Seeking beach-cruiser, rackable for child-seat

[Richard Grossma]

My wife is looking for a nice beach and town-cruiser to ride a few blocks to the park or down to the
beach, maybe ride along the beach bike-path for under an hour, once a week or so.

She needs a bike that can take a rack to hold a child-carrier for our 35-lb 3-year-old.

She has asked for a one-speed, but I talked her into considering a twist-shifter also.

She insists on a step-through ("girl's") frame, which she feels is necessary to get on and off the
bike while she has a kid on the back.

At 4 or 5 bike stores, I haven't been able to find a new retro-bike with the fittings for a rack.

I'm considering giving up on the pink-bike thing and just getting her a low-end Specialized which at
least will be solidly built and ready for a rack.

There's also a used-only-bike store where I once bought a nice pink mostly-restored classic girl's
Schwinn for her for 150 bucks but the cable-lock was broken and the bike stolen a couple years later
at Venice beach (so it goes at the beach). I could buy another like that, but my concern there is
the durability of an older bike since she's carrying our kid on it, and also the durability of
mounting a rack using "alternate" methods of attaching it (I think to the rear axle ?).

Suggestions and opinions welcome.

 

[Brian Huntley]

Richard Grossman <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> My wife is looking for a nice beach and town-cruiser to ride a few blocks to the park or down to
> the beach, maybe ride along the beach bike-path for under an hour, once a week or so.
>
> She needs a bike that can take a rack to hold a child-carrier for our 35-lb 3-year-old.
>
> [snip]

There are child seats that don't use a rack, but clamp onto the bike's stays directly. I had one -
Graco brand, I think - that was rated up to 20 Kg/44 lbs.

 

[Menotomy]

We sell a new woman's (step-through) single speed called the "Menotmoy High Tide" for $189. It's set
up with 25 inch monkey handlebars and a banana seat but we can swap cruiser handlebars and saddle at
no charge.

Pictures on this page:

http://oldroads.com/rs_hightide.html

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc. http://OldRoads.com

>My wife is looking for a nice beach and town-cruiser to ride a few blocks to the park or down to
>the beach, maybe ride along the beach bike-path for under an hour, once a week or so.
>
>She needs a bike that can take a rack to hold a child-carrier for our 35-lb 3-year-old.
>
>She has asked for a one-speed, but I talked her into considering a twist-shifter also.
>
>She insists on a step-through ("girl's") frame, which she feels is necessary to get on and off the
>bike while she has a kid on the back.
>
>At 4 or 5 bike stores, I haven't been able to find a new retro-bike with the fittings for a rack.
>
>I'm considering giving up on the pink-bike thing and just getting her a low-end Specialized which
>at least will be solidly built and ready for a rack.
>
>There's also a used-only-bike store where I once bought a nice pink mostly-restored classic
>girl's Schwinn for her for 150 bucks but the cable-lock was broken and the bike stolen a couple
>years later at Venice beach (so it goes at the beach). I could buy another like that, but my
>concern there is the durability of an older bike since she's carrying our kid on it, and also
>the durability of mounting a rack using "alternate" methods of attaching it (I think to the
>rear axle ?).
>
>Suggestions and opinions welcome.
>

 

[Keven Ruf]

Richard Grossman <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> My wife is looking for a nice beach and town-cruiser to ride a few blocks to the park or down to
> the beach, maybe ride along the beach bike-path for under an hour, once a week or so.
>
> She needs a bike that can take a rack to hold a child-carrier for our 35-lb 3-year-old.
>
> She has asked for a one-speed, but I talked her into considering a twist-shifter also.
>
> She insists on a step-through ("girl's") frame, which she feels is necessary to get on and off the
> bike while she has a kid on the back.
>
>

I suggest a mixte frame Raleigh (or other brand). Look at a thriftstore for one. Be patient, but I
bet you can find one in decent condition with a three speed hub. They are strong bikes, usually with
eyelets for racks, are easy to mount and would be perfect for the task at hand.

I currently use an old Raleigh for transporting my 2.5 year-old son on the back. It is hard to swing
the leg over the top tube, so I think she has a valid point about the "girl's bike" being a better
alternative.

Go to Goodwill or other thrift store every day for a year, you will end up with everything you need
and a whole load of bargains that you don't need but that were too good to pass up.

--Keven.

 

[R.White]

Richard Grossman <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> My wife is looking for a nice beach and town-cruiser to ride a few blocks to the park or down to
> the beach, maybe ride along the beach bike-path for under an hour, once a week or so.
>
> She needs a bike that can take a rack to hold a child-carrier for our 35-lb 3-year-old.
>
> She has asked for a one-speed, but I talked her into considering a twist-shifter also.
>
> She insists on a step-through ("girl's") frame, which she feels is necessary to get on and off the
> bike while she has a kid on the back.
>
> At 4 or 5 bike stores, I haven't been able to find a new retro-bike with the fittings for a rack.
>
> I'm considering giving up on the pink-bike thing and just getting her a low-end Specialized which
> at least will be solidly built and ready for a rack.
>

Consider the Giant Simple series. Comes in pink too.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.006.asp?lYear=2003&bikesection=8828&range=127&-
model=10587