Originally published at: Take a look at this old Japanese railroad that was turned into a bike ride | Boing Boing
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I’ve heard of rails-to-trails but this is another level.
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Is there a way of seeing this without an instagram account? Because the photo and @dnealy’s description makes it look cool.
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I don’t have an Instagram account and I was able to view the video on Instagram. Just ignore or close the log in prompt.
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There are several of these in the states.
This is one.
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I’m near the KATY trail, a rail to trail across Kansas and Missouri, but I’m not a huge bike rider (knee issues) so I’ve never used it. But this Japenese take (and the NE based railexplorers.net mentioned in a prior comment) are something I could see myself enjoying.
Having said that, I’d love to make a version of that old Oregon photos bike, but using the rear-wheel-only / suspended front wheel of the Japanese hardware…and powered by my 1973 Honda ST90. So I could run down an abandoned rail here in in the midwest, but also be able to lift the ST90 out and tool around if I found a cool area to explore.
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There are several “Draisinen” throughout Germany that have been in operation for quite a long time. Rode the one in Templin with my daughter (not us in the picture, though he looks about as insufferable as me). It was fun but slow 
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I think if you use the arrows on the side of the picture in the link embedded at the top of the article, you can look at the images on Boingboing.
I don’t think you have to follow the link.
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And there are lots of VeloRails in France. We rode the one in Commequiers when were in the Vendee a few years ago.
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Such a great use of disused rail lines!
Many of the great long-distance bike paths in Europe are also former rail lines, which means that they meander through both the picturesque and the post-industrial grotesque.
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That looks like a lot of fun, especially for people who don’t feel comfortable on mountain bikes.
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Here in New Jersey there are several unused rail lines which could be used for this. Unfortunately, the routine for converting railroads to trails around here is to tear up the rails and then put down gravel or pavement.
Hmm. I guess this means you still have to maintain the rails.
My understanding is that some rails-to-trails in the US were done by demolishing the rails for this reason.
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Look at those hipsters! Just look at them! Having a grand time!
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And much safer than the riverboat trip Grimes tried to take back in 2009, if you remember…
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