Riding Through on a Fixed-Gear Bicycle

(Hereafter, Pist) I am a comedian with Yoshimoto Kogyo. As my stage name suggests, I love fixed-gear bikes (pist bikes), and I've been fascinated by the beauty of their simple mechanism without gears and their highly durable frames. I incorporated "Pist" from the bike and "Jam" from jam sessions into my name, combining my favorite things: bicycles and music.

After graduating from university, I entered the Yoshimoto Kogyo training school and have been a comedian for 21 years now. Since moving when I transferred from the Hiyoshi campus to the Mita campus during my student days, I've lived in Shimokitazawa for 24 years, and I came to Mita on my fixed-gear bike today as well. When traveling within Tokyo, I'm always on my fixed-gear bike if it's within a radius of about 15 kilometers.

The first time I rode a fixed-gear bike was about 15 years ago. Before that, I rode hybrid bikes, road bikes, and mountain bikes, but the one I got hooked on the most was the fixed-gear bike.

I graduated from the Faculty of Science and Technology and worked for several companies before starting my own business. I started riding fixed-gear bikes because I've loved street culture since I was in middle and high school. I admired the fashion elements of fixed-gear bikes, which originated from American messenger culture.

Fixed-gear bikes started entering Japan about 15 years ago, right? I started riding around 2008 or 2009. At the time, I couldn't stand taking the crowded train for just two stops from my home in Sangenjaya to my workplace in Shibuya, so I bought a fixed-gear bike. It allowed me to get some exercise, save on transportation costs, and shorten my commute. Finding challenges related to bicycles in that lifestyle and wanting to solve them is why I started my current company.

What got me started on bicycles was joining a touring club called KCC during my first year of university. For a year, I enjoyed cycling around Hokkaido and Shikoku, but my desire to ride more grew stronger. As I got faster, a senior in the club suggested I try racing, so I joined the Athletic Association Bicycle Racing Club in my second year. Taking a one-year leave of absence in between, I was able to win the intercollegiate road race twice during my four years.

After that, I got a job at a company and retired from bicycle racing for a while, but I decided to give it another shot and started competing in an off-road discipline called "cyclocross" last year.

Actually, the All Japan Cyclocross Championships were held in Aichi yesterday, and I won for the first time!

What!? That's amazing!

Congratulations! Actually, I just saw that news on social media a moment ago. I was shocked to realize it was the person I was meeting today!

Cyclocross is a combination of road racing and mountain biking, and it's considered one of the toughest disciplines, isn't it?

That's right. Yesterday, I was racing on a sand dune course.

Did you take the day off work today...?

I went to the office as usual.

You're tough!

I've been enjoying bicycles like that for a long time, but I used to ride fixed-gear bikes at the velodrome when I was a student.

Ms. Ogawa, do you usually use a bicycle as your daily transportation?

I often use a bicycle to get to the nearby station.

Like Mr. Nakajima, my entry point into fixed-gear bikes was finding them cool as part of street culture. I heard that fixed-gear bikes originally started when messengers in American cities, who used bikes to deliver documents and such, noticed that Japanese keirin racing bike frames were excellent.

Because the structure is simple, maintenance doesn't cost much. Since it's a fixed gear with no shifting, you don't need specialized skills to repair a derailleur. The fashionability and ease of use were big attractions.

What are the characteristics of a fixed-gear bike?

The biggest feature is that the pedals are fixed to the part called the crank, which holds the chainring. On a normal bicycle, these two are not fixed, so even if you spin the pedals backward, you keep moving forward. But on a fixed-gear bike, if you pedal backward, you go backward. This design creates a sense of unity when pedaling. There's a joy in pedaling that you can't experience with other bikes, a feeling of being one with the machine.

Also, while some models are coming out now that aren't like this, another characteristic is that the gear is fixed rather than variable.

That's true. If I were to define what a fixed-gear bike is, I'd say it's the "fixed gear" where the pedals are locked. Come to think of it, when fixed-gear bikes first became popular in Japan, they didn't have brakes, which caused quite a controversy.

Right, it was impactful when a sports brand ran an ad with the catchphrase "No brakes. No problem."

That was around 2007. After that, enforcement became stricter, and the fixed-gear bike boom in Japan settled down for a while. Specialty shops decreased too, didn't they? Since the Road Traffic Act made it a rule that brakes must be attached, shops started selling them with brakes.

During the first boom, everyone competed in tricks like "skidding," where you kick back on the pedals to lock the rear wheel and drift. There were many young people playing with them like skateboards. I got injured many times back then doing that (laughs).

By the way, does cyclocross, which is ridden off-road, have an aspect of competing with tricks like that?

Cyclocross doesn't have that. It's more like the image of mountain biking.

Ms. Ogawa, what kind of bicycle do you usually ride?

I use a hybrid bike. I'm always worried about expensive bikes being stolen. When I think about taking my eyes off it in the city, a cheaper bike is better.

Besides my own bike, I've recently been using the shared cycle service "LUUP." The area between Shimokitazawa and Sangenjaya is included in the service area. A 5 or 6-minute trip costs about 150 yen, and it's much faster and more economical than taking the train.

I haven't tried LUUP, but it sounds convenient.

There are two types: electric-assist bicycles and electric kickboards, right? I see the kickboard type often so I'm interested, but I felt a bit scared after seeing news about a man who had a fall while driving under the influence.

I used the electric kickboards at first too. Now the law sets the speed limit at 15 km/h, so it's safe. It's very handy for short-distance travel.

The ease of short distances—that's exactly the value of a bicycle.

To get local, there are buses running on Chazawa-dori, which connects Sangenjaya and Shimokitazawa, but with LUUP, you don't even have to wait for the bus.

Ms. Ogawa, you mentioned riding a fixed-gear bike at the velodrome, but have you never ridden one in the city?

I haven't. I'd like to try, though.

There are almost no women around me who ride fixed-gear bikes. How about around you, Mr. Nakajima?

True. Maybe only people working as messengers.

Right? I'm from the generation that learned about fixed-gear bikes from magazines when online information was still scarce, and it was also magazines where I discovered the joy of customizing without spending much money or effort. I want women to know the fun of things like swapping in different colored handlebars or pedals.

There aren't many women who are good at handling bicycles. I'm not good at customizing things myself either. As you say, if there aren't any friends around you who are riding, you might not feel like doing it yourself.

I'm currently running a web media outlet called "FRAME" that handles bicycle information. Most of the articles we cover are about road bikes. For example, when it comes to frame materials, things like chromoly (an alloy steel made by adding chromium and molybdenum to iron) are major, but for fixed-gear bike fans, material isn't such a critical factor, is it? You don't hear about carbon fiber fixed-gear bikes, and there's probably no demand among fans. And there aren't any cyclocross bikes, which are for intense racing, that use chromoly for the frame either, right?

Almost none. Carbon is probably the most popular.

Certainly, for fixed-gear bike frames, sturdiness is more vital than lightness. Because everyone treats them quite roughly (laughs).

I think fixed-gear bikes are similar to randonneurs (touring bicycles originating in France).

I think that kind of sturdiness is one of the charms of fixed-gear bikes. It probably depends a lot on lifestyle, but in my work, I sometimes do comedy routines using a picture-story style called "flip," so at those times, I carry my props in a case. I have a carrier (rack) on the front of the bike and strap them on top. It's just so practical.

Ms. Ogawa, do you maintain your racing bikes yourself?

No, I don't do it myself at all. I leave everything to the shop. That's because I don't trust my own maintenance...

With fixed-gear bikes, once you have a regular shop, customizing becomes fun. It's similar to the feeling of finding a family doctor. I think for racing bikes, there's a struggle over how light you can make the body, but for riding as daily transportation, as long as you're satisfied, it's OK, right? It's also fun to get information on how to customize from your friends.

That definitely has its appeal. Among messengers, there might be a culture of competing for speed, but for other users, it's something you can ride with a sense of freedom.

For the past seven years or so, I've been using and loving an aluminum frame. The appeal of this frame is that you can change the tire thickness. I enjoy making small adjustments, like whether 23mm or 30mm is better to fit the frame width of the tire section.

What was your impression when you rode a fixed-gear bike at the velodrome as a student, Ms. Ogawa?

At that time, I first tried riding on a roller stand, and I instinctively tried to spin the pedals backward like I usually do, and I went flying (laughs).

Ah, I thought so.

I was shocked that such a thing could happen (laughs).

The banks at a velodrome have an incredible incline, don't they? I've never experienced it, of course, but isn't it scary?

It's scary until you get used to it.

Was that as part of your training?

Yes. When I was a student, I also competed in track cycling events held at velodromes. There are mainly two types of bicycle racing in the club: road racing and track cycling. I preferred competing over long distances, and I wasn't very good at track cycling, which involves competing over short periods.

I see. It's obvious, but the bicycle racing club also participates in various competitions depending on the type of bicycle.

That's right. That said, the activities of university bicycle racing clubs are basically road racing and track. There were no cyclocross or mountain bike events.

I wonder how I can better convey the appeal of fixed-gear bikes to someone like Ms. Ogawa. It makes me think of selling points that would make her think, "Maybe I'll try riding one."

In my subjective opinion, I think fixed-gear bikes are cooler than cross bikes, but...

I think fixed-gear bikes have a simple beauty that bicycles possess. The zero stress of gear shifting is also an attraction. With a single gear, you set a gear ratio that suits the rider in advance, and there's a joy in pursuing that.

By the way, I use a 46T front chainring (T is the number of teeth) and a 17T rear cog, which gives a gear ratio of about 2.7. You can change it in various ways depending on how you ride, and it's easy once you find the gear ratio that suits you.

What do you do about hills?

With 2.7, I usually just climb them as is.

That's amazing. I'm surprised because the gear ratio is higher than I thought.

For example, Dogenzaka in Shibuya is quite a steep slope, how is that?

I can do Dogenzaka with ease. However, Tokyo has many hills, so I change my route slightly depending on the gear ratio. I often pass through the area going from Nakameguro toward Ebisu, heading up toward Daikanyama. There are places around here, like Mekirizaka, where the incline is steep in certain spots.

The slope leading up to the Yarigasaki three-way intersection where Yamate-dori meets Komazawa-dori is also quite an incline.

I take detour routes for places like that. I also ride while thinking things like, "This road goes down once and then I'll have to climb again, so I'll go this way instead." But in my case, I can handle most roads with 2.7. It's very easy once you find the right gear ratio.

Ms. Ogawa, isn't the gear you use on the cross bike you usually ride mostly fixed anyway?

That might be true. I've never really thought about it.

I noticed the range of gear ratios I used most when I was riding cross bikes and road bikes. I realized that while I made them heavier or lighter depending on the incline, unless it was something extreme, I basically only used that range, so I decided to switch to a fixed-gear bike.

I'm a bit of an outlier, so the fixed-gear bike I'm riding now has an internal gear hub.

Oh, that's something new. I also have an interest in internal gears.

Oh, what kind of thing is that?

The gears are built into the center of the rear wheel, which is called the hub.

Yes. At first glance, people think the hub is unusually large.

It looks completely like a single gear, doesn't it? Single gear is also called single speed, but on a bicycle with gears, you usually switch through 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd while pedaling because the gears are attached to the pedal area. The advantage of an internal hub where the gears are in the rear wheel is that you can switch while stopped and start suddenly with the gear already set. The system where you can stop in 6th and start pedaling in 1st is convenient, and I hesitated over it, but it costs quite a bit to customize, doesn't it?

That's true. I was originally riding a normal fixed-gear bike, but I had it customized at a shop. I just got tired of looking for a good gear ratio like Mr. Pist Jam (laughs).

That's also a personality (laughs). But really, everyone is changing to enjoy it however they like.

Are fixed-gear bikes more suited for city riding than riding on country roads?

Since not having gears is the performance characteristic of a fixed-gear bike, it's probably not suited for hill climbs like a road bike. I think it's suited for paved roads where even if there's a gradient, it's not too extreme.

It seems like it would feel great to ride along the coast like in Shonan.

That would definitely feel good. But I don't think we'd ever say, "Let's go around the Miura Peninsula," by mistake (laughs).

Ms. Ogawa, do you ever think about changing parts?

Not at all for me. I ride it as a complete bike.

For example, wanting to change the color of the bar tape (handlebar grips)?

Oh, I do that. Like using bar tape or bottle cages as accent colors. But that's about it.

I tried various types of handlebars like drop bars and flat bars, and recently I arrived at an old-fashioned M-shaped style called mustache bars.

Mustache bars are a style that the bicycle shop "Blue Lug" has been proposing recently, right?

Yes. It's a proposal to ride fixed-gear bikes in a relaxed way. It's very comfortable. Having those kinds of discoveries every day even with the same bicycle is one of the joys.

Everyone changes the handlebars on fixed-gear bikes. There are even booms for each style.

There are trends in handlebars too. I also had a period where I thought the shorter they were, the cooler they looked.

What do you do with the handlebars you no longer use?

I give them to someone.

Me too. I also keep them on hand if I want to see how a new handlebar feels and think I might need them.

I heard that there are now single-speed competitions even for mountain bikes.

There are also single-speed competitions in cyclocross.

People who ride single-speed in competitions must have it quite tough. By the way, what is the gear range for normal cyclocross?

I use 12-speed electronic gears, and I use almost all the gears during a race. I switch them very frequently.

Electronic gears are incredibly amazing, aren't they?

It's an electronic shifting mechanism called eTap, and it shifts with a whirring sound at the touch of a button. I control it myself while riding.

Once you experience electronic gears, it seems like you won't be able to ride a normal bicycle anymore.

Cyclocross has the most gear changes among bicycle races. You shift two or three times in a single corner. But for me, single-speed competitions are also interesting and very fun to watch.

Single-speed races are popular now too. I often see bicycles in the city with popular klunker-style handlebars, like early mountain bikes or beach cruisers with thick tires. I think, "Competing with something like that..." but there's an interesting aspect to how those simple things remain.

Fixed-gear races are also held overseas, and messengers participate. There are Japanese people who are active in them, so I hope such events become popular in Japan as well.

Ms. Ogawa, why did you switch from road racing to cyclocross?

One reason is that road racing involves riding on asphalt, so there's a risk of serious injury. In comparison, cyclocross, which involves riding on dirt or sand, is safer because you don't get as much speed. Bicycles are strictly a hobby, and right now, going to work from Monday is the most important thing (laughs).

Have you ever had an injury since becoming a working adult?

No injuries. I don't like roads with traffic lights to begin with, so I basically only ride in safe places. On weekdays, I just ride the rollers in my room.

But you're training properly.

As expected, I wouldn't be able to ride in competitions if I didn't do that.

After all, when riding in Tokyo, there are many traffic lights, so it's a cycle of stop-and-go. I often see people riding road bikes in Tokyo, but I think Tokyo doesn't allow you to fully utilize the bicycle's performance. Even if you accelerate, you have to stop again dozens of meters ahead.

Electric bicycles are the best for riding in Tokyo. Shared cycles like Daichari are also convenient.

Sometimes when I'm in a car in the morning, I see people commuting on road bikes, and there are times when they pass me quickly, only for me to catch up with them again at the next traffic light.

Exactly. It's like driving a Porsche through Sangenjaya. You just want to point out that they aren't making the most of its performance (laughs).

Since around 2005 or 2006, the number of people riding fixed-gear bikes in Japan has increased, and I feel like various riding styles have spread over the last 20 years. I've always stuck to fixed gears, but when I changed my handlebars, I decided to try a free gear for the cog (rear wheel gear). So, only the frame remains of the original fixed-gear bike.

If you change the cog to internal gears, it really won't resemble the original at all.

Changes in how you ride are related to your age, how you use it, and the area where you live. Fixed-gear bikes are versatile enough to accommodate those changes, so I want to recommend them to more people. Is Ms. Ogawa's bicycle the kind of expensive one that you can't ride around town?

That's right. Competition bicycles are expensive, so I'm too afraid of them being stolen to ride them in the city.

By the way, which manufacturer is it?

For road bikes, I was riding Focus's highest-end model. For cyclocross, it's a Liv bike, which Giant releases for women. Cyclocross is a sport where you need to have two of the same bike when you enter a race; you need a spare.

Expeditions sound like a lot of work.

Yes. Including spare wheels, it's so much luggage that you can't take it on a plane. Even yesterday, I traveled to Aichi by car.

By the way, where was your furthest expedition destination so far?

Maybe Noto. Since it's a team expedition, we load six bikes for three people into a large Hiace, plus three or four sets of wheels, and head out.

With three people in the front seat, it must be a tight squeeze...

What is your usual routine like, Ms. Ogawa?

Right now, I often go on business trips during the week, so I fit in training whenever I can. From autumn to winter, I go to races almost every weekend.

It's peak season for cyclocross right now, isn't it?

From September to February, I go to races almost every weekend. This week I had three days of business trips, and I have races again on Saturday and Sunday. I'm hardly ever home (laughs).

When do you rest?

Lately, I really haven't been resting, but I'm a short sleeper and four and a half hours is enough for me.

Was it like that last night after you won the All Japan Championships?

Yesterday I was so excited that I could hardly sleep (laughs).

It was your first victory, after all.

Like, "I did it!"?

Yes. Very happily, messages didn't stop ringing until late at night, and I received about 200. Then I was up around 5:00 a.m., so I haven't slept at all.

But in my case, being able to do it as a hobby is mentally easier and also fun. I don't have to worry about sponsors, I can ride the bike I like whenever I want, and it's rewarding to beat professional athletes as a hobbyist.

That's amazing.

Conversely, what is your life like during the off-season?

The moment it's off-season, I put all my effort into work for those six months. It's like balancing the literary and military arts in six-month shifts (laughs).

That's great, it's the best. By the way, do you have a race next week too?

Yes. Next week is in Miyagi, but because I won the Japan Championships, I was also selected as a member for the World Championships, and I plan to take a week off from work next month to go to the Netherlands.

That's not a hobby anymore (laughs). Being on the national team is incredible. But the Netherlands really is a bicycle kingdom. You must be getting fired up?

Yes. It's the home of the sport, so I'm really looking forward to it. The culture is different, like the size of the crowds.

How many bicycles do you have, Ms. Ogawa?

I have many. One mountain bike, two cyclocross bikes. Three road bikes, and although I've already let it go, I had one TT (time trial) bike until recently (laughs).

Wait a minute! Do you keep all of those at home?

I keep half of them at my parents' house, but right now I have four in my 1LDK home.

Does your family ride too?

I live with my husband, and he has one road bike for cycling.

So that's five in total?

That's right.

I can't believe it.

I put two in half of the walk-in closet, then two on tension poles, and one smart roller. I'm living with five bikes. My husband says he wants to get rid of them soon so he can put in a sofa (laughs).

You have an understanding husband.

Truly. I'm forcing him to be understanding.

But for you, Ms. Ogawa, they are in a sense tools of the trade. I also have a pure love for bicycles, so when I see one, I feel calm, excited, or thrilled. When I find images of cool bicycles online, I save them and look at them from time to time.

What!? That's amazing.

If something bad happens, I look at those images to change my mood, and even in the city, I walk along staring at parked bicycles. Like, "Oh, they paired this frame with these handlebars."

Calming your mind with images of bicycles is quite something.

Is it not that you like your own bicycle the best?

Collecting photos is purely out of admiration. It's the same feeling as car or motorcycle enthusiasts thinking a Porsche or a Harley is cool. I also have a pure admiration for brands. For road bikes, it's "De Rosa." Like, "Wow, they released this color!"

But I understand the feeling of seeing other bicycles and thinking they're cool. There's a large sports bike exhibition event called "Cycle Mode" held once a year in Tokyo and Osaka, and the displays there are really cool. Unlike seeing them in a store, the lighting and displays are perfect, and looking at them makes you start to admire them.

That feeling peaked for me about 10 years ago, and I debated whether to enroll in a vocational school in Harajuku that trains craftsmen called bicycle builders. I requested brochures and even participated in an open campus.

I know that school. Someone from the domestic manufacturer "Cherubim" was there as a guest lecturer, right?

Exactly. Cherubim is known for making frames with a focus on chrome-moly, and I admired the idea of making a million-yen class road bike there.

You both have such a great love for bicycles.

Ms. Ogawa, do you ever feel like you want to replace the hybrid bike you usually ride?

Not at all. It feels like a city bike to me. Plus, I can ride longer distances than on a city bike, so I use this one for everything from shopping to getting around.

I'd definitely like to recommend a fixed-gear bike for daily use. The biggest selling point of a fixed-gear bike is its durability. There's no end to it once you start pursuing it, but the fact that it has so much depth is one of its charms.