Ranzak

My college student daughter, just got home for summer and has completely commandered my wife's Townie! She has an old Schwinn 12 speed, a 2002 Gary Fisher Marlin and the Townie to choose from and it's no competition.

celticfrost

EDIT: The Townie ain't that great.

If you're gonna pick a nice Electra, it's this one:

https://www.electrabike.com/04/bikes/...5_str_30.html#

But at $570, I could get a nice fixie Mercian or Bob Jackson. I guess it's all a matter of taste and priority.
My next bike will be a Mercian or Bob Jackson (or something lugged, classic and simple). The Electra Rat Fink would be a 4th bike, if I ever get to a 4th.

randya

The Rat Fink is built on a frame with the same basic geometry as the Townie frame, it's just cooler looking...I posted Rat Fink pics way back at the beginning of this thread.

AnnaInVA

I was looking at the Townies, when the local bike dealer showed me the Drifter from Sun bikes, www.sunbicycles.com (actually, this new 2005 bike not on their website yet, strange). So, this Drifter is a 7 speed, and rides like a dream. I can put both feet on the ground (I hadn't ridden a bike in 50 years and just recovered from a hip replacement) and feel very, very comfortable riding it. The best thing was the price at $329.00 ... less than the Townie and same configuration. Check it out.
AnnaInVA

Dang

I like the looks. Gonna get me one of those Electras one day buddy.

DaHowie

My wife rode 15 miles like it was nothing on her new and very pink Townie 3. She wouldn't do more than a couple of miles on her mountain bike. She wanted to do more but I talked her out of it as she has been on a bike 2 times the past 4 years. 5 miles last Tues with many stops to get the bike adjusted, and yesterday. She wasn't near as sore as she or I expected this morning.

Of course I was on my '73 Schwinn Speedster 3-speed with a pinch in the rim near the valvstem that causes the tire to bulge a bit. I feel this on every revolution. I need to find a new rim and lace it on.

jvenugop

Hi McBengie,

If the price was a little more affordable I would even consider buying it for my wife. Rather costly though...

randya

I just came from my local LBS / Electra dealer, where I was window shopping at lunch time. The base price for a Townie with a 3-speed internal hub or 21-speed derailleur is $359. There are other more expensive models of the Townie, but that's a pretty darn reasonable base price, IMHO.

Marge

Is it just me? I don't really want a townie but I thought they were incredibly heavy and uncomfortable.

randya

Is your opinion an educated one based on a test ride, or not?

DaHowie

My wifes Townie is half of the weight of my '73 Schwinn Speedster 3-speed.

darkStar

Hi townie fans. I'm selling a 2005 Townie 24 black satin on eBay in the San Diego area for $349 with over $100 in extras. It's been ridden only a few times and is like new! Save a few bucks! Here's the link: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7167209837

Oxfordrider

ABSOLUTELY ... couldn't have put it better myself.

I'm also new to this forum and have just discovered it via Google UK when searching on "Electra Townie".
This is now 4am when I should be asleep in bed but I can't leave the thread before getting to end [although at point of writing this I'v only got as far as the one I'm replying to] ... so far its fascinating to see what a load of bike snobs are in the States!

Here in Europe we ride for utilitarian purposes as much as for sport and don't have such a hang-up about types of riding and riders. Holland typically comes to mind where they have a tradition of riding comfort type / sit-up-and-beg utilitarian bikes all day and everyday and where this type of bike dominates the landscape. Here in the UK I live just south of Oxford [the University town] where again these type of bikes, usually old, battered and well used are the norm.

I'm 49 years old and am 280lbs in weight, the latter making me akin to quite a few Americans who are medically obese and who need to exercise and lose weight. I grew up riding bikes everywhere and wasn't overweight then - at 20 years I was a fit hockey playing and cycling 180 lbs! In my early twenties I stopped hockey and cycling, and became a car owner, and although I'v had a succession of large dogs that have been walked daily, I have increasingly put on weight.

So I'v now decided to get back to biking but don't like the mountain bike type position of sitting and placement .. I have one in my garage, and that's where it stays. I have just come across the Electra Townie today ... a 21 Ladies model ... in a bike store in the town where I work. I didn't know it was American or anything about these type of bikes previously to seeing it in the shop ... I was immediately attracted to what I saw and when I sat on it I grinned and grinned and felt GREAT ! I said to the store assistant "its like a chopper only more adult". When I asked the price I nearly fainted as its £350 sterling here. I had to get to work so didn't ride it out in the car park, but intend going back Monday to test ride it. Meanwhile I'v come home and researched it on internet.

Can someone explain why the Townie 21 is cheaper than the Townie 7 ? I love the bronze colour of the 21, but don't need 21 gears. The 7 looks more cased in and 7 gears will suffice, and my 21 year old daughter wants me to get the red colour ... it looks as though I'll be sharing it as she thinks its COOL from the pictures on the internet. And Rowan, no she's not an Electra executive !!

Well its 4.30am and I'm feeling like an internet junkie ... I shall have to return to reading rest tomorrow. Meanwhile Goodnight fellow forum members

KrisPistofferson

The Nexus 7 interna-gear hub is more expensive than derailleur gearing. Welcome to Bikeforums, Oxfordrider!

Oxfordrider

Thanks for the welcome ... can you explain in words of not too many syllables for someone whose eyes glaxe over at engineering-speak what the 7 interna-hub does and what the derailleur gearing does, and the difference in performance, etc? Here's hoping I understand

ksk

Look here for information on the Shimano Nexus 7 \8 hubs.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus-mech.html

Basically, the hubs are like the old 3 speeds but with seven or eight gears. All of the "works" are within the hub. So, you have one sprocket at the pedals, one at the rear!

I own the Townie 8. So far I love it. I did have problem with the bottom brackett, but my bike shop resolved this for me no charge.

Good Luck!

ksk
8/01

randya

I had problems with my Electra's bottom bracket too, different model bike.

Re. internal hub vs. derailleur, search these forums, there's a couple of old threads in either commuting and/or general cycling on this subject that have a decent amount of information and debate on these alternatives.

Issues include efficiency, weight, reliability, ease and frequency of maintenance, etc. Each style of gearing has it's proponents and detractors. I use both on different bikes, and while there are differences, each works equally well in most 'normal' around-town riding situations. I'd have to say though, that you shouldn't be scared off by 21 speeds, you'll only use a few of them in most instances, and the others are there if you need them. Internal hubs are heavier, but on the other hand generally require lower maintenance. It's also harder to fix/change a rear tire with an internal hub though. I could go on...

Oxfordrider

The UK only imports the Townie 21 & 7 [and some cruisers], so I haven't got choice of the Townie 8. I'm guessing the rear coaster brake on the 7 means I have to back pedal to stop? ie there's no handlebar facility to rear brake? If this is the case I don't know whether I'll like it either. I'v test-ridden the 21 today but no local shops have the 7 ... so I have asked and got a 7 coming from the UK importer to try out, and will be able to see the difference for myself in a few days time.

Now I'v ridden the 21 I'm not put off the 21 speeds, but I'm concerned there's no chain guard as I assume my leg is likely to rub against it sometimes and get messed with oil? For those of you riding the 21, is this the case? I'm told by the local shop that the 21 can't have a chain-guard, but I haven't asked the importer ... can anyone who actually knows, let me know? Given that I prefer the bronze colour of the 21, and the price [the 7 costs a hefty£400 sterling] it could be this issue that swings it for me.

Thanks a lot for the info so far ...

arkady

Yes, these bikes and the people who ride them are actually CGI, specifically created to shore up the egos of insecure 'real' riders everywhere. ::sinister titter::

Seriously, though, I'm looking at a Townie for my disabled 20 year old son, who really needs to get some exercise, but feels shaky on his mountain bike. I want to ask, on the 21, is the shifter fairly easy to learn?

randya

Sounds like a good bike for your needs. Re. shifting, you'd probably only regularly use about five rear sprockets w/ the middle chainring for normal riding, the other chainrings are probably only necessary if you have to deal with a lot of hills, both up and down. Twist grip index shifting on most bikes these days is a cinch, just make sure your cables don't develop too much slack.

rosewood

Sorry, this is my first time to do any posting in any forum, so this isn't really a reply. Actually a new question.

I am just now, at age 54, starting to get into riding. My husband and I bought dept. store schwinn bikes, and after riding for a few short trips, I have had 2 bladder infections (I hadn't had one in over 25 years, and this is the only thing different in my life). The second time I also had unbelievable pain!! I did notice that I was also tender in the "soft spots" but the pressure on my bladder was significant.

Here's my real question: does it seem to anyone that the Electra Townie would alleviate some of the pressure on my bladder? I tried one out at a local bike shop, and fell in love. But frankly the price makes me little nervous. Does anyone have any ideas, or experience with this type of problem?

Thanks.

phosphorus

I'm sure it's possible... but I wear "normal" pants with a strap on my right ankle and never had a problem.

adale

I urge you to not buy the townie.

(I looked at this forum when shopping for my townie originally, and have registered here specifically to steer others away. Learn from my mistake!)

In my case, the manufacturer, Electra, has stonewalled sending a replacement part under recall, for several months now. Electra seems infamous for this, at my local bike shop.

The part in question were the rims, which were ill-designed and popped the tubes. These are under recall, and in theory could be replaced easily. But theory is different from practice here. The bike is unsafe to ride without proper rims, and getting them from Electra has been impossible, even after repeated phone calls. Ach!

If you're still thinking about getting a townie for the flat-foot design, check out sheldon brown's guide to proper starting and stopping:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/starting.html

This guide really helped my anxiety about balancing, perched atop the seat, something which scared the crap out of me as a kid. A half hour of practice with sheldon brown's technique, and that anxiety was totally gone. Since then I've been fine with riding a seat raised to the proper height with no "flat foot" stuff.

Anyway, I'm off to the bike shop to beg for a refund. If I get it, I'll buy a bike that works.

ksk

Can you provide a web link or additional info on the recall? What bike models? What rims? Is this an Electrea recall, or a recall from the rim manufacturer?

Please advise, thanks,

ksk
9/24

KrisPistofferson

I think it's BS. Google turned up nothing on such a recall. Electra seems to inspire such hatred among "real" cyclists, but what's funny is that everyone, from fixed gear to recumbent to roadie to comfort-bike commuter, all consider themselves the "real" cyclists. I consider myself "real" and have paid my car-free, commuting dues as well as anyone, and I like the Townie. As a matter of fact, I've got one on layaway at the LBS.
I wanted to try out the Nexus hub as well as "flat foot technology" for my commutes. I religiously clean my drivetrain once a week, and it seriously makes chainrings, cassettes and chains last a heck of a lot longer, but I wanted to have a three speed hub for comparison's sake. Also, I work construction, and sometimes "aero" is the LAST posture I feel like crunching my back into! At $400, it's really not a bad price when you take into account that it's got a Nexus hub, which run a little higher than the Giant Suede's derailleur gears. At $400, I won't feel too terribly bad if I hate it, then I could use it as a beater without feeling bad.
Seriously folks, in countries where commuting is "normal," unlike the US, these kind of bikes are a dime-a-dozen. I like the Townie because it's designed for practicality AND beauty, though. To each their own, I say.