I'm not a particularly athletic specimen, I'm old, fat and unfit. I have several long term illnesses which stop me from exerting myself as much as my doctor and my family would want. I had an injury 25 years ago which caused scar tissue and permanent stitching in my groin, and this makes ordinary bikes, and bike seats, very uncomfortable for me.
I used to love riding a bike when young and at school. I stopped when i decided it wasn't cool, after I got my first motorbike. Yes, I regret this.
A few years after my accident, I tried riding again, on an old Healing 10 speed. On my first ride I began to experience spreading numbness which basically caused me to fall off and lie motionless in the grass for nearly an hour, before walking home and selling the bike.
Many years later, I tried one of those cheap steel framed dual suspension bikes. This was fairly comfortable for about 20 minutes, but the rear suspension absorbed most of my pedal effort, and the thickly padded seat lost it's comfort after 20 minutes. I lived then on a slight slope, and eventually I realized that it was simply easier to walk...
Recently I moved to a flatter area, not quite close enough to the shops to make it easy to shop on foot. In fact it's very tiring and I ache all over afterwards. So a bike looked to be in order. I tried several, but all announced their discomfort within minutes of mounting, even the ones with really thick seats and suspension posts. The problem was the height of the seat, and the interference with my goolies by the seat horn.
I read online about the Crank Forward designs, and customers reported how easy to ride and comfortable they were. They included the Trek Pure, Giant Suede, Raleigh Gruv, Sun Drifter, and a few others. The only one I found available in New Zealand was the Electra Townie. This was the same price as just the freight for importing one from the States.
The Townie arrived in a box, and my friendly local dealer assembled it for me. Well, what can I say, the Internet is amazing, and all those who wrote nice things about the Townie were right. I can sit on it with both feet on the ground (not Quite flat feet...), it is easy to ride, and I don't ache after riding it. In fact, it feels like I am stretching all my muscles while riding, so there is none of the knee/ ankle knotting and throbbing I get after a long walk. I am still using the lower gears on the second crank ring, and every now and then I sit back and freewheel, but this just shows how efficient the Townie is. I have goner up a couple of short steep rises without trouble, just a pumping heart and burning lungs which soon wears off. Can't be doing me any harm. In fact, I really miss riding if it rains for a day or two.
There is a definite weight bias towards the rear, which makes it easier for arms and wrists. Only restarting on a steep slope is a (minor) problem with this. I have developed a slight sore neck, and I do feel the road shocks up my spine after a while (although the elastomer in the seat does work). I don't really like the seat, which is very wide - if I didn't have groin injuries, it might be OK. As it is I feel it after 40 minutes or so, but I can ride for over an hour without any real pain.
I am solving both problems with a Cloud 9 seat, and a Cane creek Thudbuster suspension seatpost. When they arrive I hope to exchange my present comfort for pure luxury.
Real cyclists might turn up their noses at the Townie, but it's not really meant for you. It's meant for ageing semi cripples like me, who would otherwise not be able to ride a bike at all. I wonder though, whether younger fitter riders might not benefit from using a Townie for every day transport. Every twinge and ache you feel right now with your wonder speed machine will be magnified tenfold the older you get. The pressure on your groin alone, from diamond frame design, must give you cause for concern. Riding a Townie might just let you slow down a little, relax and enjoy your riding and the scenery as you pedal along. After all, with a lot of things, it's not how fast you go, but how long you can enjoy the ride!
I used to love riding a bike when young and at school. I stopped when i decided it wasn't cool, after I got my first motorbike. Yes, I regret this.
A few years after my accident, I tried riding again, on an old Healing 10 speed. On my first ride I began to experience spreading numbness which basically caused me to fall off and lie motionless in the grass for nearly an hour, before walking home and selling the bike.
Many years later, I tried one of those cheap steel framed dual suspension bikes. This was fairly comfortable for about 20 minutes, but the rear suspension absorbed most of my pedal effort, and the thickly padded seat lost it's comfort after 20 minutes. I lived then on a slight slope, and eventually I realized that it was simply easier to walk...
Recently I moved to a flatter area, not quite close enough to the shops to make it easy to shop on foot. In fact it's very tiring and I ache all over afterwards. So a bike looked to be in order. I tried several, but all announced their discomfort within minutes of mounting, even the ones with really thick seats and suspension posts. The problem was the height of the seat, and the interference with my goolies by the seat horn.
I read online about the Crank Forward designs, and customers reported how easy to ride and comfortable they were. They included the Trek Pure, Giant Suede, Raleigh Gruv, Sun Drifter, and a few others. The only one I found available in New Zealand was the Electra Townie. This was the same price as just the freight for importing one from the States.
The Townie arrived in a box, and my friendly local dealer assembled it for me. Well, what can I say, the Internet is amazing, and all those who wrote nice things about the Townie were right. I can sit on it with both feet on the ground (not Quite flat feet...), it is easy to ride, and I don't ache after riding it. In fact, it feels like I am stretching all my muscles while riding, so there is none of the knee/ ankle knotting and throbbing I get after a long walk. I am still using the lower gears on the second crank ring, and every now and then I sit back and freewheel, but this just shows how efficient the Townie is. I have goner up a couple of short steep rises without trouble, just a pumping heart and burning lungs which soon wears off. Can't be doing me any harm. In fact, I really miss riding if it rains for a day or two.
There is a definite weight bias towards the rear, which makes it easier for arms and wrists. Only restarting on a steep slope is a (minor) problem with this. I have developed a slight sore neck, and I do feel the road shocks up my spine after a while (although the elastomer in the seat does work). I don't really like the seat, which is very wide - if I didn't have groin injuries, it might be OK. As it is I feel it after 40 minutes or so, but I can ride for over an hour without any real pain.
I am solving both problems with a Cloud 9 seat, and a Cane creek Thudbuster suspension seatpost. When they arrive I hope to exchange my present comfort for pure luxury.
Real cyclists might turn up their noses at the Townie, but it's not really meant for you. It's meant for ageing semi cripples like me, who would otherwise not be able to ride a bike at all. I wonder though, whether younger fitter riders might not benefit from using a Townie for every day transport. Every twinge and ache you feel right now with your wonder speed machine will be magnified tenfold the older you get. The pressure on your groin alone, from diamond frame design, must give you cause for concern. Riding a Townie might just let you slow down a little, relax and enjoy your riding and the scenery as you pedal along. After all, with a lot of things, it's not how fast you go, but how long you can enjoy the ride!
