Last year the Breezers caught my eye. Nice bikes! Now I've noticed that Trek and Specialized have commuter bikes. Are these old models or is the segment heating up? Any opinions on the various offerings?

I like the breezers. I wasn't aware of them when I began commuting again & bought a used touring bike then added fenders, lights, rack, bar tape & bar bag. I do like the idea of a bike that doesn't need a lot of extras added to make it usable for commuting...I have found so many good commuting bikes at giveaway prices I'm not sure I would spend the money for a new one now though. Don

I have noticed that when I go into my lbs, he is carrying more bikes for the average rider. I think this is a good trend. The same goes for the marketing. In the past it was all about buying a $3000.00 mountain bike or road bike.

This market segment is heating up. The Bike Gallery, a LBS in Portland, special ordered a shipping container full of Trek's eurobikes from Trek's Ireland manufacturing plant last year, after failing to reach a deal with Dutch manufacturer Batavus the year before. The Treks sold so well in Portland that Trek decided to introduce them nationally. That would be the L200, L300, T200 and T300 models. Other manufacturers are following suit. Electra is offering their Townie line, Bianchi is offering the Milano; Specialized, Cannondale, Giant and other manufacturers are also getting into the game. Although I haven't ridden a Breezer, I understand that they are supposed to offer a very good ride, and Breezer is a smaller American company with good support for their products and a progressive philosophy regarding the promotion and use of practical bikes for everyday transportation. Breezer also reinvests in bicycle advocacy at the national and local level in many of the communities in which their bikes are sold. You should check out their web site: https://www.breezerbikes.com/

If "commuter bikes" get more people on bicycles, it's a good thing, but personally, I don't like riding them. I tried a bunch of so-called "commuter bikes" last summer, including the Breezer. I don't think they're useful for anything except short (<3 mile) trips. On longer trips, the upright position would slow you down too much (I felt like I was standing up).

But if you are looking for a ready-to-ride bike for short trips, "commuter bikes" might be a good idea, especially if you like the upright position.

In short, "commuter bikes" have a purpose, but I don't think they're suited for serious commuting.

I think it all depends upon the commute. I ride a 10 to 12 mile round trip, and I would not want to use anything else.

I also have a hybrid and my wife's road bike available, and I have used all three. The drops are nice only if you don't have a traffic light every 500 feet or so. In that case, they are wasted.

In fact, the commuter biker is the fastest of the three under these conditions, because the internal gears allow shifting when stopped. I've also found derailleur bikes to be fragile and maintenance-intensive. I need a bike that I can treat like a car -- take it to the shop every three months or so and not have to fiddle with it.

Internal brakes (no brake dust to get on your suit) and a chainguard means one can just hop on and go -- no preparation or special clothing required. That further cuts block to block time.

I agree that they are suited to short trips. However, I'd raise the definition of a short trip from >3 miles to perhaps >8 miles.

Paul

The segment is heating up. Even though I'm a bike commuter, I prefer to see these bikes as practical transportation. That may mean attaching a trailer and going to Costco, or simply hoping on my bike to go to a community meeting, food store, video, etc. instead of my car. Anytime I hop on the bike instead of the car, it is a victory for me, my wallet, my health, my happiness, my family, my neighborhood, my oil dependent country!

There is an incredible shop in Berkeley that is part Bike shop, part art gallery (the bikes are the art), and part community activism. He has an inspiring, if eclectic, website. He does some mail order, but don't count on a fast turnaround. He's there to inspire. His preference would be for people who love the aesthetics of city bikes to visit his boutique and he uses the web as a way to showcase his catalog of items that cannot fit in his impossibly small space.

If you love the art of the bicycle, he's well worth the trip to Berkeley. But be careful, his hours are wildly irregular (part of the charm, I guess)

www.momovelo.com

Use his site for inspiration. If you can't find the item locally, then contact him.

Paul H:
"Fiddling" is half the fun of commuting for some of us. That's why I have a big garage & two workbenches. Don

I'm perfectly happy riding my 'commuter' bikes distances of 5 to 10 miles or more. I gave up on 'sports' bikes with skinny seats and tires and dropped handlebars years ago. The average local car trip is less than 5 miles, anyway. If bikes were more comfortable and practical, more people just might take these short trips to the store or to work by bike, instead of driving....

There are a couple of good websites on this subject of commuter bikes.

https://members.101freeway.com/davidm...r_bicycles.htm

This site gives a lot of commuter bicycles that are selling. What bothers me folks is the fact that commuter bikes cost MORE than regular road bikes. For crying out loud, some of those handbuild 3 speeds (Boston Bicycle by ANT) are selling for $900.00 dollars or Cannondale type prices!

That's the problem right there. There aren't any companies out there selling $99.00 dollar three speed bicycles with fenders. There are loads of dual suspension mountain bikes at Walmart with 27 gears that are useless.

The "commuter bikes" I tried did not feel comfortable. But I just have a preference for a more aggressive posture. I can see how some might enjoy a more upright position. The better commuter bikes also come with generator lights, easy shifting, fenders, a rack, etc., etc., etc. So you don't have to buy as much extra stuff. By contrast, my cyclo-cross bike didn't even come with pedals.

But if you like the feel of a road or mountain bike, I'd think twice before plunking down the cash for a "commuter" bike.

If you ride through 4 or more hills, it would be crazy to buy a three speed commuter bike. On the other hand, I've ridden with a commuter bike for the past three years on roads that were basically flat. I did not mind the flat handlebars and it's actually safter when riding alongside city traffic.

What I find wrong with these commuter bikes is the price. Unless you have a place to park them, there is no way you can leave a 1K Trek outside your office.