Every year when this season comes around, we find ourselves shouting, “Choose a Yotsuba Cycle for your child’s Christmas present!”
Why do we push Yotsuba Cycles so hard?
Why we recommend Yotsuba Cycles
It is famously said that ants are strong, capable of carrying 50 to 100 times their own body weight.
In contrast, it is said that humans can carry about 40% of their own body weight (this is a weight that can be carried safely without special training and without causing bodily injury).
The "lightness" of Yotsuba Cycles is definitely their most appealing feature. When a child falls while practicing, it is a real struggle if the bike is too heavy to lift back up. It’s easy to see why they might burst into tears and say, "I can't do it!" combined with the sting of the fall.
For an 18kg child, the safe weight to carry is 7.2kg.
For children who don't weigh much yet, lifting a bicycle is as difficult (if not more so) as an adult trying to lift a fallen sack of rice.
The benefit of having a bike they can maneuver on their own is huge, and it’s no doubt that their progress will be faster because of it!
Furthermore, Yotsuba Cycle brakes have extremely high stopping power. For young children who tend to get easily distracted, that sense of security in knowing they can stop the moment they think, "Oh no! I need to stop!" is essential. Yotsuba Cycle brake levers are designed to be easy for small hands to grasp and allow them to stop firmly even with limited grip strength.
The thicker tires also make it easier to balance at low speeds and provide great cushioning. When first starting to ride, it takes a lot of courage just to start pedaling. It’s even harder when you’re starting off feeling wobbly. By using thicker tires, the bike stays stable even at low speeds, providing firm support for that first pedal stroke.
To our smaller customers
For our smaller customers who might not be ready for a bike with pedals yet, we recommend using a Kick Changer. Simply put, a Kick Changer allows you to remove the pedals and convert the bike into a balance bike. This has many benefits, not just in terms of getting more use out of one bike, but also because of the weight reduction and the opportunity to learn how to operate the brakes. Specifically, the experience of using a balance bike in early childhood is considered highly effective for developing balance and coordination.
If you find yourself intrigued, I highly recommend reading this blog post that I personally love; although it was written four years ago, it is packed with timeless appeal!
A long-awaited new color from Yotsuba Cycle!
And there is some information I just have to share on this occasion!
For the first time in years—since the pink one—a new color has arrived!!!
Here is the color you’ve been waiting for:
This new color is a slightly more sophisticated monochrome palette with a white base. It’s a Yotsuba frame that, in a good way, doesn't feel like a typical Yotsuba, yet it doesn't forget the brand's playful spirit with its yellow and blue accents.
Since the frame color is simple, you are free to play around with the colors of the grips and outer cables! I’d love for you to incorporate your favorite colors and finish it off as a one-of-a-kind bike just for you.＾＾
To handle it with your own hands and move with your own feet
The first bike I ever sold after joining Circles was this Yotsuba Cycle.
A young boy came into the store, saw the shiny navy bike, and decided on the spot, "This is the one!"
He had been using a bike passed down from his older sister, and he was so excited to finally have his very own. I heard he was counting down the days until the pickup date a week later.
Finally, on the day he picked it up, he was so giddy meeting his new partner that he could barely listen to the instructions. And then, when he finally tried riding it... he just kept going, and going, and going... he never finished his test ride!!! When he finally came back, our mechanic Moyan-san asked, "Do you have any questions?" and the boy simply exclaimed, "This is so much fun!!!!!"
"This is it," I thought.
While providing a safe and reliable bike is of course our job, what we really want to deliver is that very sense of excitement. I believe it is Circles' mission to foster that feeling of wanting to ride sooner and wanting to ride more.
Bicycles are a vehicle that can be enjoyed equally by everyone, regardless of age or physique. And it’s probably a vehicle that almost everyone living in Japan has ridden at least once. It’s rare to find something like that, isn't it?
It can be a means of transportation, a toy, or equipment for competition. To share all the possibilities that bicycles open up, I want children to experience them from a young age. I want them to expand their potential, their range of activity, and their world! That is why we shout:
"Choose a Yotsuba Cycle for your child's gift!"
For inquiries and purchases of Yotsuba Cycles, come to Circles!
If you are even a little bit interested in Yotsuba Cycles, please come visit us at Circles! We can help you with sizing, color combinations, and anything else you might need. (For more details on sizing, click here!)
If you cannot visit us in person, please feel free to use our WEB SHOP! (Don't worry—you can still consult with us even when using the web shop.＾＾)
Give your child a comfortable cycling life with Yotsuba Cycle! Circles is here to support you every step of the way!
＊Postscript＊
The parents of the boy who got the Yotsuba Cycle reached out to tell us, "The lightness is easy for us as parents, too!" After all, when using a vehicle rack, it’s almost always the parents who have to do the lifting. The lightness of Yotsuba Cycles is kind to parents, too. Truly impressive.