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A significant aspect of the Japanese market is the prevalence of $1,200 electric bicycles, which now appears to be at around 30% of bikes seen around in Tokyo.
by mamachari 14y ago
A significant aspect of the Japanese market is the prevalence of $1,200 electric bicycles, which now appears to be at around 30% of bikes seen around in Tokyo. Automatic gear shifters on standard bikes are fairly common too. Also pertinent is the fact that Japanese tend not to repair their own bicycles - not even a puncture. Rear brakes are typically not user serviceable anyway. So I suggest they should try to ride the EB wave in Asia to market this system at first.
- snogglethorpe 14y ago> A significant aspect of the Japanese market is the prevalence of $1,200 electric bicycles, which now appears to be at around 30% of bikes seen around in Tokyo Electric bikes are a somewhat popular niche lately, but there's absolutely no chance they account for anywhere even near 30% of the bikes in use in Tokyo. The number of bikes, and biking population, in/around Tokyo is immense, and the vast majority of them are not electric (nor new, nor particularly fancy). Even amongst the recently popular small-wheel-two-kid-seat bikes, most don't seem to be electric. But you're absolutely right that the Japanese bike market would be a good one to target; it's very big, more upscale than many other countries, and oriented around practicality.
- mamachari 14y agoPerhaps my observation is skewed by the fact that I see so many mothers dropping kids at the houikuen (nursery) are using them. Also at my suburban station bike park, I estimate 30% are eb. If you count bikes in use, as I do, rather than those static outside a mansion, you get into the 30% ballpark in my neighbourhood. I am not sure whether this new gear tech suits EB, but it seems it might be good for them to ride the eb trend , which is large and growing.