FAQ: Road Bike Rental Japan

Most Common Questions about the Shop and Rentals

What are RBRJs hours of operation?

We do not keep regular ‘Business Hours’. Instead, we work by reservation and meet riders based on advance reservations.

Please note the bikes can be collected between the following times:

Weekdays : 9am -10:00am
Weekends/National Holidays: 8am - 10:00am

It is possible to collect the bike outside of these times but please check with us before booking to confirm staff availability.

We kindly ask you to check the banner on the home page and our posts on our Google Listing for specific closures.

Can I pick up early or return late?

Early pick up and late return options may be possible depending on bike and staff availability. Please contact in advance to confirm availability. 

Early Pick up 

Generally, we have 2 possible types of Early Pick up option. 

Evening

Bikes may be collected between 5pm and 6pm in the evening before the rental period starts for an additional 2,000 yen.

Early Morning (Weekends only)

Bikes may be collected earlier than 8am at weekends when staff are available for an additional 1000 yen per hour / per bike. 

Late Return

We kindly ask that bikes are returned by 6pm. However, we understand that riders might request longer or get held up on their ride. Generally, we give riders the first 30 minutes after 6pm for free but after that there is a 1,000 yen per hour per bike charge.

Can I pick up in Kyoto and drop off in Osaka (or pickup in Osaka and drop off in Kyoto)?

Yes, We are excited to now offer this option!

Please choose your starting location to rent from and add the 'Return Option' extra. There is a 3,000 yen fee for this option.

What do I need?

You need to bring your shoes, clothing and ID. We will take a photocopy of your passport (or other form of ID) before you leave.

Road Bike Rental Japan can supply you with a helmet, water bottles, lights, a saddle bag with spare tube, levers and pump. If you are renting for longer than one day it also helps if you do a little research on your route and also organize your accommodation in advance.

What is included?

Our pricing includes the following items:

  • The bike
  • Helmet
  • Pedals (please read bike description for details of pedals)
  • (1) Bottle cages (1 additional cage available for a one-time fee)
  • Lights
  • Lock
  • Saddle Bag
  • Spare Tube
  • Tyre Levers
  • Tire pump
  • Multi-tool
  • Bike set-up (if you supply us with your measurements)
  • Routes and tips and plenty of local knowledge
  • Racks are included on the Trek FX bikes only. Racks for road bikes are rentable items
We can supply the following additions:

Rinko Bags
Ortlieb Panniers
Garmin Edge GPS (English)

The following are not included:

Cycling Shoes
Clothing and Gloves 

What are the pedal options?

You can choose from the following pedals for your rental cycle:

  • Regular (FLAT pedals you can use with everyday shoes/sneakers)
  • SPD SL
  • SPD MTB
  • Look Keo Classic

Feel free to bring your own pedals as well. In this case, select 'own pedals' and indicate your pedals in the 'special requirements' when renting.

How is the rental period calculated?

A rental day at RBRJ is from 9am to 6pm (weekends 8am to 6pm) on the same day, unfortunately not 24hrs. For example a two day rental would need to bring the bike back by 6pm on the second day.

What are the Payment Methods?

Online 

Online Bookings and Purchases can be made with the following Credit Cards and cashless providers:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Store

The following Payment Methods are accepted in our clubhouse:

  • Cash (Yen)
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Line/We Chat/Naver
  • PayPay/Alipay

What about liability?

By using RBRJ’s hire bikes, equipment and services you accept, agree to and 'sign' RBRJ's Deed of Aknowledgement and Waiver of Liability, and Voluntary Assumption of Risk (‘DEED’). Please read this document carefully before agreeing to the rental. The document in full can be viewed here below:

View Deed >

What about insurance?

Every RBRJ bike is inspected and covered under the TS Mark Scheme annually. More information on the TS Mark Scheme's coverage and compensation can be found here

For overseas travelers, we recommend that you confirm that your travel insurance also covers activities such as cycling to add an extra layer of protection.

What is the wet weather policy?

Unfortunately, we can't control the weather. There will be times during your trip when it might rain however this is a part of cycling. If you experience some wet weather and would like to return the bikes early this is OK, however we cannot refund you for the missed cycling days. We kindly thank you for your understanding.

Do you charge for damages or loss of items?

Although this is rare, we do charge for damage and loss of items.

When you return the bike we will inspect for any damage thay may have happened during your rental. We do understand things can happen as part of wear and tear but for certain damage we will charge an additional fee.


We also charge additional fees for loss of items, please see the fees below:

– Lights 1,500 yen
– Tubes 1,000 yen
– Water bottles 1,500 yen
– Pumps 1,500 yen
– Levers 500 yen
– Porter bags 5,000 yen
– Helmets 1,500 yen
– Damaged bar tape 3,000 yen

If extra charges need to be made, they will be charged at the time of the return. They can be paid in cash, via PayPal or with a card.

What is the cancellation policy?

There is a 5% cancellation fee on all bookings to cover handling and booking costs. Please contact us by 5pm the previous day to discuss rescheduling opportunities. Bookings can be rescheduled for free depending on availability.

If you cancel after 5pm the previous day, kindly understand we charge 50% of the rental total.

If you would like to return the bikes early this is OK, however we cannot refund you for the missed cycling days. We kindly thank you for your understanding.

Still have questions?

Couldn't find what you were looking for in the questions above? Feel free to reach via our contact page or the button below.