What Say You to Granny Bikes 8-Hour Endurance Race?

Hardly as tough as Tour de France, a bike endurance race for women for 8 solid hours is tough enough for "grannies". Niigata annually stages the "Granny Bikes 8-Hour Endurance Race". The type of bicycle is pet-named Mamachari in Japan and popular among housewives pedaling for daily grocery shopping.

The race first started last year and, though mama is for women, it is open for both men and women. This year a total of 800 challenged the race. The course is about 2 kilometers around and they compete how many rounds they can complete in 8 hours.

This is no ordinary bike race in that the racers come in all kinds of costume and style - anime characters, dolls on the back seats and you name it. The racers challenge in groups.

They would start out full of smiles and then gradually lose the fight, uphills and curves, and some would collapse as they pass the bikes on to the next racers. A 24-year youth dressed in Shinsengumi costumes said, "So tough pedaling in this costume but pedaled as hard as I could for the sake of other members of our team".

In fact, this is not the only mama-chari race in Japan. There is one called Mamachari Grand Prix, captioned "super ecology for the earth, in Fuji Speedway. On October 3-4, Saturday and Sunday, 2nd/3rd races of Mamachari Grand Prix are slated in the cart course. In January 2016, Super Mamachari Grand Prix (Mamachari JapanGP) is scheduled in the racing course.

The Autopolis in Oita stages 4-hour endurance races several times a year. Bikes with front basket, bell, stand and light are eligible to participate. Group races are strictly regulated and the race is harder than it appears. The racers carry counter bands and pass on to the next racers both bikes and bands.

Granny bikes for an endurance race - well, people are funny anyway.