Walking into “RE,” the first impression is not the smell of chain oil, but an atmosphere where coffee and lifestyle seamlessly intertwine. Visitors can freely move between curated fashion apparel and cycling accessories, or sit by the window with a cup of coffee while discussing weekend riding routes with the staff. It is a “third space” where cycling is naturally integrated into the rhythm of urban life.

A Shift in Lifestyle Rooted in Personal Experience

The origin of “RE” comes from founders Shiro Suganuma and Luo Yuan’s reassessment of their way of life. Years of high-pressure work, along with an invitation from their partner Kō Sato Suzuki, led Mr. Suganuma back to cycling. Through the continuous rhythm of pedaling, he experienced a profound physical and mental transformation, realizing that cycling can be a simple yet powerful way to reset one’s life.

Luo Yuan’s experience is even closer to that of a beginner. Having gone through the critical “from zero to one” moment herself, she developed a deep understanding of the barriers to starting cycling. “RE” is not concerned with how fast you ride, but whether you feel the joy and freedom that cycling brings.

Reconstructing Cycling Space from an Architectural Perspective

With the architectural background of founders Suganuma and Luo Yuan, “RE” adopts a clear urban perspective in its location strategy and spatial design. The brand is primarily situated within commercial and office core districts, reflecting its interpretation of the “15-minute city” concept—encouraging people to return to a slow-mobility system and regain a more manageable radius of daily life.

From their perspective, excessively extended commuting distances are gradually eroding the vitality of everyday urban life. Cycling, in this context, becomes a tool for reconnecting urban scale—restoring mobility to a state that is both flexible and within personal control.

From Lifestyle to Urban Culture

“RE” extends its focus beyond cycling as an activity, addressing the broader cultural conditions that support it—including right-of-way infrastructure, safety environments, and parking facilities. Its aim is to evolve cycling culture into a diverse and everyday lifestyle choice, where commuting, recreation, and urban exploration coexist seamlessly.

In addition to designing cycling-oriented spaces, “RE” regularly organizes outdoor cycling lifestyle events that engage the public, further enriching recreational riding within the city context. For the founders, meaningful change is not about riding faster, but about enabling more people to naturally begin riding in the first place.