Cooper Zandvoort/Trek 9th District/Traitor Luggernaut/Schwinn Slicker
 

Hello all. Does anyone have any experience with any of these bikes?

I've hemmed and hawed over adding an IGH to my own bike (a Windsor TimeLine, which I love) to make it a three speed. I've thought about it more since I became an occasional commuter in November (i.e., post-Hurricane Sandy).

The owner of my LBS (a great guy, who has a great shop and a great staff) has recommended against the conversion route. He thinks the Trek 9th District would be a good choice. He's probably right, and I trust his judgment, but I'm also considering alternatives. I used to have an old Schwinn and found its gearing to be ideal for NYC, hence my attraction to the idea of a lighter, sportier 3-speed IGH bike like the Cooper or the Traitor (or a modded TimeLine, in any event something like the old British "clubman"-style bikes). But I do find the 1x9 bikes intriguing.

The model I have now (mine's lightly modified, platform pedals, Specialized Avatar saddle, Bontrager Hardcase All Weather 32s). I haven't added a rack or fenders yet, but it'll take those without problem. I can carry it up to my fourth-floor apartment easily:

http://bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/timeline.htm

And the ones I've been considering:

http://shop.cooperbikesusa.com/Coope...-Zandvoort.htm

http://www.traitorcycles.com/Bikes_Luggernaut3spd.cfm?Token={ts_2013-01-13_00:08:04**-38818677

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...9th_district/#

http://www.schwinnbikes.com/bikes/urban/slicker

Thoughts?

I should add that it'll be easy to test ride the Trek; that's part of Tony's regular stock. I'll have to bounce around to some other shops to do that for the Schwinn and the Traitor, but they are available retail. The Cooper isn't, at least not nearby, and would be special order only.

The photo of my own bike is at Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park.

No experience of them, but just wondered why you'd want to drop around another $400 + on the 3spd as opposed to that Trek? If it were me I'd probably go with the Trek, like you LBS guy suggested.

BTW - Cool pic of your bike.:thumb:

Zandvoort is a seacoast town In NL, I stayed at a campground there twice ,
right after arriving at AMS Shiphol airport to get back out of Jetlag .. just a short distance away./.

There is a Motorsports race course there too..


Schwinn 'signature' bikeshops, (so i guess they are not selling those to Wally World]
and Trek dealers you can test ride them..

So you want an IGH Bike.. ?

AW3 or S3X ?

Looks like Schwinn specified their contract manufacturer .. so they used steel for the frame..

Yes, the Zandvoort GP circuit! Legendary, key track in the 1.5 litre F1 era. I'd love to go there someday.

Right, the Signature line isn't Wallybox stuff. The Schwinn and the Trek, frame material aside (and the Schwinn is Reynolds 520, so it's using decent material), are very much the same type of bike.

I loved riding my old AW three speed, so I'm biased in favor of an IGH just from that experience. I loved being able to shift down at a standstill, waiting on traffic lights and such. Buying a new IGH, I would go for an AW (or S-RF3)-equipped bike. Modifying mine, I'd probably put a freewheel on an S3X hub.

I don't want to just snap up the first one I test ride. I'll just have to see how each bike feels, beginning with the Trek.

And thanks for the compliment on the photo! Snapshots are fun.