Thread #2060788 | Image & Video Expansion | Click to Play
File: townie.jpg (2.6 MB)
2.6 MB JPG
The Electra Townie is apparently the best selling bike in America. I figured it would've been some gravel bike or hybrid but nope, it's actually just a cruiser/commuting bike with a really weird seating position (even for cruiser standards). Anyone ever ridden one? I just got one used for about $150 as a daily urban rider but the weird tube angle is starting to give me second thoughts but I haven't had a chance to ride it yet. What do you velophiles think of these things?
19 RepliesView Thread
>>
>>
>>
>>2060815
I feel like you're right but you shouldn't be right. I almost feel shame for wanting to take my cruiser out over some of my more traditional road bikes for basic commuting but I realize that's just because of tryhard doomers and I'm sick of pretending that I need to ride in an uncomfortable position to be a real cyclist™ although I could probably just put some wider handlebars on my other bikes to get close to the same effect
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: gyratingintensifies.gif (32.4 KB)
32.4 KB GIF
>>2060878
But I can't I'm not normie enough
>sperging intensifies
>>
>>
File: cat on fire.gif (2.8 MB)
2.8 MB GIF
>>2060788
>Electra
>not electric
>>
>>
>>
>>
So I just rode the thing a total of 30 miles today, and here are my observations
It's slow, but it's not that slow, you just need to push it to 7th gear and haul ass and you can get her to 20mph sustained if its a flat smooth road
The biggest limiting factor really is the seat position, however, I think a big part of this is that you're using muscles that you're not used to using, you still get full leg extension on these things so you can maximize the leverage you have available to you as far as muscles go but you're not going to get as much help with gravity, it's basically all muscle moving this thing
Hills are fine, throw her into a low gear and keep a steady pace and you'll be fine
Seat is surprisingly comfy, normally I start getting sore ass after about 15 miles but my ass took this seat like a champ
I think people like these the same way people like Bromptons, they're not fast, but they're different and solidly built for basic commuter shit
>>
>>
>>2060788
>best selling
For bikes that just means in the biggest box stores without changing the model across all stores. I can tell you here (poorville) the most popular bike is the cheapest at wallyworld at any given time (was a granite peak every year, till that blue huffy). So unless it's pacific cycle not popping out 10 barely different variety packs, best selling is misleading. So what percentage? 3%?
>>
File: fookin_plebs.jpg (180.6 KB)
180.6 KB JPG
>>2063783
People like Bromptons because they're "expensive" by "just commuter" standards. If you're heavily influenced by peer pressure you don't want something that is efficient at turning muscle energy into motion, because that's "tryhard lycra fag shit" and "this is just for commuting". But you also don't want to look like some poor loser who isn't riding a bicycle for some poorfag reason like "can't afford a car like an adult".
So it needs to be demonstrably expensive, and your options for slow and expensive are fairly limited. The two best choices are Brompton and Rivendell. Both have fairly obnoxious cults around them so the question is which cult appeals to you more. Usually it comes down to are you a faux-chillaxed California type, or are you one of those anglophile creeps who eats ketchup beans for breakfast and listens to Elgar unironically.
At any rate back to your point, this thing is under $800 so it's not really going to be of much use to the Brompton crowd. "It's an Electra, it cost $800", can you imagine a Bromptonaut saying that? They'd die of embarrassment riding something so pleb.