This is a bucket list trip for me. Congratulations for doing this one. Did you rent a drop bar bike there, or BYO? I'm undecided whether it's worth BYO for a japan trip as I'd love to do the whole thing back and forth in one day, and i'd be worried about bike fit on a rental bike.
Thank you! I highly recommend this route - the bridges are amazing (even in the rain)! We rented drop bar bikes from the hotel where we were staying, and the staff were very OCD about finding the right size frame and making sure you test ride to further adjust fit and ensure you're happy. My biggest takeaway would be: rent from companies that have workshop facilities at both the start and end of the trip. The hotel rental was convenient, and when the bikes were working, they were great. However, if you run into any issues with the bike before getting on the ferry, you’re pretty much on your own when it comes to repairs. We didn’t pack spare derailleurs, chains, or spokes. 😅 If we were to do it again, we’d seriously consider bringing our own bikes, even though it would be a hassle in a lot of other ways.
@11thwombat I'm weary of how much a pain lugging a bike around Japan will be when I'm not riding it, but I think travelling through the city without the need for the train will be a memorable experience, though I think accommodation will be a PITA lugging a bike bag around too
We had trouble booking dropbar bikes in Onomichi on a Tuesday, as it's considered the town's unofficial Sunday, and some rental shops were closed. Where do you plan on riding, road, gravel? If you're used to riding in heavy vehicle traffic in urban areas, Japan will feel like a cakewalk! It might be possible to bike box it, discard the cardboard on arrival, then grab another box prior to departure. I totally get it, lugging a bike around when not riding makes me feel the same. Getting around without relying on trains was definitely a memorable experience! You'll need to cover the bike with a garbage bag if you do take it on a train. Accommodation could be a bit tricky with a bike or bike bag. @probablyriding seems to bike Japan frequently and might have some helpful tips on bringing your own ride!
@@11thwombat the Tuesday tip about onomichi is good to know, thanks for that. I have a pika pack works bag that packs down pretty good so I plan to just store it in a locker while I'm in Japan. Rinko bag is also a must. I've ridden in Philippines and typical Melbourne traffic so I'm good with riding on the road. Their streets are slower too so shouldn't see any issues. I think road and paths are the go for Japan. To my understanding they don't really have a lot of gnarly gravel and they love to pave?
I just looked up that Pika bag, it looks rad! A locker shouldn’t be an issue at all. Oh mate, you're all over it, we definitely could've used a Rinko! I'm not familiar with the bike scene in the Philippines, but if you can ride in Melbourne, you're good, haha! The drivers and Japan's bike culture is just different. I’m trying to track down some of the routes I saved, but locals were recommending Japanese Rindo roads. This one was on my radar ridewithgps.com/routes/39667946. The roads outside of the main city centre weren't the best, we could only run tubes at high pressures or we risked punctures. We really missed our tubeless!
This is a bucket list trip for me. Congratulations for doing this one. Did you rent a drop bar bike there, or BYO? I'm undecided whether it's worth BYO for a japan trip as I'd love to do the whole thing back and forth in one day, and i'd be worried about bike fit on a rental bike.
Thank you! I highly recommend this route - the bridges are amazing (even in the rain)! We rented drop bar bikes from the hotel where we were staying, and the staff were very OCD about finding the right size frame and making sure you test ride to further adjust fit and ensure you're happy. My biggest takeaway would be: rent from companies that have workshop facilities at both the start and end of the trip. The hotel rental was convenient, and when the bikes were working, they were great. However, if you run into any issues with the bike before getting on the ferry, you’re pretty much on your own when it comes to repairs. We didn’t pack spare derailleurs, chains, or spokes. 😅 If we were to do it again, we’d seriously consider bringing our own bikes, even though it would be a hassle in a lot of other ways.
@11thwombat I'm weary of how much a pain lugging a bike around Japan will be when I'm not riding it, but I think travelling through the city without the need for the train will be a memorable experience, though I think accommodation will be a PITA lugging a bike bag around too
We had trouble booking dropbar bikes in Onomichi on a Tuesday, as it's considered the town's unofficial Sunday, and some rental shops were closed.
Where do you plan on riding, road, gravel? If you're used to riding in heavy vehicle traffic in urban areas, Japan will feel like a cakewalk! It might be possible to bike box it, discard the cardboard on arrival, then grab another box prior to departure. I totally get it, lugging a bike around when not riding makes me feel the same. Getting around without relying on trains was definitely a memorable experience! You'll need to cover the bike with a garbage bag if you do take it on a train. Accommodation could be a bit tricky with a bike or bike bag. @probablyriding seems to bike Japan frequently and might have some helpful tips on bringing your own ride!
@@11thwombat the Tuesday tip about onomichi is good to know, thanks for that. I have a pika pack works bag that packs down pretty good so I plan to just store it in a locker while I'm in Japan. Rinko bag is also a must. I've ridden in Philippines and typical Melbourne traffic so I'm good with riding on the road. Their streets are slower too so shouldn't see any issues.
I think road and paths are the go for Japan. To my understanding they don't really have a lot of gnarly gravel and they love to pave?
I just looked up that Pika bag, it looks rad! A locker shouldn’t be an issue at all. Oh mate, you're all over it, we definitely could've used a Rinko! I'm not familiar with the bike scene in the Philippines, but if you can ride in Melbourne, you're good, haha! The drivers and Japan's bike culture is just different.
I’m trying to track down some of the routes I saved, but locals were recommending Japanese Rindo roads. This one was on my radar ridewithgps.com/routes/39667946.
The roads outside of the main city centre weren't the best, we could only run tubes at high pressures or we risked punctures. We really missed our tubeless!
When did you ride this? I thought it was too cold for shorts!
Late last year, yourself? The chill wasn’t too bad once we got moving. Gotta love the freedom of bib shorts, even in cooler weather!