Bike buying advice · Public discussion

Cruiser bike for girlfriend?

Started by moogleslam · · Last activity · 5 posts · 988 views

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Bike buying advice
Published
11 August 2011
Last activity
17 August 2011
Original author
moogleslam
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5
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Public discussion
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Topics
Frame sizingCoaster brakesSingle-speed and fixed-gear

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  1. Original post
    moogleslam
    Archived post
    #1

    [FONT=arial]My girlfriend told me she wants a cruiser after I stopped by the bike shop to try on some Bern helmets - must have seen something that caught her eye. She just wants to ride around our quiet little town on it. So far, the requirements we've come up with, in a more or less prioritized order are:[/FONT]

    [FONT=arial]Ladies 26" Cruiser Bike[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]Pull Brakes (although she'd love coaster brakes as well - do some cruisers have both?)[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]7+ Gears[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]Comfortable seat (though we could no doubt switch it for an aftermarket one if she doesn’t like the stock one)[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]Lightweight (Aluminum instead of steel?)[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]Front and Rear Fenders[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]Rear Storage Rack[/FONT]
    [FONT=arial]< $200[/FONT]

    [FONT=arial]That is what she’s looking for in her bike – nothing too seriously obviously, but I have no experience with these bikes. They all seem quite inexpensive, but what do I look for? What brands or models are considered good? Any recommendations?[/FONT]

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  2. Mojo Johnson
    Archived post
    #2

    I have a nice cruiser bike I'd be willing to trade. What's the girlfriend look like?

    [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif[/IMG]

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  3. moogleslam
    Archived post
    #3
    Quoted post said:

    Originally Posted by Mojo Johnson [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

    I have a nice cruiser bike I'd be willing to trade. What's the girlfriend look like?

    [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif[/IMG]


    better than your bike....

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  4. kdelong
    Archived post
    #4

    I doubt that many of us have experience with cruiser bikes. Most of us bike as a way of life and a cruiser bike is very inefficient for that. But I'll give it a shot. First of all, concerning a coaster brake and gearing, you can't have both. A coaster brake is found primarily on single speed juvenile bicycles and on cruiser bikes. You are going to be hard pressed to find a cruiser bike that has gearing. For any bicycle under $200, you are going to have to either look in your big box stores or in the used market. Unfortunately these bikes are usually poorly built and manufactured with less expensive heavy materials and low quality components. That is how they can afford to sell them at the prices that they do. There is also little to no technical support from the store if you buy new or from the seller if you buy used.

    Here is a bike that I would recommend for your girlfriend that is close to meeting her specifications in everything except for price and a coaster brake. performancebike.comProduct 10052 10551 1094236 1 20000 400307

    Heck, it even has a bell! It is a little more than double her target price but it is the least expensive bicycle that meets her specifications and is still a well built bicycle that has bike shop support behind it.

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  5. moogleslam
    Archived post
    #5

    [FONT=tw cen mt]Thanks for the reply – really appreciate it.[/FONT]

    [FONT=tw cen mt]I understand what you’re saying about cruisers being inefficient. It wouldn’t be my choice either, but its all about the look of the bike for her, and since she’s using it on primarily flat surfaced terrain, to drive around a quiet town, I think she’ll do fine.[/FONT]

    [FONT=tw cen mt]I’ve definitely found cruisers with gears. 3 or 7 speeds are pretty common, but I’ve seen more too. The one she is currently considering is this one (even though it doesn’t have the rear storage rack): amazon.comref=sr 1 3[/FONT]

    [FONT=tw cen mt]I am totally onboard with your other points, regarding build quality etc, but unfortunately, the one you recommended is just too expensive for us right now, so we might have to take our chances. It might be a good idea to start cheap anyhow, in order to see if she is as passionate about this as she thinks she will be.[/FONT]

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