What type of bicycle is best for most people?

Through my experience as a bike shop owner since 2012, the best bicycle for most people will be the one that is not too large or heavy so that it can be ridden by:

1) the young or old.
2) someone who is shorter.
3) someone learning to ride.
4) someone with gait issues.
5) someone with back issues.
6) the young till adulthood.
7) someone who likes to cycle recreationally with family members.
8) someone who enjoys going for short excursions or long distance rides.

The bicycle that meets all these criteria is the folding bike. 

It enables the cyclist to ride comfortably in an upright position because the stem and seat post are adjustable. It is also a bicycle recommended by doctors for patients who have back issues and can only do low impact exercises. 

Though most folding bikes are made for adults, due to their adjustable stem and seat post height, even a child age four in the family can ride on one that is 14″ in wheel size.  This is what a 14″ wheel size folding bike looks like.

That said, if you have bought a 14" wheel size bicycle meant for children, you will have to buy another with larger wheels as your child grows older.

When you get your children folding bikes to ride on, you will appreciate it when you do not have to drive them to places they have to be at. If it is further away, you can drive them to the train or bus station so that at their last stop, they can cycle to their final destination. You just have to make sure that the route they have to ride on is safe.

A folding bike in wheel size from 12″ to 20″ is the right option for parents who wish to ride along side their children, as they are cycling on bicycles in such wheel sizes.  When you are cycling recreationally on a larger wheel size bike with younger family members who are cycling on 12″ to 20″ wheel sizes, they will have to struggle to catch up with you.  One revolution of your wheel will take you further and further away from them. You may have to stop often to wait for them, which is not a fun way to ride.

The low top tube also allows seniors in the family with gait issues to mount and dismount the bike without any fear of them falling. As a folding bike is also smaller and usually lighter in weight than the regular bikes for adults, you do not have to worry that they will be easily hurt by it, considering that they may have brittle bones as they age.  If that is a concern, choose one with  alloy frame as they are way lighter.  

This is how a folding bike looks like once it is folded.

Being able to fold it makes it convenient to transport more than a bike in your vehicle, to get to another location to ride.  While you are out on excursions with your family, don’t you hate it if you have to give up a good parking spot as you have to drive off to get something for your get together? If you have a folding bike in your car, you can cycle out for whatever you need.

A folding bike will also be easier for you to manage if you need to take public transport part of the way during a long distance ride. You can consider cycling part of the way and board public transport, like buses or trains, with it in tow, on days when you are not up to the ride or when the weather is too bad to be out cycling.  It will cost you less to ship your folding bike back home if, for some reasons, you cannot continue cycling for the rest of your journey. Moreover, if you often have to carry your bicycle up a flight of stairs, I would suggest that you get an alloy frame unit. The average weight of a 20″ alloy frame folding bike is 12kg and they are making them lighter and lighter. 

It is also a great bike for a beginner to learn to cycle on without training wheels installed.  To learn to ride on it, just lower the seat post to make sure that both feet touch the ground firmly while seated on the saddle. As the top tube is low, the gap between it to the crotch area of rider should be so wide that it is unlikely for the learner to be hurt by it should he or she stumbles and falls over it.  

Be careful if you are learning to ride on one with gear components installed. Gear components are sensitive and damaged parts can be costly to replace.  To lean to ride without training wheels, just follow the tips I shared at the following link:

Learn to ride

Why do Japanese cyclists prefer "Mom's bikes" over other types, like mountain bikes?

I have written earlier about Mamachari.  It is also known as "Mom's bike" or Dutch-style city bike.

Let me, as a bike shop owner, share my views, on why Japanese cyclists prefer "Mom's bikes" or Dutch-style city bikes over other types like mountain bikes (MTB).  In Japan, such bikes for adults are available in wheel sizes of 24″ and 26″..

This is what a MTB looks like.

There are single speed and geared models available in the market. Lower end models are heavier as they are usually steel frames MTBs. In Malaysia, they can be purchased:

in frame size of
-S, M, or L
-13″ (rarely), 15″ up to 19″

in wheel size of:

-20″
-24″
-26″
-27.5″
-29″ (29er)

Most MTBs in wheel sizes of 27.5″ and 29″ are geared bikes.  It is not the kind of bicycle that can be shared by family members of different height or age.

Most leisure or city bikes supplied in Malaysia are single speed bikes. They are available in wheel sizes of 20″, 24″, 26″ and 700C. Most are steel frame city bikes.

You can find higher end models with alloy frame and gears components installed. They are usually in wheel sizes of 26″ or 700C.

These are the notable differences between the bicycles, which will explain why city bikes are popular in Japan:

The top tube of a city bike is placed lower down the frame compared to a MTB.

-mounting and dismounting from a city bike is easier for cyclists carrying a load or ferrying a child.

-it is a safer bike for seniors, especially if they have poor gait.

-due to lower average height of Asians, a 24″ wheel size city bike can be ridden by a child age 9 till adulthood.

-the low top tube makes it one of the common bike choices for companies running rental businesses as it can cater to adult riders of any height.

The stem of a MTB is shorter and the handlebar is usually straight or with low rise.  The handlebar on a city bike is high rise and curves toward the cyclist.  That is preferred as:    

-it provides easy reach for shorter riders.

-cyclist can sit in a more upright position on a city bike which is good for seniors and cyclists with back issues.

All city bikes are installed with full mudguards, rear carrier, basket and stand. These accessories are usually not installed on MTB. Also tyres on city bikes are slick for urban rides. Tyres on MTB are knobby for ridding over rough terrain.

-it can be noisy to ride a MTB on paved road.

-it can be tiring as you need more exertion to move the knobby tyres over paved roads.

-it is easier to run errands on a city bike since you are able to carry stuff on the carrier or in the basket.

-you will have to find a place to lean the MTB on but you can park the city bike easily by lowering the stand.

-you can ferry your children on a city bike by installing child seats.
-child seats that can be installed on rear carrier is cheaper compared to those that are seat post mounted.

Child seats supplied by OGK in Japan are very unique.

They have a model that can be installed on the handlebar of a city bike.

Mamachari are popular with women and they are the most common type of bicycle for everyday use. Though known as mom's bicycles, they are actually unisex bikes. There should not be any problem installing a child seat on the rear carrier and another on the handlebar of a city bike.

For your information, folding bikes are also popular in Japan. In urban areas where space is limited, they are a practical solution as, once folded, they are easy to store in small apartments or offices.

It is also convenient for cyclists who have to use public transport part of the way. They can bring along their folding bikes as long as they are kept in lightweight rinko bags which can be purchased from their local bike shops.

Mamachari can also be packed into a rinko bag but it will be a hassle as you will have to remove the front wheel and attached it to the rear as shown in the following video. Fellow passengers will not like it when you board a train with a large bag, especially, when it is crowded.

In fact, I think that folding bikes are the best bike for most people, young or old. You just have to find them in the right wheel size for your height.

What is the best age to start cycling?

What is the best age to start cycling? That depends on where you are from.

A child age 2 1/2 from Australia, America or European countries will be tall enough to learn to ride on a 12″ wheel size balance bike.

There are no chain and pedals installed on a balance bike. To be able to ride on one, the child while seated on the saddle, must be able to push the bike with their feet to move the wheels forward. From my observation as a bike shop owner in Malaysia, a child here has to be age three and above in order to be tall enough to learn to ride on one.

As balance bikes are not so common locally, most children here prefer learning to ride on a regular bicycle with training wheels attached. These are bicycles they have seen their siblings, relatives or neighbours’ kids ride on.

Balance bikes are not the kind of bicycle I can convince a grandparent here to buy for his or her grandkids. Though it is definitely a bike that you can consider getting for even an older child to learn to ride on by getting him/her to go down a slope on it. As you can see from this video, the young girl going down a slope on a balance bike is possibly older than 6.

A child or an adult can learn at any age as long as they have a bicycle in the right wheel size for their height, which is generally as shown in this table:

For the safety of the cyclist, there must be a gap of at least 1″ from the toptube to the crotch area.

This is why for adults and older children age 4 and above, I will suggest that they consider learning to ride on a folding bike. Its toptube is low so learners will not be hit by it should they stumble while learning and fall over it. As most folding bikes are made for adults, that means that older or taller members in the family can also ride on it by adjusting the height of the stem and seatpost.

It can become the bike for the family as an adult folding bike in wheel size of:

1. 12″ and 14″ can be ridden by a child age 4.
2. 16″ can be ridden by a child age 5 and above.
3. 20″ can also be ridden by a child age 6.

Are dynamos still used in a bike to power the bike lamp, or is there a better alternative?

Bicycles shops that still supply the old school double beam 28″ wheelsize steel bicycle like this are likely to stock some dynamos.

This is the kind of dynamos usually installed on such bicycles.




There are other version of dynamo light set that are more modern looking. This overstock Coleman folding bike made for the Japanese market has a different model installed.

As spare parts are difficult to find for dynamos, the better alternative will be a regular flashlight that comes with a battery charger because you can also use it in your car or at home. The curved edges of this flashlight are sharp enough to break glass windows in an emergency.



There are many kind of flashlight holders for bicycles but I like the one that can be rotated 360 degrees. This means that you do not have to change the direction of your bicycle to shine on areas you want to look at. Once the flashlight is mounted on the holder, you can easily rotate it.

It is easy to remove the flashlight from the mount to keep it so you do not have to worry that it will be stolen off your bicycle where you parked it.