How much can I expect to pay for one of those beautiful mamacharis?

As of July 1st, our bicycles will range in price from $350 for your reliable little silver about-town number, up to about $1000 -1200 for a slick stop-and-stare beauty, re-painted with all the bells and whistles. We have the ladies model Whisper Bike in store, see http://www.electricbikes.co.nz/content/view/56/84/. We stock some good quality commuting necessities such as basic helmets (non-sporty), wire or wicker baskets,  child seats and locks.

Will it be the right size bike for my height?

As a general rule, most of our bikes have a 420mm frame. Bike frames are measured from the centre of the bottom bracket (connecting the two pedal cranks) to the top of the seat post. We can provide longer seat posts for if you’re a bit taller. As an example I am 6’4″ and I have a bike with 27 inch wheels and a longer seat post which works well. So far we have had as many unique bikes as we’ve had customers and it will be a case of fitting the bike to the individual. Many Japanese people will not be as tall as Kiwis so if you are not tall, these bikes will be ideal.

What kind of specs do your bikes have?

Our bikes are all different in some way but I can give you a general idea of what to expect. The number one spec is that all of our bikes are upright style, meaning that your torso will be upright as you ride. Frame size : 42cm. Wheel size : 26/27 inch. Comfortable spring seats, easily adjustable (if you’re taller ask us about longer seat posts). Our bikes are all single speed however we can convert them to 3, 7 or 8 speed with internal hubs and back (coaster) brakes. Most bikes have carriers and will all come with baskets. All of our bikes have step-through frames although they vary in design, 95% have dynamos, all have a good stand and half of them come with a full double-sided stand. Brakes are caliper at the front, drum at the rear. All of our bikes have chainguards, and full mudguards front and back.

When are you bringing these bikes to Auckland/Christchurch/Hamilton/Tauranga etc…?

It is our long term goal to see more New Zealanders using a good comfortable, practical bicycle for their daily commutes, whichever city, town or countryside they may reside in. We can now freight bicycles to anywhere in the country.  The cost is $40 to Auckland and $60 to the South Island but may be less if you’re closer.  We will post pictures of our bikes on this website with specs and prices as often as we can so that you can order by email.

How can I see the bicycles/take one for a test ride?

We really love it when our customers can take a few bikes for a spin and find out which one suits them best. However, if you aren’t able to do this we will post pictures of our bikes with specs and prices as mentioned above. If you are in Wellington, our warehouse/showroom is 240 The Esplanade, Island Bay, Wellington. Our opening days and hours are posted under Contact Us.

Can I get one in red, one in black, one with gears, one with a basket, etc?

We have a warehouse full of bicycles waiting for restoration. If you would like something quite specific you can drop us an email and we will try to accomodate your request. However, as our bikes are acquired from Japan second-hand we cannot order specifics.