5 City Bikes for Your Urban Commute
Riding a city bike is about more than style�it’s a lifestyle.
I�ve been cruising the streets of Vancouver on my Linus Roadster Sport for two years and every ride still brings a smile to my face. City bikes are about joy in simplicity. They�re about comfort and sustainable transportation. Then, style comes in�because, yeah, city bikes are about looking good�too.
So what makes a city bike? I prefer internal-hub gears or single-speeds, for low maintenance and clean design. An upright riding position is key for comfort and all-around sight lines. Cargo capacity is important, for runs to the farmers market. Style notes? It should �look like it’s�either half-a-century old, or from 50 years in the future. Here are five top picks, starting with my own (biased) ride:
Linus Roadster Sport ($800)
Linus dubs their Roadster �The Ultimate Gentleman�s Ride.� As an owner, I unabashedly agree. From the mid-century alloy bell, to the stable steel frame, to the leather grips and seat�this is a most civilized steed. However, the 700c wheels, forged aluminum crank and three-speed Shimano NEXUS internal-hub gears with twist-shifter mean the Roadster is built to be ridden hard too. Add some personal touches like a�teardrop headlamp or a homemade rear crate and you�ll have a bike with style and substance in perfect harmony. (Also available in single- and seven-speed.)
Electra Loft 1 ($470)
This is cyclist minimalism at its finest. Though Electra�s steel-framed Loft is available in three- and seven-speed models, the Loft 1�with its single-speed, 700c wheels and coaster brake�epitomizes the simplicity we love about city bikes. Light, nimble and virtually maintenance-free, the Loft 1 lets you concentrate on pure riding, not bells and whistles. Heck, it doesn�t even have a rear-rack! (Which skirts the cargo capacity requirement, but I�ll let Electra slide on this one.)
Norco City Glide 3IGH Mixte ($690)
Most of us have owned a Norco and one point or another (maybe still do). This Canadian company has forged a reputation for quality bicycles�which continues with the City Glide. They�ve merged responsive, ergonomic and lightweight aluminum frame with old-school design (love the cork grips) to craft a stylish city bike with real riding pedigree. The City Glide�s 700c wheels and three-speed Shimano Revoshift internal-hub gears hint at urban performance�other City Glide models feature single-speed, two-speed automatic and eight-speed hubs. (Men�s and women�s models available.)
Brooklyn Driggs 7 ($845)
Born from a hipster epicentre where city bikes rule the road, the Brooklyn Driggs 7 oozes style. From its signature double top-tube, to the cream tires, to the colour-matched fenders, to the Vegan Leather grips and seat, you will turn heads. That is, if they can catch you as you speed by�the Shimano Nexus seven-speed internal hub gearbox, chromoly frame and 700c wheels mean this steed can cruise. (Also available in three-speed.)
Bobbin Birdie ($699)
Bobbins are for daydreamers. These stylish urban go-arounds are for folks who wear straw hats, shop at farmers markets and picnic in the park. The Birdie is all about�whimsy�the paint-scheme�above, for example, is dubbed �mushroom.� A colour-matched chain guard keeps your pants un-stuck; a sprung saddle is comfy on the bum; cream tires scream style; the painted rear rack fits a basket of veggies; and 700c wheels (52cm frame only) mean you can actually cover some ground in this cutesy cycle. The three-speed gearbox is made by Sturney-Archer�how delightfully retro!
