Urbana

An Urbana and a limo, both looking sharp, both illegally parked. Courtesy Urbana.

My first thought after checking out Urbana is that it looks a lot like the Capital Bikeshare ("CaBi") bikes, which I believe are also made in Canada. This observation is intended as a compliment - CaBi bikes aren't sitting unused in someone's garage. They are outside in the elements and are ridden by multiple riders on multiple trips every single day.

Haniya from Urbana has been after us to test ride an Urbana, and I promised I would, but I haven't had time recently. The fact that she is urging a test ride is a good sign; it means she thinks the bike will sell itself. Urbana is now available in the United States; in D.C. you can find them at the relatively new bike shop Bicycle Stations (which should not be confused with the CaBi bike stations).

While we have not given the Urbana a full test ride, it has been tested by other bike bloggers, including one of our favorites -- "Yokota Fritz." He has written about Urbana on Cyclelicious and Commute by Bike. He gives it high marks, and in fact he's commented that if he had to be limited to just one bike, it would be the Urbana. You can also find a review at Cycling for Beginners.

Here are some promotional materials and the specifications that Haniya sent to my co-blogger Tom:

Specs. Click for big. Courtesy Urbana.

If you have an Urbana or have tried one out, let us know your thoughts in the comments.