pitufon wrote:Thank you both.
I guess that's the million dollar question. At this stage, I don't know if someone will be assisting. Would it be hard to find someone to assist should I go down that path, probably not.
I'll go down to the local bike shop and have a chat to the guys about the recommended bikes. I was always fond of the Fuji bikes. Are these any good? Any good shops around Melbourne?
Even a bike shop will not be able to make a recommendation until you settle on your mode of travel. If you are going to be supported (i.e. you don't need to haul your own luggage) then an endurance road bike will be fine. Otherwise you will need to consider a touring bike with racks and panniers, or bikepacking if you can travel ultralight.
The are plenty of touring companies in Japan that offer supported rides, but I think you will find these quite expensive. I prefer the freedom of independence.
A tour of the length of Japan is just short of 4000km. This will take around 50 cycling days if you can average 80km per day. This does not allow for rest days or any sightseeing or side trips of course. My preference is to have
a least one non-riding day per week.
Recently I've been considering a tour in Japan for myself, and my preliminary research has turned up the
Japan Cycling Navigator website. I suggest you take some time to research this site, which offers a plethora of advice and information. I'm thinking a little less ambitiously though, and have been looking at riding from Kyoto to Fukuoka (well, the reverse actually)
along this route. With 3-4 weeks available this route (around 1000km), which crosses the Seto Inland Sea may suit you too. An
article by Cycling Tips about the Inland Sea is what piqued my interest in touring Japan.
As an experienced touring cyclist I can say that fitness wise, you don't need to go overboard with the training. If you can manage three or four rides a week at a steady pace over distances varying between say 30km to 60km with the occasional longer ride, then you will be fine. The key is to plan an itinerary with easy days in the first week so you can ease into the rhythm and find your legs. It is not a race, so it is absolutely
not necessary to train by riding 80km per day for two weeks at a time. In fact, your preparation time is better invested in research.
An 80km day is not difficult (even if riding a loaded bike over hilly terrain) when you have all day to do it and can ride at an easy pace (15-20kph) with plenty of breaks and a nice long lunch stop. Generally I aim to ride around 80km per day, but some days I've covered up to 130km, others as little as 40km. And if you are camping you'll be going to bed soon after dark, so you'll get plenty of rest.
Finally, if you choose touring mode then start your research in the
cycle touring sub-forums, where you will find a raft of information, and even advice from members who have already visited Japan. And for a touring bike I would recommend the
Vivente World Randonneur, this is the
touring bike of choice for many forum members.
Then continue your research in the Japan journals at
crazyguyonabike.com, where there is much to be learned from the experience of those who have gone before you.
If you have a particular objective in mind, then go straight to the type of bike that best fits the target from the start. What's appropriate will depend whether you'll be riding fully self-sufficient and will need to carry all your stuff, or have some support crew to carry most of your gear, just leaving you with the essentials for the day's ride to carry on board. If you're able to travel light, an "endurance" road bike such as the Giant Contend or Defy, or Specialized Roubaix, to name just a couple of starting references would work well. If you need carrying capability, something more robust & commuting/touring oriented such as the Giant Toughroad or Anyroad may be more suitable.
