Seen the Paul Budnitz Bikes? Pretty clean design... but not cheap!
Has anyone ridden one of these? Any comments?
N3_Black_Hero_1500_Budnitz_sized.jpgOriginally Posted by rodneykidd
Pretty stylin'.
6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul
List of bike co-ops
Why are they called wheels? Coincidence???
I need to qualify myself before you read this: I am very passionate about bicycles and bicycling. I am an enthusiast, a connoisseur, a collector, and an advocate. I believe that the bicycle is one of the greatest mechanical inventions ever created by man due to its many facets of form, function, efficiency, and benefits. With that said, this Paul Budnitz No. 1 Bicycle, in the most simplest of terms, is AMAZING.
This bike is a piece of art, an escape, a workout, clean transportation, and a reflection of my fervency. If you are considering this bike, it might be easy to assume you have considerable knowledge of bicycle components, design, and innovation. I would also conclude that you are a bicycling enthusiast looking to purchase a resilient bicycle that will last you a life time with proper maintenance.
Its lines, craftsmanship, ingenuity, responsiveness, and handling are like none other. It is a deceptively fast bike, especially equipped with its 11 speed Alfine internally geared rear hub. Uphill, downhill, flats, or even weighted down with bags and panniers, it is nimble, quick, comfortable, and FUN to ride.
The frame, fork, stem, seat post, and handlebars are all made of Titanium. The frame's stylish cantilever design subtly sucks up the bumps on the road. I also notice that the fork flexes a bit too, particularly in hard cornering, slightly adding to its wheelbase, and more discernibly, its stability.
There are several options available for the build-out of this bike. As alluded to earlier, I chose the Alfine hub - with the greaseless and maintenence-free Gates Center track belt drive - in addition to the Pitlock locking system and the fenders. I also equipped mine with Shimano PD A530 SPD pedals to provide the option of clipping-in or an old-school platform. Over the winter, I swapped the Schwalbe Kojaks for a pair of ice-gripping 700x35 Schwalbe HS 396 studded-Witnter Marathon tires. It truly clobbered the Colorado ice and snow, albeit slower!
One of its most interesting intangible features is its stealthy silence while hauling arse - almost to a fault. As I mentioned above, it is a fast bike, and other cyclist, pedestrians, dogs, etc., do not hear you coming! Get a bell and ring it early and often to announce yourself well in advance.
Another intangible is recognition, or the lack thereof. Upon initial glance, this bike won't draw attention. In fact, it took about a month for my associates to realize that there was, "Something wrong with the chain!" (It's a belt!!!) As beautiful as this bicycle is, its lack of flamboyance is a security feature I genuinely appreciate.
Something of significance too, which has made this price of this bike invaluable - is their Customer Service. They are unbelievably attentive! From my initial inquiry to the present day, they have consistently and superlatively outperformed any company I have ever dealt with. For example: I called them one day around 3:30 PM and spoke with John Young. I told him that I felt my handlebar stem was a little too long, and I wanted to exchange it. Bottom line, a smaller stem was on my doorstep the next morning with a return label inside its shipping box - all free of charge, plus a note: "Try it out for a couple of weeks," to be certain that it was the right fit. More recently, I had a problem with the Alfine hub. They offered and suggested to ship me a loaner rear wheel to ride in exchange while mine was being repaired - free of charge!
High-end bicycles will always draw criticism, just as all other high-end items can do. At risk of sounding like a Snob, I believe those critics just don't, "Get it." There is much more to it than just the price - it is following your passion! Those of us whom purchase high-end bicycles are... bicyclist! We choose to ride when there are other forms of transportation available. We ride just to ride as well! I will never understand how some people can pay $400 for a bottle of wine, but I embrace the fact they are following their passion too.
If you're hedging, I understand completely. But if you go for it, I can summarize your reaction in five words: you will love this bicycle!
Pedal on!
Good review. I'm not in the market for a Budnitz bike, but I like the concept. Heard differing opinions about belt drive. Will be curious to hear from you in about a year. I love the idea of a silent bike. Riding my single speed on an empty trail at night with no sound but faint chain noise was an experience.
No. 4!
We all know that we can justify anything if we really want it that badly. Bicycles, Baseball, and guitars are my passions/weaknesses. I own many bicycles, too many guitars, and have been to countless baseball games. One of these days I will ride my Budnitz Bicycle to a ball game with my guitar gig-bag strapped on my back to play the National Anthem! I digress...
Just last week I picked up my second Paul Budnitz Bicycle - the No. 4. I had it built as a Gates carbon belt-drive single-speed on black White Industries hubs, with black DT Swiss Spokes, on black Velocity rims, and the 55mm Schwable Big Apple tires. Everything else was essentially stock built with the exception of the custom powder-coat finish.
Pragmatically, the No. 4 is uniquely different in many ways. One obvious difference it the 24" tires rather than the more common 700s or 27"ers. That, plus a couple geometric changes in the rear triangle and the fork rake shorten the wheel-base by about 9 inches compared to the same frame sized No. 1 (Size L). That difference is huge in its performance and handling...
With that said, it is an incredibly quick and nimble bike. This is a city bike; it is NOT a touring bike - it's a bike that reminds you of the first time you got on a BMX and just went crazy bat-nuts all over the place. I'm no spring chicken anymore, but I couldn't tell while riding on this bike!
Budnitz markets this bike as, "Perfect for navigating traffic, jumping potholes, and rolling into elevators. No.4 turns on a dime and looks great in the corner of small apartments. It fits into the trunk of a car and travels easily by airplane."
To address their first point: I have been know to "navigate" through traffic. I don't run red lights, but I guarantee you that I can get to any Point A from Point B in downtown faster than any car on the No. 4. How? Because this bike's handling is nearly intuitive. Being an SS, I am not concerned about which gear I'm in - just stomp and go, and have confidence in the elegant Paul brake levers and the Avid BB7 disc brakes to stop me just as fast. Its shortened wheelbase and 170mm cranks allows me to turn tighter, and combined with its lower profile (than the No.1), turn faster with its lower center of gravity. Yes, I fly through corners as easily as I weave around "obstacles".
Even with its smaller wheel-base, foot clearance with the front wheel is an absolute non-issue at any speed or angle. Conversely, I have not affixed a rear rack on this bike, so I cannot attest to heel clearance.
The belt-drive transmission deserves mentioning too. The No. 1's rear drop-outs are horizontal, and have adjustment screws on each side for proper alignment and belt tensioning. The No. 4's rear drop-outs are vertical. Budnitz designed the bike with an EBB to easily adjust the belt tension. Additionally, the Gates company has developed a simple-to-use app for iPhones and iPod Touches with microphones that will help you adjust the belt to its proper tension according to your riding style and rear hub.
Lastly, I have not tried to travel with it by airplane - yet, but it does fit in an elevator much easier than my other bikes, and is easier to schlep up and down tight stairwells. I cannot comment on its great looks in a corner of a small apartment - but it does look great in my office and studio! Bottom line, the No. 4 is another great innovation by the folks at the Budnitz Bicycle company. Without justification, this is an awesome bike!
google budnitz and BikeSnobNYC.
Gross, but apparently loved by shills.
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