Yeah, even though its December and there is snow on the ground, I went to a bike shop and test rode a Breezer Uptown this weekend. I rode the woman's version, medium size.

Here are my thoughts:

The good-
By far, the easiest and smoothest shifting system I've tried. Quick, quiet, reliable. No load or full load up a hill shifting.

Quality bike--everything appeared well made and components were good quality.

Lighting system is top of the line.

Seat is very comfortable.

Very responsive bike--quick off the line.

The bad-
Strange feel. I'm used to a steel bike with bigger tires. I never knew how different the feel would be!

Not sure if tires were properly inflated or if the seat was too soft--but it felt soft.

Once up to speed, it felt slow. No speedometer, so I can't verify. It just felt slow. This might be because it had a cushy ride.

In the top gear, #8 on this model, I pedaled too easily. I was going downwind when I had this problem, but I felt that it pedaled too easily in all the gears. I understand this can be adjusted, so they all pedal a little harder, with the same range. I would need to do that.

If you spin the front wheel (note there is a dyno hub generator on the hub), there is drag on it. It does not spin freely and comes to a stop fairly quickly. This happens with the lights on or off--I don't get that.

There is a drag on the rear wheel, too. It doesn't spin freely either. Note--I didn't feel the drag while peddling.


Overall, I'm very impressed with the comfort and the shifting. I checked the range with my existing bike--I don't use the granny gear so I took that out--one pedal rotation at low and then at high had a measured distance range of 290% (314" in high, 109" in low). This bike has a range of 306 or so--the bike I'd likely get (Villager) has a range of 240%. This would mean a small reduction--a worthwhile trade for the much superior shifting system.

The Villager is the bike for me, since I don't ride in the dark too often. I have to say that I love these bikes and really hope they sell--I think many more would ride bikes if they had them.

That said, I'm not positive I'll buy one. Is it fast enough? Can I get ever over the freakishly small fat wheels? I really wish I rode the Villager men's style. They didn't have one.

I don't know what to do!

Thanks for the feedback, I've been considering the Uptown 8 myself as my bad-weather commuter.

I guess to summarize what I experienced is to say that these are comfort bikes. That is clearly their goal. I'm just not sure if comfort=slow. I'd like to put a speedometer on the bike, or borrow one for a week.

No doubt this bike would be a very good bad weather bike (generator lights, fenders, quality shifting, protected chain).

I don't understand your comment about the wheels--they are 26". My mom has a Breezer Villager that she uses for commuting. She loves it. The Greenway and Liberty intrigue me.

That's pretty cool. Nice to see a bike in North America that is actually marketed as transportation. Really, it covers all the bases-looks like a real Cadilac.

I've been thinking of building something with a generator and an interally geared hub.

My daughter acquired the three speeed Uptown last summer. It does not have a hub dynamo, but rather a sidewall generator. Top quality bike. The ride is very predictable and reassuring. Attention to detail is just superb. The price seems steep initially, but once you throw in lighting, a suspension seatpost, kickstand, fenders, even a rack and bell, the bikes are very competitively priced.

Check the Breezer website. Joe Breeze is trying to change the world, two wheels at a time. That alone makes them worth a serious look.

As to drag in the hubs: check their adjustment. I tend to go through everything on a bike when it comes into the house for the first time. I think it's very rare for a shop to get it all right on the first pass.

Slow? Compared to what? I think in traffic, the upright position is vastly superior, if somewhat less efficient than the dropped bar position. No connection with Breezer. My commuter is a Kona Dew Deluxe, so my impressions are through my daughter.

Yes,the Nexus 8 hub rocks. My Milano has one and I'm building a bad weather bike out of my Surly and an older 7sp hub. I really like being able to shift whenever I want without any clunking or having to pedal faster.

Yup. No derailer slop,it's just like a single speed or fixie.


What I'd expect from a comfort bike. Sounds kinda like my Sedona.



Sounds like it's geared too low. My Milano is 44/20,and has a pretty good range. I have no idea how you could adjust the pedaling resistance on a Nexus. They have adjustments for cable stretch and brake wear. You could easily swap the sprockets to change the overall gearing. Sheldon has a neat calculator on his site.



There shouldn't be any serious drag with the dyno. As I understand it,they're brushless and make power through induction. It's possible the brake needed adjusting or the skewer was to tight. Also,the dyno makes power when ever the wheel spins;the lights don't need to be on.


Ummm,not sure about this. I'll have to give my rear wheel a spin and report back. On my Milano I notice some drag while pedaling,but none while coasting.


Small fat wheels? They're only 1.5's. Come ride my Surly;it's got 2.35" knobbies.

I can't personally get into the Breezers. I like more performance. My Milano,despite the beach cruiser looks,feels like a smooth-tired MTB. I'd also want disc brakes for an all-weather machine.

Cannondale makes some sweet Nexus machines that they don't import into the US:
https://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/06/CE/cats/Urban.html
I wish we could get them here. There was also a forumite who posted a Nexus/disc brake-equipped hybrid from the UK(can't remember the brand) that also isn't found Stateside. That's why I'm rolling my own with my Surly conversion.

I tried a Breezer when I was looking for a commuter. I could tell it was a good bike, but I couldn't stand riding it. I really hated being so upright, and I hated the fat tires. I settled on a cyclocross bike.

That said, it's a well-built, well-equipped bike. Different people have different needs/wants, and I could see how someone could love to ride it. It could make a good short-distance commuter for someone who prefers to cycle in an upright position.

The drag may be caused by the seals on the hubs. Cool bikes, though. I tried to get my parents to buy a couple of these but they, like most American "consumers", opted for the three-speed Del Sol beach-cruiser-thingys; They look cool, and they look cool in the garage, but they suck to ride. The breezers really are great bikes. Check the tolerances to be sure, but understand that all that "weather" related stuff will cause significant drag, be it from seals, magnetics or weight. But that's the price you pay for owning a reasonably low-maintenance, reliable bike.

Wheter or not it is fast enough depends on you. Certainly a road bike is faster in terms of both top speed and cruising speed. It has higher gearing and lower drag.

In a stop and go situation with lots of traffic lights, the ability to quickly shift gears, even at a stop means you can be very fast off the line. I'm faster on my commute door to door, on my Nexus bike than on my wife's road bike. On the other hand, riding the bike path (no stops) to pick up one of our cars from the shop, the road bike is quicker. So the answer to the speed question is "it depends."

A freewheel is a freewheel. There should be no more coasting drag on the rear wheel tan on any other bike. I'd ask the shop to check it. The front dynohub has some drag even with the light off, and this is normal. You can feel it when you spin the wheel by hand, but not when you are riding. When I converted my bike to hub dynamo, I left the sidewall generator on, thinking I would swap out the front wheel in the summer. However, the dynohub is so much better than the sidewall unit that I leave it on all year round.

One more definition of speed is total breakfast-to-desk-time. The upright position and chainguard mean you don't have to spend time changing clothing before and after a ride. For rides of up to 6 miles, this may be a huge time/convenience advantage. Another consideration is maintenance time. If you ride five hours a week and spend one hour on maintenance/cleaning, the Breezer can reduce your six hours of "bike time" to a bit over five, effectively making you nearly 20% faster.

I've seen several Breezers. These seem to use a lot of mountain bike components, not surprisingly, considering Joe Breeze's background. That means fat tires on 26" rims. Fat tires have some benefits: they don't have to be pumped up as often, they are usually more puncture resistant, work well on paint stripes, and metal plates and grates, and ride better through potholes and rocks.

If you like the bike and it matches your mission, buy it. Otherwise, buy something else. If you are going to ride it for an hour every day, you will spend a lot of your life on it, so be sure your commuter bike is something you really like. Test rides and an unhurried approach are good, I think.

I prefer the woman's versions. I can ride in an overcoat, the top tube is a hassle to clear, and I don't have to worry about splitting my pants. I figure that a gentleman should not have to lift his leg like a dog.

Paul

According to Sheldon(https://www.sheldonbrown.com/dynohubs.html),there shouldn't have been that much drag. Quote,"they are totally silent and have no moving parts nor mechanical friction" and "The Dynohub has _very_ low drag."



Checked my Milano last night. The rear wheel spins freely,just like a derailer bike.

I'm thinking this particular bike wasn't set up properly. That would account for most of the probs you experienced. Any Breezer owners out there want to weigh in?

One of my commuting pals rides the Breezer Uptown. He loves it. He has several bikes and now I rarely see him on anything else.
I agree with darkmother. Refreshing to see a bike in North American designed and marketed for transportation instead of geeky road riding or gonzo mountain biking. (Yes, I am a geeky road rider. Never liked mountain biking so I sold my mtn bike to my boss.)

I'll go further than Sheldon Brown regarding this internal Nexus hub. It is a lot better than my existing Shimano derailer. I've tried to list the pros and cons of this bike, and a lot comes down to this part. Here goes my list (I've tried to be objective--correct me if I'm wrong):

Hub-
Good: simple operation, no strength needed, reliable and smooth, immediate gear change, can change gear if stopped, no adjustment needed, low maintenance, permits use of chain guard- which leads to a clean chain
Bad: limited range (acceptable for most uses), more costly (especially for 8 or 14 speed versions), more weight (not sure how much)

Derailer:
Good: Great range, efficient, less weight
Bad: slow in comparison (especially the front sprocket), pant leg exposure to chain, dirt exposure, less reliable (chain sometimes falls off), adjustments required, more complicated operation, interference on some gears, limited operation in snow.

All in all, I think the Nexus internal hub significantly outperforms the typical derailer system.

I commute (almost) daily, and I am a fan of my Specialized Globe. It's like the Breezer, but without the internal hubs (it has a full range of gears).

Let me say this about speed: Yes, I go slower; and yes, it probably takes more calories per mile. But if speed was all that mattered to you, you would be riding a time trial bike, right? None of us got into this mode of commuting because we were in a rush. The slower ride and upright seating position are both better for riding in traffic.

The Breezer bikes are the American cousin of European bikes like the Gazelle, Utopia and Kettler. Very good bikes--- worth every penny. If you know nothing about cycling and want a good bike that will last a long time and won't break down, go get a Breezer.

I have about 400 miles on my recently purchased Breezer Uptown 8. I wanted an all weather bike for day and night-this is it. Great quality for $850! Nice parts and classic looks too. Ride it in the rain, then just park it. Chain stays very clean. I never owned fenders and am amazed how they keep the bike clean not just the rider. The sensor lights are great when you ride before sunset and return after dark. I have a wireless Cateye that I have not reset since new and it reads about 9mph average speed overall for those 400 miles. Certainly a joke speed to roadies but not too slow for my varied riding style. Although aluminum it is heavy. Skip the front suspension and I think it actually weighs 32.5 lbs. I'll own other bikes but this one I'll keep as the most versatile. After owning the Uptown 8 I would not consider any of the lesser Breezer models with only three speeds and sidewall generators unless Joe Breeze comes out with some colors other than black.

Hmmm sounds like the brake was touching the rim mebbe...

Kind of. On my commute, I love that slightly downhill stretch of good road on which I can maintain 35 mph for limited bursts. That wouldn't happen on a Breezer.

But again, the Breezer's a good bike for some types of commuting and for commuters who prefer a more upright position. It's just not the right bike for me and my commute.

I want to push it, too. For me, it is fun to pedal hard and get up over 20mph once in a while. Also, I want to keep up with traffic as best as I can, although I won't go to drop bars, like Daily Commute and his freakin' 35mph!

I don't know what would stop me from going 20 on the Breezer--it could be the tires or the gearing--or, perhaps it can go 20. It could very well be just as fast as my Raleigh C-50 hybrid with 700 by 32 tires. I'm upright in both--that is the big thing that slows a cyclist down.

I'm going to try and talk my father-in-law to going to the bike shop with me. I'll bring my bike (with its speedometer) and we'll take turns riding each bike.

Regarding the drag on these hubs--there was no brake interfernce or brake rubbing or wheel wobble. Everything looked good. I know the front wheel drag was caused by that generator (since I spun the bike model without the generator wheel, which spun freely). I don't know what the deal is with the back wheel.

I've got a bike similar in some respects to the Breezer. I don't have a speedometer (why would I want one -- I don't have to worry about breaking a speed limit and getting a ticket). However, I've ridden with my wife, who does have a computer on her bike, and I certainly do get up to 20 or more at times. Because of the gearing, I have to spin to do that. Unless I am going downhill, it is just a speed burst for merging left. However, I don't feel that my Specialized Crossroads hybrid has a higher top speed -- you just are not pedaling as fast when it tops out. The road bike is clearly faster, but not the hybrid.

I think the rear wheel bearings may be too tight. When a bike wheel is freewheeling, it does not know whether it is a singlespeed, derailleur, or internal hub.

Paul

Test ride #2: Breezer Villager, diamond frame, 17.5" (too small for me). I rode is last evening, in the dark in Cleveland (Lakewood). Roads were dry and snow was in the forecast, so I was glad to do it then. My father-in-law drove his car behind me and I managed a decent average rate of speed (15 mph estimate), even with the seat too low and the tires underinflated. I was again impressed with the responsiveness of the Breezer. I'm going to buy one shortly.

The light system worked well and was bright enough. The drag on the wheel was minimal. The Nexus 7-speed shifted just as smoothly and quickly as the Nexus 8-speed on the Uptown. I loved it!

Once I freespun the back wheel, there was less drag than before (different bike), but there was a trace of it. It came to a stop noticeably before the front wheel for identical spins. Still, this is not an issue for me.

I think the gearing range is the only remaining issue I have. I might go for an alternate setting, so the high end is better covered. However, I'll wait until I see how it does on the big hill on my commute. I'd prefer the 8-speeds hub on the Uptown and might try to get that changed out. However, the Uptown isn't for me since I don't ride in the dark that often and there is some wheel drag from the front hub generator. I wouldn't want to pay the $140 premium for that model.

Paul--I like the speedometer to better track my commuting time and distance. I sometimes go different routes. I also like to see my speed.

I can't wait to get my new bike!

Stress on the word "limited" in, "35 mph for limited bursts." I am certainly no competition for that ninth spot on Discovery's 2006 TdF team.

I hope you find a bike that works for you.

Hello,

Checkout www.rei.com and their brand of urban commuters the Novarra Fusion (8 spd Nexus and 700c wheels) and the Transfer (7 spd Nexus and 26" wheels).

Interesting bikes. Both are aluminum. Nice paint jobs.

I looked at both, for the little bit of extra cash the Breezer Uptown 8 is a better deal because it has the Premium internal hub and the dynamo both keeps the light on when stopped and has the auto-sense function, the Novarra's don't sport either of these.

Of course it's now a moot point for me. My LBS wrench got me hooked up with a guy from SRAM to discuss internally geared hubs. He told me that they are not a good choice for an over 200lb, strong rider - "damage will occur". So it looks like my bad weather bike is going to be a single speed on a Surly 1x1 frame. Probably a better choice anyway, since I can put disk brakes on it.

Jose,

I liked those bikes, too. The Fusion is nice looking! I'd prefer those tires, I think.

There aren't any REI stores close to Cleveland, however.