Beautiful, New, Affordable Bikes

[wsbob]

I have no idea whether the bike pictured is sold in Portland, or for how much. Seems like I don't see many people in Portland or Beaverton riding them though, which is a situation I wouldn't mind seeing change, because I always though that style frame with the swoopy downtube was great looking. Comes in beige too, if orange is a little strong for you I think the rack and the basket are extra. I don't ride that kind of bike, but I think some gals riding them around would be nice.

Public brand bikes

Additional examples of swoopy frame mixtes. The Bianchi most likely isn't currently made. That Leri mixte ? Found both pics of these bikes over on a bikeforums thread: forum member 'Clubman', (Leri), forum member 'Veloria', (Bianchi), over at bikeforum. I couldn't resist posting pics of these bikes though, because they're so beautiful.

[boneshaker]

There are just so many bikes of this type running around. With competition from Raleigh, Globe, Jamis, etc. A friend of mine just bought one of these for $400 and put a big basket on the front.

[wsbob]

Originally Posted by boneshaker

There are just so many bikes of this type running around. With competition from Raleigh, Globe, Jamis, etc. A friend of mine just bought one of these for $400 and put a big basket on the front.

Boneshaker....thanks for posting that link. That's a decent looking bike...practical too, and a good deal with a 7spd in-gear hub. About the step through frame bikes though, it seems to me their curvy down tube is part of a styling flight of creative imagination that many people would not mind at all seeing more of. Bike manufacturers seemingly used to do a lot more of that than they do now.

[beelnite]

Some gals riding just about anything around is always nice!

[Beltdriver58]

The frame style is common to Dutch Style bikes that are still being produced by many companies. I don't think that they're in style here as much as fixti's. I've seen them more in NY and Boston. A company called Pashley out of England makes some great options like the Princess Sovereign, which has a IGH and Dynamo. I was thinking of getting one for my wife in the future but they're very pricey. This Public Brand looks like a good price point.

http://www.adelineadeline.com/bicycl...sovereign.html

[boneshaker]

That Bianchi is beautiful for its pure practicality wsbob. Someone has obviously put more than a few new sets of tires on that bike. I wish I could get my wife to let me build her one like that...

[wsbob]

Originally Posted by boneshaker

That Bianchi is beautiful for its pure practicality wsbob. Someone has obviously put more than a few new sets of tires on that bike. I wish I could get my wife to let me build her one like that...

"...build her one...". boneshaker

You mean find an old Bianchi like that one, and build it up for her? Or actually build a frame from scratch, similar to that one? Especially if the latter, you've got some particularly serious skills bike building skills. Either way, I'd like seeing more bikes like that on the road.

In fact, I think bikes representing a more relaxed, practical, less aggressive style than race influenced road bikes tend to lean towards, but that are still capable of being fast and quick for the short haul...is exactly what's needed to capture the interest of a lot of people that might be considering riding, but are put off by the styles of affordable bikes that tend to be available around here.

Now that I posted the pics of those three different brand bikes together, tonight for the first time, I think I'm seeing how, though their frame styles share similarities, the riding position offered by the Public brand significantly differs from that of the Bianchi and the Leri,. Public seems to go for a very upright sit. Bianchi and Leri look to go for more of an extended torso position.

Makes sense to me to gently encourage laid-back types of people to go for the extended torso position, but the impression I get from people that haven't ridden that way before, or that have seen people on road bike drops, is they often seem to instinctively shy away from having their body do that. Once you hook them with a great looking style, maybe it's possible to subtly move them to the bike that's going to give them more return on the energy they exert.

[wsbob]

On another thread Apennine brought my attention to this designer bike:

Thing is though, at $1100, and only a single speed, it doesn't meet the criteria of what I had in mind as 'affordable', when I had the idea to start this thread. I included it as a curiosity, and another example of an interesting European style bike. I'm not sure I'm personally seeing a lot of beauty in it. Chain guard is cool. For that upright a riding position, I'd think most people would want the Brooks saddle that has the springs.

[wsbob]

Departing again somewhat from the criteria of this thread's title, but the following picture of a bike displayed in an ad on Portland Craigslist is both affordable, and of a beautiful style that's close to the of bikes depicted in my first post.

Antique Bike - $75 (Longview, WA Area)

Not too far from Portland. If I was after a bike like this, I'd cross my fingers, contact the people, and hope I got it.

[eastside mike]

The swooping frame tubes give them a touch of elagance.They seem to be somewhat of a rare bird in the US.