NormanF

The Trek Belleville recalls the Parisian Porteur Bikes made famous by Rene Herse/Alex Singer. The only thing missing are 650B wheels and reverse brake levers on the bars. The bike design speaks for itself!

badmother

Ok, but you forgot the mixte. NEWER forget the mixte.

WCoastPeddler

Pardon my ignorance, but what's a mixte?

Panthers007

A bicycle designed so as to facilitate a rider who is wearing a skirt. Other names include: Step-Through Bike and Girl's Bike.

Siu Blue Wind

........with a split top tube that runs to the meeting points of the seat and chainstays. If it doesn't have that, it's not a true mixte.

Little Darwin

Actually, no.

A mixte is a specific model stronger than most step-throughs. It is also often billed as a unisex bike.

A mixte typically has a double top tube, which extend through the rear triangle to form an additional set of stays. Sometimes it will have a single top tube, which transitions at the seat tube tio a set of stays, this type is less common.

Bat22

Mixte is a buzzword I've been hearing lately.
People want to see more of them around.
A metrosexual thing?
I wouldn't doubt the industry will put out more
utility type hybrids.

badmother

Mixte is NOT a girls/womans bike. Mixte is similar to "mixed" in English, meaning a bik for mixed (both) sexes. Made to be a stylish citybike in Pars. THIS is the first true hybrid if you ask me

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...68#post9441668

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/561391-cb400bill-rocks-mixte-content.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/227038-show-us-your-mixte-mhendricks-new-happy-place.html

https://www.velo-orange.com/vomamifr.html

https://www.rivbike.com/products/list/bicycle_models

https://www.somafab.com/bvista.html

https://www.flickr.com/groups/mixte/pool/

terraskye

I finally just noticed these on the Trek website this morning and I'm now anxiously waiting for the Trek dealer here to get them in..I'd have swap out a couple of things for aesthetic reasons but for the most part I'm hopeful

NormanF

Have the dealer swap out the levers for reverse brake levers. Just to complete the retro look. It should have 650B wheels and 38mm tires to be "period-correct." After all, its a porteur!

terraskye

Hmm...could you give me the idiots guide to bike anatomy please? I dont know a lot of the technical jargon yet

NormanF

[

Sure. Reverse brake levers are levers mounted at the end of the handlebars. 650B is a French rim size ERTRO 584mm. That means its 25mm larger than a 559mm or 26" MTB wheel size and 38 mm smaller than a 622mm 700C road size. The usual tire size for 650 is a 38mm tire equivalent to a 18mm 700C tire. The standard tire in the 650B size is a Col De La Vie made by Panaracer of Japan.

terraskye

Thank you I got most of that. I cant tell what shifters on it are like but I hope they are those dial type ones like my employers bike has...I'm not too fussy about those for some reason

Panthers007

If people went to your average bike-shop and said they wanted a bicycle, and proceeded to define it as you defined 'mixte' - I doubt they'd understand a word you were saying. If you said you wanted a women's model - or girls' bike - then they'd know what you wanted.

But how does this definition work on a Trek FX-series WSD?

alicestrong

I love my Motobecane mixte, but I've never considered it a hybrid. Hmmmm...

Panthers007

I'll bet that rides real nice! Nice long wheelbase. Wonderful!

Is that a Grand Touring model?

terraskye

Quick Question~

From Trek website regarding the Belleville:
"The bike is a 3 speed internal but is compatible with single and multi speed derailleur drivetrains."

Does this mean if I want my LBS to turn this into say a 24 speed its possible?

TIA

sh00k

i really dig the color scheme on the bellville.

NormanF

The Belleville has horizontal dropouts so you can run it single speed, IGH or derailleur drivetrain.

terraskye

So yes to my question? I'm sorry..I feel like such a bike dummy sometimes

NormanF

Yes. You should able to set up a bike as it suits you. A porteur bike is meant to be customized for the occasion!

terraskye

Awesome that makes me a bit more hopeful, not hubby of course because he thinks my bike collecting will be like my bag collection

alicestrong

Tis. You have a very good eye...

randya

and it's saying: 'this bike is an urban utility bike, not a hybrid'

Panthers007

Remind me never to take you to an art-museum...