Introduction to the Service
The Road Bike Rental Japan Delivery and Collection Service is a great option for riders looking to explore remote parts of Japan where no local rental service is in operation, and for riders who are looking to start a tour in one location and finish in another. We’ve put this page together to help you understand the process and the logistics involved and help you ascertain whether the Delivery/Collection service suits your needs and budget.
Firstly, the RBRJ Hub is located in Osaka but we can have bikes delivered all over Japan by using either a means of a vehicle or a third-party courier service. There are many factors influencing which method we use, eg, distance, number of riders, bike type, box availability and staff availability, so it is not possible to request which option. Where possible, we do prefer to deliver the bikes personally (mainly on Honshu and Shikoku) but we will assess the feasibility of this based on the listed factors and rental schedule.
Secondly, because the RBRJ Hub is based in Osaka, the delivery and collection fees are additional. These fees will be based on the costs to us for providing the service, whether it be the third-party courier cost or gas and toll road charges when delivering personally. If you are on a limited budget, then you may want to consider collecting and returning directly to help reduce delivery costs. We have Tioga Cocoon Bags available for rent and please check out our blog on ‘Taking the bike on the train‘.
Minimum Rental Period
As a general rule, the minimum rental period when using the delivery service is 4 days. However, we may consider 3-day periods for groups of 4 or more riders; and 2-day rental periods for groups of 6 or more riders within 200km of Osaka.
Bike Box
See the image of our typical bike box we use at RBRJ.
Delivery Scenarios
Delivery requests generally fall into these four categories. One way, Loop, Multi-location (short) and Multi-location (long)
One-way
A ‘One-way’ Scenario is when the delivery/collection service is used for one leg of the process and the bike is either picked up or returned directly to a RBRJ shop (Osaka).
Loop
A ‘Loop’ Scenario is when the bike is Delivered and Collected from the same location. If the courier service is used then we will kindly ask that you confirm with your accommodation that they can store our delivery box for the duration of your tour.
Multi-location (short-duration)
When a rider or group, require a delivery and collection from different locations that are in fairly close proximity and the duration is relatively short. In these cases and when using the courier, it can sometimes be more feasible and time-efficient for the rider to forward the bike box directly to the final accommodation.
Multi-location (long-duration)
When a rider or group, require a delivery and collection from different locations and the rental period is over 5 days.
Cost
One way and Loop charges are:
Requests for Multi-location deliveries and collections are always different and need calculating so please get in touch.
In 2023 we began using disposable cardboard boxes when cyclists plan a One-way ride, starting in another location and returning to RBRJ directly. The prices are approximately 40% cheaper than listed above.
Accommodation Consideration
Please consider your Accommodation carefully. The levels of support can vary from hotel to hotel. Generally, we find larger hotels with concierges more receptive to receiving and storing the bikes and our oversized bike boxes (W1150mm x D300mm x H840mm).
Before making your hotel reservation, we recommend confirming they are happy to receive the large bikes boxes and assist in contacting the courier when the boxes/bikes are being returned.
Please use the following template when contacting your accommodation.
If you are planning a Multi-location (Short-duration) ride and using the courier then you may need to forward the bike box from your Start Hotel to Goal Hotel by yourself. The courier system uses a ‘pay in advance’ or ‘pay on delivery’ system. With this in mind, we have found it smoother when the Goal Hotel pays the courier and then you settle at check out time.
Things to note
- Generally, delivery option available for a minimum 4-day rental period
- Booking and Payment need to be completed 7 days prior to start date
- Delivery to hotel preferred. If using AirBnB then host or renter needs to be available to receive / handover to a courier
- We request that all cyclists contact their hotel first and check they are OK with receiving and holding the box until you check in
- Wheels, Pedals and in some cases handlebars and rear derailleurs will be removed to package the bike for delivery
- For more information on the delivery process, please read our delivery instructions which are below
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