I recently took a trip to the big city of Tokyo for the first time in a while. My goals were twofold: first, I wanted to see Corinne Bailey Rae in concert, and second, it was decided on short notice that I should hand-carry some additional products to Off the Grid, which was being held in Chofu that weekend. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who purchased RAL’s new NEW TABBY SOCKS; I am truly grateful for your support. Thank you very much.
Lately, I’ve been traveling by car often to transport goods and fixtures for events, but this time I took the Shinkansen. It was faster in terms of travel time, but it also gave me a chance to slow down and think things through, which is why I’ve decided to write down the thoughts that came to me. (The photos from here on are for illustrative purposes.)
Off the Grid is a popular event—so popular that lines form before the doors open—featuring many "garage brands" in the outdoor field that turn the things they want and the activities they enjoy into reality. As people dashed toward their target brands the moment the doors opened, we focused on doing a final check of our own booth. Thankfully, we spent our time replenishing the socks that had almost completely sold out the day before. When I occasionally take a peek at the sites of such popular garage manufacturers, I am struck by one surprise after another. The first thing is that many of them do not skimp on the time it takes to build their products. This is just a guess, but even within the highly competitive outdoor industry, I believe they act because they realize that the things they want to create are not yet imagined by many others. And, this includes the fact that they place great importance on communicating the process and substance of their work, even more than the final product itself.
Another disappointing thing I noticed at the event was that some groundbreaking ideas from a few years ago had been completely mimicked by manufacturers who felt forced to copy, to the point where it was unclear who the original creator actually was. However, several manufacturers who stood out from the crowd possessed a solid sense of pride in their work even at the event. It was very impressive to see that their on-site activities—creating unique setups and communicating their message accurately, enjoyably, and correctly—were just as exceptional as their craftsmanship, and it made us want to learn from their example.
We work hard every day at SimWorks and RAL to create good products, but our current major challenge is that we are still not communicating our process management, timelines, and underlying sense of purpose as correctly or as carefully as they are. Even so, I feel strongly that I never want to become the type of manufacturer that frantically hunts down whatever is currently selling only to copy it.
That got me thinking again. I felt it was necessary to talk once more about why we started a bicycle shop called Circles, so I decided to review that journey.
I used to work in the fashion industry, and while I felt there was still potential in clothing, I couldn't shake my doubts about how it was being used and sold. That was 16 years ago, when I began to think that I wanted to make my life's work something that could truly help others. I had already been into mountain biking before that, but like skiing, which I also loved, mountain biking required living near the mountains, and I couldn't imagine leaving the city at the time. So, I spent my days thinking about how I could approach and better love my bicycle.
My experiences overseas were also profound. Most of the cyclists there purchased their bicycles with the premise of using them until the end, breaking them properly, and stepping up their components along with their skills. I also found it wonderful how they had a desire to understand everything they owned, and how they would expand their circle of cycling friends by spreading the senses and philosophies they had cultivated through their own experience. As I used trial and error to figure out how to instill such a mindset in this country, the answer I found for myself was the term "Jitenryoku" (Cycling Power/Self-Propelling Power).
It means generating the courage to start rolling from within, and using your own power to gain momentum so you can control it. I realized that the appeal of the act of continuing to pedal—that is what captivated me. Therefore, I believe that for me, the existence of the bicycle is brought about not only by its simple physical charm but also by its more philosophical resonance. It just occurred to me: when people ask mountaineers why they climb, they often say, "Because it’s there." But if there were no mountains, I suspect they would likely be diving deep into the sea or running ultramarathons.
Regardless, I think this applies to many things, but I believe that if people thoroughly think about and pursue what they love, they will acquire this "cycling power" on their own. I met quite a few people who have acquired that power at Off the Grid this weekend. Whether large or small, they have thought things through completely, driven by the desire to create and communicate, and I felt that they were crystals of consciousness born from a similar sentiment to that of SimWorks or RAL.
To return to my point, just as we write in our "ABOUT US" that Circles believes in bicycles, we don't want to be biased toward loving only one specific kind. Mamachari (city bikes), utility bikes, and well-used daily commuters all have their own beauty as tools. Above all, I believe supporting the bicycle as an infrastructure for mobility is the most important thing, and I genuinely hope that people will use them for a long time and with great affection. For those who have a deep passion, we also have a cycle community center called Culture Club. Why not try to learn more about your bicycle? And why not try to communicate the essential wonder of bicycles to your wife, partner, friends, or colleagues—without being pushy or sounding like an obsessive nerd?
It is very difficult to talk about what you love in a way that makes others interested.
But I believe that the birth of such a feeling is the very beginning of "cycling power."
