Renting a bike in Tokyo. Top 10 place to rent including road bikes and cross bikes!
Avoiding public transport and cycling around Tokyo instead is often a good idea.
I used to be a Uber eats deliverer and found that cycling around the centre of Tokyo is really fun activity.
You do not get see a proper insight into Tokyo when you are taking the train. Also, you might realise how small Tokyo is when you cycle.
Anyway, would you buy a bike to cycle around Tokyo if your stay is only a week or two?
I do not think so…. But renting a bike is definitely durable right?
In this article, I would list places where you can rent any types of bike including road bike and cross bikes.
Contents
Renting a causal bikes
This is the most common rental bike service in Tokyo. You might have seen their electric bike coloured in red when you are in Tokyo.
The registration to the membership is simple. It only takes 5 minutes to register your personal information and getting ready to cycle.
Price is quite cheap.
・A day ticket will be 1500 yen (as long as you give it back before 12 am).
・150 yen per 30 min (recommended if you want to rent a bike for a short period of time)
*Docomo cycle is only available in Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku, Bunkyo, Koto, Shinagawa, Meguro, Ohta, Shibuya and Nakano ward in Tokyo.
You can download Docomo Cycle app below
For I phone users: Docomo Cycle Port Navi
For Android users: Docomo Cycle Port Navi
| Plan name | One Trip membership | Monthly membership | 1 day pass |
| Available hours | 24 hours | 24 hours | Valid until 23:59 of the day you purchase |
| Basic fees | first 30min:150yen | 2000yen per month first 30 min free | 1500yen per for a day: 1) Purchase at a Kiosk 2) Purchase at a counter (charged 500yen extra at the counter) |
| Extra fees | 100yen charged every 30min | 100yen charged every 30min | No additional charges |
| Payment | Credit card | Credit card | Cash |
*Docomo
Hello Cycling
Same as Docomo cycle, Hello Cycle offers electric bikes run by Open Street Ltd inc. Hello Cycle is useful when you cycle outside of Tokyo.
While Docomo cycle is available only in the centre of Tokyo, Hello Cycle covered a wide all around Tokyo as well as outside of Tokyo.
Almost everything but returning process is different from Docomo Cycle. Docomo cycle can be returned anywhere in the parking areas. Whereas, Hello Cycle only can be returned when a cycle rack is available. But, You can check the availability of the rack on Hello Cycle apps (app for Android users) before returning bikes.
| Area | Price per 15mins | Price for 12 hours |
| Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa | 70yen | 1000yen |
Tokyo Bikes Rental
You can rent a quite fashionable bike at Tokyo bike. Unlike the Docomo cycle and Hello Cycle, you have to book your reservation on their website.
Tokyo bikes rental is located in several places in Tokyo: Shinjuku,Kuramae, Yanaka, and Harajuku. They are pretty cool because Tokyo bike put up “Tokyo Slow" as their slogan. The bikes that Tokyo bike is designed particularly to run comfortably in Tokyo where a lot of traffic lights and some short uphills and downhills. Tokyo bikes claim that the rental bikes are not made for fast-paced riders not just a tool for transportation. They are made to enjoy city life in Tokyo.
So, renting a bike at Tokyo bikes is suitable for people who eager to explore the city life of Tokyo by cycling. They offer a guide for
Most importantly, the price range.
- Booking on the day: 2500yen
- Booking 2 days in advance: 1500 yen
- Locker room: 500 yen.
Not like Docomo cycle and Hello cycle, you have to return a rental bike at the stores that you rent from. So it might not be as handy as Docomo cycle and Hello Cycle but why not try out the rental bike that designed especially for riding around Tokyo!
What do you need for renting a bike in Tokyo?
We went through some of the common and unique rental bike services in Tokyo in the previous chapter. In this section, I go through “what do you need to have before using a rental bike service in Tokyo.
ID
Depending on the rental bike service, you might be asked to show your identification so bring your passport or an international drivers license if you have one. You do not want to go to a kiosk or rental bike store and ending up walking back to your room because you do not have your ID on you.
Credit Card
If you are renting Docomo rental bike and Hello Cycle that ask you to register your membership through their mobile application, you need to have your credit card information.
I recommend you to carry your credit card even though it is still a cash using society in Japan.
Lists of rental road/mountain bike store in Tokyo.
Bici Amore
If you want to rent a road bike and cycle around the empirical palace like a lot of Japanese cyclists do, you should definitely visit Bici Amore. You can also rent a road bike for 2 days and explore the nature of Japan.
What makes Bici Amore standing out is that they offer a rental bike service… cheaply!
Call 03-5812-4172 for a booking.
They also have their Youtube Channel. It is only in Japanese but you can get a feeling of how welcoming they are.
You can visit Bici Amore Youtube channel here.
Price
| 3 hours | 2000yen |
| 1 Day | 3500yen |
| 2 days | 6500 yen |
| Insurance (not mandatory ) | 1800yen |
| Extension fees per hour | 1000yen |
Rin Project
Rin Project is located at the heart of Edo area of Tokyo, Asakusa. Rin Project sells there own apparel that is designed for people who wants to cycle casually. You might find a very authentic casual cycling cloth.
Rin Project is suitable for people who do not want to cycle as fast as road bikes but still wants to cycle quicker than normal city ride bikes. You can also rent a MTB too.
Price
| days | Price |
| 1day | 3240yen (2700yen+540yen for insurance) |
| 2days | 5400yen |
| 3 days | 7560yen |
| 4 days | 8640yen |
| 5 days | 9720yen |
| 6-7days | 1080yen |
B.B.Base
B.B.Base is the train service goes to around Chiba Prefecture and the train is designed for cyclists. This train for cyclists offers a rental bike service at the Ryogoku (両国) station. You can rent a bike from 7 am and return it between 5 pm and 8 pm, so you have plenty of time to explore a beautiful seaside view of Chiba while cycling.
B.B.BASE an video
| Roadbike | Crossbike | |
| Weekday | 4000yen | 3000yen |
| Weekend | 6000yen | 4500yen |
You can book your bike by visiting B.B.Base’s website.
Summary
In this article, I listed some of the rental bike services operating across Tokyo. I hope you find what you are looking for on this page.
In this blog, I am writing how to enjoy street life in Tokyo. I do not refer the street as street cloth or street culture in my scenes. I refer the street life as a way to enjoy on the streets. I am introducing what any useful information that you can enjoy in the streets of Tokyo.
I am a native Japanese and lived in Sweden and the UK for several years and came back to Japan not long ago. I know how difficult to settle in a new place. Finding what you want to do is not as easy if you are not able to read Japnese. If you have any inquiry about living and settling in Japan.
Please do not be hesitated to contact me, I am happy to help.
PS
If you want to find a mate for a cycle, contact me too!