Onomichi - a city for cyclists, well-known to bicycle enthusiasts as the gateway to the Shimanami Kaido.

As you stroll through this charming, slightly rustic town, you'll notice an abundance of eye-catching bicycles.

While road bikes make up the majority, you'll also find more clean-cut and sophisticated bikes that blend into the city's atmosphere than in other towns.

Every time I encounter them, my bike-loving heart feels a tingle of excitement and joy.

After seeing so many stylish bicycles, I reflect once again:

"What is the difference between a 'stylish bicycle' and a 'regular bicycle'?"

Here, the staff at ICAN JAPAN will consider what makes a stylish bicycle. We are aware of any objections or rebuttals.

However, this is, so to speak, a special edition. Please relax and enjoy it with an open mind.

There are many factors that define a stylish bicycle

That's certainly true. "Stylish" means something different to everyone.

First, let's identify the people visiting this page.

"Sports bike owners who are considering a slightly fashionable bike for daily use." This is it.

At the same time, objectivity is also necessary. A woman's perspective matters.

"A bike that can be displayed in a shop." If it meets this criterion, it should be a stylish bike that everyone can appreciate.

Let's list further necessary stylish elements.

"Positioning as: below a sports bike, above a 'mamachari' (city bike)."

"Something that incorporates practicality but lacks a 'lived-in' feel."

"In addition to attractive shapes and colors, it should feature finely designed parts (baskets, handlebars, saddles, kickstands, fenders, etc.)."

"Simplicity."

"Excluding items that appear stylish but are of poor quality or too heavy."

"Having a somewhat relaxed feel."

These are the prerequisites.

Now, let's list potential stylish bicycles by type.

Sports Bikes

Road bikes and MTBs, which primarily exist as sports equipment, are best described with adjectives like "amazing" or "cool" due to their pure, single-minded pursuit of functionality.

We would never describe them as "stylish."

However, if you cleverly incorporate them into your daily life as a tool, there's a possibility of adding "stylish" elements. The keyword for transforming a sports bike into something stylish is "detachment."

If you don't think of it as a sport and instead handle it casually in your daily life, a strange thing happens: it becomes stylish.

BMX also has plenty of that element.

Pist Bikes are originally equipment for track racing, but they have a slightly different element, which I will discuss later in a separate section.

Oh, I forgot.

Old road bikes (around the 80s) have lost their "sporting" edge and are now tremendously stylish.

Related article: Introduction to Sports Bicycles

Cross Bikes

Cross bikes are one of the strongest contenders for stylish bicycles.

When viewed as a practical vehicle, their high functionality is evident, making them sufficiently stylish as they are.

However, pay attention to the coloring. This is likely the turning point that determines whether a cross bike becomes stylish or looks sweaty and unkempt.

Paying attention to small parts like the saddle, handlebars, and kickstand will further enhance its stylishness.

Sports Type Minivelo

Along with cross bikes, it's a top contender for stylishness.

There's a wide range of choices for shapes, colors, and wheel sizes, so it all comes down to the owner's taste.

I specifically mentioned "sports type" because there are also "mamachari" (city bike) type and inexpensive minivelos, which lack the impressive quality and functionality of the sports type.

You can choose a foldable one and enjoy further pleasure after a drive, chase road bikes with a fast minivelo, or park your beautiful beloved bike in front of a cafe and admire it. The possibilities are endless.

Reference article: What types of Minivelo are there?

Fixie Bikes

As mentioned earlier, a fixie bike is originally a bicycle specifically for track racing.

Because of its wonderfully beautiful appearance, people began using it for city riding. Nowadays, racing replicas for city use are available. In particular, chromoly-framed ones, like those used in Keirin (Japanese cycle racing), are extremely simple and have a classic charm, exuding a stylishness that transcends mere coolness.

Due to it being a single-gear bike and having a riding posture similar to a sports bike, it's not something I'd recommend to everyone, but road bike riders wouldn't feel out of place.

The atmosphere changes with frame design and handlebar shape, so careful consideration is necessary.

Reference article: For those interested in fixie bikes

City Cycles

There's a wide variety, from those mimicking sports bike shapes to "mamachari" (city bikes) with added design elements, but they all share one thing in common: they are affordable.

As a sports bike rider, due to heavy frames and low-quality parts, I can't honestly say they are "cool" or "stylish."

However, it's true that some, with clever shapes, coloring, and distinctive parts, do catch the eye of bike enthusiasts.

Finally

Seeking "style" in an everyday bicycle feels similar to being particular about fashion. While that feeling is individual, a major objective barometer, as mentioned in the text, is "Can it be displayed as a shop decoration?"

Also, it's a shame to ride a stylish bike in grubby clothes.

In that sense, this is a fun pastime that sharpens your senses in a different way than sports bikes.

I think it's interesting to occasionally relax and dive into the world of "style," a value system that exists outside of pure functionality. What do you think?