Events

【Grease Monkey Bike School】Traveling by train with your bike is a cyclist's exclusive privilege.

2026/6/15 中川大作

Whether you're riding a bike or not, have you ever had a moment where you just knew your journey had begun?

I feel that way strongly whenever I board a train, bus, or airplane.

The view from the plane on my way to a bike tour in Hokkaido last year.

Traveling in one go from my everyday life to a destination far away—it feels like warping, and I never fail to get that pleasant, heart-pounding sense of excitement thinking, "Ah, it's finally starting."

Bicycles can be loaded onto other vehicles.

Among all the various means of transportation, I consider the bicycle to be a very unique and special vehicle.

Because it can be loaded onto other vehicles.

In the train, I keep it in a bag and position it where it won't bother other passengers.

Depending on the ferry, you can sometimes load it on as-is.

My bike is in that white box being loaded into the plane. It’s lovely to see the pilot waving.

You can travel under your own power, but when you get tired, you can put it on a train to cover distance quickly. You can take it on planes or ferries to cross oceans that would otherwise be impossible to traverse, and then move around freely once you arrive at your destination.

Unlike renting a car, you don't have to worry about return times or paying for parking; there is simply no better way to increase your freedom while traveling.

What is "Rinko"?

To take a bike on a vehicle, we shrink it down to a regulated size, pack it in a bag, and treat it as luggage. This act of packing and traveling with a bike is called "Rinko."

The term "Rinko" originally referred to a practice permitted specifically for keirin cyclists to travel to race venues by train (apparently requiring a membership card). It was later popularized and has become a term used by everyone today.

Learning that it evolved from something exclusive into something anyone can use casually makes me realize just how grateful we should be for it.

Items needed for Rinko

I mentioned "putting it in a bag" earlier, but there are necessary items for Rinko.

Rinko bag (transport bag)
Multi-tool
Rear dropout spacer
Brake pad spacer
Protective padding to prevent scratches

And so on. You don't necessarily need all of these, as the items required vary slightly depending on the packing method, your bike, and the specific standards.

As a Japanese Rinko bag manufacturer, this article by "OSTRICH"—a brand you can’t go wrong with if it’s your first purchase—explains the process separately for disc and rim brakes, so please give it a look.

We are hosting a Rinko School on Sunday, 6/28!

【Grease Monkey Bike School 】
Master the Art of Rinko!

Date & Time: Sunday, 6/28, 17:30–18:30
Location: Circles 1F
Participation Fee: 2,500 yen
Capacity: 3 people
What to bring: Your own bicycle, Rinko bag (available for purchase in-store on the day)

＊For any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Click here to enter!

In this Rinko school, we will teach the "vertical" style, where you remove both the front and rear wheels to pack the bike as compactly as possible.