Interbike Eye Candy of a Different Flavor: Urban Bikes
by Jen See on Sep 21, 2011 7:24 PM EDT
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A Linus town bike, with basket. And, coffee cup holder. So dialed.
I spent my share of hours on my carbon road bike, but I may well spend even more time on my townie. My current townie, one of a rather lengthy succession, is a 1956 Schwinn Tornado. I put a 22 cog on it, and zoom we go. Those women in the 1950s? They were badass. Seriously. I don't know how they pushed the monster cruiser gears. Anyway, I love my Schwinn.
But lately, I've been seeing these new urban-styled bikes around town. They're like my Schwinn, only newer. And since they're not made out of solid steel tubes, they're lighter. I begin to feel lustful thoughts toward these bikes. My Schwinn feels blue with envy. Oh, right, it already was blue.
At Interbike, we grabbed a few photos of these stylish machines. I'm a fan partly because I spend a lot of time rolling around town doing errands on my bike. So, a stylish townie? Yes, please. They aren't the ideal bike for a long commute, I'd probably still reach for the roady for that job. But for errands and coffee runs, sign me up.
I think I also like these bikes, because when I was in grad school I worked in a bike shop. And people would come to the shop and they'd just want a bike to ride around town. And all we could offer at that time was a mountain bike. If I had a dollar for every time we put slick tires on a mountain bike, I so would not have had to work in the bike shop. And I probably would not have bothered with grad school either for that matter. Anyway? Townies. We needed townies for all these people who came in just looking for a bike to ride around.
The particular townies here are not inexpensive. But they have style. So that counts for something, amiright? Enjoy the eye candy of a slightly different flavor.
Globe bikes come from Specialized.
They make townie-basket bike style rides and single-speed hipster mobiles.
This is one of the town cruisers. Lighter and faster than my '56 Schwinn, but not blue.
Everyone knows that girls only ride bikes that carry wine.
Okay, I carry wine on my townie. Also, I feel conflicted over this bike.
It's not blue. But it's awfully cute.
This black beauty is a Virtue. I see them around my town on occasion.
I keep looking for Vice to come jumping out of the bushes.
The leather details probably would not hold up in the rain, but they look swank.
It's blue! Linus makes beautifully painted townie bikes.
My Schwinn is suddenly feeling very jealous.
Or, if you don't like colors, Linus also makes white.
This is your before Labor Day bike, if you worry about such things.
Canvas sacks of various sorts and various colors for carrying various stuff.
Okay, I'm off to ride my Schwinn home from the coffee shop now. Maybe I'll stop and buy some wine along the way. Bikes, what can't they do?
Photos by Christopher See. He retains all rights. View the complete Interbike Gallery.
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fenders, racks, what's not to love?
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
I'd love to live in a town condusive to a townie, but my area lacks that town feel...know what I mean?
It’s a 15 minute drive to a store around here. On a townie that would take, like, forever…so, I think I need an actual town to appreciate the townie more – albeit, they are hipster cool looking (and I sure do see them in tv shows and commercials lately). I can’t help thinking it’s fad-ish…
Yes
You would need a place that is bike friendly. Otherwise, not so practical.
Oh, I’m sure it’s fadish. But I can like it anyway :)
~ Gavia ~
I'd rather have trends moving toward 'townie' bikes...
than living in suburban sprawl.
15 minute drives to a store sounds like a bad fad any way you cut it.*
(*And this isn’t meant to pick on your personal situation, cause I have a whole lotta friends and family members who live in the same situation. The closest road to the house my sister has chosen to raise her family in is an interstate… play street hockey on that! It’s sad.)
I know what you mean and agree with you.
My situation is actually living in a more rural area then suburbia – well it’s kind of suburbia/rural – hard to describe…
We’re 2 miles to the nearest state rte (on a country road), and then a 5 more miles or so to the highway/near the town center where stores are located. The issue is the state rtes aren’t really suitable for a cruiser bike like a townie and it’s way hilly here. I ride these routes on my road bike – but it’s just more suitable for a RIDE not a CRUISE…
That said, I can see the fun in a CRUISE… :)
I do get jealous for city/town life…sell the car, and just walk and ride everywhere. But, then I wouldn’t have a great garden (we have an entire plot of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and all sorts of vedge and herbs) plus chickens, plus solar on the roof…trade-offs…oh well – MAJOR digression…
by JustJoshinYa on Sep 21, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I wouldn't conflate cities with towns
I’ve been to many in Europe where it is different, but I wouldn’t consider the roads of most American cities I’ve seen suitable for riding a cruiser bike with flip flops and the family. Though hipsters certainly may try it, minus the family.
Your area sounds nice actually.
Again, it’s not so much your personal situation, which the more I hear, the more of an outlier it sounds.
Generally, it seems that people are faced with two dominant lifestyle choices for those working in urban environments. Live in the city, or live in the ’burbs.
Rural livers, usually work in rural environs… or tele-commmute.
What I’m surprised by is the suburbanite-held idea that city-dwellers have to sacrifice lifestyle for density, which is very untrue. We have a massive garden (too large for the two of us) in a 132 plot communal garden a 15 minute walk from our studio. The bi-law here is two chickens per household, but I know people with 6 in their small yards, cause no one checks. Solar is abundant here is well, although it rains all the time. And, we’re in a city so of course you get all the city advantages. Most of my friends don’t have a car, like ourselves, although we do belong to the local co-op we use about once a month. We walk or use our bikes for everything and I’m building a sub 25lb alfine 8 townie for my partner right now.
The suburbs seem to only supply the worst of the rural (isolated) and the worst of the urban (crowded and cramped), yet none of the benefits. The more people realize this, the more they’ll need smart transportation solutions like “townies” when they crave smartly planned communities.
I still contend it is more sensibility than a fad, but if it is a fad, it’s a good one!
these bikes are fantastic where it's flat
so easy and practical and you just glide along on your big old cruiser. Had an old one when i was in northern germany and it was wonderful. Even the occasional climb on a country ride was not so bad – just go to danseuse and no problem.
less chaffing than a diaper.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Do that many people really put slicks on a MTB?
I’d rather have a rack or fenders before I had skinnier tires, even if commuting medium to longish distances on it. My tech-mech knowledge is not great though, and I am biased because I have ridden for years on a beater MTB with 1.95"/50mm tires.
You know
when I worked in the shop, yeah, people did it all the time. I’m not sure why? But they did.
File under: Weird stuff people do :D
~ Gavia ~
To go faster really cheaply
I put slicks on my MTB, which is now my xtracycle and cargo trailer bike. Makes a huge difference in speed. Especially helpful for the times when my wife decides that I’m gonna transport her and our groceries on the xtracycle.
Thinking hard - really hard - of something witty to say....
by Cyclingrush on Sep 21, 2011 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I did this
in 1992. Keeping all my options open. Not that any of them were especially good. But then, I was separated from my Bianchi. I was emotionally confused.
Lovely piece. The urban stylies really were the stars of the show.
Any dumb f#*k who looked at Garmin’s roster could figure that out, it wasn’t exactly rocket-science. Hell, it wasn’t even lutefisk-science.
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 21, 2011 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions
well if you have an old mtn bike for whatever reason
and you ride mostly or only in town, smoove tires are way mo’ better
I like town bikes alot.
They make so much sense for most people and they’re a cheap investment in sustainability.
A lot of times they make me more excited than high end cyclocross.
I live in a great little town that would be perfect for townies -- if I didn't live at the top of a massive hill
I’d love to get a townie to head down to the pub, to pick up groceries, ride to the park or farmers market. But they are soooo heavy, and center of town to our place is about 1.5 miles with the last half mile averaging about an 8% grade uphill. Enough that when I’m on my road bike I’m usually out of the saddle on good stretches of it. I can’t imagine getting a 35 lb bike up that. Maybe I need to find a really light townie…with very low gearing…
Didn’t you go to the Electra booth?
They currently dominate this market and their ’12 line is the best yet.
You should check it out . . .
What would Deming do? (+8:00 GMT)
Yes, I saw Electra
but didn’t have a chance to get any photos. We were doing a dozen things at once at the show. So, this isn’t intended to be comprehensive.
~ Gavia ~
White tyres.....
No, that doesn’t work for me. My little girl had purple tyres on he first bike, but white for me, no, no , no. I do love the black and leather stylish fit out on many townies though. I have lusted over a few at my LBS.
they're pre labor day tires.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
I love urban/commuter bikes
I don’t have one yet but when I get one it’s going to be a steel beauty, and yes it’s going to have a basket too.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
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