Originally Posted by Brian Sorrell
My wife has the Townie 24. We took a 22 mile ride last weekend, and we're planning a 60 mile trip to the beach for Labor Day. She has not complained about distances nor about comfort level after hours of riding. The pedaling efficiency is affected by your position -- i.e., you don't get as much power as you can out of a stroke -- and it has, essentially, mountain bike tires. Your position and the tires add to stability, so if that's one of your concerns, be assured this is a very stable bike.
Also, if you're going to ride with others, be aware that unless you're a pack of Electras (or comparables), you're going to get dropped fast by roadies, hybrids, even mountain bikes. Even with the 24 speeds, the wife had a heck of a time up a steep hill last weekend. However, she looked the coolest of any of us
... with her two tone bell, compass, headlight, pannier rack.....
If your wife would like to pep up her Townie a bit, she might try the modifications I have made to mine. A flat bar and some narrower high-pressure tires make a world of difference, and no sacrifice in comfort. When she climbs (even with the stock setup, but works best with the lower bar) have her lean back and then pedal. The technique is kind of like water-skiing and it lets you put some serious torque through the pedals. Hill climbing and acceleration will be much improved, I bet she leads the pack up the hills once she learns the technique.