I have an Electra Townie3. Of five bikes, my road bike, my roady hybrid (my old commuter), and my wife's comfort bike and son's mountain bike, which I periodically ride to keep in tune, the Townie sees the most use and miles. Partly because it's so much fun and relaxed to ride, and partly because of these five bikes it's the most stable and versatile. Another plus is I can ride in any clothes and not have to change when I get there.

Hurricane Dennis changed my living location and, as a result, some of my intended uses for the Townie3, but towing a 14 1/2' canoe loaded with a cooler and fishing tackle 10 miles is not a problem. A task for which my road bike, for example, is all but useless.

If I had known what I was going to be using this bike for when I got it, I would have bought the Townie8.

When I first got this bike, my Dad, 70, test flew it and was so impressed he went out and got himself one. He got the rear rack on his and attached a milk crate on the top of the rack, and that's all he uses now, for errands around town. His full size pick/up stays home.

He says it really changes the dynamics of a bike when you put a 50 lb. sack of dog food on the rear rack.