Tsuukin-isuto, The Two-Wheeled Salary Man

Here is an interesting article regarding the rise of bicycles and communting by bike in Japan.

"Two years ago, the Tokyo government started to promote commuting by bicycle. There even was a new word for the two-wheeled salary-man: “Tsuukin-isuto.”  That spurred a mild trend, but not necessarily a craze of Japanese proportions. Did you ever had the pants of an Armani get into the chain?
Then, disaster struck. Millions of Japanese were stranded in downtown Tokyo on March 11 afternoon after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake closed down the sprawling mass transit system. “Suddenly, bikes became a lot more attractive to many people,” says the Nikkei. In a matter of minutes, bicycle stores were empty.

In the aftermath, saving power replaced Buddhism and Shinto as a religion in Japan. Salary-men were urged to ditch their blue suit and tie for “super cool biz” (short sleeves and open collars). Thermostats of the A/C were set to barely bearable, the nation perspired for a noble cause, and the bike race was on.

In short order, bikes turned into big business. Downtown office buildings opened high-tech full-service indoor bicycle parking operations: Racks for the bikes, showers, lockers. The monthly fees are steep: They range from $200 to $300 a month per bike.

Read the full article here...