Very cool idea for cyclings pants/jeans from Momotaro Jeans: include reflective stripes on the back pocket. Added bonus: this entry would even work if this site was actually called “Jeans Now!” Via Luis.

Tramnesia’s terrific “Working” series of short video reports on independent businesses continues with yet another Tokyo-related company — previously Knee High Media and Postalco — this time the Depot Cycle & Recycle bike shop in Ichikawa.

One bright effect from the recession: cycling in Japan is on the rise. The Y’s Road shop mentioned in the article is my regular bike shop.

Photo taken while biking yesterday around the city, using the iPhone’s Toy Camera app. Pictured, a spot near Suidobashi station.

I’ve talked about my new bike, but today I realized that I hadn’t showed it yet, so here she is. It’s an older bike — a 2005 model of the Bianchi Fretta-T BD-1 — which I purchased from my friend Craig. I have been absolutely loving the ride I’m getting from it, and don’t particular like when I ride my old Muji bike (for running errands). I couldn’t recommend it enough, and wouldn’t be against buying a similar model again, but new (note that the body has now changed though, more curvy).

In passing, the photo above was taken with my iPhone using a great little app called Toy Camera, which randomly puts an effect on your photos, making them look like they were taken with a Lomo/Holga-style toy camera. The only beef I have with it is that the effects are always random, whereas I’d like to be able to select the type of effect. I also bought an app called Camerabag that does a similar thing, but also lets you select the filter. The only thing is that I prefer most of the effects that you get with Toy Camera.

Can’t afford a real track bike? Go for the Pedal ID Basic Set instead, a customizable mini version which you can then upgrade with various accessories (tires, chains, saddles, cranks, etc.) Better than Barbie! Via Craig.

It’s been a long wait, but I was finally able to get a new bike this week. Well, more like a new used bike, courtesy of my good friend — and biking mentor — Craig Mod. Craig decided to sell his Bianchi foldable with BD-1 OEM frame — one of four bikes he owns — and the price was right, too good to pass up. I’d had another bike on my radar for a while now, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford it anytime soon.

So of course, I’ve been biking lots, a few times to and back from work (Ikebukuro – Harajuku), and it’s also been great to use an excellent little app for the iPhone called Runkeeper. This free app not only uses your phones GPS functionality to keep track of all stats as your riding (distance, speed, etc.), but after you save the route, it automatically uploads everything to their site, where you can access your route as plotted on Google Maps. I couldn’t recommend it more.

First, the good news is that following his big spill, Alin is out of the hospital, and if a bit battered (see below), still looking forward to his next ride.

Now, for some Tokyo bike news. Tim sent me a link to the following post from Japan Probe, about a new parking system for bikes at Kasai station:

Here’s a video report on the new parking system:

The big change in my cycling life this week is that my wife has joined in on the fun. Is it much of a surprise if I tell you that she got a MUJI bike as well? She got the model pictured above, the Aluminum ATB Type Bicycle. I always figured I’d eventually upgrade and let her use my current bike, but I think I’m going to be putting off the upgrading for a while, so this is good. The same day she received it, on Tuesday, we did a late evening ride following my regular route along Kanda river (but unfortunately, it wasn’t as pink as pictured here).

Update
Some sad news to add. It would seem that our good friend Alin Huma was in a serious bike accident. His son Meta was with him, but apparently wasn’t hurt. There are more details in the comment thread.

I know, I know, it’s such a cliché to put up photos of the cherry blossoms in full bloom at this time of the year, but I finally made it out for a quick bike run today on my regular route alongside Kanda river, and it really was an amazing sight. You can see more (all 20) in this Flickr photoset.

Here is my second cycling mix, CYCLO DE GO 2, which I’ve made available as a downloadable mix this time (you can see the first mix here).

Cyclo de GO 2 (31.9MB) 34:45

• Amon Tobin – “Always”
• Sebadoh – “License to Confuse”
• Arcade Fire – “The Well and the Lighthouse”
• Art Brut – “Bang Bang Rock & Roll”
• Built to Spill – “Sidewalk”
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – “Heavy Metal”
• Cubismo Grafico – “Valvoavox”
• Darkel – “TV Destroy”
• Elastica – “Annie”
• Flin Flon – “Ukraina”
• They Might Be Giants – “I’m Impressed”
• Cassius – “Toop Toop”
• Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk”

I’m not the only one obsessing over cycling these days, as Alin Huma’s blog seems to have been taken over by bikes as well. He’s even building wheels now! The podcast image is made up of a photo taken by Alin, which I hope he doesn’t mind me using.

Next week I hope to ride out to Nakameguro to meet up with a few people, and to check out PEdAL.E.D, a shop that specializes in original cycle-wear.

Time to share some cycling playlists! If you have some mixes you’ve made for riding please post the track list in the comments thread. Here’s my latest one, I call it “Cyclo de GO!”

• Air Miami – “Airplane Rider”
• Mark Robinson – “100% Garanteed”
• Holland – “Anorexic Colt Herd”
• Pixies – “Alison”
• Black Francis – “Threshold Apprehension”
• Superchunk – “Slack Motherfucker”
• Pavement – “Flux=Rad”
• Peaches – “You Love It”
• Mother Mother – “Oh Ana”
• Eric’s Trip – “Girlfriend”
• New Model Army – “Poison Street”
• Thee Headcoatees – “Wild Man”
• Whitey – “Non Stop”

What happens when you drop by Y’s Road in Ikebukuro? You may just run into Alin Huma, who biked there from Ginza, on the hunt for some spokes. I was there to get some degreaser and lube — I got scolded by Craig for not doing proper maintenance on my bike. It’s always nice to meet fellow bike people in town, and we then went to Cafe Pause for a coffee and chat.

Speaking of Alin and bikes, it looks like the next show at his Ginza the Edge gallery space will have a very strong bike theme. What’s Ginza the Edge? Check my most recent event listing for info on the opening exhibition.