Korean Bikes

So, I bought a bike this week, which I am thoroughly enjoying. However, Korean bikes are... some very interesting things. Not to mention expensive. The cheapest bike I could find was 170,000 won (about $150~170).

I was torn in a debate between a cutesie bike that was only 170,000, and a folding bike that was 280,000. Now, you may be asking, "What the *** is a folding bike?" Well... it's just that. A folding bike is a bike that folds! haha
There is a kind of clip system in the middle of the bike where it has a hinge so you can rotate the bike around and fold it in half. It's very convenient for people living in small apartments.

However, if you think a folding bike is a strange idea, you obviously have no idea about Korean bikes in general. Mind you, you could run a Google search, but it isn't the same.... I shall try to take more bike pictures to share with you. In the meantime, there is...

While many Korean bikes just look old-fashioned, but are popular among the youth; some adult bikes look like large children's bikes, while still there are those that... just can't be explained with words. Such as, the "triangle bike".

You may think that many people aren't going to ride such a ridiculous contraption but.... it is used by boys and girls, young and old. Oddly, you can see them around a lot. Which I refuse to understand! haha



Now, what I don't understand about this country... the bikes are made to be small so that you can keep it inside. After all, if you keep it outside it could be stolen. STOLEN!
You have to understand... this country works on such a strong system of "trust". So why would anything be stolen?

You may be surprised the first time you go to the larger grocery store and watch as everyone just puts things right and left into their backpack while the attendants are watching. For me.... I was in shock, I was like "Hey, hey, are they stealing? Should we tell?".... No. It's the norm. They trust that you will take it all out and pay for it in the end. o_O

You can buy over $10,000 worth of something at a home goods type store and tell them you will pay by the end of the month... and they just go on trust.

But god forbid you leave your bike outside, chained or otherwise. It will disappear and you will be screwed because there isn't likely to be a creature on earth that is more lazy than a Korean police officer.

It is too strange for me to even begin to comprehend.

Anyways, on to other topics.