The author, a huge fan of mini velos, considered whether mini velos are suitable for commuting to work or school.

Based on personal experience, I will also share how far one can comfortably commute with a mini velo.

Mini velos are surprisingly fast

▲ICAN Mini Velo Folding Bike F1 

Mornings are tough when commuting to work or school.

Taking too much time to get around can lead to being late.

Considering the speed of a mini velo, it seems to reach a maximum speed of about 45-50 km/h.

The average speed is around 20-25 km/h.

However, this applies to sports-type mini velos.

With a steel frame, it didn't go that fast.

Carbon frame mini velos are light.

The bike's weight is approximately 10 kg.

A maximum speed of 45-50 km/h is similar to that of a mountain bike.

For road bikes, the maximum speed is 60-70 km/h, with an average speed of about 40 km/h.

This might even be faster than a moped (since mopeds are limited to 30 km/h on public roads).

For city bikes (mamachari), the maximum speed is about 30 km/h, and the average speed is probably 10-18 km/h.

Despite having smaller wheels, why are mini velos faster than mamachari?

It can be attributed to the lightness of the bike's body.

If made from the same material, a mini velo would be lighter due to its smaller volume.

In cycling, lightness is the primary factor directly linked to speed.

Commutable distance with a mini velo

▲ICAN Mini Velo Folding Bike F1 

While mini velos are surprisingly fast, there's no doubt their wheel diameter is small.

You'll have to pedal hard, so covering a very long distance can be quite tiring.

I commuted 6.3 km by mini velo for six months, and it was very comfortable.

It took about 40 minutes.

The average speed was 9.5 km/h.

Being in the city, there were many traffic lights, and I stopped at each one, so I couldn't pick up much speed.

On the other hand, since I couldn't speed, I didn't have to worry too much about other bicycles, motorcycles, or cars, and I think I was able to commute safely.

It provided some exercise in the morning, and by the time I started work, my body was already warmed up, allowing me to start work smoothly.

It was a moderate amount of exercise, so I didn't feel hungry right after arriving at work, which I thought was just right.

When I later commuted to a different location, I rode 10.7 km for two years.

This distance was quite long, and I found it rather tiring with a regular mini velo.

On days when I was energetic, it was no problem, but during mornings when I felt tired or when work piled up, returning home felt like a chore.

 Related article:Serious Folding Mini Velo ICAN F1

Easy and difficult roads for commuting

When considering commuting by mini velo, I noticed that there are easy roads and difficult roads, so I'd like to share that.

I tried to avoid roads with heavy car traffic as much as possible because I was afraid of cars passing too close.

Cars may not realize it, but it's terrifying when they speed past you at a close shave.

When large vehicles like trucks pass right next to you, there's a sensation of being pulled in, which is also a bit scary.

The right side of the road, where the drainage ditch was not properly maintained, was very bumpy, and the vibrations while riding were intense. I also felt like it was damaging my bike, so I didn't like it much.

The boundary between the asphalt road and the ditch often had many bumps, and with the small wheel diameter of a mini velo, I could lose control of the handlebars. I felt it was dangerous unless I chose to ride either on the ditch or on the asphalt.

Conversely, easy roads were back roads and narrow streets.

Cars, rushing during morning commutes, unconsciously avoid narrow roads.

With a mini velo, it's smooth and comfortable.

Shopping streets and arcades have few stores open in the morning and fewer pedestrians, making for a comfortable ride.

If there was an elevated railway, the roads along the tracks were surprisingly good options.

Often, these roads are not very wide, so there are fewer cars, and the roads are clean and easy to ride on.

Conditions for using a mini velo for commuting

▲ICAN Mini Velo Folding Bike F1 

Now that I've shared this information, you might be considering using a mini velo for commuting.

There's one important condition.

That is, "permission to use a bicycle parking lot."

Your starting point is your home, so whether it's a detached house, a condominium, or an apartment, you probably have a place to park your bicycle.

However, in the case of schools or companies, permission for bicycle parking is not 100% guaranteed.

Even so, you wouldn't want to park your bicycle on the roadside or in a park.

It might inconvenience someone, and most importantly, your precious bicycle is at a high risk of theft.

If there are municipal or prefectural bicycle parking lots, you can park for a very low fee, such as 100 yen per day, which is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Whether it's free or paid, secure a safe parking spot by obtaining parking permission.

Summary

If you were to use a mini velo for commuting to work or school, a distance of up to about 10 km seems appropriate.

For about 5 km, you can commute quite comfortably.

Since mini velos can go faster than mamachari, you probably won't be dissatisfied with the speed, but please be careful of cars when riding on the road.

Sidewalks are generally not for cycling, and pedestrians have priority.

In situations where it's not safe to ride on the road, you are permitted to use the sidewalk, but you must proceed slowly on the road side.

When parking, secure a proper parking spot to prevent theft and vandalism.

You wouldn't want to cause trouble for anyone every day, would you?

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