Any recommendations regarding electric bicycles that comply with the japanese laws?
I am in need of one atm, but I feel like if I am gonna spend a good amount of money, I want it at least to be legal.
Also I saw some bikes from abroad but they take 3 months to arrive so if you could recommend me a good local maker I would appreciate it a lot.
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I got a Panasonic mamacheri from my local home center. Has worked great for three years.
If you buy one at a shop in Japan it will comply with Japanese law. (Ok some exceptions for mountain bikes but generally speaking…)
Trek, Specialized etc for higher end.
Panasonic, Yamaha, Bridgestone for more ‘mama chari’ style.
Panasonic, Yamaha and Bridgestone all make a large range of legal electric assist bicycles for different uses (Bridgestone uses Yamaha drives). That’s your default go-to options.
I needed a foldable bicycle so I opted for a Tern Vektron instead. Very good quality and sold street legal in Japan, but not cheap. There are some other manufacturers available as well (I’ve seen BESV here for instance). Take a look at the Yodobashi online store or go to a large Yodobashi in your area and see what they sell; they have many of the models available in Japan.
Depends on your desired use. What distance? Hills? Do you already ride, and if so what kind of bike? What’s your price range?
If you’re spending real money, make sure you can get it repaired if it breaks. A shop in your town is a safe bet. Ask them.
I just got the Yamaha PAS Cheer, it’s pretty good. Sort of mid-range in terms of price – you can find cheaper off-brand bikes, while this is on the lower end for major brand names. Great for city usage. The only downside is that it’s only got 3 gear shifts so you’re not going to get blinding speed out of it. Other than that I have no complaints.
We have a Panasonic mamachari that works great for the hills of Yokohama. Go to a big Yodobashi and try out various models on the indoor track.
Love my Bridgestone Frontia (got great range and belt drive at a low price), but it’s mamachari style which might not be your thing.
Picked it up at Asahi Cycle Base, who had a large range in store to play around with.
I have a Peltech TDN212L, which is a basically a folding mamachari. If you literally just need a bike that will help transport you from place to place, it will do this. That being said, I find it to be overly heavy, and the motor seems to struggle to keep pace with my own riding. It will help pull you up a hill, but even in the high mode I seem to struggle. In other words, this is a kind of anti-recommendation (if you value the enjoyment of bike riding)–that being said, it is cheaper than much of the competition, and I can’t say anything particularly bad about the durability so far after 1 year.
I also know someone who has the Transmobilly Ultralight Ebike (I think it is the 16 inch version). It doesn’t have fenders and racks, so not so practical for transporting packages and groceries. That being said, it is a pleasure to ride, it is light enough to carry up and down the stairs of an apartment for indoor storage, and you can easily ride it after running out of battery. It zips along and doesn’t seem to struggle up hills. The battery isn’t rated to last very long, but I haven’t run out of battery on around-town trips yet. If you value portability and zippiness, and don’t mind losing out on practicality, I’d recommend the Transmobilly.
I’ve also rented one of the Panasonic mamacharis before, and I agree with others that they seems solid overall, though I didn’t feel anything particularly special about them. Faster and more powerful than my Peltech, and the “foldability” of mine is useless anyway, due to its weight.
We have a Panasonic Gyutto (mama chari), it’s big and heavy to get out of the parking lot and has the momentum of a car. That thing is a tank. Came with a bunch of very thoughtful options though, spent a pretty penny on it. Zero maintenance on the thing and the battery lasts a long time. If it was lighter it would be perfect. 8/10
From the domestic makers, every model will be about the same level of power, the main differences are form factor and features. For power, the [legal limits](https://botti-bk.com/unlock_ebike/#outline_1__1_1) restrict the strength of the electric assist, and it’s disabled completely above 24 km/h.
Height? Intended usage? Have an outlet where you’ll keep the bike. Where will you keep the bike?
In the 150,000 range and under, Panasonic and Bridgestone have some nice looking bikes. I have a Bridgestone with the motor on the front wheel, which gives more control than a center or back hub, and it’s nice for the hills.
If you want to go up to 300,000, Trek and Giant have bikes you could get. For commuting, maybe Trek. For road bikes, maybe Giant. But if you’re going to spend this kind of money, think carefully about where you’ll park it, and what the risk of theft is.