Rinko refers to traveling by transporting your bicycle on public transportation such as trains and buses, or in a car.

With the use of trains and other public transport, you can enjoy traveling to distant places on your own bicycle, and this practice has become increasingly common.

Rinko expands the freedom of your travels and is sure to make you feel excited.

This guide explains key points for those who are thinking of trying rinko.

This article focuses specifically on small-wheeled bicycles, also known as mini velos (hereinafter referred to as "mini velo").

We hope you will read it to the end.

Rinko with a Mini Velo!

When traveling to your destination by train or car, your means of transportation from the destination is often on foot.

As a result, you might have experienced simply wandering around the destination and then leaving, right? Having a mini velo expands your range of activity at your destination and during your journey.

4 Tips for Enjoying Rinko

Here are four tips for making the most of your rinko experience with a mini velo.

Enjoy the "travel + bicycle" experience that rinko offers!

Tip 1: Choose a Lightweight Mini Velo

The first tip is to choose a lightweight mini velo. If you're not just riding, but also using public transport, a heavy mini velo can be quite challenging when climbing stairs or moving around within a station. Also, some bus companies do not allow luggage weighing over 10kg.

From my experience owning a mini velo weighing just under 12kg, moving around large station premises was difficult.

Currently, I use a mini velo that weighs about 8kg. I believe that anything under 10kg feels significantly lighter.

Folding mini velos are recommended.

Mini velos come in both folding and non-folding types.

Both have their advantages, so it's hard to say which is definitively better or worse.

If you're considering purchasing a mini velo, please use this as a reference.

Advantages of folding types:

・Easy to transport via rinko

・Becomes very compact when folded

・Doesn't take up much space for storage at home

Advantages of non-folding types:

・Robust body rigidity

・Comfortable ride

A kickstand is necessary

A kickstand is a stand that allows a bicycle to stand upright on its own.

A kickstand is essential.

If you've only ever ridden what are commonly called "mamachari" (city bikes), this might be such an obvious point that you overlook it.

Many road bikes, cross bikes, and mini velos do not come with kickstands.

If you suddenly want to stop at a convenience store or go into a restaurant for lunch, without a kickstand, your only option is to lean the bicycle against a wall.

Without a kickstand, it can be quite inconvenient.

For Rinko, choose a mini velo that is easy and hassle-free to fold or disassemble!

When doing rinko with a mini velo, the most troublesome task is putting the mini velo into the rinko bag.

If you have a non-folding type of mini velo, you'll need to remove the front wheel (and possibly the rear wheel as well). This is quite a hassle.

On the other hand, with a folding mini velo, folding it takes about 1 minute (or around 30 seconds once you get used to it), and putting it into the rinko bag takes another minute. It can be completed in a short amount of time.

Tip 2: Fully enjoy the unique pleasure of rinko

Since you're going to the trouble of doing rinko, make sure to fully enjoy the unique pleasures it offers!

・Complete freedom: No need to worry about cycling back; if you're tired, just take the train home!

・Don't rigidly stick to cycling the whole way.

・Stop wherever you want.

・It's okay to drink alcohol.

On a regular trip, you might feel the need to conserve energy for the return journey, worrying about driving back.

This can prevent you from fully enjoying yourself or from having an alcoholic drink.

However, with rinko by mini velo, you don't have such worries.

Complete freedom: No need to worry about cycling back; if you're tired, just take the train home!

With road bikes or cross bikes, you usually have to cycle both ways, which can make you anxious about whether you can complete the whole journey.

Such anxieties might make you hesitant to travel far, even if local cycling is possible.

However, with a mini velo for rinko, if anything happens, you can just take a train, bus, or even a taxi.

It takes a lot of pressure off. With a mini velo, the image of leisurely cycling rather than a full-on cycling trip might be just right.

It's okay to drink alcohol.

Another enjoyable aspect of rinko is that you don't have to cycle back, so you can drink alcohol.

You might spontaneously stop at a shop and suddenly crave a beer. But your destination inn is still far away. You tell yourself to hold back.

Such feelings are unnecessary. If you drink beer, you can just take a train or taxi to your destination.

Let go of the commitment to cycle all the way and complete the journey.

This is the secret to enjoying rinko with a mini velo.

With a road bike, you might feel a strong desire to complete the entire course no matter what.

However, with a mini velo, you're free to enjoy your trip however you like.

Tip 3: Prepare for Trouble

An indispensable tip for enjoyment is to be prepared for trouble.

If your bicycle gets a flat tire

Your tire has gone flat!

Those accustomed to puncture repair might fix it themselves.

However, for those who haven't experienced puncture repair, it often takes a lot of time and they may not be able to fix it.

It's best to call a taxi or similar and move to a nearby bicycle shop.

If you get a flat tire in a deserted area, move to a more populated place first.

If you spend a lot of time repairing a flat tire in a sparsely populated area, it can make you anxious.

Injuries or poor health

If it's not serious enough to call an ambulance, use a taxi or similar to get to your accommodation or the nearest station.

The ability to do this is also an advantage of a mini velo.

Even if you get sick or injured along the way, you won't have to cycle yourself and you won't have to abandon your bike.

Tip 4: Minimal luggage is sufficient

Traveling light is key to enjoying rinko.

I don't recommend bringing excessive luggage.

Just a little more than what you'd carry for a city ride. This amount of luggage is ideal.

You might feel anxious if you don't bring everything, but if you need something, just enjoy yourself with the lighthearted thought that you can always pick it up at a convenience store or supermarket.

For daypacks, choose one that doesn't make your back sweaty!

A daypack is recommended for rinko.

Most mini velos do not have a front basket.

It's best to put only the absolute essentials in your daypack.

What to bring

What to bring varies depending on whether it's a "day trip" or an "overnight stay," but this time I'll list the essentials for a day trip.

・Rinko bag

・Change of clothes

　Even in autumn, cycling for a long time can make you sweat. Not having a change of clothes can be psychologically damaging, so bring some simple clothes to change into.

・Towel

・Money

・Smartphone

・Digital camera (if possible)

　Taking photos with a smartphone is usually good enough, but if photography is your hobby, bringing a small camera will boost your desire to shoot and make it more enjoyable.

What not to bring

Things you don't need to bring

・Puncture repair kit

　If you get a flat tire, rely on public transportation. Repairing a flat tire on the spot might lead to panic and a waste of time.

・Portable air pump (you can bring it if you have room)

　It's unnecessary if you check the tire pressure and inflate them before your rinko trip.

Summary: For an enjoyable rinko trip

We have explained the key points for enjoying rinko with a mini velo.

Unlike ordinary trips, the joy of rinko lies in fully utilizing the advantages of using a bicycle.

There are four key points:

・Choose a lightweight mini velo.

・Enjoy the unique pleasures of rinko.

・Be prepared for trouble.

・Keep your luggage to a minimum.

The first hurdle in rinko is probably packing your mini velo into the rinko bag.

Disassembling or folding your mini velo and storing it in a rinko bag at the station front.

You might worry about onlookers and it takes time, which can be disheartening.

However, most people are looking on with admiring eyes, thinking, "How nice!" or "What kind of bike are they using?"

This definitely requires practice, so it's best to get used to it by doing it often in nearby areas.

And when you're tired, don't hesitate to use a taxi or train.

Having a bad experience with rinko once can make it harder to take the next step.

Alternatively, it's also recommended to form a rinko group and go out with a few friends.