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STYLE
Bicycles
Five or ten years ago, bicycles were considered serious equipment for only the most sporty and athletic among us. Getting on a bike was supposed to entail stuffing yourself into spandex, a helmet, loading up on the water bottles and eschewing comforts like fenders or a kickstand.
Few bikes existed that would allow someone to comfortably hop on in street clothes and ride 3 blocks to a cafe. Or set up with the necessary equipment to make bicycle commuting to work a reality.
Luckily, recently, bikes have become a lot more fun. A couple years ago I was browsing an area bike shop and fell in love with an Electra Amsterdam in bright yellow, painted with tulips, and hand-tooled seat and grips. It was gorgeous. But it took the sales clerk several minutes to convince me that I wasn't too old to take the bike on a test ride.
Riding the bike was just plain fun. I could just hop on without having to "gear up" in special clothes first. The bike has a completely enclosed chain guard to keep grease stains off clothes. No more rolling up pant legs or wearing a rubber band around one leg. The bike also has rear guards on the back wheel to prevent skirts from getting caught.
The fenders and mud flaps prevent puddles in the rain from splashing up onto the rider. Not that it's much of an issue in the desert, although I still like the look. The bike has a back rack for panniers or baskets. And my very favorite feature--a kickstand. The bike won't fall over if I need to stop and leave it. Kickstands are one of the smartest inventions for a bicycle--ever.
The bike came equipped with a bell to warn pedestrians on the bike path that I'm coming. With only three gears, it's not much of an issue, though. I don't ride very fast on this bike. It was meant to casually tool around, not for speed or long distances. I added a cup holder sold by Electra that accommodates Starbucks.
The biggest selling point for me were the coaster brakes instead of grips on the handle bars. I have carpal tunnel and most bike brakes aggravate the condition. With the Amsterdam I simple pedal backwards to stop.
A lot of cool bike accessories have hit the market recently:panniers, which clip to the sides of the racks, now double as baskets, purses or brief cases; colorful messenger bags; and even full-sized suit garment bags. A commuter can still look professional while riding a bike to work.
Some of my favorite bikes include:
- Women's Electra Amsterdam--great look
- Electra Townie--an easy ride for folks not used to bikes
- Men's Public bikes--for style
- Industrial Bicycles--for durability and commercial uses
- Tri-rider Tandem--a trike at the back of the tandem for biking with someone of lesser abilities
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