I picked up an Electra Rat Rod a few months back and I've been upgrading it. So far I've been impressed by the steel frame but disappointed in the seat post (which bent) and the back rim (which also bent). I've upgraded to an alloy seat post and sun rear rim. The chain seems to be loose too much, which makes me suspect it's too long and needs to have a link out. But other than that it's been pretty good and I'm using it every day as a commuter and on the weekends. I've logged several hundred miles on it already.

But I've been out of the bike community for over a decade and I don't really know the conventional wisdom on these matters. Is Electra seen as a fad brand, and are there other heavy cruisers and three speeds out there which would be better for utility riding?

For utility riding you need holes in the frame near the back axle so you can mount a rack for carrying things back from the store. The heavy weight of a hi-ten steel frame doesnt add to the pleasure of riding. Most low end bike and many higher priced bikes are made of aluminum now which saves a lot of weight, an important factor when riding up hills or carrying the bike up stairs.

Well that's one advantage of steel. If you want a hole, you just make it. I wouldn't do that with alloys.

Disclaimer: I've never ridden an Electra bike. I've seen a few of them in stores/shops only and on the web and in magazines.

If you are happy with your bike, then I have no right to make an opinion about it. They look like decent utility bikes. Personally I don't care for the styling too much, but that's just me. Now, I wouldn't mind owning one of their chopper-esque bikes for fun rides. I used to look at them sideways because they don't seem very utilitarian, but you've proved me wrong on that already

I just joined the biking community last fall. Electra came up often in my research on utility bikes. My impression is they are not a fad but a leader in a segment they made - pedal forward bikes. However, I have yet to find a shop around here that is knowledgable about comfort or utility bikes. It's road bikes for lance wannabees or mountain bikes. The couple that stock Electras have an attitude like they stock them for the "little wife" of the guy who is buying a $3000 carbon fiber who-ha.

<RANT>It's frustrating to go into bike shop after bike shop asking for high-vis, reflective clothing and getting shown the one rain jacket or wind-breaker than have and half the time it's either high vis or reflective - not both. And heaven help me if they understand the phrase "messenger bag" - I do however get some joy out of the look on their faces when I say "commute"</RANT>