Long Life Bicycle Shop Interview (Part 3)

次回、この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

In Long Life Bicycle Shop (Part 2) interview, we heard how the owner, Mr. Yatabe, after seven years working for a bicycle parts wholesaler, started his own bicycle wholesale parts business in 1955 at the age of 26.  By 1965 at the age of 36, he was a certified level 1 bicycle mechanic and licensed automobile and motorcycle mechanic selling and repairing bicycles, scooters, motorcycles and some small engine cars.

So next year your shop will mark its 70th year?
Yes, that's right.  

Reflecting on your long career, what has changed?
Many, many things have changed. Everything changes over the course of time and the bicycle business is no exception.

1. Purpose
First, as mentioned earlier, I got my start in the bicycle business working for a wholesaler in 1948.  That is 3 years after the end of WWII.  At that time Japan was still under US occupation and many things were still being rationed.  At the time, bicycles mainly consisted of utility and cargo cycles since they were for work and transportation.
 




For commerce, often bicycles had a trailer hitch attached to the seat post so that trailers could be connected to transport items too large to be strapped to the rear carrier (luggage rack).  

From 1950 to 1958 bicycles had license plates much like today's motor vehicles.  With Japan's rapid economic growth came prosperity, and with prosperity came the trend towards leisure and recreation.  The decline of bicycles for utility started around 1960, and by 1963 other model bicycles surpassed utility cycles.  
(Click on graph to enlarge)

Japan was transforming into an automobile society as more households had a family car and the purpose of bicycles expanded.  Households had more than one bicycle, housewives rode women's models for grocery shopping and other errands, students rode bicycles to school and even children had their own bicycles.

2. Roads
Road conditions and drainage used to be poor.
 

Paved roads today are the norm; however, when I got my start in the bicycle business in 1948 many roads were unpaved.  So, bicycles took a beating during everyday use due to potholes, bumps, puddles, mud, gravel and sand.  There were no PET bottles back then and glass shards from broken bottles, nails, and other metal shards could not readily be seen in the dirt, so tire punctures were common.  

3. Durability
As I was saying, bicycles took a beating due to the poor road conditions as well as being workhorses.  They were often ridden in the rain and had to be left outside exposed to the elements. So they were built to be very durable, and would last a lifetime with proper maintenance.   However, they were all steel and machining was not as precise as today's standards so over time rain often seeped into bearings (steering column, bottom bracket, wheel hubs).  In fact, it was common for people to bring their bicycles in for a complete overhaul typically during the winter.  This was another important source of income for bicycle shop owners.  
 
4. Affordability
When I first started in the bicycle industry back in 1948, the family bicycle was the main mode of private transportation.  Bicycles used to cost 2 months' salary, so needless to say they were prized possessions.  A child's bicycle was rare and only for the affluent.  Children used to learn how to ride an adult bicycle using the family bicycle riding it "triangle-style" since their legs were too short to reach the pedals.
(Note in the photo below how the child's left leg is passed through the frame.)

Nowadays, a person could work a parttime job for minimum wage for two days and be able to purchase a brand new low-end mamachari imported from China.

5. Parts and Labor
Parts used to be expensive and labor was cheap.  Repairs and parts replacement were an important portion of a bicycle shop's income.  Now it is the opposite, parts are cheap but labor is expensive.  Due to the high-cost of repairs, often it is cheaper to just purchase a new mamachari than it is to perform major parts replacements.  For this reason, in one sense, mamachari are gradually becoming disposable goods.

 I am fortunate to have gotten into the bicycle industry first working for a wholesaler, then leaving to start my own bicycle parts wholesale shop as this experience afforded me invaluable insight into bicycles and the bicycle business.  I am grateful that I didn't remain in the bicycle parts wholesale business and chose to run my own bicycle shop.  As I look back, I'm glad I became a bicycle mechanic when I did.  Times have changed, like most things, businesses which were locally family-owned operations have been swallowed up by large scale chain stores.  Many people turn 60 and retire to suddenly find themselves with nothing to do.  I turned 60 over 35 years ago, I still work every day.  Work is a good thing, good for the hands, head and heart because I use them everyday in providing society with a necessary service.  The sense of achievement and satisfaction that comes with repairs and the people's appreciation for keeping their beloved bicycle rolling is immeasurable.