Tokyobike takes over Tabernacle Street

Ride slow, cruise the city and drink it all in, is the appealing mantra behind the brand
Tokyobike takes over Tabernacle Street picture

Bikes right, everyone’s riding them at the moment and not just the flashy, deep rimmed, Brooks saddled, pretty basket types either. No, they’re riding all kinds of bikes. There are the fixed geared brakeless of the brave, the BMX's of the, er, BMXers, the rusted and the rotten from garden sheds and now there are the cruisers all the way from Tokyo, Japan as Tokyobike takes over Tabernacle Street.

Designed for exploration, slow rides and fun, the brand’s British invasion has come just at the right time. But why should we ride one?

Founded in Yanaka, a quiet suburb of Tokyo, the company has expanded internationally while maintaining its independent philosophy. Ride slow, cruise the city and drink it all in seems to be the mantra behind the brand. And who could resist that?

Getting from A to B may be what lies at the basis of every journey but who is to say that what happens between those two points has to be a vague blur of exhausts fumes, angst and angry motorists? Nobody, and that is why we find the Tokyobike philosophy of ‘riding slow and exploring your urban space’ so appealing.

Located on the corner of Tabernacle Street, Tokyobike already feels like a meeting point. A stone’s throw from the former bike messenger hangout of The Foundry, it is the glaring antithesis of the courier way of riding. You can already see Tokyo bikers congregating outside the workshop, chilling as if recreating the lackadaisical ways of the Rockabilly’s of Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park.

The bikes themselves are gleaming examples of Japanese design, an amalgamation of styles that takes inspiration from Dutch bikes, track frames and classic town cruisers. Available as Single Speed, the geared Sport, the CS or the more feminine Bisou, there is a style to suit all. Prices fall either side of the £600 mark and are available on the government’s Cycle to Work Scheme. Having taken a test ride, the word is smooth…

However, it is not all about the bikes, the shop has a range of accessories that you might not find in your average store. Tokyobike stocks traditional Japanese bamboo grips, Brooks saddles and hip baskets and racks that can be mounted to frames. While the philosophy may not encourage the art of customization, who can resist a little accessorizing when you’ve got a leather Brooks saddle bag flirting with you from across the room?

With a range of beautiful bikes on offer, Tokyobike is here to stay and if even a tiny percentage of drivers are endeared to the go slow and explore the city style of their cycling counterparts, maybe the daily ride will be noticeably smoother.

This article is connected to tokyobike
Published Oct 9, 2012