The "Lit Trove" is an original model designed for city riding. This time, we challenged Kyoto's classic hill climb spot, "Keimi Pass," with the Trove!

We headed to Takagamine Mercato, the goal venue for "VILLAGE GREEN," also to prepare for the event. Can the Trove really handle mountain passes?

Here's an impression of testing the potential of this city cruiser.

Lit Trove

[Suggested Retail Price] ¥52,800 (tax included)
[Colors (2 total)] fog blue, pale gray
[Sizes (suitable height)] 420 (158-173cm)
[Weight] 13.8kg

Lit's first model, "Trove," is derived from an old English word meaning "to unearth" or "to find."
We imbued it with the desire for people to enjoy small adventures, like finding treasures in their daily lives.

For example, casually cruising down local backstreets or stopping by an unfamiliar cafe.
It's an urban cruiser that offers "discoveries" in such daily routines, going beyond just city riding.

Keimi Pass Challenge with Lit Trove! A real-world review of the city cruiser

The model I'm reviewing this time is one that was custom-made with the concept of "an urban cruiser reinterpreting the mamachari" (a utility bicycle) in mind.

The Lit Trove is an urban cruiser that blends seamlessly into city life.

Its development theme isn't to "compete for speed as a sports bike," but rather to "customize it to your liking and explore your local area freely." So, there's absolutely no need to climb a mountain pass.

However—as a bike shop employee, I just can't help but wonder.

"How far can this bike actually go?"

Driven by this curiosity, I decided to take on Keimi Pass, a classic spot for cyclists in Kyoto.

The result was... as expected, it didn't move forward nearly as much as the sports bikes I usually ride.

On hills, because there are fewer gears, I couldn't use the technique of "spinning the lighter gears quickly to climb," and had no choice but to desperately push the heavy gears. As my speed dropped, it felt even heavier, so not being able to slow down was honestly tough.

However—the answer this time is that "it's not impossible to ride."

The Trove is designed for city riding, but the crank is spec'd so that only the chainring can be changed. If you customize the size with hills in mind, you might be able to enjoy mountain passes a bit more realistically ◎

...That said, this time I didn't have such a chainring installed, and midway through I switched to hiking (lol).

Pushing the bike "hekkora hekkora" (huffing and puffing), I somehow managed to clear Keimi Pass.

The goal was Takagamine Mercato, a restaurant in the sky at the summit of Keimi Pass.

It's the perfect location where you can enjoy breathtaking views and exquisite cuisine all at once.

Those participating in VILLAGE GREEN should definitely experience its charm!

After arriving and catching my breath, I calmly realized that my bottle was empty...

I'd let my guard down, thinking I was familiar with Keimi Pass, but there are no vending machines nearby.

My last resort was the famous "Keimi Pass Spring Water." I decided to walk past the Mercato to the spring. Just when I had recovered, I found myself getting exhausted again 😢

Mercato is located near the summit of Keimi Pass's old road (Nagasaka-michi).

However, this old road is quite dangerous for bicycles and cars. So, generally, you ride up the new road (Takagamine-kaido).

But to get to the spring water spot, you inevitably have to go a little ways onto Nagasaka-michi... In the end, I had to climb another hill from Mercato, and I couldn't help but groan, "Ugh... this is tough."

For those participating in VILLAGE GREEN, please avoid the old road and always come via Takagamine-kaido.

The path to the spring water spot was quite tough, and I was inwardly complaining, "Wouldn't it be faster to just go home and come by car?" Still, I pushed on.

Despite my grumbling, I somehow made it to the spring water spot.

The moment I drank it, the ice-cold spring water permeated my body, and I couldn't help but exclaim, "Amazing!"

And so, with a mix of satisfaction and exhaustion, I returned the way I came.

And so, I ended up joining the weeding work, which was my original objective, late.

Naturally, the other staff had already started working before me... I was filled with apologies.

Despite various setbacks, as the weeding work neared completion within the scheduled time.

The owner of Mercato asked, "What about lunch? I have curry," which felt like a divine voice.

Another staff member, eager to jump in, thought, "Are we getting lunch!?" and blurted out, "Thank you for the meal!"

Then, exquisite pasta appeared before us—the perfect situation had unfolded.

As I ate, feeling moved and wondering "why is it so delicious...", I was full and completely satisfied. It was a moment that made the fatigue of the mountain pass challenge disappear.

As lunch concluded, the weather took a turn and it began to rain.

However, since both the work and meal were finished, the rain actually lowered the temperature, allowing us to begin the day's meeting in cool comfort.

And by the time the meeting ended, the rain had stopped again—everything was perfectly timed that day.

The fulfilling day concluded... or so I thought, but afterward, I returned to the office for other work (lol).

After completing the full course from the mountain pass challenge to weeding, an exquisite lunch, and a meeting, I eventually returned to my usual daily routine.

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Summary | The charm of Trove revealed through the Keimi Pass Challenge

What I realized through this Keimi Pass Challenge is that the Lit Trove is a bike with deep versatility, capable of expanding its field of use through customization, while primarily focused on enjoying the city freely.

Effortlessly cruising through the city, enjoying small detours and local scenery—it is in adding "your own customized touches" that this bike truly shines.

There's no need to climb a mountain pass, but precisely because I challenged it, I discovered that "it can be done if you try" and "the range of fun expands with a bit of ingenuity."

And above all, connecting with local people, landscapes, and delicious food is the joy of riding the Trove.

Just a short ride out of the city brings new encounters and scenery—that is precisely the message "Dig Into Your Local" and the Trove aim to deliver.

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