Pake Urban 6 speed
 

Has anyone tried this bike as a commuter? I am looking for a low cost replacement for my old specialized crossroads.

Thanks,

JAC

Redondo Beach, California

I wrote up a little comparison of the Pake to the Electra Amsterdam on a bike forum that is local to me. Hope it helps...

Here's a pic of the Pake. I think it's really a nice bike.

http://www.pakebikes.com/pakemen_bbq_r8.jpg

A 6 speed? Seems kind of weird, like they just had a bunch of 6 speed freewheels lying around they needed to get rid of

If you're going to go the derailleur route might as well slap on a 9 speed

I'm not sure why they used 6 speed freewheels, but the only other things Pake makes are a track bike frame and crank set for track bikes. With an msrp of $300, I think it's a great bike for the money.

:eek: , really? That would be perfect for my wife and for my running errands bike....hmmmm.

Not really. 6 speed parts last a lot longer.

The step-through model is a real cutie, DJ. That's the one I rode. :) While there's no Pake dealer in MI, see the part about shops who have accounts with a certain distributor.

http://www.pakebikes.com/pakeladiesfence4.jpg

Why do you say 6 speed parts last longer?
I guess the slightly wider teeth and chains may be better than a 9 speed but an 8 speed uses the same chain width.
6-speed hubs use a freewheel which means the hub bearings are further inboard and more likely to have a bent axle. The axle width is also narrower at 126mm which means there is not much if any advantage in wheel dish.
My guess is they used a 6-speed drivetrain because it was cheaper. I still see cheap bikes with 6-speed derailers so I'm guessing the system costs less than the more modern 8-speed drivetrains.
I'd rather have the hub gear with additional rim brakes.
Craig

i'm looking into getting one of these for my girlfriend and was wondering(from those who have rode them) how they are weight-wise. i know it's not a feather but she has an old varsity that's a freaking anchor. we would like to avoid that again. thanks.

Pake Urban 6 review
 

My wife uses the Pake Urban 6 for her daily commute. She's had it for about two months now and really likes it.
http://www.fototime.com/5FED1D23B130CDA/standard.jpg
We had to buy it site unseen, special ordering from one of the shops listed on the Pake website. Considering the price, it's a pretty nice bike. Good ride and handling. Fairly lightweight. Smooth rolling tires. Two of our neighbors (hybrid riders) have ridden it and thought it was great, loved the upright position. On the downside it does have low-end steel hubs and derailer but they work fine.

Complaints:
- A bike like this should have a KICKSTAND. We added one.
- The seatpost is TOO SHORT, at least on the step-through model. She's only about 5'6" but we needed to install a longer one to get a comfortable position and decent leg extension. It's just a cheap tubular post so a longer one could have been spec'ed at negligible cost.
- The gearing is WAY TOO LOW! The 33/14 tooth high gear is only about 63 gear inches, about the same as Raleigh puts on their beach cruisers. Any tail wind or down slope has you topped out. Changing the chainwheel/chainguard is not feasible so I am installing a 11-28 Shimano 7 speed freewheel (11 tooth not available in 6 speed) and 7 speed twist shifter. This will give her an appropriate 81 inch gear, but the bike should have come that way.

Despite the complaints, I like this bike a lot. It's perfect for the urban environment. America needs more bikes like this. (I ride the Trek L200 "citybike" http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/citybike/l200.jsp picked by Bicycling magazine as one of their bikes of the year then quickly discontinued by Trek.)

Why you guys picking on a 6 speed??

I've got an older Bridgestone "Carmel" 6 speed mixte that is a wonderful
upright city/urban bike. A 6 speed is way better than a 3speed hub that
most city/urban bikes offer and is lighter that a 7speed hub.

Wow... those bars look high.

I was pleasantly surprised at their comfort when I tried the bike out.

I own one of these and use it strictly for going to the grocery store and running quick errands. I've tried commuting on it, but found its combination of gearing, crank length, and rider position cumbersome after about 4-5 miles (FWIW I'm 6' 2"). Instead I commute with my Bianchi San Jose, which is a SS cross bike, and enjoy it very much. All that being said, you can't beat the Pake for the price. I dropped an extra $50 for a rear rack, a pair of steel baskets, and a set of riser bars, and it instantly became an excellent utility bike.