Byron Kidd

This post was originally published on Tokyo by Bike. As a visitor to Tokyo, renting a bicycle can be a difficult affair. Given the lack of a convenient city-wide bicycle sharing system (such as London's Santander Cycles or the extensive Velib network in Paris), tourists are often left on their own to locate bicycle rental services—and the lack of information in English and other languages makes this a daunting task. Given that bicycle rental businesses in Tokyo appear and disappear at an astonishing rate I have attempted to list some of the longer running, and less likely to go out of business, bicycle rental services below. Docomo Community Cycle By far the most extensive bicycle sharing network in Tokyo is the Docomo Community Cycle Sharing network currently in operation in 11 wards around Tokyo, and in a number of cities around Japan including Yokohama, Nara and Sendai. Visitors to the city can use the small-wheeled electric bicycles by purchasing a one-day pass and bicycles can be returned on any of the numerous ports in each ward. A popular tourist destination with wide easy to cycle paths is the Tokyo Bay waterfront area of Odaiba, also home to some of Tokyo's newest cycling infrastructure. If venturing over the Rainbow Bridge, you should be aware that you will have to walk your bike across the bridge. Riding is prohibited. Other popular destinations include the beautiful Imperial Palace Gardens, near Tokyo Station, and the ever popular Akihabara Tokyo Tower, Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown. COGICOGI COGICOGI is a small but well-established bicycle sharing system with numerous ports in the Shibuya and Harajuku districts. Recently the service has expanded to cover the Tokyo Skytree area. Membership is required and their small-wheeled, electric-assist bicycles can be picked up and dropped off at any of the networks bicycle sharing ports. The COGICOGI service operates from 10:00 to 19:00 daily with last rental at 18:00. Membership is required and can be arranged online. One-day and monthly memberships available. Homepage: COGICOGI Share Cycle System Phone: 080-0170-5959 Extremo Mountain Bike Rentals Located in Sumida and offering a bicycle delivery and pick up service to hotels within the Yamanote Line, Extremo Mountain Bike Rentals rent reliable brand name mountain bikes for 3,000 yen per day, 1,300 yen per extra day, and 9,300 yen for an entire week. Reservations and ID required. Homepage: Extremo Mountain Bike Rentals Phone: 03-5610-0638 Rin Project Rin Project in the Taito ward is a friendly bicycle store that rents exceptionally well-loved bicycles to locals and tourists alike, for 1,080 yen per day (plus a 540-yen accident insurance fee). With just 5 bicycles available for hire, making a reservation is highly recommended. Opening hours are 11:00 to 18:00 with last rental at 17:00. Homepage: Rin Project GS Astuto Road Bike Rentals Tokyo If you're in Tokyo looking to continue your road or triathlon training, look no further than GS Astuto Road Bike Rentals. GS Astuto have both carbon-frame road bicycles and wheelsets for rent. After a recent move, GS Astuto is now a 30-minute train ride from Shinjuku Station, but this shouldn't phase anyone who doesn't want to interrupt their training while in Japan. Rates available upon request. Homepage: GS Astuto Road Bike Rentals Tokyo Katushika Shibamata Tora-san Museum Bicycle Rental Located conveniently close to the Edogawa cycling road and numerous parks and gardens the Katushika Shibamata Tora-san Museum rents mamachari-style bicycles for just 400 yen per day. Homepage: Katushika Shibamata Tora-san Museum Phone: 03-3657-3455 Hello Cycling Tokyo is made up of 23 distinct council-controlled regions, many of which offer some form of bicycle rental via their city hall. While eleven of them have given licenses to Docomo Community Cycle, many of the more peripheral wards have handed a license to Hello Cycling. Wards that are covered by Hello Cycling include Taito ward---home to many tourist attractions and popular neighborhoods such as Asakusa, Ueno and Yanaka. You can find out more and download their app at the Hello Cycling web site. Setagaya City Rental Cycle With 7 convenient port locations around Setagaya, the largest of Tokyo's 23 wards, and a mix of electric-assist and conventional bicycles and even bicycles with child seats, Setagaya City Rental Cycle has something for everyone. Homepage: Setagaya City Rental Cycle Phone: 03-3425-7195 Edogawa Rental Cycle With a logo that looks suspiciously like Internet Explorer, the city-owned Edogawa Rental Cycle has mamachari-style bicycles available for just per day and 340 per day for electric assist version. at 11 conveniently located sharing stations---all located next to railway stations. One of the stations is located next to Kasairinkaikoen Station---close to the scenic Kasai Rinkai Park and Arakawa River cycling course. Homepage: Edogawa Rental Cycle Phone: 03-5662-1997 Thinking about getting a ride of your own? Read our guide to getting a secondhand bike in Tokyo.

Byron Kidd

Where to Rent a Bicycle in Tokyo