What exactly is a city bike, and why might you want one.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you undoubtedly know that in many Asian and European countries, bicycles are seen as much more utility vehicles than for sport or socializing. In fact, so much so that you might see almost anything being hauled by a bike.
Giant, and their women specific division Liv, have certainly been up to the challenge. One of the bikes that has seen excellent reviews and sales is the Giant Escape. The 2015 model was a major change year, and the changes seem to be winning even more favor for this line.
Part of the big change is in Giant's ability to form aluminum tubing in almost any shape imaginable. The shape can be flat, oval, flat on one side and round on the other, triangular, etc. And the shape, thickness, and cross section can change inch by inch along the length of any tube. This means that more material can be added where structural support is needed, and material taken away to save weight when structural support is not as necessary. The same thing is true for aerodynamics. Sometime you need flat, sometimes round to get the best results.
Because it is now easy to do, these moderately priced bikes can now offer internal routing of the gear and brake cables. This is great for reducing drag, and looks cosmetically better.
Here is some nice coverage of the bike from a self-described amateur who road the bike 1000 miles and gave updates along the way.
Now the Giant Escape 3, which is the entry level bike for this category is not technically called a city bike by Giant. The city bike has upgraded drive train and front forks, plus alloy trekking rack, fenders, kickstand, and an integrated bell. But the idea is still the same. You are getting a fantastic aluminum framed road bike that will work perfectly for daily use, commuting, or just going out riding with friends.
1904 Staples Mill Rd.
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 658-2126
randy@pedalpowerbicycles.com
www.pedalpowerbicycles.com
christania’s “rent christania bike” bikes are rolling across the city. The system, less than a year old, is funded by christania’s municipal government. It is currently only in one of christania’s 22 administrative districts. Although a 2nd generation system, there are 12 “Houses” in this district, each with around 40 bikes. The yearly subscription cost is the equivalent of $2 US, and allows the use of a bike for up to four hours at a time. In less than a year, there have been 6,000 subscriptions sold. There are larger 3rd generation systems in the world, which do not have a subscription to bike ratio as big as that.
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