Comfortable Bikes

Paul Cassel wrote:
Ryan Cousineau wrote:


Can you be more specific? Is this a feet-forward bike like some
Electras, or is it a full-on cruiser bike that looks like a
reincarnation of a 1950s creation?

Closest would be an Electra. The top of the headset is above the seat
level which gives it, to me, an awkward look.
....

....
The winning combination here is decent frame and decent components in a
comfortable arrangement. In the past, all the bikes of this profile I
encountered were 60 lb monstrosities with cast iron frames and crappy
components.

This bike is practical and fun to ride PLUS you can ride it in street
clothes. I was sort of hoping my daughter would tire of the bike and
then I'd ride it to work but my wife said she has first dibs if daughter
tires. We both currently ride in 'costume' making the changing, etc.
tedious.

-paul

You should look at the RANS crank-forward bikes, specifically the "crank
forward" models. These are the bikes that Electra Townies wish they were
born as.
http://www.ransbikes.com/

I have a 2006 Fusion, specifically. It can be ridden in street clothes
but they're not ideal. I wear recumbent shorts that are lycra, but
without any padding.

A lot of non-bicycle-riders think it's perfect, but I would want to try
a Dynamik if I had to do it over again. The Fusion can be adjusted so
that you're sitting perfectly upright (which is very comfortable for
someone who does not ride regularly) but it's hard to ride at a fast
pace that way. To me, it always seems like my chest is catching a lot of
air. For casual riding it is great--much less seat pain, no hand
pressure or neck strain.
~

DougC wrote:

I have a 2006 Fusion, specifically. It can be ridden in street clothes
but they're not ideal. I wear recumbent shorts that are lycra, but
without any padding.

Where do you find these? I have *one* pair that I bought maybe 10 years
ago that didn't get worn out/thrown out/whatever. Not being a hardcore
spandex-and-jersey guy, I usually ride in boxer briefs under cargo
shorts but the lycra feels nicer (less chafing.) I'm not a big fan of
the padding, even on a road/CX bike, I'm not sure how much it really
helps me (I don't often get a sore butt, at least not with the mileage
that I typically ride) and it's one more thing to get sweaty and nasty -
which is a real concern if you're a damnyankee forced to live near DC,
a.k.a. Our Nation's First Swamp.

nate

(80 degrees is hot. I don't care what you southerners say.)

--
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DougC wrote:
Paul Cassel wrote:


You should look at the RANS crank-forward bikes, specifically the "crank
forward" models. These are the bikes that Electra Townies wish they were
born as.
http://www.ransbikes.com/

My friend has one and I've ridden it. Very impressive. The one my
daughter got isn't pedal forward and also is a lot less expensive. My
price on it (new) was U$250.

Ryan Cousineau wrote:


What pushes me into changing clothes for a commute is less about the
bike, and more about either sweating or wearing out the crotches of nice
pants.

The secondary consideration is comfort on rides of that distance.


I know now that part of the reason she didn't use her other bikes for
commuting was that she didn't want to dress up, dress down, carry
clothes. There is something mellow about this bike which makes the
effort to ride it about the same as walking. I'm content going maybe 10
mph or even less for all I know. I'm hoping to prise it from her to see
if I can commute on it in street clothes w/o the sweat issue.

I suppose I could ride my regular bikes in street clothes for short
distances by taking a few precautions, but the only time I tried I got a
cuff caught in a chainring ruining a pair of decent trousers.

Nate Nagel wrote:
Paul Cassel wrote:


I do get your point, though - there are so many bikes on the market for
various racing purposes, but try to find a *quality* bike that is just a
good bike for tooling around. With few exceptions, you basically have
to buy a bike that is optimized for the kind of racing that sort-of
describes your riding style, and try to find one with the appropriate
braze-ons etc. for the crap you're going to want to add. I did
recommend a Schwinn Coffee for a friend's wife based on comments here
though, I hope I did not lead them astray (assuming that they're
actually going to go look at one, that is.)


My daughter eyed a 'cream' but settled on this bike. I think the bike
she got was more comfortable than the cream. I heard there was a coffee
around somewheres, but I never saw it.

The bike is definitely within the theme of the coffee / cream ones. One
note - my daughter is fairly athletic. She sometimes runs 5 miles just
to shake a few webs out. So maybe a person who is sedentary won't enjoy
the coffee as much as she is enjoying her bike.

Nate Nagel wrote:
DougC wrote:

I have a 2006 Fusion, specifically. It can be ridden in street clothes
but they're not ideal. I wear recumbent shorts that are lycra, but
without any padding.

Where do you find these? I have *one* pair that I bought maybe 10 years
ago that didn't get worn out/thrown out/whatever. Not being a hardcore
spandex-and-jersey guy, I usually ride in boxer briefs under cargo
shorts but the lycra feels nicer (less chafing.) I'm not a big fan of
the padding, even on a road/CX bike, I'm not sure how much it really
helps me (I don't often get a sore butt, at least not with the mileage
that I typically ride) and it's one more thing to get sweaty and nasty -
which is a real concern if you're a damnyankee forced to live near DC,
a.k.a. Our Nation's First Swamp.

nate

(80 degrees is hot. I don't care what you southerners say.)


Hostel Shoppe sells some, I prefer the Volae shorts.
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/

Kucharik also sells some recumbent shorts that have "thin padding". I've
not tried them myself.

Other people have mentioned using various synthetic exercise and rowing
shorts, but the problems with these is that they usually aren't intended
to be worn without underwear (the fabrics can stretch and become rather
transparent at certain angles). And if you have to wear something under
them, then the whole point fails.
-----
Cotton pants of any kind is bad for riding.
And the problem with regular shorts (on a recumbent or the RANS c-f
bikes) is scooping bugs in the pantlegs.
~

"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
. ..

On a whim, I got on it and rode it. What a revaluation. I've never been on
a bike which didn't demand special clothing and a rather contorted
position. This thick tired, step through bike sat me up comfortably and
felt right in my street clothes.
....
Just goes to show how neat a bicycle can be if they are comfortable to
ride instead of specialized exercise equipment. I think there is a lesson
here but I"m unsure what it is.

It's not just about the shape of the bike, it's the attitude. Bikes were
originally transport, not exercise equipment - they're there to make getting
places easier, the opposite of exercise!

Bikes should always be comfortable to ride (ok, high-level competition is
probably a fair exception). And there should be a place in everybody's life
for a bike to be used for everyday life, rather than just lycra-clad sport
(my bike covers both :-) ).

When I want to get somewhere on my bike, I do it - no specialised gear (*),
I wear exactly what I wear the rest of the time. This is how it should be.
The bike can cope with all weathers, all lighting conditions. Again, this is
how it should be. Riding a bike isn't 'special', it's normal.

And when I want to take exercise rather than just get somewhere, I put the
lycra on and head off.

So yes, if you found your bike was uncomfortable and required specialised
clothing, something was wrong. I'm glad you've found what it is, and wish
you luck in letting the fun continue :-)

(* ok, I cheat a bit here - I've got SPDs, but I'm old and unfashionable
enough to get away with those as normal footwear :-) )

cheers,
clive

DougC wrote:
Nate Nagel wrote:

DougC wrote:

I have a 2006 Fusion, specifically. It can be ridden in street
clothes but they're not ideal. I wear recumbent shorts that are
lycra, but without any padding.


Where do you find these? I have *one* pair that I bought maybe 10
years ago that didn't get worn out/thrown out/whatever. Not being a
hardcore spandex-and-jersey guy, I usually ride in boxer briefs under
cargo shorts but the lycra feels nicer (less chafing.) I'm not a big
fan of the padding, even on a road/CX bike, I'm not sure how much it
really helps me (I don't often get a sore butt, at least not with the
mileage that I typically ride) and it's one more thing to get sweaty
and nasty - which is a real concern if you're a damnyankee forced to
live near DC, a.k.a. Our Nation's First Swamp.

nate

(80 degrees is hot. I don't care what you southerners say.)


Hostel Shoppe sells some, I prefer the Volae shorts.
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/

Kucharik also sells some recumbent shorts that have "thin padding". I've
not tried them myself.

Other people have mentioned using various synthetic exercise and rowing
shorts, but the problems with these is that they usually aren't intended
to be worn without underwear (the fabrics can stretch and become rather
transparent at certain angles). And if you have to wear something under
them, then the whole point fails.
-----
Cotton pants of any kind is bad for riding.
And the problem with regular shorts (on a recumbent or the RANS c-f
bikes) is scooping bugs in the pantlegs.
~

Thanks for the ideas. I'm usually wearing these *AS* underwear, and on
a standard diamond-frame bike, so no worries there. Like I said, I
typically just ride in cargo shorts (so I can carry keys/wallet/cell
etc. without having to carry a backpack,) just want something underneath
so the insides of my legs don't get chafed on the nose of the saddle.
Sort of like MTB shorts, but without the padding, and in two pieces.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...

I do get your point, though - there are so many bikes on the market for
various racing purposes, but try to find a *quality* bike that is just a
good bike for tooling around.

Hooray for rightpondia :-) Touring bikes never died out, or if you want
something a bit nippier, an audax bike makes a darn fine utility bike.
Mudguards, rack, lights, comfort.

cheers,
clive

"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
...

I suppose I could ride my regular bikes in street clothes for short
distances by taking a few precautions, but the only time I tried I got a
cuff caught in a chainring ruining a pair of decent trousers.

:-)

Something you learn about as a kid if you ride to school in long trousers.

Socks, trouser clips, or rolling up the trousers. Don't worry about looking
'dorky' - life's to short to miss out on fun because of worries about
appearance :-)

cheers,
clive