Ross of Ottawa

#TIL about #mamachari bicycles. A basic utilitarian bike design that represents 80% of the Japanese bikes on the road.

It's apparently got a rather vague definition, but it's a solidly built, long-lived (1956) design with baskets, fenders, chain guards, and often kids' seats.

#bikes

Feb 17 at 12:56amTusky
Show threadRoss of OttawaFeb 17

Take a look at the #NHKWorld program on #mamachari on YouTube, it's a good watch.

(NHK content on YT doesn't have any ads. Makes watching much nicer).

Show threadAussiemandiasFeb 17
@ottaross Ah yes. The ubiquitous mamachari. They often used to end up left abandoned in various places by usually drunken riders on their way home. The bikes could sometimes remain in that exact location for months, untouched, until such time that foreigners would inevitably declare salvage rights. Big mistake - doing so was effectively stealing. The Japanese police would do spot checks of the bike registration. I knew people who were fined. Ignorance of the law was no defense.
Show threadRoss of OttawaFeb 17
@Aussiemandias interesting. The doc mentioned people abandon them because disposing of them incurs a big fine. Interesting slice of Japanese culture.
Show threadAussiemandiasFeb 17
@ottaross The disposal was a thing as well, as you say, although I'd wager the NHK would be less inclined to highlight the less positive effects of the nomikai drinking culture.
Show threadRoss of OttawaFeb 17
@Aussiemandias haha yes true. It was interesting that these days they're apparently going around collecting the abandoned ones and redirecting them to developing countries in Africa.
Show threadAussiemandiasFeb 18
@ottaross i wonder if i could buy one. I'd have no problem getting around on a mama chari. Be funny to do a loop of Gatineau in the summer in my lycra
Show threadRoss of OttawaFeb 18
@Aussiemandias they look like solidly built models alright. Lots of variants it seems with power assist and cargo versions.
Show threadcakemixFeb 17
@ottaross These are priced much higher i imagine but I love these: https://tokyobike.us - look at the “Mono" model
tokyobike

tokyobike is a small, independent bicycle company founded in 2002 in the quiet Tokyo suburb of Yanaka. Based on the concept of 'Tokyo Slow' our bicycles are designed to explore the places we love and call home. With a tokyobike, it is as much about the journey as the destination.

tokyobike
Show threadRoss of OttawaFeb 17
@cakemix interesting - nice designs. They seem a little different than the mamachari I'm seeing in the NHK documentary (YTube) which always seem to have chain guards and kickstands.