Japan largely missed out on the first bicycle boom of the 1880s and 1890s. However, when the bicycle became hot again in the 1960s and 1970s – mostly for recreational and fitness purposes – the country was not left on the side of the road: Japan zoomed past the United Kingdom to rank second only to the United States in the value of bicycles exported. Japanese bicycle manufacturers also shifted away from the utilitarian aspects of the human-powered vehicle to specialize in high-quality light and sport bicycles and parts.

The center of this high technology revolution was Osaka Prefecture. Osaka is responsible for 46% of all bicycles produced in the country and puts an emphasis on innovation in bicycle parts. Tokyo, with just 10%, is second. It was the traditional techniques of tempering steel by gunsmiths and swordsmiths in Sakai City that laid the groundwork for the city’s dominance of this trade.

The Cycle Mode Ride Osaka: Japan’s Biggest Bicycle Blow-Out

The Cycle Mode Ride Osaka is western Japan’s largest sports bicycle festival and a chance for the public to check out the best new metal on offer from the country’s top cycling minds. It takes place every March, a month or so before Cycle Mode Tokyo.

In addition to looking over the new bikes, attendees can check out frames, parts, tools, gadgets, and clothing. There are demonstrations and seminars on everything from race training and the physiology of high-speed pedaling to preventing a flat tire. A couple hundred brands have booths at the bike expo every year. You’ll also have the chance to meet former professional athletes and cyclist influencers to learn tips and ask them about their careers.

There are over 1,000 manufacturers of bicycles and parts in Japan, but most of them are small companies with only a handful of employees. This encourages innovation, meaning there is plenty to see at Cycle Mode Ride Osaka. The imagination on display may not always yield commercial success, but you may find yourself the first owner of something odd – such as a triangular, stow-away, string, or wooden bike.

And, yes, test rides are available – bring a helmet and prepare to stand in line. Veterans of international bike expos will know it is a rare treat to get astride professional-caliber wheels. At Cycle Mode Ride Osaka, there are more than 450 test rides available with a huge range of bicycles to choose from. This includes rides on road bikes, cross bikes, and e-bikes – in recent years, e-bikes have received an ever-larger platform at the trade show.

Lastly, there’s the Bike X Travel Area, which focuses on gravel bikes and off-road trips, including places to go for the best views of the countryside in Japan. You’ll also find gourmet food for sale in this area.

Where Does Cycle Mode Ride Osaka Take Place?

Cycle Mode Ride Osaka takes place in northern part of the prefecture at Banpaku Park, which was the site of the 1970 World’s Fair. Its open ground is ideal for sampling sport bikes across a two-kilometer test course, not least for the plenty of ups and downs. Attendees can prep themselves for the Osaka Castle Triathlon, which takes place in May.

Banpaku Park / Expo ’70 Commemorative Park
Address: 1−1 Senribanpakukoen, Suita, Osaka Prefecture 565-0826 (map)
When: 
First weekend in March
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.)
Web site: http://cyclemode.net/

Buy your tickets online in advance and you’ll pay just 900 yen for a test drive (down from 1,200 yen if you pay on day). There’s also a 260 yen admission fee to enter Expo ’70 Commemorative Park.

Photo by Joi Ito ($200 generic bikes) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons