kelz0429

Hello all! My partner purchased this bike from REI over the weekend. I think she wants to use it as a general recreation bike (we will be riding greenways, etc.) but I am curious to find out what you guys think about it as a short-trip commuter (we live about 1 mile from campus, grocery store, coffee shop, etc.). Do you think it is a decent rig that will serve her well? Do you see any real disadvantages/weaknesses? I appreciate your comments!

Frame: 6061 Aluminum
Fork: Comfort suspension
Crankset: SR Suntour XCC, 42/34/24
Shifters: SRAM 3.0 twist shifters
Brakes: Alloy linear pull
Brake levers: Alloy comfort
Front derailleur: Shimano C050
Rear derailleur: SRAM 3.0
Head set: 1-1/8'' threadless
Bottom bracket: Sealed cartridge
Rear cog: 13-34, 7-speed
Front hub: Alloy double-seal
Rear hub :Alloy double-seal
Rims: Alex alloy
Tires: Kenda Komfort, 26x2.1
Stem: Alloy High Rise
Handlebar: K2 Dream Ride Design
Seat post: SR Suntour Parallel suspension
Saddle: K2 Easy Comfort
Pedals: Comfort platform
Chain: KMC Z-51

kf5nd

a one mile trip distance makes it all pretty much non-critical. just ride it, enjoy

envane

It has eyelets, so you can put fenders on it.

1 mile can be ridden on anything.

JeffS

https://www.rei.com/product/761464?vcat=REI_SEARCH



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Seems perfectly fine for the task. K2 sells quite a few bikes that are good values for this type of riding.


On an unrelated note, they also make the only "coasting" bike that makes me want to buy it.



I know I wouldn't be happy with the mechanics of it, but the style is appealing nonetheless.

kelz0429

I actually test rode that bike, the Easy Roller Coasting, and it was a pretty sweet ride--but I agree on both points--beautiful bike, not for me.

I think my biggest concern about the Easy Street is the design of the handlebars. There are several decent hills around the area that may or may not be a problem. Hopefully, the fairly low gearing will make all the difference.

Thanks!

JeffS

That they're swept back? High Up? Something else?

If the bars don't work out for some reason, they can be changed for very little money.

ShinyBiker

I own this bike! I have a 2007 model, though. The specs seem nearly identical. I put a child carrier seat in the back on mine. This is the bike I use when I take my daughter to the park or on fun rides.

I reviewed this bike in my blog:

https://utilitycyclist.blogspot.com/2...shorewood.html

I would see no problems with this being a short distance everyday commuter. The gearing is one of my favorite features. I keep it in the middle ring up front and have no problems going up steep hills (w/a 30lb load in the back!). I'm sure I could granny it up and go with the front small ring, but haven't seen the need for that yet.

Those front handlebars give you a lot of real estate for a speedo, lights, gps unit. I could be wrong, but these handlebars are also used in the Novarra transfer, another commuting fave.

kelz0429

The bars are swept back at a strange angle (at least, it seems strange to me). I would normally just reassure myself with the idea that the bars can be changed at any time. With this bike, however, the geometry (which was the selling point of this bike for my partner who is from the beach and has no idea what it means to pedal up-hill) and the comfort factor of the bike are pretty much dependent on the way the bars are shaped. You sit close to the ground and pretty far away from the front of the bike, so, unless you ride really hunched over, the sweeping bars may be your only option.

Is anyone here familiar with this particular geometry? Is there any hope of improving leverage while maintaining the general geometry?

Chances are, she will not have a problem, but, in the event that she does, I would love to have a few ideas ready for the draw.

Thanks again!

edbikebabe

She's already got it - so just ride it. If it stops being comfortable/getting the job done/too slow, then time to move on to something new. Until then....

ratell

I have similar swept back bars on my commuter and I love them. I like the upright riding position and the bars coming back is a very natural hand position. In a strong wind or a steep hill you can leave the seat and hunch over bars like you would on a straight bar. If you don't need the multiple hand positions of the drop down bars I see no downside.

Torrilin

You don't need a ton of leverage for hill climbing if you have decent gear range and are using them effectively. I most often find myself yanking on the bars for leverage when I'm in too high a gear... the next step after that is I start to stand. If I downshift at the right time, I don't end up doing either. Climbing is definitely a skill that takes practice. She won't get it right away, but as long as she knows it takes practice she should be fine.

If your partner is used to beach cruisers, she may find bike gearing confusing. Encourage her to research it herself *and* to go out and experiment if she has trouble. (like a lot of women, I find it *very* hard to parse technical information in a conversation. but if it's written down I can *see* the numbers, get out a calculator and play with them. then it sticks with me and I can experiment on my bike and have the numbers and reality match up. indexing was a godsend for figuring things out. so was sitting on the ground and counting teeth so I could plug information into Sheldon's gear calculator.)

JeffS

Standing on a crank-forward bike is a challenge, and not generally worthwhile.