Bike for Cruisin'

I rode my bike to work for the first time today.  It's a bit late in the riding season for me, but my current storage situation (very old garage) and my own sluggishness kept me back. 

While on my bike this morning I wondered why I waited so long.  The exercise and general feeling of being on a bike was so much nicer than being in a crammed subway car.

I like my 12 year old Concorde Kudu mountain bike, but it's time for a new bike better suited to my commute and almost-37-year-old-skirt-wearing body.

Yesterday I browsed some bikes and rather liked this one:

It's a Trek 7000 and it has a nice upright style and is sorta funky.  It has 21 speeds which is probably more than I need and skinny road tires which is what I'm looking for.  There are some better models of this bike with more suspension (in the front forks) and better components but I doubt I need all that either.

While I liked this bike, I think I want something snazzier.  People buy cars for looks, and I see no problem doing the same for my vehicle.  I'm thinking I would like more of a cruiser style like one of these:

(Trek Wasabi 3 speed--so retro)

Giant Simple 7 speed

Trek Calypso 7 speed

I'm narrowing down what I want: a few speeds, fenders and a chain guard would be nice (though aren't mandatory), the ability to have a rear carrier of some kind (currently I use a milk crate which is functional, though not pretty), a more relaxed ride.

I would love to hear what other bikers have to say about their bikes, particular those with women's cruisers or hybrids.  There are so many options, it's hard to decide.

Comments

[Diane]

I know exactly what you mean when you say "I wonder why I waited so long" I get that feeling every time I get on a bike - and it's something I'm really missing while we live in London.

At home I had a mountain bike with front suspension. Perhaps a bit over the top for around the city paths, but definitely a must on most of the unsealed tracks we used to head for on the weekend. My bike has 24 gears and I've used every one of them - but again, only on the off-road stuff.

I would never buy a racer - I like being upright - but if I could stretch the budget to two bikes I'd have a hybrid for city use as well as the off-roader.

[Beth]

My hybrid continues to serve me well year after year, mainly for commuting / errands but also for one or two weekends per year of more intense cycling when our group of friends goes away. Having fenders extends my riding to days when it's a bit wet. But if I were choosing a commuting bike today I might choose a women's cruiser with fenders and a chain guard - more flexibility about cycling in a skirt, as well as being funkier. Other thing to think about would be whether the various MEC rear-wheel storage options work on a cruiser as well as on the hybrid. For small-load days they have a nifty longer, thinner small bag, complete with shoulder strap, that sits on a rear rack. Have fun with this purchase - if you do it right, you'll get the cost back in transit fares.

[Martha Mihaly]

I really like the Giant and Trek for commuting. They have the handle bars that reach MUCH farther back towards the seat. The springs in the seat are nice too (for the softer bottom that one tends to develop with age...).

Riding a bike is such a pleasure where we live. There are bike lanes on the road, and an adequate traill system. It's usually quicker on the short trips than a car anyway.

[Suzanne V. (Yarnhog)]

I am 37 and got my bike several years ago, when I was pregnant with my second child. Mine is a GT in a cruiser-esque style--nothing fancy. The features I like best are the upright styling, the wide seat, the handle grip shifters (you turn the grips to shift), and the big, retro, wire basket on the front, which I use for everything. I used to have a baby seat on the back, but at the moment there is nothing. I may get another rack if I feel I need it. My husband keeps trying to convince me to get a mountain bike, but I like mine. It's comfortable and well-suited to street riding, and I have no interest in mountain biking. Have fun with your choice!

[anne]

I'm so envious. We live way out in the country, surrounded by nature -- but we have to drive endless miles to get to school, work, etc. My carbon footprint is enormous.

[Jen]

Sweet, they look like my Dutch bike! You definitely want the mud flaps and chain guards - millions of biking Dutch people can't be wrong about that. Also, factor in the weight of the bike - the cruisers tend to be heavy and that makes a big difference when you're sitting up right trying to pedal up hills. I find that I get less use from my core when I'm on my cruising bike.

[JoVE]

I've got fancy suspension on mine (front fork and seat posts) and on the kind of pavement I ride on, that is a bonus. I know I have my own padding but...

Otherwise, I have no advice to offer. We just went to the bike shop we use all the time (for annual servicing and so on) and tried out what they had. They let you take them out for a test drive around the block, they tune them up (and attach stuff like rear carriers) as part of the deal and even throw in the first annual tune up for free.

I'd go for a place with good service any day. And then get it serviced every spring.

[Emily]

I had my bike built at the Urbane Cyclist. I told them what I wanted (touring frame, flattish handlebars, narrowish tires, city-appropriate gearing) and they helped me figure out the rest. I ended up with a light, well-fitting bike that I adore.

The shop is a worker-owned co-op that gives amazing service. (I wrote about it here.) It's a friendly, helpful place that sold me the bike that was perfect for me. I'm just about sure they could set you up with something appropriate.

P.S. Glad you enjoyed the pasta.

[Isela]

I have a cruiser and a road bike and I am currently dreaming of a mountain bike--I know, I am bike whore! hehehe.

Anyways, I got a Trek cruiser that you can see at this link:
http://isela.typepad.com/looming_crafts/2006/08/it_is_true_what.html

I love it! It rides smooth, nice big cushy seat, and the handle bars are more like a mountain bike handle bars. I tried the other handle bars but I found it to be too uncomfortable.

Before you buy, try to see if the seller will allow you to ride it for a good 15-20 minutes. Take it outside the parking lot and see how it handles.

Also when buying, keep an eye for last year's models, they are usually cheaper :).

[vanessa]

i like the color of the giant simple :-)

[Heather]

Going purely on aesthetics and retro-style factor, my vote is for the Wasabi!

[L]

Someone left an Electra Townie 21-speed outside my work and after a month of no one claiming it, I asked if I could take it and I'm so glad I did! I don't have the wisdom that comes from shopping around, but I really enjoy riding this bike. It's not quite a cruiser, but is similar in styling and comfort. You can get them with fenders and rear racks. I just ordered a front wire basket and a bell! Embracing my 30's when I don't care if I look like a dork! I used to have a crappy mountain bike, and I like riding this much better. I'm happy to have the gears on hills b/c you can't really stand up on cruiser-style bikes to make it up the hills. Anyway, might be worth checking out.

[Devorah]

My husband converted me to the joys of a folding bike. We ride Bike Fridays and my son rides a Dahon but there are lots of them. The configuration makes them good for riding in a skirt since the crossbar is way below knee level. And, since they fold, if it rains in the evening you can just fold it up and hop on the bus or subway!

[Jodi]

You've picked out some beauties! I'm a little jealous, but I won't join in the shopping. I've had 2 mountain bikes stolen in the past 3 years, and I keep replacing them with crappier, less expensive bikes each time. Now I'm down to a really basic Bianchi 21-speed hybrid (men's), and it has worked great for me so far.

[frecklegirl jess]

Oh lordy- I have a Trek cruiser and seriously want to trade mine in. It is super cute but SO HEAVY.

Definitely watch the weight on the cruisers.. that is all I can say!

[Scoutj]

I love the turquoise one! It's pretty!

[Anne]

I have an Electra cruiser and it is awesome. It has three speeds which is all I need in town. I love it and ride it instead of driving and it could be the most beautiful bike ever!

[Jenny]

First off, I WISH I lived somewhere I could ride to work. I have a trek mountain bike and road bike in my basement that rarely see the light of day. I've ridden the Trek cruiser, and it was quite nice, but I also hear great things about the Electra bikes. You may want to check those out.

[Erin]

That's so funny -- I rode to work yesterday for the first time this year too, and thought the same thing: why did I wait so long? [answer: chicken of streetcar tracks] If I could choose a new bike, I'd want some shocks.

[Ella]

I was going to say check out electra too. I've had mine about 3 years now and I ride it pretty much every day in the summer. Mine's a "Twiggy" ( Funnily enough my nickname as a kid)
3 speed. They come up with new models and colours every year. Weight wise a little heavy but I think most cruisers are. I also have a Giant ( can't remember the model) for city riding and grocery shopping which I love too, great for speed!

[Rose]

All the bikes are beauties. I've ridden the Trek Calypso, Giant Simple 7 but ended up with a Giant Suede (7-speed) just because it felt "just right." It has the pedals forward like an Electra Townie. No Electra dealers in town here or I would have picked up one of those babies.

[Steph]

that Calypso is adorable!

I have a nice carbon fiber Trek road bike I love.

[Siri]

I have a women's Trek cruiser and my DH has an Electra, his with sort of chopper handlebars. Both of them are only one-speed but we only use them on a flat country road, riding with two young kids. A few extra gears would be nice for the few hills we ride on, though.
Growing up with only older brothers and older boy cousins, I didn't think it was cool to have a girly bike. My DH misunderstood and thought it was the opposite, that I'd always wanted one, so that's what he bought for me a few years ago for my birthday, and now I looooove it, especially the way you can easily just hop right off while you're gliding to a halt.
Looking forward to seeing what you choose. What fun browsing cruiser shopping must be but I'm kind of glad the decision was made for me. So many great bikes out there these days.
Bouncing along with the seat up high always makes me think of the mean woman/wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz!
And, riding my bike is the closest I ever come to feeling like a kid, like I felt before having kids. (That sounds kind of sad, doesn't it?) Somehow, so much freer.
Happy riding!

[Lise]

Hi, I trolled on over from the Yarn harlot's blog - I loved the lying bitch whore swatch ratings post - I laughed and laughed.

Just thought I'd say I have the yellow trek calypso in this post and I love it - I got it last year as my 40th birthday present and it's awesome. I live on the Danforth so I bike everywhere except to work, and I have an ancient baby carrier strapped to the front which (I think) only adds to the cool factor. 7 speeds which is ample for my neighbourhood.

Nice Blog!