Hello, this is Kousei.
I’ve had the honor of being told to "build up an original shop demo bike in your own style," and I’ve been enjoying selecting the parts after store hours.
When choosing parts, the first thing I think about is:
"Who do I want riding this?"
I imagine their gender, age, profession, and sometimes even their name. But there’s one thing I always spend a lot of time on.
That is the price.
I really want someone from my generation, someone cool in their twenties, to ride it.
If that’s the goal, throwing parts together without thinking and hitting 600,000 to 700,000 yen just isn't realistic.
☁︎Delusion Time☁︎
We meet for the first time.
They come into the shop looking for their first bike.
I say, "Let’s go have some fun on a bike like this."
After listening to their story,
in my case, I find myself genuinely wanting to recommend something around 300,000 yen.
They weigh their options,
they struggle with the decision,
they step out of the store to call their girlfriend or boyfriend to double-check,
they narrow it down,
they filter it,
And then, using funds they literally scraped together (I don’t ask where from), I assemble those forty-something parts into a single bicycle.
Sometimes, I get carried away and throw on some extra flair, which happens more often than not.
"300,000 yen"
Ultimately, that’s my personal watershed moment.
If I’m not careful, I might start forgetting the weight of that "300,000 yen" figure, so I’m going to drop this video in right here.
"Three hundred thousand, back in the day, that was money that could change your life.
Three hundred thousand, money you couldn't earn unless you did something bad..."
Exactly.
It gives me a strange chill down my spine.
Rather than buying a bike after you’ve reached the financial state of mind where you think 300,000 yen is "chump change" or "I can easily afford this!"—it's better to buy it now while you're still staring at your wallet, looking up at the ceiling in thought, and feeling the urgency. It’s absolutely better to do it sooner!
Whether it’s about time, passion, or sensitivity—I don’t know what it is—but why don’t you push yourself, borrow against your future, and start riding a bike this summer, even if you’re barely scraping by?
It’s your choice where you spend the money you’ve earned.
Travel, booze, clothes, Osho, Misono?
Just as your daily diet shows in your physique,
the choices you make repeatedly define your next 3 years, 5 years, or your entire life.
Some people are born with that temperament. But usually, you just gradually become the person suited to where you are.
Kanako Nishi / Mago-gakari
I’m not saying you have to force yourself to ride a bike,
but I am confident that I can help you make a good choice.
In other words, buying a 300,000 yen bike is the ultimate waste of money—and I mean that in the best way possible. Do it.
—This was the answer I came up with while standing in the pit.
Shop Demo Bikes Ready
So, with that in mind, I’ve prepared three shop demo bikes, and I’d like to introduce them to you briefly.
They’re all BASSI!!
The reason is simple.
Because it’s the bike I ride and love!
I’m offering these BASSI complete bikes in-store at an accessible price point!
I’m calling it the "BASSI Fair."
It will run for 5 weeks from Saturday, 6/20 to Friday, 7/24!!
If you come by the shop, I’ll talk your ear off about them, so I’ll be waiting for you!
I’ll be introducing a total of 4 bikes, including one more I’m currently building, so look forward to that.