Bicycle in Shinjuku

My daughters have started attending a new nursery school and it is a little too far to walk. My older daughter starts complaining that she’s tired and can’t walk anymore before we even leave the apartment building.

My wife and I decided to buy a new bicycle with child seats to make it easier to get around. It is an electric bike and was very expensive! My kids nursery started in just a few days so we didn’t have time to order a bike and wait for its delivery, so we had to buy from a big chain store with bikes in stock.

The store at Shinjuku station had bikes so we went there. We were even able to test ride a few bikes on their track. It was surprisingly helpful in deciding the type of bike to get. We’re bought a bike that day. They assembled it and charged the battery that night.

The following day my daughter and I went to pick up the bike. Everything went smoothly and I was soon outside with a new bike looking at Google maps to plan my route home. Unfortunately, it was Saturday at Shinjuku station. Perhaps one of the most crowded places in Tokyo?

I started riding the bike. Electric bikes take a little bit to get used to. And they feel big and heavy. They are not designed for people of my size either. My knees are cramped and bump the front seat when I turn. I adjusted the bike seat as high as it goes, but it is not enough. Not even close. But the worst part is the back child seat was not adjusted to accommodate my giant feet. Every time I peddled the bike, my feet bumped against the child seat making it almost impossible to peddle normally.

So, carry my daughter home on an unfamiliar ill-fitted bike through a kilometer of extremely crowded roads. No pressure.

In the end, I made it home ok with no problems. I just had to go slow and take my time. My daughter even fell asleep it was so uneventful. After getting home I adjusted the rear seat and after riding a bit more I am almost completely used to the new bike. And it is so useful! It is easy to grab the girls and make a quick trip to the nursery, shopping, or the park.