PROFILE
Born in 1971 . After working as a teacher at an English conversation school and as a consultant for fair trade and development assistance, he founded "Alternative Bicycles," which imports and sells gear related to mountain biking and bikepacking, and organizes events. In addition to these activities, he organizes the SSWC (Single Speed World Championships) and serves as vice president of the Okumusashi Mountain Bike Friendship Association. 2017 saw the publication of "Bike Packing Book" from Yama-kei Publishers. He is an ambassador for KEEN and is supported by Patagonia.
Kangoo fits me.
I think it's a car.
One day in October, the lingering summer heat has passed and the weather has become mild and autumn-like. A man is loading a bicycle into a Kangoo.
Alternative Bicycles" is an import agent for core overseas bicycle brands and deals mainly in mountain bike parts and other products. Its owner, Mr. Akira Kitazawa, is an expert in an activity called bikepacking, in which bicycles and camping are docked together.
This time, even though it was not a bikepacking trip, I rode with Kitazawa-san in his "Kangoo" to Odawara for a mountain bike course ride and camping in the forest.
The Kangoo can carry a lot of luggage, so I think it's a great car for people like me who take their bicycles to the track.
Kitazawa says that he usually loads up his bicycle in his car and heads out to a course in Japan about three times a week. He says that this naturally involves a lot of long hours of driving.
." "Driving, I love it. Driving long distances refreshes me. I think a car is a very free vehicle. You can go wherever you want, whenever you want. I like that freedom, that independence.
There is a way to fold up the bike and take the train to the mountains, but it is very early in the morning, especially on weekdays, and it causes inconvenience to the passengers. . So, a car is essential to my life. When I go into nature, I spend a lot of time in the car, and I want to drive a car that is pleasant to drive. Of course, that includes the design as well.
The "Kangoo" steadily approaches its destination, a campground. The view of the city buildings gradually becomes lush with greenery , and the scenery changes.
Even though I have a lot of luggage, driving a large car still requires a little experience and familiarity. . In that respect, I think the Kangoo fits me very well. As I mentioned earlier, it has a high load capacity, and the side mirrors are large, making it easy to check for following cars. . The ceiling is high and not oppressive, and it is comfortable to live in. There are no strange quirks when driving it, and it is an easy car to drive."
