I have 3 bicycles, they are my primary source of transportation in Japan. The first one is a Gios Compact Pro, which is a racing bicycle I had made about 10 years ago. I used to compete in amateur races when I lived in America. Now I use it for long distance rides across the countryside. It is my favorite bicycle for trips to the beach.
The next one is an old NJS track racing bicycle. It is a fixed gear (1 speed) bike which has a brake mounted on the front wheel for safety (they normally have no brakes). I use this bicycle for riding on the streets of Tokyo. It is very light, and it is narrow, which helps when I need to ride between traffic or pedestrians. I can get around in the city faster on this bicycle than I can using a bus, or, at times, a taxi.
The last bike is an old-style Schwinn Phantom, which I have upgraded with an 8 speed Shimano hub. Of the 3 bikes, this is actually the one I ride the most. It is slow, but it is comfortable, and I can use it to carry things I buy when I go shopping. I rode this back last weekend through Ginza, Tsukishima, Toyosu, Ariake, and then Odaiba.
I usually ride with my girlfriend (she has an old Schwinn 5 speed cruiser), and sometimes I ride my fixed gear bike with a friend or 2 at the Imperial Palace on Sundays.
