My adult daughter and I love our bikes. They are "bikes for the rest of us," becoming HER BIKE and MY BIKE as we tweak them. We've both changed saddles and added back racks; my daughter has added wire panniers and I'm still contemplating any extra hauling equipment I might want. We both want fenders. For budgetary reasons, we don't have them yet.
They are both Marins, in the street bike line ("for commuting and light trail riding"). Hers is a standard-frame Larkspur, because she needed a 19-inch frame. Mine is a step-through San Rafael, because I was fine with a 17-inch frame. We got professional fittings because we'd bought a couple of bikes a few years earlier and learned, as we got addicted to riding, that the frames we'd been sold were way too small (15-inch for both of us).
This is how a department store bike can be changed into something practical for city use:
Sturmey-Archer dynamo drum brake front hub and 3 speed drum brake rear hub, Brooks Flyer saddle, a rear aluminum 25Kg rated rack & folding basket and North Road style handlebars.
OK, so I really wanted a Dutch Bike. I found this bike, a Torker Cargo-T, on sale. It is a Batavus design (same as the Personal Delivery Bike) licensed by Torker and made in China. I guess the story is that Batavus wanted to "test" the US Market for this bike. I added a basket on the rear and milk crate on the front for maximum grocery capacity. My 7-year-old asks to ride on the front rack when the basket is off. I would really like a Swift Industries Pelican Porteur bag for the front someday. New pedals (Rivbike Sneaker Pedals) are on the way since the rubber nubs stripped off in the sub-freezing weather. Otherwise this bike is pretty tough to break.
I bought a 2009 Louis Garneau CityZen 300 to replace my Trek 7.3 that was stolen last spring. The 300 came with rack, fenders, disk brakes, and 42mm tires for $600 out the door. I wanted to get a SubZero (7 spd IGH, studded tires, roller brakes) but they couldn't get one in a XL. I'm really happy with the 300 for year-round daily riding in WInnipeg. This year's model dispenses with the fenders and rack, and has frame modifications to make it more upright. I like mine. I don't know if Garneau distributes to the US, a shame, as they design some nice bikes. Last year's model: http://www.thebrokenspoke.ca/citizen.html
I've only seen this Scattante on the Performance website, but it has what I require for a bike-for-the-rest-of-us: fenders, internal gears, hand brake + coaster brake, under $400 (sale price). I'd prefer steel for comfort & fixability and a lower top bar, but we can't win them all.
I'm enjoying seeing other folks' bikes. We're exploring options now for winter riding. That SubZero mentioned by Steve Grimmer looks interesting. We can, of course, put studded tires on our three-season bikes, but we'd like wider tires for better grip. We get both snow and ice here.
Thanks Freewheel. I had to make a custom mounting to fit the rack. Ultimately it comes down to two wing nuts. I wanted (and succeeded) to make it fast and easy to put on and take off.
My wife and I have two fantastic Dutch Gazelles. Her's is a Chamonix Pure: http://www.gazellebicycles.com.au/gazelle-2010-collection/chamonix-pure.html
Mine is an Orange Innergy E-Bike http://www.gazellebicycles.com.au/gazelle-2010-collection/orange-innergy.html
They are fantastic city bikes! We've all but ditched the car!
You've already posted about the Torker Cargo-T, the T-300, the U-District, and Graduate, so no complaints here. But have you considered a post on the T-530? This is the bike I'm thinking of getting, but I would like to see if anyone else has tried it. It has a full chaincase, 7-speed nexus hub, full fenders, high handlebars with relaxed headtube angle, a kickstand, roller hub brakes (!) and a rack. The only thing missing is a dynohub and light. But my LBS quoted $550 including assembly; not bad. Most similar bikes are a couple hundred more.
Has anyone tried this bike yet? Any problems noted? It looks like mid-quality components and a good design. The aluminum frame isn't the most stylish, but it looks fine.
Joseph, I posted the T-530 today. It seems to be a great value. The only drawback that I can see is the suspension fork and seatpost. These items tend to make the bike more complicated and could sap some of your power. They are intended to soften the ride of the aluminum frame, I think.
I'm not sure what constitutes a "bike for the rest of us" but I am by no means a cyclist. I have a 6 mile commute to work and I like to ride my bike for fun. I don't really know much or race or do anything fancy. I have a Raleigh hybrid bike but I found it too clunky/heavy to take on the bus and it was slow.
Now I have a Windsor Clockwork from BD. It's a single speed, which is fine by me cos I have mostly flats with minimal climbs on my commute. It was only $300 and even I could put it together without a problem. Everything was pretty much assembled and with the turn of a few hex keys I just had to finish attaching the seat, handlebars and front wheel. I know BD gets slack in some circles but I just wanted a road bike that wasn't expensive. You know, something to start with.
I really like it and I'm going to start swapping some stuff out to make it more comfy. I just ordered some mustache bars and now I'm on the hunt for a saddle that is brooks-ish but not leather. Just my $0.02.
14 comments:
My adult daughter and I love our bikes. They are "bikes for the rest of us," becoming HER BIKE and MY BIKE as we tweak them. We've both changed saddles and added back racks; my daughter has added wire panniers and I'm still contemplating any extra hauling equipment I might want. We both want fenders. For budgetary reasons, we don't have them yet.
They are both Marins, in the street bike line ("for commuting and light trail riding"). Hers is a standard-frame Larkspur, because she needed a 19-inch frame. Mine is a step-through San Rafael, because I was fine with a 17-inch frame. We got professional fittings because we'd bought a couple of bikes a few years earlier and learned, as we got addicted to riding, that the frames we'd been sold were way too small (15-inch for both of us).
Larkspur http://www.marinbikes.com/2010/bike_specs.php?serialnum=200
San Rafael http://www.marinbikes.com/2010/bike_specs.php?serialnum=202
Weather permitting (or even marginal), she rides 200 - 300 miles a month, and I ride 150 - 225 miles a month. (She's 29 and I'm 61.)
Here's what they looked like the day we got them. That was a few thousand miles ago . . . last summer. http://ow.ly/1Nntd
This is how a department store bike can be changed into something practical for city use:
Sturmey-Archer dynamo drum brake front hub and 3 speed drum brake rear hub, Brooks Flyer saddle, a rear aluminum 25Kg rated rack & folding basket and North Road style handlebars.
http://bicycle.webnode.com/album/photo-gallery-homepage/#after1-jpg
OK, so I really wanted a Dutch Bike. I found this bike, a Torker Cargo-T, on sale. It is a Batavus design (same as the Personal Delivery Bike) licensed by Torker and made in China. I guess the story is that Batavus wanted to "test" the US Market for this bike.
I added a basket on the rear and milk crate on the front for maximum grocery capacity. My 7-year-old asks to ride on the front rack when the basket is off. I would really like a Swift Industries Pelican Porteur bag for the front someday.
New pedals (Rivbike Sneaker Pedals) are on the way since the rubber nubs stripped off in the sub-freezing weather. Otherwise this bike is pretty tough to break.
Not-so-good Pc: http://bit.ly/c0IIh4
I bought a 2009 Louis Garneau CityZen 300 to replace my Trek 7.3 that was stolen last spring. The 300 came with rack, fenders, disk brakes, and 42mm tires for $600 out the door. I wanted to get a SubZero (7 spd IGH, studded tires, roller brakes) but they couldn't get one in a XL. I'm really happy with the 300 for year-round daily riding in WInnipeg. This year's model dispenses with the fenders and rack, and has frame modifications to make it more upright. I like mine. I don't know if Garneau distributes to the US, a shame, as they design some nice bikes.
Last year's model: http://www.thebrokenspoke.ca/citizen.html
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1072887_-1_1512507_20000_400307
I've only seen this Scattante on the Performance website, but it has what I require for a bike-for-the-rest-of-us: fenders, internal gears, hand brake + coaster brake, under $400 (sale price). I'd prefer steel for comfort & fixability and a lower top bar, but we can't win them all.
Could you review it?
I'm enjoying seeing other folks' bikes. We're exploring options now for winter riding. That SubZero mentioned by Steve Grimmer looks interesting. We can, of course, put studded tires on our three-season bikes, but we'd like wider tires for better grip. We get both snow and ice here.
Deborah, Jazzboy, Tom and Steve - thanks for sharing your BFROU's. Lots of personality coming through.
Zach - thanks for the suggestion. I think we did a post on the single speed version of the bike.
Here is a pic of my BFROU, a 1992 Bridgestone XO-2. It's my best all-rounder.
Great bikes so far. Here's mine. I'm not really a gear-head so it's all stock except for the cargo box I made for stuff not suited for my panniers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdavis17/4647936559/
Fred, that is awesome. It looks good and yet can carry cargo. How is it attached to the frame?
Thanks Freewheel. I had to make a custom mounting to fit the rack. Ultimately it comes down to two wing nuts. I wanted (and succeeded) to make it fast and easy to put on and take off.
My wife and I have two fantastic Dutch Gazelles. Her's is a Chamonix Pure:
http://www.gazellebicycles.com.au/gazelle-2010-collection/chamonix-pure.html
Mine is an Orange Innergy E-Bike
http://www.gazellebicycles.com.au/gazelle-2010-collection/orange-innergy.html
They are fantastic city bikes! We've all but ditched the car!
Cheers from Australia
Paul Martin
You've already posted about the Torker Cargo-T, the T-300, the U-District, and Graduate, so no complaints here. But have you considered a post on the T-530? This is the bike I'm thinking of getting, but I would like to see if anyone else has tried it. It has a full chaincase, 7-speed nexus hub, full fenders, high handlebars with relaxed headtube angle, a kickstand, roller hub brakes (!) and a rack. The only thing missing is a dynohub and light. But my LBS quoted $550 including assembly; not bad. Most similar bikes are a couple hundred more.
Has anyone tried this bike yet? Any problems noted? It looks like mid-quality components and a good design. The aluminum frame isn't the most stylish, but it looks fine.
Joseph, I posted the T-530 today. It seems to be a great value. The only drawback that I can see is the suspension fork and seatpost. These items tend to make the bike more complicated and could sap some of your power. They are intended to soften the ride of the aluminum frame, I think.
I'm not sure what constitutes a "bike for the rest of us" but I am by no means a cyclist. I have a 6 mile commute to work and I like to ride my bike for fun. I don't really know much or race or do anything fancy. I have a Raleigh hybrid bike but I found it too clunky/heavy to take on the bus and it was slow.
Now I have a Windsor Clockwork from BD. It's a single speed, which is fine by me cos I have mostly flats with minimal climbs on my commute. It was only $300 and even I could put it together without a problem. Everything was pretty much assembled and with the turn of a few hex keys I just had to finish attaching the seat, handlebars and front wheel. I know BD gets slack in some circles but I just wanted a road bike that wasn't expensive. You know, something to start with.
I really like it and I'm going to start swapping some stuff out to make it more comfy. I just ordered some mustache bars and now I'm on the hunt for a saddle that is brooks-ish but not leather. Just my $0.02.
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