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The "ultimate urban bike"

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The "ultimate urban bike"

Old 07-30-14, 12:53 AM
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Those bikes are not meant to go places with big hills. DC has no natural hills in the central area, but on the outer parts it is surrounded by hills.

The one bike fits all idea is never going to work. Even the famed flying pigeon is no good on hills. You buy a bike for a specific use in mind. Do you see mine dump trucks with their thousands of horsepowers at the drag strip? No. Do you see honda civic being used to haul a 53 foot trailer? No. Ultimate urban bike, for what city? And yea, that rear fender thing is a total joke.

- Andy
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Old 07-30-14, 01:24 AM
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
"Dropping" strangers while commuting may be important to you. Being able to handle more than one tool also may be a "fail" to you and the folks who you know at your clinic. Numerous bike commuters around the world, including in the U.S. are not wrapped up in "dropping" other commuters. Some even can manage to commute w/o 21 speeds and manage to fix a flat w/o a clinic or a fear of taking an extra minute to fix a flat, and more than likely never find any other reason to remove a wheel.
Def a US thing. Most people I know commute in a suit and couldn't care less about "dropping commuters."

I'd rather eat an ice cream while commuting.
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Old 07-30-14, 02:02 AM
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Originally Posted by TransitBiker
Those bikes are not meant to go places with big hills. DC has no natural hills in the central area, but on the outer parts it is surrounded by hills.

The one bike fits all idea is never going to work. Even the famed flying pigeon is no good on hills. You buy a bike for a specific use in mind. Do you see mine dump trucks with their thousands of horsepowers at the drag strip? No. Do you see honda civic being used to haul a 53 foot trailer? No. Ultimate urban bike, for what city? And yea, that rear fender thing is a total joke.

- Andy
Me thinks some of these 'ultimate commuters' are too eye-catching for their own good. Who would feel good leaving a shiny standout-ish looker among other bikes in public places? If you love their looks, imagine how the bike thieves would feel?

Someone needs to tell these guys to add "make it look as grubby and nondescript as possible" as an integral element.
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Old 07-30-14, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by acidfast7
Def a US thing. Most people I know commute in a suit and couldn't care less about "dropping commuters."

I'd rather eat an ice cream while commuting.
Getting a thrill from "dropping" strangers while commuting or while just using a bike to get from here to there is a characteristic of a subset of U.S. commuters, well represented on BF, the bicycling enthusiast who gives a few figs about cycling as a sport/racing.

Can often be found pressing their collective noses against an LBS window (if they don't work there already) ogling the latest and greatest stuff, or thumbing through pages of bicycling magazines for info on the ultimate whatever. And of course posting on BF about their dropping of strangers and other high speed accomplishments.

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Old 07-30-14, 11:00 AM
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I took from dynaryder that Bikeshare bikes suck on hills if they can be dropped by a somewhat-loaded touring bike--? I probably read it that way because I was considering trying one in DC just for the heck of it, but a bike noticeably bad on hills won't work for me. I huff and puff in hilly Baltimore City on my own bike.

Anybody see any extra effort/materials/whatever involved, compared to your average bike, to make the "ultimate urban" frame suit a lot of different-sized riders, or am I not looking at this correctly? Perhaps the different seat tube and headset are giving me that illusion.
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Old 07-30-14, 11:31 AM
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Yet another contest that rates creativity over function.
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Old 07-30-14, 12:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Berta
I took from dynaryder that Bikeshare bikes suck on hills if they can be dropped by a somewhat-loaded touring bike--? I probably read it that way because I was considering trying one in DC just for the heck of it, but a bike noticeably bad on hills won't work for me. I huff and puff in hilly Baltimore City on my own bike.

Anybody see any extra effort/materials/whatever involved, compared to your average bike, to make the "ultimate urban" frame suit a lot of different-sized riders, or am I not looking at this correctly? Perhaps the different seat tube and headset are giving me that illusion.
Saying you dropped a Bikeshare bike is like saying you passed a jogger. Hard not to do, given the fitness level of the riders, combined with the extreme weight of the bikes and upright riding position.
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Old 07-30-14, 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Matariki
Yet another contest that rates creativity over function.
Needs an Apple logo and the modifier "elegant" added to its moniker = instant market.
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Old 07-30-14, 12:49 PM
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I've asked the judges if they'll take a late entry. I've worked with a secret factory staffed by merry men in Nottingham to get our prototype ready quickly.



First off we're going to win on style (seems to be what's important in this case). Our current prototype is dripping with steampunk bling. But look at these functional innovations:

Three (count'em, THREE) full speeds.

Special full coverage metal things to keep road spray and grit at bay (we're calling them Mudgards, since it seems Fenders is taken by some electronical guitar company). Wait till you try these!

Classic North Road handlebar shape made famous by Rivendell.

Attachment flange for lights or ipod or cager-rager short-range stink bomb launcher on stem.

New braking technology that reminds you to slow down in the rain by making it hard for you to slow down in the rain (it's a zen thing!)

Instead of a fancy pull out rear rack, we are using a new mechanism to allow the attachment of various size bags to right to the seat. No rack needed at all.
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Old 07-30-14, 03:43 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Needs an Apple logo and the modifier "elegant" added to its moniker = instant market.
Hey now. Apple makes some amazing stuff. Also, Sir Jon Ive would never approve of such an awkward design. An apple bike would probably be something none of us can picture, that's their speciality.

- Andy

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Old 07-30-14, 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted by FrankHudson
I've asked the judges if they'll take a late entry. I've worked with a secret factory staffed by merry men in Nottingham to get our prototype ready quickly.



First off we're going to win on style (seems to be what's important in this case). Our current prototype is dripping with steampunk bling. But look at these functional innovations:

Three (count'em, THREE) full speeds.

Special full coverage metal things to keep road spray and grit at bay (we're calling them Mudgards, since it seems Fenders is taken by some electronical guitar company). Wait till you try these!

Classic North Road handlebar shape made famous by Rivendell.

Attachment flange for lights or ipod or cager-rager short-range stink bomb launcher on stem.

New braking technology that reminds you to slow down in the rain by making it hard for you to slow down in the rain (it's a zen thing!)

Instead of a fancy pull out rear rack, we are using a new mechanism to allow the attachment of various size bags to right to the seat. No rack needed at all.
Brilliant.
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Old 07-30-14, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by FrankHudson
I've asked the judges if they'll take a late entry. I've worked with a secret factory staffed by merry men in Nottingham to get our prototype ready quickly.
.....
Instead of a fancy pull out rear rack, we are using a new mechanism to allow the attachment of various size bags to right to the seat. No rack needed at all.
My Nottingham special was an "All Steel", as opposed the titanium or carbon fibre version.
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Old 07-30-14, 04:23 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by TransitBiker
Those bikes are not meant to go places with big hills. DC has no natural hills in the central area, but on the outer parts it is surrounded by hills.
LOLZ. TransitBiker,you are seriously clueless. Conn Ave coming out of Dupont Circle is the outer part? Info you: DC is much more than the National Mall. We have lots of hills,all over the place.

DC residents always love it when tourists tell us about our own town.

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
"Dropping" strangers while commuting may be important to you.
FAIL

Originally Posted by acidfast7
Def a US thing. Most people I know commute in a suit and couldn't care less about "dropping commuters."
FAIL

Originally Posted by Berta
I took from dynaryder that Bikeshare bikes suck on hills if they can be dropped by a somewhat-loaded touring bike--?
DING-DING-DING

Yes,my point was that there are many places where these 'ultimate commuters' will not work well. This was a loaded cargo bike,and I was a prolly a good 20yrs senior to the CaBi rider,yet I was able to spin past him because I had a proper set of gears. BTW,one of these days I'm going to actually weigh a CaBi,but from everything I've read,they're about 5lbs heavier than my all steel longtail.

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Being able to handle more than one tool also may be a "fail" to you and the folks who you know at your clinic. Numerous bike commuters around the world, including in the U.S. are not wrapped up in "dropping" other commuters. Some even can manage to commute w/o 21 speeds and manage to fix a flat w/o a clinic or a fear of taking an extra minute to fix a flat, and more than likely never find any other reason to remove a wheel.
Oooooook. What does any of that mean?

Originally Posted by Matariki
Yet another contest that rates creativity over function.
Exactly. For less than what these bikes will cost,you could buy a bike from any of the major companies and accessorize it to fit your needs perfectly. All I did to my Safari was add fenders and lights,and it suits my needs way better than any of these bikes could.
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Old 07-30-14, 05:09 PM
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That bike is an ultimate fail.
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Old 07-30-14, 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by acidfast7
Def a US thing. Most people I know commute in a suit and couldn't care less about "dropping commuters."

I'd rather eat an ice cream while commuting.
Ok then, why are you commuting on a sporty SS/FG with drop bars instead of riding a 50-60 pound upright boat anchor ??
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Old 07-30-14, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
Ok then, why are you commuting on a sporty SS/FG with drop bars instead of riding a 50-60 pound upright boat anchor ??
Because, I had an upright boat anchor in CPH, a MTB in Germany and have a FGSS here.

I like to mix it up.

The opportunity to ride an FGSS presented itself and I seized it. That's allows me to compare between the three much more objectively.
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Old 07-30-14, 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Reynolds
Why the need to look different? An urban bike should have full fenders, real luggage carriers, a chainguard, single speed or IGH, dynamo LED lighting, be able to mount tires up to 2", a reliable stand. That's all IMO.

I couldn't agree more,

I swap the dyno light from the touring rig in the winter. That "Merge" looks like refuse from an Inspector Gadget cartoon. Wait till it's marked down and grab one for the collector's value.

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Old 07-30-14, 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by dynaryder
LOLZ. TransitBiker,you are seriously clueless. Conn Ave coming out of Dupont Circle is the outer part? Info you: DC is much more than the National Mall. We have lots of hills,all over the place.

DC residents always love it when tourists tell us about our own town.

No, i'm not clueless. When i say hills i'm talking geologic feature up to but not exceeding 1000 feet above surrounding topography. I think our definition of hills here may be different than yours.... And no, i'm not a tourist, thanks. I have a lot to say about DC but this is not the place for it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geograp...gton-DC-TF.jpg

- Andy

Last edited by TransitBiker; 07-30-14 at 09:37 PM.
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Old 07-31-14, 07:33 AM
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Originally Posted by MichaelW
My Nottingham special was an "All Steel", as opposed the titanium or carbon fibre version.
Say that quietly, you're letting out our secrets before the contest closes. But since you've leaked this, I'll confirm it. Yes, our prototype will be "the All Steel Bicycle". And here's why: rather than using an ebike motor and expensive battery, we're using the earth natural magnetic force to give a substantial free boost every time we travel in a northward direction.
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Old 07-31-14, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by FrankHudson
Say that quietly, you're letting out our secrets before the contest closes. But since you've leaked this, I'll confirm it. Yes, our prototype will be "the All Steel Bicycle". And here's why: rather than using an ebike motor and expensive battery, we're using the earth natural magnetic force to give a substantial free boost every time we travel in a northward direction.
What about when the poles shift?

- Andy
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Old 07-31-14, 01:56 PM
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These are some very interesting bicycles and integrating things like a usb port are a good idea since so many people use portable communication devices.

As far as the "ultimate" urban bike goes, I would think it nearly impossible to design a bicycle that would fit the varied needs of so many varied riders and part of that has to include the price point of such bikes as they would need to be accessible to the masses and not only to people who have deep pocketbooks.

My wife would tell you that her Breezer Uptown 8 is the ultimate urban bike as it comes with everything... fenders, generator lights, 26 inch wheels, a full chaincase, and an 8 speed IGH which gives it enough range to handle most terrain.

Of late I have been bombing around on my new recumbent which is showing itself to be a very capable urban assault vehicle.
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Old 07-31-14, 04:43 PM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by TransitBiker
No, i'm not clueless. When i say hills i'm talking geologic feature up to but not exceeding 1000 feet above surrounding topography. I think our definition of hills here may be different than yours....
Well,since I'm the one who actually has to crank up the hills to get home,it's my definition that counts.
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Old 07-31-14, 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver
My wife would tell you that her Breezer Uptown 8 is the ultimate urban bike as it comes with everything... fenders, generator lights, 26 inch wheels, a full chaincase, and an 8 speed IGH which gives it enough range to handle most terrain.
Your wife is certainly a lot closer than the designers of the over priced toy in the OP.
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Old 07-31-14, 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by TransitBiker
.... A dutch city bike or flying pigeon plus accessories is all you need.
- Andy
It would be difficult to deny the superior popularity of the Flying Pigeon. Someone should import a version for the American market.
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Old 07-31-14, 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Your wife is certainly a lot closer than the designers of the over priced toy in the OP.
For her this has been the perfect bicycle but for others they would find it to be too heavy, especially if one had to carry it up any stairs.
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