wow, that bike has some nice brakes. Wait what? Does this guy even know what brakes look like or do?

That's not the brake. It's the wheel lock.

With a spring saddle, fenders and a basket, it's not a mountain bike, as was tagged. Standard commuter-type bike in Japan, like ( post #43739 ).

Swashy said:
wow, that bike has some nice brakes. Wait what? Does this guy even know what brakes look like or do?

Evidently, in Japan, you have these Horeshoe brakes w/ no pads and you operate them with your thumb insead of your fingers

However it took me a second to notice that b/c I was looking at other things ^__^

Ichigo69 said:
Evidently, in Japan, you have these Horeshoe brakes w/ no pads and you operate them with your thumb insead of your fingers

Have you guys seriously never seen a wheel lock? Wow.

In their defense, wheel locks are about as useful as a "Please do not steal" sign.

True enough. But maybe in Japan, that is all it takes.

A friend of mine that taught in Japan said that at least in the Kyoto area that there are "community bicycles" around the station and other areas which are just old cheap bikes left unlocked and abandoned to public use. You can take them, use them, and bring them back, and apparently they don't disappear. If they don't get stolen, personal bikes probably aren't at high risk.

piespy said:
True enough. But maybe in Japan, that is all it takes.

It is.
http://www.dannychoo.com/adp/eng/1096/Japan+Public+Sleeping.html