1.0PAPERSKYhttps://papersky.jp/en/Akirahttps://papersky.jp/en/author/akira/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="kf99kMFxpX"><a href="https://papersky.jp/en/tokyo-by-ebike-04/">Saddles and Socials</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://papersky.jp/en/tokyo-by-ebike-04/embed/#?secret=kf99kMFxpX" width="600" height="338" title="“Saddles and Socials” — PAPERSKY" data-secret="kf99kMFxpX" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://papersky.jp/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js /* ]]> */ </script> https://papersky.jp/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/DSC7778-1.jpg18001201At one point, the floor space of James’ tiny Tokyo studio apartment comprised of 60% bicycles and bicycle parts. He’s very much into it, and although Tokyo has one of the best public transport systems in the world, he’s here to convince you in four parts why he thinks; the bicycle is queen. Part four: Saddles and socials. James’ hierarchy of different modes of transport:Last place: airplanes, and then buses (I mean are those things ever reliable?), cars (ok I admit they’re fun to drive), ferries, trains, feet and first place (big surprise) bicycles. And whilst this hierarchy remains universally true for most places, Japan’s transport system has some quirks that constantly make me question whether trains should be at the top or bottom of this list. The bullet trains here are fast and feel oddly futuristic, yet at the same time retro - I think it’s the carpeted, wide seats that make me feel like I’m in a first-class section of a Pan-Am flight in the 1980s. The local trains are so so so very quiet, so very clean, yet often extremely crowded, squishy and stressful. But the one definitive thing trains are not in Japan, are social. It’s common etiquette to take up as little space as possible and emit as few decibels as possible, making one’s train journey, one of solitude. But cycling is different: it’s open and wide, it’s de-stressing and most importantly it can be a real social activity.