Tokyo
The Japanese are probably the
wealthiest population on the planet that regularly ride bicycles as
transportation. Only the Danes and the Dutch seem to come close to
the Japanese in their love of bicycles.
It should not be surprising that bicycles have evolved in an interesting direction here. While Americans, my friends and clients in the Briarpatch, invented the mountain bike, the Japanese have created and perfected the electric bike.
The electric bike uses electric motors as a supplementary source of power for hilly terrain and for carrying weight, such as groceries or a child. The electric motors have become compact over time. The rechargeable batteries get smaller and longer lasting every year. Riders turn on the electric auxiliary power, with their thumb, when needed.
These days I seldom see a battery taken
off a bike for recharging during the day. They are more likely to be
recharged over night. Even then, I see many bikes with the battery
still attached at night, apparently lasting several days on a charge.
The photo on the top shows a bike with a small motor powering the rear wheel. The bottom photo shows a bike with front and rear electric traction.