Hello everyone! It’s Yoshimoto from Circles Tokyo!
August, with its restless weather—alternating between hot and cool spells, not to mention torrential rain—is behind us, and we have finally reached September. Looking at the long-range forecast from the Japan Meteorological Agency, it seems this autumn will trend warmer than average. The perfect season for riding has finally arrived!
I previously wrote an article about rides you can take by using "rinko" (taking your bike on a train) from Tokyo—does anyone remember it?
Just by traveling a little further by train, the ways to enjoy cycling expand dramatically. Running through unexplored fields where you can maximize the potential of your beloved bike is, I believe, the best time to fall in love with your machine all over again.
However, many people might hesitate, thinking, "Packing a bike into a rinko bag is a bit of a hurdle..."
Did you actually know that there are "cycle trains" running from Tokyo to various areas?
While services vary by railway company—some have dedicated platforms, while others allow you to bring bikes directly onto regular cars—the common thread is that this is a groundbreaking service that lets you "bring your bike onto the train as-is (without a rinko bag)!" This means you can go play with your bike in all sorts of places without any tedious preparation. Currently, there are routes running to various areas around the Kanto region, such as Tateyama, Tsuchiura, and Chichibu.
We are starting a monthly riding project.
In fact, the very first long-distance ride organized after Circles Tokyo was founded was a trip to Tateyama using a cycle train.
As a kind of "back to basics" initiative to connect the city with the field, we are launching a project where we will go for a ride every month, using cycle trains and routes directed by the Circles Tokyo staff tailored to the season!
The first installment: load your bike on the train and head to Lake Kasumigaura.
For our monumental first outing, we will hop on the JR East cycle train departing from Ueno and heading to Tsuchiura!
Using Tsuchiura Station as our base, we will hold a ride event around the southern side of Lake Kasumigaura.
And because this is our inaugural event, we’ll have a special guest joining us! We’ve invited Kako-san, the organizer of "#ArakawaOutback"—a familiar face at Circles Tokyo whose organized rides are always overbooked. She’ll be stepping out of the Arakawa area to join us, and we’ve prepared a unique gravel-mix route that combines the trails I’ve been developing along the Joban Line!
The area features a route with continuous small ups and downs consisting of unique reclaimed land and hilly terrain, alongside scenery dotted with diverse crops like lotus roots, green onions, sweet potatoes, and corn, as well as the Miho horse-racing industry and local daily life.
We are looking forward to your entries.
Please check the details and precautions below, and come join us!
Ride To Ride vol.1: Tsuchiura & Kasumigaura Ride via the Joban Line!
Date: Sunday, September 13th
Meeting point:
(If using the cycle train) In front of the Ueno Station Park Gate
(If meeting locally) JR Tsuchiura Station West Exit
Meeting time: 9:45 AM at JR Tsuchiura Station West Exit
(For those using the cycle train from Ueno Station, we will coordinate the meeting time and train schedules based on applicants and preferences, as we need to adjust for the number of people and specific train times.)End: Planned for 4:00 PM
【Route Specs】
Distance: Approx. 75km
Elevation gain: Approx. 700m
We will ride 75km in 4 hours, excluding time for lunch and small breaks!
*A gravel-mix route centered on on-road riding.
Tire size 32C or larger is recommended.
Recommended tire:
SIMWORKS Volummy Tire 700/35C
【Items/Equipment】
・Helmet
・Basic repair kit (spare tubes, etc.)
Please handle any bicycle troubleshooting yourself.
・Depending on the weather, there will be other passengers on the train, so it's a good idea to bring a towel to quickly wipe down your bike if it gets dirty.
・Curiosity and a sense of fun.
【Participation fee】 Free (Please cover your own lunch and transportation costs.)
【Capacity】 Approx. 10 people
【Other】
Tsuchiura Station has coin lockers, coin showers, and changing rooms. Please feel free to use them to store your luggage during the ride or to change after the ride.
【How to sign up】
・Name
・Phone number
・Meeting point (Ueno or Tsuchiura)
Please send the above information via DM to the Circles Tokyo Instagram.*We will proceed in light rain; cancelled in case of heavy rain.
