IRO Phoenix

Iro Cycle, which assembles single-speeds and fixed gears from its shop in Middleburg, Pennsylvania, has come out with the Phoenix, a relaxed geometry steel frame that is available as a three speed for $650 plus extras as they build it up for you. The frame includes mounts for two bottle cages and rack and fender mounts. It accepts 700 x 38cc tires, or 32c with fenders.



Here's hoping that IRO will restore its build-a-bike application on its website so customers can play around with the design before placing an order.

Another Point of View

Many of the latest city bikes (and bikes we have focused on here) feature internal gear hubs and chainguards or chaincases. This makes it easy to hop on and ride no matter what you're wearing. However, the blogger at Planetary Gears (a Minneapolis bike shop owner) offers his view that these types of bikes are not necessarily the best option for the practical cyclist. Check it out.

Jenny and Willy Schwinn

I know this sounds like ad-copy, but really? What's not to love here.

Jenny and Willy look like a winning pair. So much fun, and PRACTICAL: fenders, chaingaurds, racks, easy. Enough gears, but not too many. MSRP $399. Just like your old Schwinn, but new.

• JENNY.
• WILLY.