Japan Handmade Bike Show - Something Different - Part 2

Of course, a custom, hand-made bike show would not be complete without some different, non-standard designs!

Not sure how many of these they will sell ... but amusing,
and gets rid of the captain/stoker discrimination.

1. Miraicle.  This is a mini velo from Gifu, Mino city.  They are a division of Takai Corporation. The frame is a carbon monocoque mini velo with an internal hub (Alfine) and disk brakes.  Very high tech and not too heavy (10.8 kgs).  Itoh-san, the exhibitor, said he rides brevets with AR Chubu. He said he knows Higuchi-san from our Fleche team. A nice guy and an interesting mini velo for Japan and urban living ... though not for my body size/type!

2. Sano Magic - Wood Bicycle. I was happy to get a chance to see/touch these and chat with Mr. Sano, since I hear of him regularly since I got the Renovo.

His bikes are a very different concept than Renovo.  Solid wood (but surprisingly light -- I think a light type of wood). And not just the frame is wood (and no metal inserts like Renovo -- he is a purist). The saddle and seatpost, and the bars and fork, and even the wheel rims are wood.  He even has some wheels with wooden four-spoke designs. He says his design is more durable than other wood bikes, and still comfortable. He said there is one customer who rides his Sano 1000 kms a month. (I told him that I have ridden my Renovo on 200, 400 and 600 km brevets.) But I suspect most of Sano wood bikes are on display somewhere. At 2 million yen and up, a bit out of my price range ... and I have my doubts about whether any of them are being ridden as hard as I ride my bikes.

JPY2 million (around $17K at current exchange rates) gets you a complete bike
including wood rimmed wheels.  Mahogany anyone?
Still costs less than a sportscar, and you can hang it on your wall as art.

3. Sunrise Cycles!!

Speaking of art, these are contemporary art.  Weird, out of some sci-fi movie about a metal future. I loved it. The builder, based on Shinjuku-ku, did a huge amount of work on this bike. Even the mud guards have custom metal work involved.  Going wild with laser cut sheet steel.

They don't sell this bridge over at the framebuilder supply shop.

He brought out a beer can to show me how the 3 bottle cages were designed to work.
Not for your standard water bottle!

Fender from a Sci Fi movie - Aliens?

The most complex head tube I have ever seen.

No, this is not a suspension design. Just a very complicated, artistic connection

Again, very complex, and cool.

Panier attachment ...

More complexity here.

4. More Mini Velos

5. Paul Brakes

These Paul brakes looked really solid.

Rear

6. New Dynamo Lighting

A Dutch dynamo light (with SV-8 hub -- not shown).
The frame is titanium, painted for the classic look. And carbon bars?!?

Makino randonneur with classic front light

A Dobbat's bike. With the newest Busch and Mueller light and a Shimano centerlock disk brake dynamo hub.
Looks like a thin tire, all weather road bike. 

7. History on Display. They had a road and a single speed/track "Everest" from pre-WWII Japan.

After the show, it was out to the bicyele parking lot for the ride home.