Ostrich Chosoku Five Rinko Bag

What is Rinko? Trains in Japan allow carrying your bicycle on board, as long as it’s in a bag and meets certain size requirements. Modern bikes with disc brakes can be hard to pack as small enough—basically the size of a large suitcase—but fortunately, during non-rush hour times, the size requirements aren’t rigidly enforced.

Our friends at Ostrich are the undisputed masters of Rinko. The Chosoku Five Rinko bags gives you options: Remove both wheels, reduce the length of the bag with the built-in cinch strap, and the bike becomes a (relatively) small package. Remove only front wheel and bars to save time and to get a package that’s free-standing. (Depending on frame size, just turning the bars may suffice.) And if you’re traveling at 5 a.m. on a weekend (above), you can even skip removing the handlebars, since the train will be empty. A separate bag for the front wheel protects your frame. It attaches to the bike’s top tube with a strap. A carrying strap goes through reinforced slots on the bag and helps with carrying your bike. At your destination, the bag rolls up to a small package that you can put in your bag or strap under your saddle.

If you’re planning to travel to Japan with your bike, the Chosoku Five Rinko bag makes it easy.

Pro Tip: Use the carrying strap to attach the bike/bag to a handrail, so it doesn’t fall over when the train goes around curves.