fleera

Hello all! I hope this isn't redundant, but if so please redirect me to a pertinent thread.

I'm 26 and hoping to start riding a bike again, though I haven't done much riding in the last 10+ years. Both my jobs and the grocery store are within 2 miles from my apartment. I don't currently own a bike, so I've been trying to research what I want online while borrowing my boyfriend's mountain bike for practice.

I do definitely want a chain guard and ladies style frame since I wear skirts or flared pants to work. I think I'd also like fenders, a basket, and maybe a rear rack, though they could be added on, whereas I've heard that chain guards are hard to add on and should come with the bike. My town is somewhat hilly (living near a mountain meets west is always uphill), but there are no major hills on my regular routes. Still, I think I would like at least 3 speeds, and I've heard internal hubs are good.

I love the look of:
https://www.rei.com/product/784320

https://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...e=cb_birtstop3

https://www.bikemania.biz/Biria_Class...tch_ladies.htm

But of course, there's no dealer near by. The closest LBS carries or can special order Specialized, Trek, Kona, Giant, Cannondale, Felt & Electra. The only Cruiser/Comfort bikes in stock were Electras, but I thought thought they were ugly & huge (plus there have been some bad reviews online). The local sports shop doesn't stock bikes, but they do work on them, so if I ordered a bike, I believe they could assemble it.

My original hope was to buy a bike for under $200. After visiting the LBS, I upped that to the $300 ballpark. Now after having done more research, I'm thinking I'll have to spend $500 to get what I want, and I'm trying to justify it to myself.

How do I even begin deciding which bike is for me if the LBS doesn't stock bikes with my requirements? Can test riding other bikes help if they're really not similar styles? The near by LBS was very helpful, but I don't want to take advantage of them if I don't end up buying a bike from them.

From the other brands actually carried by the LBS I found:

Giant Suede GX W - 2008 model was more reasonably priced, but $600 for 2009 is probably out of range
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/...en/2295/32085/

TrekPure Deluxe Lowstep - I'm 5'6" & wondering if the 14" frame may be too small for me
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...deluxelowstep/

Kona AfricaBike Three - ugly & probably heavy, but at least it's for a good cause
https://www.konaworld.com/09_africabikethree_u.cfm

Any tips to share on bike choices, dealing with the LBS, ordering online or even traveling farther & looking harder? Should I work with my LBS, give up on finding the perfect bike and buy a Walmart special, or wait a few weeks/months until I can travel to Colorado where there's more selection?

tjspiel

I would test ride a few different types of bikes locally even if you know they're not exactly what you want. Try climbing some hills with a 3 speed to see if that's sufficient.

Test rides like this might help you ultimately decide what type of bike fits and feels best for you. Then make your trip to Colorado where there are more bikes to choose from armed with a little more knowledge.

Maybe you won't end up buying the bike at your local LBS but if you get accessories, parts, and service there, they'll be happy.

barturtle

When you go to Colorado, you might want to see if you can find a KHS Green to test out, it's a three speed with fenders and chain guard and seems to go for around $300

it's hard to tell on the product page exactly what the women's step thru looks like, but I think this is a clear picture of it on this page here

Torrilin

I'm a 5'6" woman with a 29" inseam, so I ride a relatively small bike for my height. 43cm/17" Breezer Villager. While I *can* ride a size larger in a step through, it ends up having the feel of a Cadillac instead of a bike. Most people can ride 2, sometimes 3 different size bikes, and what suits depends partly on personal taste, and partly on how you're built.

You can ride in a short skirt on a diamond frame. If you're on a derailler equipped bike, you can do certain things to keep your pants out of the chain (like install a ring guard). So what I'd do is test ride, and not just bikes that you like the looks of. I've test ridden an Electra Townie, and it's a nice enough bike. But it doesn't fit me, and the shop staff and I couldn't come up with any way to *make* it fit. Two of my friends just got Townies and love 'em. Batavus is easy to get locally, but I can't lift the step through... which is kind of a problem when you need to get the bike into and out of basement storage.

You'll have a lot clearer idea of what you need and how much it costs the more you ride. Not just test rides, but just using a bike to do what you want. My Villager is my second bike, and while it's not perfect, getting to my idea of absolute perfection would be a good $3000. The first bike was a $350 mountain bike that I rode the hell out of... didn't fit very well, was built to be reasonably aggressive on dirt trails (which is kinda crappy on a paved road), but it got me places. After a year on it, I had a very clear list of must haves, and it was easy for shops to help me find the right bike.

tatfiend 

If you can, take a look at the Breezer Citizen or Villager step through frame bikes. They may be a bit higher priced than you mention but they come complete with generator lights, rack, kickstand and chainguard. The Villager is a 7 speed geared hub and the Citizen is a 3 speed version.

You do not list your state but there are a number of Colorado dealers listed on the Breezer web site.

https://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes.cfm

I have no association with Breezer or a dealer for them.

Basically full european style commuter bikes that are fullly equipped. Lightweight aluminum frames so they are not nearly as heavy as the older steel Dutch bikes though.

fleera

Hailing from lovely-but-shopping-challenged northern Wyoming!

Thank you all so much for your helpful comments! I needed a reality check that the "perfect" bike may not be something I can just instantly find. I definitely need more time to get in actual riding experience and to test out different styles & speeds. I'm intrigued by the possibility of a adding a ring guard & will definitely look into it.

tjspiel, yes, I do need a test ride to see if 3 speeds is enough. I'm not in the same shape as I once was!

Thank to barturtle for finding that picture of the step-thru KHS green! Love it. I'd found the Green online but somehow thought the diamond frame was the only one available. With a nice price point, cool features & my idea of sweet style, that one's definitely worth a trip to try. I am a bit confused, though; the Green can be found on both the Manhattan and KHS websites, but they list different dealers in my area...one isn't in my phone book & the other seems to be a game store...is KHS serious? Does anyone have personal experience with these bikes?

tatfiend & Torrilin, thanks for the input on the Breezers. They do seem like quality bikes with pretty much everything I could want & I'd love to test one out. Weight will be an issue for me, too, though, since I'll likely end up lugging it up apartment steps.

Thanks helping a newbie sort things through!

no1mad 

KHS owns Manhattan and Free Agent. KHS is the full line, Manhattan caters to the cruiser crowd, and Free Agent handles the BMX market.

They are legit. Started out much like Specialized, as a parts/accessories distributor before branching out into bikes.

You won't find too many reviews on their bikes because they don't enjoy the market share that Trek/Giant/Specialized does, but the one's that are out there are generally favorable.

Torrilin

Breezer wasn't the only front runner for me. Madison isn't *quite* as bike friendly as Portland OR, but it's still pretty friendly, so finding a European style city bike to test ride isn't hard.

Dahon makes a couple folding bike models that are very nice, with chain guards, hub gears and a light weight. It can be hard to get your hands on some models. And since I had a hard and fast requirement of "must be able to haul 50 lbs", none of the local Dahon dealers were really comfy with saying yes I should definitely wait for the container ship due in June or July. Me plus cargo would be heavy enough to be near Dahon's limits for the frame, and the cargo would be over limit for the racks available.

I tried Batavus and Kettler bikes, which are both European imports. People will tell you all European city bikes weigh 50 lbs and are built like tanks, and that isn't really true. Some models are heavier, some are lighter. The Kettler I tried is no longer being made, and was too big for me by a hair. Otherwise, it was somewhat nicer than the Breezer since it came stock with handlebars that fit me well.

A used Raleigh 3 speed or the moral equivalent is also great. Since I wanted working generator lights and a bike that would handle well in the rain, a Raleigh would have been a project bike... in need of new wheels and a bunch of expensive parts. I did the math, and it would have cost me (without a garage full of parts) as much as a new bike. There are long threads about English 3 speeds in both the Utility and the Classic and Vintage forums... very helpful! If you're looking for a cheap bike to get miles in with, this is probably my pick.

Kimmitt 

I own an Electra Townie; you should at least take it for a ride. They're really quite nice.

mickey85

...i kinda like the africabike...

fleera

Torrilin - Keeping my eyes peeled for a used bike, but also cautious of getting stuck with a lemon. At the moment, though, I haven't been able to find any used bikes around, let alone one I could be picky about!

Kimmit - I definitely intend to take an Electra for a spin. I suppose it's not really that I find them ugly (particularly online - they've got some cool colors and nice lines) more that I was so shocked at the size in person and realized maybe a cruiser wasn't the same as I'd been expecting from pictures! And honestly, with the prices I've been willing to consider after more research, it isn't fair to completely discount them without a ride. We'll see. Thanks for the input!

mickey85 - You know, my first reaction to the africabike was that it was kinda cool, but I had mixed feelings (I think it's the handle bars & new basket)...then my boyfriend saw it and said, "that thing??" in a way that soured me on it a bit. I don't suppose you've been able to try one?

I_bRAD

Have you checked out craigslist for an old raleigh 3sp? They go forever and you can get a nice one for way less than 300

fleera

I_bRAD - craigslist was helpful when I lived in Albuquerque, NM, but in Wyoming, it just hasn't caught on so much, probably due to our low population density. Still, I keep checking, just in case. Bulletin boards, trading post on the radio, and classifieds haven't turned anything up either. Right now we're in a blizzard, but maybe garage sales will have something when the weather warms up. A vintage bike needing minimal work would be awesome...but I'm not holding my breath.

ETA - not entirely fair on my part...if I didn't mind a man's mountain bike & driving around the state, I might have better luck.

fleera

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be waiting out the blizzard and taking my time to research and ride and test ride...but in the meantime, how old is too old?

https://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Raleigh-...3%3A2|294%3A50

I_bRAD

With those things the older ones are usually the better ones, when comparing two in similar condition.

That one looks like a nice find! I'd definitely pay 100 for that. You might want to look into the availability of 26 X 1 3/8 tires in your area, although mail order would always be an option (It's not like you'd be replacing tires several times a year or anything anyhow)

Edit: I see it's in tampa, but even with 65 for shipping it's still an OK deal IMO. I'm coming from an urban market. Around here that bike would go for over 200 easy... but at the same time the same bike might go for $25 at a yard sale in the countryside. As far as what you get for your money, it's a worthwhile purchase even at the higher price.

Torrilin

3 speed maintenance by Sheldon Brown. A friend who is tiny trashpicked one, and has used Sheldon's stuff to keep it in working order. It pleases her engineer heart no end, because it's very nearly impossible to kill one.

utility forum's 3 speed thread - some on maintenance, a lot of pretty bikes to look at

wahoonc

Plenty of info available (and parts) for the true English 3 speeds. Look for the Sturmey-Archer rear hub. We have several

Aaron

fleera

Well, I rather impulsively purchased the ebay bike yesterday morning (feels like longer ago than that!), so we'll see how it goes...now I just get to hope it fits me & doesn't have many issues. While I wish I'd gone about it a little less rushed, I am looking forward to getting the bike. If it's not a perfect fit, at least I'll have a better idea of what I'm doing next time around! These forums have been invaluable.

Aaron, gorgeous bikes!