Bikes and kit
Road cycling is a big hobby in Japan, with sports bike shops in every city and riders out on coastal roads and mountain passes every weekend. This lesson covers the bike, its parts and kit, and talking to the shop about repairs. Everyday bikes are in Life in Japan 3; this is the sporty side. Tap to hear any line. The bar at the bottom plays a hands-free drill for walking.
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25 bike and kit words
Each card shows a word, the form used and a sentence you'd say at the bike shop or with other riders. Most parts are katakana from English. Fourteen cards reuse words or forms from earlier courses.
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The parts of a road bike
The parts and kit you'll talk about most, and what you'd say about each.
| Word | Meaning | You'd say |
|---|
- Light and heavy gears. Japanese calls an easy gear and a hard one : = shift to an easier gear.
- Wear a helmet. Since April 2023, the law asks everyone riding a bike in Japan to try to wear one (, a duty to try). There's no fine, but shops and group rides will expect it.
- Which shop? For road bikes, look for a sports bike shop (). An ordinary may not have the parts.
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Four patterns to use today
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Say it in Japanese
Say each one out loud before you reveal the answer. Getting close counts.