months. No flats, but they were heavy and really difficult to get on and off the rim. (RUclips a how-to video if you need tips to get them on and off the rim.). I may try the Schwalbe Duranos. Also, I use a CO2 inflater instead of a pump. If you need a good light for night riding, consider the Brighteyes 1600. Good price, great lighting, good battery life. Available on Amazon.
Gatorskins and Marathons are my 2 favorite puncture proof tires... This was my first time with the Durano... and stapler ripped right through it.. In the garbage now..
I hit a pothole a while back , everything got "stuck" and I ended up having to mostly carry my bike for 2 Km ! Later I have found out that the AA will respond to bike emergencies as well :-)
I like the commute videos. It reminds me a bit of Victor's laundry videos, but without you drinking beer😄. I'm honestly a bit annoyed by people constantly asking me why I don't have an e-bike, as it would be much easier to ride. It seems that some people don't understand the spirit behind biking. I'm totally ok with that Idea if it's purely for commuting, or when you are old and don't want to give up cycling etc. But for sportive cycling it's a no-go in my opinion and makes no sense. I have an Idea for your next commute video: as I saw MOAchan on your desk, I got curious what Japanese bands you like and how it all developed. I got in contact with Japanese rock and metal about 3 years ago and it totally struck me. I'm just blown away by the sheer talent and creativity, especially the kids and all-female rock and metal bands. There's nothing comparable in the western hemisphere😳. Would be great to hear your story regarding Japanese music. Ok, that's enough for now😂. Thanx for the video. P.S. You could also make some walking-back-home-due-to-a-flat videos in the future😉.
Cycling is my beer LOL Agreed, the ebike questions can get a bit annoying, especially considering I'm still under 30 😂 I've got some very strong opinions on the Japanese music industry.. Could make for a fun topic :)
I think e-bike could be implemented in another way, not sure if the weight could be made to make sense(maybe if brakes could be ditched, but that won't happening lo), but to have just enough for e-brake, super-cap and then to use the energy from breaking to help you accelerate, such minimalist Design would really be only ideal for flat land, as a capacitor wouldn't have enough capacity to store breaking energy from a hill,...
The main benefit I see is for mountain biking with the wife. She can get some assist going up the steep sections and we can enjoy riding together more. For main roads, the assist limit is so low in Japan it's not even worth it..
Thanks for mentioning the public transit in the video, I felt it spoke to me personally. Strange question but how do you time your liquid consumption with rides, particularly your commutes. Do you ever stop to pee at anywhere that is not a public park? Perhaps a video of 'how' you leave your bike outside of a Lawson's, etc. In my short stay in Japan I saw many nice road bikes often freelocked at most. V awesome
I just drink when I feel thirsty, and pee when I feel like peeing. There's actually a couple outdoor restrooms along the way if you know where to look (something Japan is really good about)
I hate climbs. My terrain is rather flat, but as bikers say everywhere about my city, the wind surely compensates for the lack of hills. We do not have suicidal pigeons, but geese tend to flock on bike paths.
I recently started bike commuting a few days/week, and I feel the pain of flats. My route has lots of intersections and a few sketchy spots, and I got 3 flats in 2 weeks. Now I carry a spare and a patch kit (and a CO2 inflator) in my seat pack, and a second spare and CO2 tank in my backpack... At this rate, I'll spend the same on tubes and CO2 inflators as I did on gas...
Tough luck with flats. Reminds me of the school days when I used to carry bike back to my regular bike shop to fix it :p Have you considered a protected tyre? I use Schwalbe Marathon on my Jamis commuter and haven't had a flat since... Pretty comfortable with 32 width. Not the fastest but nice for all-weather commuter. Obviously, it won't help if the damage is actually coming from inside (rim tape as you mentioned).
@@TwoWheelCruise Hi mate. I've been meaning to ask... is there any comment you would make for those who are considering a Planet X bike? Since I saw your CX bike I've been checking out their product, and thinking of pulling a trigger on a Titanium model for my every day ride that is light weight... Anything that I should be aware of? Things you wish you'd known before you bought a bike from them, etc.? Appreciate your thoughts, if you have a moment... Thanks!
Perhaps get a Stans tubeless kit and go tubeless? I've done my 33mm Schwalbe cross tyres / tires and it prevents pinch flats / snakebites. If you periodically add a bit more Stans latex it is pretty well thorn proof too. Don't ask me what happens when you wear the tyre out and get it of the rim, probably Latex city in there 😂😂😂 Baz
What do you even get flat's from? These road bike tires so fragile? I've only ever lived in rural areas, so I've only ever had mountain-bikes and flat's would happen mainly from big enough sharp objects, or a combination of tyre age and pressure (during drops/jumps). Must've sucked to walk, was it already dark when you arrived?
My road bike has "tube-ready tubeless" tires (I think they're called that). My place where I bought the bike said they have sealant inside the tires that will fill any small holes I might get so I don't need a repair kit. Any thoughts on punctures and repairs for this kind of tire? I've been commuting by bike 3 times a week (about 13km one way). I never thought about wiping it down after riding. I'm such a nube.
Oh, you luck were bad, 2 flatten tires in a row. Can't imagine if you didn't bring the repair kit, that should be a nightmare. Seeing the route you rode back, it should be fine before sunset. At night it should be very dark. Do you still use this route if you had to go home after sunset? My house is next to the river and I also suffer from the bugs as same as you... they got into my mouth multiple times ...ewww >o
Sadly only one tube today :/ Never again.. I ride this same route in the winter when it's dark, just bring a good light.. Thinking to wear a mask since the bugs are really bad at times..
It’s time for that 1x conversion. Haha If the 11 speed is built like my 10 speed Rival levers, you can remove the lever and mechanism in one piece. It’s all held together by a pin. Also, the procedure is reversible if you find replacement parts.
This is also 10 speed rival.. The shifter works, just doesn't return to the normal position so I'm guessing I lost a spring or something.. Trying not to spend any more money on this bike if I can help it 😅 Though converting to a single front might be nice for simplicity
After rain, always lots of rubbish washes up and on the roads. Here's an idea. You could have a course with as many Aeon Malls in it as possible. Hope you get no more flats soon!
I tried one of those CO2 tyre inflators once, but I soon learnt that it should only be used as supplemental to a hand pump. The expansion of the CO2 froze the valve open, allowing all the gas I had just put in to escape. It wouldn't have been so much of an issue if I hadn't been on carbon wheels (coincidently also Planet X) and Look Keo shoes rather than SPDs.
![[Cycling Japan] Commuting By Bike To Work - Ride Home After Work](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/I6QG4jghxbg/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Cycling Japan] Commuting By Bike To Work - Ride Home After Work](/img/tr.png)
Bike commuting has it's ups and downs, but even though I had some bad luck today, it's still way better than being stuck in a car/train. Hoping for some better luck moving forward though :) Be safe out there everyone!
Hi Cruise, I am commuting by bike everyday (40 km) on really bad roads and gravel. Since I got so many punctures especially in winter, I decided to go tubeless this year! 0 punctures so far. If I do get a flat, I have maxalamis and a spare tube with me. You could try it out!
Thanks man! Hoping to try it out sometime this year :)
Tannus
@@Swoonorama I was gonna say the same thing, good experiences with Tubeless here too, I use the Schwalbe G-One Speed, but if you don't need the extra grip I'd recommend the Continental 5000 TL.
@@CreRay yes, my friends do love their scchwalbe tyres! I have had great experience with gp5000 TL in 25 mm. Great tyres! I switched to WTB Cross tyres in 622-35 due to the harsh winter months and overall road conditions...
Yes please continue the commuting videos they are awesome, interesting and informative.
Will do!!!
New subscriber here - I think what I like best about these commute videos is that I feel that I'm transported to Japan in a sense. Something about seeing the roads and sites that constitute the daily lives of the local residents. Really neat to watch these. Thank you!
Glad to hear it :) More on the way!
I really enjoy the new commuting videos. Video and audio are really nice. Interesting to see parts of Japan and listening to you talk about living there as you ride. Looking forward to more of them!
Thanks man, glad to hear it! :)
Would it be possible to show or talk about how you maintain, repair, or check your bikes? Like a more detailed demonstration when you fixed up your tire after a flat tire.
I'm a horrible bike mechanic and no one should learn from me or follow my ways 😅
@@TwoWheelCruise but we could be entertained from such content too. Win/win. XD
Lol 😂😂😂
Go to GCN (Global Cycling Network) and search on their How To series of videos. Lot's of content well presented. Here's one twowheelcruise should have watched last night as it addresses his exact problem.
www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/no-more-inner-tubes-how-to-get-home-gcns-roadside-maintenance-series
Since the powers that be haven't been cutting the grass along the commute, the final method shown here should work regardless of the condition of his rim tape.
Enjoy!!
Wasn't that desperate haha, but definitely some good ideas there!
"That's one of the hardest things about bike commuting, the maintenance and the cleaning"......
Bro, I FEEL YOU THERE. I have three bikes that I rotate through based on commuting condition, but it's also so that I have another option in case on bike needs maintenance.
...I'm currently at ONE functional bike, lol. Gotta get new parts for all three, and I barely have time for the cleaning.
But hey, getting flats on a bike is still way better than getting flats in a car!
I'm pretty similar. It's horrible when multiple bikes are knocked out with some issue.. you really start to feel the pressure :/
Definitely any bike flat is better than a car flat :)
Yeah car flats. My wife is 200 miles away at a conference in MY car. She called this morning from a shop. Slowish leak. Nail near the sidewall.
The tires are a bit old, but I expected another year or two from them. The car is AWD. This means I need to replace all four to keep the diameters the same. I’m picky about my tires, so bam, $600. Ouch.
The one nice thing about car flats is that the spare includes a whole wheel. The bummer is that you have to jack up the vehicle to put it on. And if the spare lacks pressure, you’re hosed. Check your tire pressures, everybody - including your spare!
yikes, expensive day 😱
I like the positive way u see things
no point on dwelling on things
Flats are the worst, I had a double flat day the other day too. I had to use a share bike to take my bike to the bike shop to get more tubes. I enjoy the commute content.
Unlucky day for us both. Thanks man, more to come! :)
Looking forward to more of this series, your videos really help me stay motivated.
Glad to hear it, keep it up!
I like this format. I also like your idea of talking about life in Japan.
love the commuting episodes, keep up the awesome content!
Thanks man! 😁
I have been commuting for the past 15 years. Since I started using Stan's tire sealant I've had zero flats. I might have had punctures, just no flats. The stuff is amazing. I run it in both my clincher and tubular wheels.
Might be time to go tubeless..
I've been looking for these kind of videos, where I can watch someone cycle around and learn about their country. (:
Lots of them here 🙂
Enjoyed the vid! Seemed like a pretty long commute, though. Two to three miles one way would be enough for me. Got my first flat a couple of days ago. Noticed it when I got home. How cool is that! Took it to a shop to get it fixed and then had a couple of thorn resistant strips installed, front and back. Need to practice taking the wheels off and putting them back on and getting a flat repair kit so I'll be ready. Saw different kinds a puncture proof tires on the Internet. Look forward to the day when they become the standard type of tire for bikes.
Great vid! I was fortunate that where I worked we had a hot hosepipe right outside the workshop door so I could give my bike a thorough clean as soon as I arrived at work. It was a real bonus in the Winter given that I was cycling out of the suburbs and through the countryside, so I got the salt from the city roads and the shite from the country roads. :)
Thanks! We've got a hose as well which I'll be using very soon :)
I dont know how i got here, but im loving it
Haha, welcome :)
Great bike commutes! Don't stop to upload them!
Thanks man!
I am commuting 4 km to work and 4 km back. Your route is pretty cool !
Thanks! Keep it up!
Have a safe ride always bro🚲😊
Thanks man!
Great moments in bad timing... :) Look forward to seeing the full commute.
Should be up on Sunday!
New sub. LOVE the commute vids. I'm getting more and more attracted to Japan as a country and the people/culture. Also a BIG fan of the music scene there.
Thanks man! It's certainly a fun place to be 😁
Switched to tubeless late last year, got tired of walking home and paying for tubes
I gotta make the switch!
I'm salaryman 😂. Commute in tshirt, change and wipe with wet towel in toilet before going up to the office. Aircon and a mini fan help to cooldown, dry quickly. Those with a shower at office are real lucky. Hey seems you don't have as much time to do long distance trip now. I'll sure be delighted to watch your next long trip ride.
Rough life of a salaryman ;)
Yeah, I'm waaaay busier than before.. I catch up on my video editing on the weekends, so If I go for a long weekend ride, I won't be able to edit any new videos :/ Those videos also take a lot longer to edit.. But I am planning to still do a few every once in a while where I can :)
Thanks for another great video :) , one thing that just came to my mind when you had punctures , is that have you considered to try Tubeless it has really been a great change for me . I use Mavic Wheels and Mavic Ypsilons , and knock on wood have had no flats for 1 year so far.
Thanks! I'm strongly considering it for moving forward..
Love the landscape! Good idea with the commuting and talk about different things. That's is really interesting. Just go slower by the dog parks, wanna see all these lovely Akitas running around :D
Haha, I'll take my time next time :)
Saw your Grand Traverse Pie Company jersey!!! Thats my home town and never would have guessed I see that when i clicked on this video! Sorry about the flats but keep up the videos, subscribed!
Cheers! I was actually born in Traverse City, but raised in Rochester. Raced for the Einstein Cycling team in my last year of serious racing before "retiring"
I love these kinds of videos
Glad to hear it :)
Two flats that sucks, I am very paranoid about flats. Being handicap and can bike ride way farther then I can walk. So I carry 2 spare tubs and a patch kit. And now I got into CO2 got a couple cartridges and my pump for back up. Oh sealant in the tubes too I said I was paranoid 🤣🤣 love the videos. I use them and Thuong videos to ride with on bad weather days and stuck on the recombinant exercise bike indoors so I riding with you both👍. Take care stay safe.
Thanks! I've switched to solid tires now, no flats :)
@@TwoWheelCruise yes seen your video they look great, hopefully they expand to more tires then the road bikes I would look at getting those 👍
I keep my patch kit in a pill bottle with a couple meters of good quality duct tape wrapped around it. Among other uses, the duct tape will patch over an area of bad rim tape.
Good idea, I bought a tool bottle this week and am putting all my stuff in there now. Got some electric tape in there too
Great video . Exiting times here in Belgium. Tour de France starts in Brussels, le grand depart or in english the big start on july 6 a 194.5k local race and july 7 a 27.6k team time race. It is going to be huge because Belgians are bike crazy.
Thanks! Sounds like a good time! Hopefully I can make it over to watch one day..
Nice commute. Mine is 17km, 34km round trip, but I don't do it everyday.I can make it in 43min in the fast days and 55min in the slow ones, so it's about faster or the same time it takes by bus. Once you get used to it, a long commute is not so bad. You can get right into it if you're already phisicaly active, if you're not it would take a few weeks to get used to it.
Here in Brazil this distance is quite common for a commute, though most people do it by bus.
twice as fast for me to go by bike than by train :)
That must've sucked, hope the walk home wasn't that far anymore. I'm riding the specialized diverge sport with 700x38mm tires since the roads are pretty bumpy here aswell..
10km walk home :/ Definitely getting some better tires for next time..
10k walk in cleats ? No way, I’d be getting a cab. Hope you made it home safe. Good vids 👍
MTB shoes, no problem :)
Actually my wife brought my skateboard to me and pulled me back with the bike 😂
I'm living in Japan and commuting with bike to school. And its the third month now and gotta say if you enjoy it everything is gonna be fined AS long as there's no head wind, sunny day, or rainy day.
Awesome! Unfortunately lots of rain ahead..
You have a really nice run .. my ride in Tokyo is just messy 14 traffic lights, mind you it pisses off the Merc driver then he rushes off, you catch him at every traffic light ;-)
I had a run of bad luck with flats mostly due to wires or staples
The number of traffic lights here is insane.. And everyone accelerates into red lights :/
Hey man, love your videos! You have great content and I personally bike commuted to work a lot but never more than 15km. Except when I worked for a food delivery app in that case I was the commute haha
it sucks when the flats happens but if you think about it, it could happen to the car and to the bus as well. Good luck in your commutes, have a nice one!
Thanks man! :)
Thank you for posting this video! I have commuted a few times this year. I definitely want to do more but at this time it's not possible. Stay safe out there!
Thanks! Hope you can get out more soon!
Love these videos!! Looking forward for the next one
Thanks! 😁
Hey man really enjoyed this video, as I did the one on your commute to work shame it was cut short, could yo do it again please . Also like the idea of you mixing up the route. Would very much like to see some more videos of the river cycle paths
Thanks man! I'll try to do a full ride home video sometime again. And will mix up some other routes occasionally
Tubeless tires! No inner tubes necessary, just a small hand pump...using mavic UST, easy to inflate. 60-80 psi, no problem, no snake bite punctures, comfortable ride
Hoping to switch soon :)
Very interesting. You worked as a university lecturer before? What did you teach and where? And you’re from Michigan, a state I still want to visit. My late dad attended Olivet College on an athletic scholarship and Ferris State for pharmacy school. Happily, it seems that you have combined your passion for cycling and your work. Nice.
I taught front end web dev in St. Louis for a year, and then English in Japan for 4 years.
Michigan is a great place to visit, especially the northern parts ;)
Two Wheel Cruise Very cool... 👍
*And thats why i wanted to live in japan*
*nice video continue the good work👌*
Thanks man! :)
Great videos there Cruise. Wish my country has such a safe and nice infrastructure for daily bicycle commuter like us. Wish to cycle in Japan one day. Keep it up and ride safe mate!
Thanks man! Hope they can start to build better infrastructure sometime in the near future
No, this guy just happens to have a brilliant commute route. I live in a japan too and don’t get near paths like that usually. As he said, they are along big riverbanks, which I do not ride along on my way to work.
I commuted by bike for 12 years in NYC. My recommendations...carry a spare tube and two patch kits. Also consider Schwalbe Marathon or Marathon Plus tires for your commutes. It's difficult to get flats with those tires. They're a bit heavy and not so supple but the flat protection makes up for it.
I love the marathons, and invested in a patch kit :)
I recently ran 30C Schwalbe G-One Speed tubeless tires with sealant. I ran them on gravel, rocky single track, and the road with zero flats. Supple and reasonably light. A light tread that is great in the wet. And they rolled seriously faster than my friend’s 23C tube tires. The only downside is that they wear out quickly, but that’s expected with light, grippy tires. Frankly, I would have gotten more life out of them had I not flat spotted them when a pedestrian unexpectedly stepped into my path. Fortunately, only the tires were injured - great grip provides an extra margin of safety. I came to a complete stop well before contact.
Another good option is the Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season 11Storm Tubeless Tire. My son got a pair of 25Cs for his rim brake bike. He lives in Portland, and the storms have a nice rain tread. No flats for him so far.
Bad luck but lucky to be safe .
Cheer up and take a big care .
Cheers!
Great bike
Thanks! :)
Nice Planet X bike. I have a px too
Love it
Tubeless is the way to go. One 50km commute from earlier in the year I pulled 22 thorns out of my tyres. Tubeless saves me almost everyday.
10 000km on my conti 4 Seasons with innertube. Only One Flat. Tubeless is nonsense on roadbikes
@@AandA697 yeah but, he's not riding a roadbike.
Cross bike is my regular commuting bike, but I also ride my road bike sometimes. Am thinking to try out a tubeless setup sometime soon..
@@AandA697 Depends on where you ride and how much glass there is on your route. If you ride narrow tires and barely get any flats, there’s no reason to switch to tubeless. However, if you’re running wider rugged tires and still get a lot of flats, there’s no better upgrade than 30+ mm tubeless tires. Sealant takes care of virtually all punctures and Dynaplugs will save you in case of larger cuts. When worse comes to worst, I always have a spare inner tube in my saddle bag.
Chiming in with the love these videos :) Biking back from work is the best, since you can take detours and go as fast as you like without worrying about getting too sweaty for work :)
Haha exactly! And a nice dinner to look forward to!
Two Wheel Cruise Have you been introduced to Gatsby Ice Towels? Brilliant for stopping sweat and cleaning and deodorising after a commute.
good video .. very well said .here's a laugh for you .. eight of us jumped on the river bed headed out to long beach from the city of commerce right from the start that day had the biggest laugh. We all ran over goatheads the little frinken throns about fifteen thorns per each tires haha ! and all this happen in the late 80's when cell phones were not out yet ... and in the middle of nowhere .
Yikes... Sounds like a memory you'll never forget ;)
You didn't miss much on Fuji hill climb super wet and cold. It was my first time. I'm not fit but i made it up without stopping.
Congrats on doing it without stopping! It looked like some really rough conditions out there..
Cruise have you tried tire liners? They add a little weight to your tires but they are 100% puncture proof. They dont do anything against pinch flats tho.
Not yet, but they sound interesting.. I don't mind the extra weight, my wheels are already tanks.. lol
I'll start to comute in a week or two, waiting my new bike to arrive. 2 times 10km and 3 times around 18km a week.
Awesome! Enjoy the commute on the new bike!
Schwalbe marathon plus they are awesome tyres.
Great video. I like to commute by car.
I think I remember you riding a bike once ;)
What camera do you use to take the videos and what body mount do you use and do you have a separate mic.
All here twowheelcruise.com/camera-gear/
Just a standard chest mount
Can u make a video about the changes you made in ur cyclocross bike... Original vs additions / changes...
What a bummer. Did you really have to walk 10K? Ouch. It would be good to see what you put in your bike kit. Do you just use spare tubes or patches? Also, might be nice to show a video on what is good to bring on long rides. I tend to bring a lot of food/drinks since I don't know what I'm going to find and don't want to have to spend money and time at a restaurant. But that means having bulk on the ride.
Thuong came to pick me up with a skateboard, which I rode while holding my bike being towed behind her lol
I'll make a video about that soon! :)
@@TwoWheelCruise That's hilarious. She's strong to do that. At least it was somewhat of an interesting and funny ending to a disappointing commute.
I bought a pair of Schwalbe Marathon tires in 2002...I've never had a flat tire since then....takes 10,000 kms. to wear out a rear skin...
Yep. Good skins make all the difference, and really good ones can be had today.
Love the marathon tires, have them on my fixed gear commuter :)
Love the idea!
Thanks! :)
Where did you live in MI? I live there now. Totally agree on the lack of hills, we have to go to Marquette or Copper Harbor in the UP to get some serious mountain biking.
Rochester. No hills, but some great XC mtb trails and dirt roads. Of course Copper Harbor is the best though :)
Crazy coincidence, my brother and I ride the trails in Rochester and Auburn Hills all the time, we live in Auburn Hills. The rail trails around there made me decide to get a gravel bike and do some longer rides. What a small world. Love the channel, keep up the videos.
Used to do a lot of training in Auburn hills and I actually founded the OU cycling club back in the day... Miss the rail trail network as well.
Cheers! :)
I quit using Michelin Aircomp tube and Michelin Pro 4 Endurance 700x23C tires--they were ok and felt fast but I would still get flats every once in a while. I'm now using 700x25C Panaracer Evo 3 Race D (made in Japan) with Michelin Airstop. Haven't had a flat yet. It's not a race tire but it sure is not as slow as Continental Gatorskin or Schwalbe Marathon.
Dude, if there is an alternate route for that cramped highway section you should take it.
Probably should, but it's not a very ideal alternative :/
That reminds me that I need to look into rim tape more. I do notice it when changing tires. At one point I thought they were only for tubeless tires.
Definitely something easy to overlook 😑
Great channel and commuting vids. I have a question what tire levers do you use to remove your tire when you get a flat?
Mine always break.
Thanks! Nothing specific, I've got a bunch of random tire levers from different brands. Most tend to break pretty easily, so I usually carry 3.
Love your channel dude. Bike vlogs are the best imo :) do the Japanese enjoy crit races more or grand fondo style?
Thanks man! Most races are crits, but there are few actual good crit racers.. lots of fun ride type of people and events
I would love to see the two of you take a break and go to Kyoto or Osaka. Before you leave japan
We wanted to travel a bit before leaving, but for now feel it's safer to just stay home :/
Two Wheel Cruise we were in japan last year. I personally loved the Kyoto area. So chill. My 13 year old son loved Tokyo. :). I saw a recent vlog from Kyoto. Everything is so quiet. Perfect time to visit mambo forest or fushimi inari
Maybe install some velox rim tape, that stuff is thick. I used Schwalbe Duranos on my road bike, heavy but very very puncture resistant which is great for commuting
This happened with brand new Durano's.. Found a staple in the tire later..
@@TwoWheelCruise My faith in them has been lost!
bummer😥😣.... but all part of cycling commuting,love your video,Cheers!!
Thanks! 🙂
Commute by Nagoya castle would be good I think. Also you could get from Nagakute-Shi to Nagoya castle by the Higashiyama dori. It’s a good contrast between the safe looking but actually dangerous small river roads.
I hate the pigeons too!!! ;)
I drive by there almost every day for work :) Agreed, the Higashiyama route is actually really safe compared to the river roads.
Flat tire happen at strange frequency and intervals, I got two flats in this Apr but I was good for 9 months in 2018. One was caused by a thorn spike and the second one by a huge stapler near road side. Pigeons and insects are constant nuisance, in summer time of Hong Kong there are worms that throw out spider silk along bicycle tracks that make people feel very itchy. As pigeons is concerned, they don't move out until the last second. Heard you think about a dog, my wife runs an animal sanctuary, we received an abandoned Shiba Inu last week and he snapped my wife in the legs twice within three days, I bought a pair of MTB leg guards for her safety afterwards.
They really do.. this was a brand new tire, but it quickly found a staple friend 😭
Those shiba dogs can be really aggressive 😬
You cycling so faraway and don't have spare tube or puncture kit? I'm always have 2 tube +puncture kit with me all the time. Also I have hard puncture tires. For one year and a half I got only one puncture.
Only had one tube on me.. Patch kit was in a different saddle bag :(
I commute to work and ride all around Japan. Two years and nearly 40,000km. Continental Gatorskins kept me virtually puncture free for most of that time. I had only 3 puncture flats. Two more flats were the result of pinches. I also used Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for three months. No flats, but they were heavy and really difficult to get on and off the rim. (RUclips a how-to video if you need tips to get them on and off the rim.). I may try the Schwalbe Duranos. Also, I use a CO2 inflater instead of a pump. If you need a good light for night riding, consider the Brighteyes 1600. Good price, great lighting, good battery life. Available on Amazon.
Gatorskins and Marathons are my 2 favorite puncture proof tires... This was my first time with the Durano... and stapler ripped right through it.. In the garbage now..
Bugger, My wife and I had two flats on our tandem in 10k. we tend to carry tubes and a puncture repair kit, but not that day...
Lesson learned fort both of us
I hit a pothole a while back , everything got "stuck" and I ended up having to mostly carry my bike for 2 Km ! Later I have found out that the AA will respond to bike emergencies as well :-)
Ouch! That's good to know for next time!
The AA responds in Japan - now that's what I call good service
@@timcorso6337 no , AA responds in South Africa where I live , I don't know about Japan .
hope could see new bike soon on your video 😂
especially for your wife haha
Haha, still waiting 😑
Do they have tubeless tire setups in Japan?
is this a rhetorical question? 😅
@@TwoWheelCruise I guess they do.
I like the commute videos. It reminds me a bit of Victor's laundry videos, but without you drinking beer😄.
I'm honestly a bit annoyed by people constantly asking me why I don't have an e-bike, as it would be much easier to ride. It seems that some people don't understand the spirit behind biking.
I'm totally ok with that Idea if it's purely for commuting, or when you are old and don't want to give up cycling etc. But for sportive cycling it's a no-go in my opinion and makes no sense.
I have an Idea for your next commute video: as I saw MOAchan on your desk, I got curious what Japanese bands you like and how it all developed. I got in contact with Japanese rock and metal about 3 years ago and it totally struck me. I'm just blown away by the sheer talent and creativity, especially the kids and all-female rock and metal bands. There's nothing comparable in the western hemisphere😳. Would be great to hear your story regarding Japanese music.
Ok, that's enough for now😂.
Thanx for the video.
P.S. You could also make some walking-back-home-due-to-a-flat videos in the future😉.
Cycling is my beer LOL
Agreed, the ebike questions can get a bit annoying, especially considering I'm still under 30 😂
I've got some very strong opinions on the Japanese music industry.. Could make for a fun topic :)
I think e-bike could be implemented in another way, not sure if the weight could be made to make sense(maybe if brakes could be ditched, but that won't happening lo), but to have just enough for e-brake, super-cap and then to use the energy from breaking to help you accelerate, such minimalist Design would really be only ideal for flat land, as a capacitor wouldn't have enough capacity to store breaking energy from a hill,...
The main benefit I see is for mountain biking with the wife. She can get some assist going up the steep sections and we can enjoy riding together more. For main roads, the assist limit is so low in Japan it's not even worth it..
Thanks for mentioning the public transit in the video, I felt it spoke to me personally.
Strange question but how do you time your liquid consumption with rides, particularly your commutes. Do you ever stop to pee at anywhere that is not a public park? Perhaps a video of 'how' you leave your bike outside of a Lawson's, etc. In my short stay in Japan I saw many nice road bikes often freelocked at most. V awesome
I just drink when I feel thirsty, and pee when I feel like peeing. There's actually a couple outdoor restrooms along the way if you know where to look (something Japan is really good about)
And I almost never lock my bike at conbini stops
Tough luck on the double flat! Bummer!
Still better than the train :)
Oh man, I REALLY hope this does become a consistent series. The scenery and sounds would be amazing to work alongside to while watching.
Glad to hear it, lots of videos like this to come! :)
I hate climbs. My terrain is rather flat, but as bikers say everywhere about my city, the wind surely compensates for the lack of hills.
We do not have suicidal pigeons, but geese tend to flock on bike paths.
I recently started bike commuting a few days/week, and I feel the pain of flats. My route has lots of intersections and a few sketchy spots, and I got 3 flats in 2 weeks. Now I carry a spare and a patch kit (and a CO2 inflator) in my seat pack, and a second spare and CO2 tank in my backpack... At this rate, I'll spend the same on tubes and CO2 inflators as I did on gas...
Yikes.. might need to invest in a better tire setup or go tubeless
Two Wheel Cruise changing the route has made a difference. And making sure I have ample tire pressure, too. At least 1 was from riding too soft.
So since you’re a commuter do you still ride when it’s pouring out?
Yep
Nice content
Thanks! :)
Tough luck with flats. Reminds me of the school days when I used to carry bike back to my regular bike shop to fix it :p Have you considered a protected tyre? I use Schwalbe Marathon on my Jamis commuter and haven't had a flat since... Pretty comfortable with 32 width. Not the fastest but nice for all-weather commuter. Obviously, it won't help if the damage is actually coming from inside (rim tape as you mentioned).
I was testing out a new supposedly protected tire (durano), but I'll stick with my gatorskins and Marathon as my 2 main commuting tires :)
@@TwoWheelCruise Hi mate. I've been meaning to ask... is there any comment you would make for those who are considering a Planet X bike? Since I saw your CX bike I've been checking out their product, and thinking of pulling a trigger on a Titanium model for my every day ride that is light weight... Anything that I should be aware of? Things you wish you'd known before you bought a bike from them, etc.? Appreciate your thoughts, if you have a moment... Thanks!
You need to be able to do a basic build, and some of the stock parts may be heavy. Otherwise, they're solid!
Sounds about right... Thanks for that!
I have got a flat only twice in a year of commuting. Once the bike is in order it's unlikely to get a flat, just a matter of poor luck.
Exactly.. My tire luckily found a staple this day..
No vending machines for inner tubes, repair kits or rim tapes?
LOL, that's a really good idea!
Perhaps get a Stans tubeless kit and go tubeless? I've done my 33mm Schwalbe cross tyres / tires and it prevents pinch flats / snakebites. If you periodically add a bit more Stans latex it is pretty well thorn proof too. Don't ask me what happens when you wear the tyre out and get it of the rim, probably Latex city in there 😂😂😂 Baz
😂😂
How did you deal with sweat when you worked as a lecturer? I want to start commuting to school but my biggest concern is sweat
Get there early and blast the AC as much as you can until you cool down.. I also waited as long as I could before changing into my work clothes
@@TwoWheelCruise Thank you! Love the commute/vlog videos!
Cheers! 🙂
What do you even get flat's from? These road bike tires so fragile? I've only ever lived in rural areas, so I've only ever had mountain-bikes and flat's would happen mainly from big enough sharp objects, or a combination of tyre age and pressure (during drops/jumps). Must've sucked to walk, was it already dark when you arrived?
This was a brand new Shwalbe DURANO tire.. seemed to find a staple friend very quickly.. :/
@@TwoWheelCruise oh staples, sounds like Japan lo
My road bike has "tube-ready tubeless" tires (I think they're called that). My place where I bought the bike said they have sealant inside the tires that will fill any small holes I might get so I don't need a repair kit. Any thoughts on punctures and repairs for this kind of tire? I've been commuting by bike 3 times a week (about 13km one way). I never thought about wiping it down after riding. I'm such a nube.
What is the Japanese equivalent of calling out "on your left!" when passing somebody from behind? Or is that not the custom there?
There's no real standard way, but I usually pass on the right and say something like "migi kara torimasu" (I'm passing on the right)
Why wattmeters are so expensive ? New video ?
Thanks for the idea! Getting cheaper though :)
Oh, you luck were bad, 2 flatten tires in a row. Can't imagine if you didn't bring the repair kit, that should be a nightmare.
Seeing the route you rode back, it should be fine before sunset. At night it should be very dark. Do you still use this route if you had to go home after sunset?
My house is next to the river and I also suffer from the bugs as same as you... they got into my mouth multiple times ...ewww >o
Sadly only one tube today :/ Never again..
I ride this same route in the winter when it's dark, just bring a good light..
Thinking to wear a mask since the bugs are really bad at times..
What's going on with your front derailleur shift lever? Is the mechanism broken?
Yep, well spotted. Currently broke 😂
It’s time for that 1x conversion. Haha If the 11 speed is built like my 10 speed Rival levers, you can remove the lever and mechanism in one piece. It’s all held together by a pin. Also, the procedure is reversible if you find replacement parts.
This is also 10 speed rival.. The shifter works, just doesn't return to the normal position so I'm guessing I lost a spring or something.. Trying not to spend any more money on this bike if I can help it 😅 Though converting to a single front might be nice for simplicity
After rain, always lots of rubbish washes up and on the roads. Here's an idea. You could have a course with as many Aeon Malls in it as possible. Hope you get no more flats soon!
Thanks! :)
I tried one of those CO2 tyre inflators once, but I soon learnt that it should only be used as supplemental to a hand pump. The expansion of the CO2 froze the valve open, allowing all the gas I had just put in to escape. It wouldn't have been so much of an issue if I hadn't been on carbon wheels (coincidently also Planet X) and Look Keo shoes rather than SPDs.
Yeah, I don't bother with them other than for MTB races (which I don't do anymore lol)
What's the tower on the right just after the dog park for?
Pretty sure it's apartments..
Two Wheel Cruise I mean @5:02. Too utilitarian for Japanese aesthetics to be apartments, surely.
ah, that's a small dam that never seems to be in use, probably for emergency situations
What is the multistory building at 5:16 ?
Is the building at 15:26 the same one