Living Car Free - What kind of bike is best if you're carfree?

not sure what perfect means to you but check out the trek soho. it's a 700c hybrid, no suspension, no front derailleur, w/ disk breaks - light, fast and durable... but over $900.

I think the most important characteristic of a bike is convenience. For me, that implies no changing clothing, minimal maintenance demands, and no batteries to charge. That means that a chainguard, dynamo front hub, and fenders are essential.

All of this is indeed great. But why do they only have all these things for "comfort" bikes? After all, comfort bikes get REALLY uncomfortable if you ever have to do any climbing, for example. Are there any companies, in Europe, the US or anywhere else in the world that build bikes outfitted with all these things AND with reasonable geometry?..

I am not car free but I am trying to be car lite. I recommend a hybrid as well, in my case the Trek 7500 works perfectly. I do not feel like going into it a great deal right now because it would be too long of a story. If you want a better idea why I recommend this bike try my intro topic here.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=177616

Wow, an amazing story! And Treks, afaik, are really good bikes: my boyfriend has Trek 7500 FX (same deal as 7500, I think, but w/o the front shocks) and it's a great versatile bike (he did four years' worth of commuting and a bunch of touring and long-distance rides on it). One thing that surprises me about the picture of your bike is the pedals. They look like cheap plastic platforms to which you can't even attach any toe clips and straps! Did the bike really come with those??

All of this is indeed great. But why do they only have all these things for "comfort" bikes? After all, comfort bikes get REALLY uncomfortable if you ever have to do any climbing, for example. Are there any companies, in Europe, the US or anywhere else in the world that build bikes outfitted with all these things AND with reasonable geometry?..
Comfort bikes are those things with front suspension and bar stool seats instead of saddles. I consider a Dutch or German commuter bike as having reasonable geometry. These bikes are very comfortable when going uphill. The handlebar sweeps back so you can stand on the pedals and use your arms to help you push. Try one -- you may be surprised.

Paul

Wow, an amazing story! And Treks, afaik, are really good bikes: my boyfriend has Trek 7500 FX (same deal as 7500, I think, but w/o the front shocks) and it's a great versatile bike (he did four years' worth of commuting and a bunch of touring and long-distance rides on it). One thing that surprises me about the picture of your bike is the pedals. They look like cheap plastic platforms to which you can't even attach any toe clips and straps! Did the bike really come with those??

Thank you I am glad you enjoyed my intro. Actually the pedals are kind of cheap plastic types with one exception, the little orange reflective strips also light up when you turn the pedals which is a safety/visibility feature I am glad is on it. You are right about not being able to put any straps or clips on them but honestly that is not a concern of mine. I want clip-less and strapless pedals so that in an emergency I can take my foot off of them, a big plus when riding it in a commuter/errand running kind of way when I may need to do so at any time without warning. These are just the pedals I need.

RB--I don't usually read intros but I'm glad I made an exception in your case. Fascinating. And thanks for the suggestion on the Trek.

If you don't have a car, you need a way to carry stuff. My ideal would be any sturdy bike with an xtracycle.

http://www.xtracycle.com

If you carry alot on a regular basis, add an electric motor.

REI Novaro Touring with the Shimano Nexus 8. That's just about perfect for the city.

Well, if you want to haul a LOT of stuff really fast, here's how.
Surly Long Haul Trucker one size small (so your goodies don't touch the top tube) with a Delta Stem Riser (to make the sizing work right) and the 700C version of the Xtracycle (with saddle bags and surfboard). Add a pre-built Nexus 8 (premium "redline" version has less friction) rear wheel (Airbomb, QBP, Harris) (KMC makes chain half links in 3/32 size, and you'll also need Nexus vertical drop washers). Add Panaracer T-Serv 700c X 28mm tires for speed and traction combined. Add SKS P45 fenders in chromoplastic chrome color (Throw away the plastic attachment gimmicks and use aluminum washers scavaged from old brake pads to firmly clamp the fender stays. The dished side of the washer goes against the included screw while the flat side goes against the fender stay. Rear fender stay will be "insides" mount due to the width of the xtracycle). Put 1 inch length by 1/8 to 3/16 high bit of stick-on foam rubber insulation at the center highpoint of the rear fender so it won't "bonk" the top of the xtracycle. An aheadset to MTB adjustable stem (Nashbar) in 90mm extension holding onto a Nashbar trekking handlebar (like a figure 8 or resembling a car steering wheel) is a fine, modern-looking way to get classic touring comfort and speed. You'll also need a crankset with a 44t STEEL chainring (must be able to mount the 44t on the inside to make a straight chainline) and a bash guard (to keep your pants clean). I made this recommendation on having a generous low gear for hills+load, while the high end tops at 23 MPH constant pace with an 80 RPM cadence, and downhills are about 30MPH. Should you wish more speed, clip on a $4 Nexus 18t gear instead of the included 19t gear. A fantastic final touch would be a front dynohub (brushless or "sport" version) with permanently mounted headlight and taillight.

This is a very quick bike that could easily replace a car.

There's a lot of good advice on this thread. Chances are, if you call yourself "car-free," it's part of a larger motivation to simplify your life, so one "all-rounder" seems appealing. In this case a touring bike, cyclocross or MTB with drop- or trekking-bars is just the ticket.

http://a1072.g.akamai.net/f/1072/2062/1d/gallery.rei.com/media/600670.jpg
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&catalogId=40000008000&storeId=8000&partNumber=730795&memberId=-2000&link=1&source=14543

In my opinion. . .

This bike is a fast touring bike that is low on maintenance requirements and high on speed, and it was a truly wonderful experience when I gave it a test ride at REI. The design is familiar to me, yet I find the price point extremely low for this design. The quick shifting Nexus 8 further reduces maintenance requirements while simultaneously providing the option of a complete gear range alteration by the purchase of a $3 Nexus sprocket that will instantly put the entire range up to roadie speed or down to MTB hill-climbing speed, should you later decide to need a sport-centric gear range for competitive sport purposes. The wheels are 700c, and come with a kevlar sheilded tire with brilliantly reflective sidewalls. The extremely durable and weatherproof rear drum brake does not eat rims and does not require maintenance. The bike was also lighter weight than expected. I would unscrew the bridge mount from the front fender and then re-attach it to the back of the front forks in order to make the front fender low enough to protect the chain from dirt out of the front tire--just the one change. Nice fenders too! They're super-strong SKS chromoplastic (plastic coated alloy) that bounce on impact rather than bend. The incredibly plentiful feature set includes a dynohub for very bright headlights and no batteries to buy, yet the volume of features did not seem to subtract any speed. I am accostomed to assuming that comfort costs speed; however, this thing was like a Cadillac. . .floorboarded. Add a set of rear panniers, and you're ready for both utility and adventure.

Bikes are like shoes, not like cars. So ask the question, "What is the perfect pair of shoes one could own for a given lifestyle" and you'll see that the question itself is a bit off.

As you need different shoes for different things, I think you need at least two different bikes. I have a Specialized Sequoia for recreation, and a Specialized Sirrus for work.