Utility Cycling - Public Mixte Bike for man-w/rear rack -opinions please

Hey all,
So a little background about myself. I'm a grad school student -28 y/o living out of philadelphia-originally from brooklyn NY. My experience with cycling goes back to as a child like many of you. I was into the whole vert bike scene a little bit as a kid-never did any tricks or anything though hah. Anyway, growing up, I bought a trek road bike, which I would not consider a city bike. It was a diamond frame if I remember correctly. So that bike has been in storage for about 6 years now and I have not rode a bike except at the shore since then.

So now I want to get back into biking and want a bike made for the city. I don't want something for training or exercise, but something trendy and for simply getting around. In my research I came upon the company "Public." I found their D8 style bike to be real nice, but then saw these pictures: 269208269209

It's from their Rivoli bike, but modified without the front basket, but with a rear dock:

http://publicbikes.com/p/PUBLIC-M8-Limited-Edition-Cream-with-Bamboo-Fenders

So I was thinking this looks like a great bike-deff my style although pricey. Now, I started to research the style of bike and found out that it's a "mixte." Having been separated from biking culture, I don't know much about male/female styles except that the traditional step throughs are generally favored by women. I know that older adults tend to like these due to them being easier to get into. I personally am not as concerned about getting in and out and more about the style of the bike (I know I know-prob many rolling their heads at this). Now, I know many will say ride what you like, don't worry about this and that. However, i'm a little self-conscious to be honest, and was wondering how a younger male driving a mixte would be perceived in city life. I know these are silly questions, but this is a lot of money, and hey it's a forum. Any advice would be appreciated-especially from men who ride these style bikes. My girlfriend rolled her eyes, and said that such a bike does not look feminine and she would not see it as such-however she wants her next bike to be purple .

Hah, thx in advance

JP

Watch out for the word "trendy" since it will cause you to spend money that you don't need to.

The smart person will always put function well ahead of fashion.

That said, the mixte is nice but don't limit your choices to bicycles that have a fancy ad.

Thanks for the tips Nightshade-appreciate it.

I think that function is deff present in the mixte-from what i've been reading especially for the city where stop and go is the norm. I was just saying that for that kind of money that I deff like it to have the looks to match the function. Your right though-if you buy based on trend then its a costly investment for when the trends change.

Also, the ad -not sure if it is an ad- just made me look at it in a diff way-since their website has it with a basket.

Mixtes are super cool and newer really out of fashion. The word "mixte" is from mixt sexes, a bike for male and female. Used a lot in the far east. If you one day are going to ride with a childseat or a big basket or similar you are going to be happy you got a mixte and not a diamondframe. Search the forums for mixte threads, especially in the Classic & Vintage forums there is a lot of great mixtes, pluss Flickr..

Thanks Badmother- I don't plan on having kids soon (but sometimes things don't go to plan ha!) but I can appreciate moving a large basket of groceries around.

i've been looking over the threads-most state that it is not strange for men to use them, but that they are primarily used by women. I think i'm gonna go for it-but additional feedback is welcome!

I think with the advent of sloping top tubes, which we can thank mountain bikes for this trend, this bike fits right in. The mixte really makes sense to me.

Did you happen to see this thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/841453-My-new-Soma-Buena-Vista-mixte-commuter)who built up a mixte for commuting? The bike looks great. There is also the Yves Gomez (http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/f-gomez.htm) by Rivendell, though this bike is in a different price category than the Public bike.

Thanks for the info blak-can you please clarify a little on what you mean by the yves gomez being in a diff category-are you referring to price? BTW the public bike is $900 bare bones with my discount, in which I will buy the seat and grips externally and have public install the rack and fenders.

Edit: ok didn't realize that the gomez was priced for the frame alone-hah-

Woman's bike, for sure.

I also think you'd have to be crazy to spend $1.5k on that, though it is a good-looking bike. $900 is a little better, but not for a man to ride.

I would not hesitate to ride a mixte. I would, however, hesitate to ride such a pricey city bike. I'm paranoid about bike theft, so I'd always be worried if I had to lock it up somewhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mCMeEduEvo

I'm using a 20 year old Trek 720 Ladies Bike. I weigh over 270 pounds, but the frame has not buckled or bent yet. The step-through design make it easier to mount and dismount, which is good, on account of the larger rear panniers.

I think there was a bunch of badly weak Ladies Framed Bikes, mostly built during the 1970's, that gave Ladies Bikes a bad rap. This Trek 720, and my mountain bike, a Ladies Fuji Boulevard, are very sturdy and show no signs of bending, warpage, or flexing.

I say 'go for it!'. I ride a Schiwinn Varsity 'girls' bike, as so many have told me. It has the Mixte type of frame. My problem is that I'm 5'11" with a 29 inch inseam. On a bike that actually fits my torso, the stand over height is waaay to high. I slide off the saddle to dismount and take that top tube where it really hurts. And, if there's panniers on the back, I often can't get my leg over the bags and I sure can't do it over the top tube. The mixte frame solves those problems. I can get on, or around the the bike and the bike is the right size for me. If you like the style, and it works for you, ride it!

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/00000024-4-1.jpg

This is a photograph of the NFA Vehicles Type Nine (Type 9). My Daughter Mellisa designed this bike. It could be Carbon Fiber, or it could be Fiberglass.

I have been emphatic about the distinction between a Ladies Bike and a Mixte. I wanted to make the Bicycle with a low step-over frame, and yet be strong enough for myself to ride upon it.

I wish now to state that I chose to have a female design this Bicycle. There are two reasons for this. First there is an anatomical difference between the sexes, and a woman should have some say in the design of a Bicycle Seat. To this effect, my Daughter made the seat without any horn , or pointy part, on the front. This Bicycle seat has been effectively neutered. By serendipity, my Daughter is a fancier of Horses, and she designed this Bicycle Seat so as to make it possible for a Lady to ride it Side-Saddle.
Secondly, I wanted to make room for a Woman in the Engineering Field . I run a Family Business, it is an Engineering Firm... However , there was such a paucity of female students at my alma mater that I eventually had to give the job to my own Daughter. I wish to set the record Straight (no pun intended), as a Marriage can NOT exist between two men, either in nature, or the Eye of God.

But I digress.

The Type 9 has a Cargo Platform on the front, it is an Utility Bicycle, in that the Cargo Platform is welded to the Head Tube and does NOT swing with the turn of the Handlebars. Mellisa sagaciously designed the Aerodynamic Fairing by following the same general lines of a Truck Roof Spoiler ,
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_1608.jpg

I just wanted to set the record straight. Thank you for bearing with me.

I couldn't resist weighing in on this.

I own two Mixtes - a Schwinn LeTour and a Raleigh Record Ace.

Both are fixed gear, and both are suprisingly athletic.

Regarding the male-female issue, I tell anyone who asks that these are boys bikes.

They just look great in a dress.

Good lord.

Better make that, "Mixtes are for girls, the infirm, and crazy people."

Top tube, mixte, slanted or loop frame...Didn't know bike frames had a he/she only use policy. I've got a Loop frame Priests Bike that I'm affraid Chaadster would dance around and scream "girls bike, girls bike girls bike" but he'd be wrong. So Jpizzle, get your mixte and ride. If you look on the C&V forum you'll find a thread just for mixte frames and gasp....the majority of riders are .....ready for this Chaadster........yep, guys.

Top tube, mixte, slanted or loop frame...Didn't know bike frames had a he/she only use policy. I've got a Loop frame Priests Bike that I'm affraid Chaadster would dance around and scream "girls bike, girls bike girls bike" but he'd be wrong. So Jpizzle, get your mixte and ride. If you look on the C&V forum you'll find a thread just for mixte frames and gasp....the majority of riders are .....ready for this Chaadster........yep, guys.
You're free to ride what you want, but ignorance of the fact that the dropped top tube frame has been primarily a women's style since the '90s-- that's 1890s, by the way-- does not change more than 100 years of history and custom.

I'm a man, and I consider myself a Feminist-- I've got a minor in Women's Studies from MSU, too-- but I don't go around wearing high heels. So go ahead and ride and wear what you want, but own that **** and say with pride, "I ride a girls' bike!" Don't try to redefine it and deny reality; that's weak. Also, don't try to explain it, either. It's just not going to come off right no matter what.

http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/awheel/12b.jpg

You're free to ride what you want, but ignorance of the fact that the dropped top tube frame has been primarily a women's style since the '90s-- that's 1890s, by the way-- does not change more than 100 years of history and custom.

I'm a man, and I consider myself a Feminist-- I've got a minor in Women's Studies from MSU, too-- but I don't go around wearing high heels. So go ahead and ride and wear what you want, but own that **** and say with pride, "I ride a girls' bike!" Don't try to redefine it and deny reality; that's weak. Also, don't try to explain it, either. It's just not going to come off right no matter what.


There is no such thing as a "girls bike" frame and hasn't been for a very long time. Most bike makers today build one of four general types of frames. The sloped diamond, the straight diamond , the step through and the mixte frame which a reinforced diamond frame that uses two triangles instead of one.

Your campaign against the curved frame "girls bike" is no longer relevant.

Nothing wrong with mixte frames and my folding bike has a low stepover style that is somewhat similar.

But I'm not sure why the OP doesn't just get his current Trek out of storage and make a few modifications to make it more suited for utility cycling. A rear rack can be added easily and maybe raise the handlebars a little if they're uncomfortably low. Eventually if he really starts riding a lot he may well decide to have multiple bikes with different functions - but for now I'd suggest he adapt his existing bike and start riding instead of spending a considerable amount up front.

There is no such thing as a "girls bike" frame and hasn't been for a very long time. Most bike makers today build one of four general types of frames. The sloped diamond, the straight diamond , the step through and the mixte frame which a reinforced diamond frame that uses two triangles instead of one.

Your campaign against the curved frame "girls bike" is no longer relevant.

Stop lyin' and denyin'!

Why do Ladies Bikes get such a bad rap? I think Ladies Bikes are much safer than mens Bikes , in city traffic, on account that you can dismount the bike a lot quicker, two seconds before the truck hits the bike. The bike is "expendable".

Are Ladies Bikes more flexible than mens bikes? Maybe, but it depends on the tubing diameter. Also, a classic "Curved Frame Ladies Bike" will have an additional short tube, linking the top tube and the down tube, about in the middle- I think some cheap Ladies Bikes don't have that cross-brace, and the frame flexes too much, and Ladies Bikes get a bad rap on account of it.

I'd like to see those cross braces make a come-back. Or if the manufacturer would use a larger diameter down tube than the comparable mens bike, that would be nice.

I would like to see the top tube made as low as possible.

This Company:

http://www.biria.com/series

makes some sensible Ladies Bikes.

I think there is also a social issue; though less so today than when I was a kid. When I was a kid, if a boy ride a girls bike, he would be called "gay".
I wanted to ride a Ladies Bike, on account of the easier dismount. I thought it would be a good idea to jump off the bicycle two seconds before it gets hit by a truck.
I wanted to build a better Ladies Bicycle, but the Girlfriend I had in High School wouldn't work on the Project with me. I was going to build a better Ladies Bicycle and give it to my Girlfriend as a gift, but this girl, she would ride her Mother's Bicycle! Her Mother had a green Schwinn, Ladies Bike. So my Girlfriend kept saying she didn't need a Ladies Bicycle, on account she was using her Mothers Bicycle.

So I had to wait until my cousin Mellisa asked me to adopt her, before the Project could get under-way.

Anyway, If a Man is riding a Ladies Bike, and someone asks if he is gay, the answer is "it's my Wife's Bike" , "It's my Girlfriends Bike", "it's my Daughter's Bike" , or "It's my Aunt's Bike".
(The answer is NOT "It's okay to be gay").

Stop lyin' and denyin'!

Whoa!! :eek: Somebodies off their trolly! :innocent::innocent:

Wow...well deff some interesting feedback here. Thanks for those who replied with useful opinions.

From what i've read and gathered (Beyond this thread as well), I think that the mixte's can be considered a unisex frame-especially for city riding-but that it's certainly more popular with women. Step through frames in general are more popular with women, but that in certain cultures (Amsterdam for example) the step through frame is utilized by both sexes as it is superior for riding with kids, groceries, etc.

Wow...well deff some interesting feedback here. Thanks for those who replied with useful opinions.

From what i've read and gathered (Beyond this thread as well), I think that the mixte's can be considered a unisex frame-especially for city riding-but that it's certainly more popular with women. Step through frames in general are more popular with women, but that in certain cultures (Amsterdam for example) the step through frame is utilized by both sexes as it is superior for riding with kids, groceries, etc.
Obviously you just want to ride this bike, and that's fine, but as a point of clarity, and without attempting to speak for the Dutch, as someone who has spent time in Amsterdam on several occasions, and also as someone who has more than a cursory knowledge of cargo bikes, I think I need to point out that if you were to take a visual survey of what people ride in Amsterdam, you'll find it's a very similar mix to what we ride here, meaning that men ride diamond frames and women step-throughs. What I think you're confused about is the "cargo bike" as a type of bike- the Long John being a classic example-- which are often, yes, step-throughs, for the reasons you cited above, and ridden by both sexes, but I'd bet (without the facts to back it up, but based on my observations) by mostly women. However, most Dutch, or at least most Amsterdamers, don't ride cargo bikes.

When the money comes (speaking of Dutch cargo bikes) I'm going to get a Bullit. They're unrepentantly masculine (just kidding!), and the sportiest way to haul of all:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/3407368718_9b8399944c.jpg

My step thru comes from Bike Friday and Brompton, the 406 and 349 wheel bikes
have a low top bar as their folding nature dictates..

Dutch Oma bikes, are utilitarian practical for both parents to share.. parenting duties
with the child seat on the back, wont have to swing a leg over the little ones head.


chadster, [aside] Bullit is from a Danish company,
though they too contract them to be built in Taiwan.

the Long John were also Danish..

A Mixte will be fine. Just don't get pink or lavender with yellow flowers :-**

Yes, you are right, fietsbob, thanks for correcting me!

Mixtes are unisex and stronger than other bikes made. Check out the Classic section for the mixte thread. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/227038-Show-us-your-mixte-(mhendricks-new-happy-place)?highlight=mixte

Mixtes are awesome and certainly not an exclusive girl's bike in my opinion. You can set it up with upright handlebars or drop bars for a more road/speed set up. At the end of the day, don't be insecure. If the public mixte appeals to your tastes, get it and ride it confidently.

Three thoughts on this:
First. . .

. . . Used a lot in the far east. . . This might be true in some part of the Far East, however, I live in China and I do not recall seeing any where I live.

Second, you might look at bikes directs "City Bikes (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/city_bikes.htm)" page. Both the Oxford and Kensington lines feature Mixtes (yes, BD gets a lot of flack here; but, really their bikes are probably the same as other bikes in this category. . . they are probably all made in the same factory). If you can do basic bike repair, you an assemble a BD bike and might save a few bucks.

Third, Womens/Mens bike. .. who really cares. Ride what you like.

I'd say that a mixte frame is pretty gender neutral; and as others have noted the severe slope of MTB top tubes have definitely helped with this. The internal hub on this is also not bad for city biking; less external stuff to get gunked up, and you can change gears at a standstill like a red light.

With that said, $1500 seems pretty pricey for this setup as described in your link! If you're set on the Public mixte, i'd suggest grabbing their $900 version and upgrading it yourself.

Also, cream wheels look awesome in product shots, but in a week or two of city riding they are going to look really, really icky with all the road shmutz over them. So if you want the white wheels, be prepared to wash them frequently.

Torker sells a less expensive Mixte bike. In fact, I like theirs better!

But, in the US it is rare for a Mixte to be larger than a 19" frame. so Pa And Ma would be short..

you can find tall Oma s in Holland ..

Okay guys seriously speaking in a purely logical world guys would ride side-saddle and for the same logical reason the top tube on a guys bike would be mounted low enough that "nut cracking" wouldn't be a potential problem. Also, can I ask about Scotish bikes for the guys with kilts?

Now I agree that there are ways to set-up the top tube so that it is lower and more out of the way that look less like the traditional "girls bike" steriotype and make good sense for strength geometery of the frame. Here is my personal favorate style:



281000

Jpizzzle
THe "ladies frame" is no longer so, as there are many seniors (male and female) and people with physical limitations who simply cannot get on a bike with a horizontal tube.
So manufacturers started referring to the mas step-through.

If you are looking for more form and a only some function, look into Elektra Ticino line.
They are very beautiful, but priced lower than some Europeans or custom jobs.

281095
281096
281097

I have a Soma Buena Vista and love it. My experience with the mixte design is chronicled here. (http://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com/2011/02/me-and-mixte.html) I think they are a great design, especially for city riding. The Buena Vista can be built up as a spry, lightweight cafe racer since it is made with Tange Prestige tubing, it's much lighter than the others on the market.

Marc

.... Also, can I ask about Scotish bikes for the guys with kilts?...

Not sure, can not remember seing any pictures. only know that the blogger "oldfool" who died this autumn had a kilt blog and was a fan of using (and making) kilts http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/851883-A-bike-friend-passed-away-Anybody-remember-oldfool-who-used-to-post-here Also let me just say that mounting riding and dismounting a bike in a skirt like a kilt is no problem at all. Doing it with minors (and ladies) present may be a challenge :). Also wind is your enemy when riding in any skirt.

What i HAVE seen is special bikes for priests who would ride in a long robe. Not a normal steptrough but with some sort of V shape. Dutch I think..?

Edit: http://cycle-space.com/?p=9182

http://www.rijwiel.net/kruisf2n.htm

http://cycle-space.com/?p=6302

Get a boys bike dude, seriously.

I should get a mixte so that I can ride while wearing a kilt.

A mixte is just fine for commuting, etc., & I wouldn't hesitate to ride one everyday. If you look, a lot of mountain bikes are sort of " uni-sex " right now, too. I have a Raleigh Mixte right now , that I am finishing up to sell. The bike in the link looks nice, but that's a LOT of money for one !!!

Speaking as a girl, if I see a guy on a mixte, I don't think "what's that guy doing on a girl's bike?"

I think "Cool, mixtes are awesome and versatile. Glad that guy gets it."

283709
This is one of mine. I've had plenty of compliments and most of them are from guys who like the bike.

Edit: Forgot to add, I got this for $150 off CL and only put on a fresh saddle that I got on clearance for $14 and rewrapped the bars. You can find really good deals on mixtes compared to diamond frames because of the laughable notion that they're somehow a "lesser bike" than a diamond frame. Rides great!

I'm currently rehabbing a 74-ish Peugeot mixte into a city bike. Great frame condition but the city conversion will likely run me $400ish when all is said and done. That price includes full fenders/racks/lights/new wheelset/etc. Vintage mixtes can be a great bang for your buck.

If you are sold on the idea of a modern, ready-made mixte:

http://www.linusbike.com/models/mixte-3/

Note the line: "looks good in trousers." ;)

Linus bikes are solid-quality bikes (I would put them at Public's level of quality, for certain) with approximately the same amount of bells and whistles for significantly less money. A 3-speed should be enough to carry you through city riding unless you live in a city with some amazeballs gradients. I live in Cleveland and never really use anything other than my top 2 gears getting around.

Hey all,
So a little background about myself. I'm a grad school student -28 y/o living out of philadelphia-originally from brooklyn NY. My experience with cycling goes back to as a child like many of you. I was into the whole vert bike scene a little bit as a kid-never did any tricks or anything though hah. Anyway, growing up, I bought a trek road bike, which I would not consider a city bike. It was a diamond frame if I remember correctly. So that bike has been in storage for about 6 years now and I have not rode a bike except at the shore since then. So now I want to get back into biking and want a bike made for the city. I don't want something for training or exercise, but something trendy and for simply getting around. In my research I came upon the company "Public." I found their D8 style bike to be real nice, but then saw these pictures: It's from their Rivoli bike, but modified without the front basket, but with a rear dock:
http://publicbikes.com/p/PUBLIC-M8-Limited-Edition-Cream-with-Bamboo-Fenders (http://publicbikes.com/p/PUBLIC-M8-Limited-Edition-Cream-with-Bamboo-Fenders)

So I was thinking this looks like a great bike-deff my style although pricey. Now, I started to research the style of bike and found out that it's a "mixte." Having been separated from biking culture, I don't know much about male/female styles except that the traditional step throughs are generally favored by women. I know that older adults tend to like these due to them being easier to get into. I personally am not as concerned about getting in and out and more about the style of the bike (I know I know-prob many rolling their heads at this). Now, I know many will say ride what you like, don't worry about this and that. However, i'm a little self-conscious to be honest, and was wondering how a younger male driving a mixte would be perceived in city life. I know these are silly questions, but this is a lot of money, and hey it's a forum. Any advice would be appreciated-especially from men who ride these style bikes. My girlfriend rolled her eyes, and said that such a bike does not look feminine and she would not see it as such-however she wants her next bike to be purple .

Hah, thx in advance

JP

Looks like a very nice example of a mixte style... I have and would ride one and wouldn't care less what others think. Do it in a kilt if you have the mood to do so and even add sandals and long black socks with garters too!