Brooklyn Roebling, Bedford 7 vs similar priced Jamis/Trek/Specialized?
 

Hello Everyone, I am new to the forum and choosing bikes. I have been reading the posts on various models with interest and has helped me narrow down my models a bit. My intention is to find a bike that is good enough for commuting, driving around the city, occasional off road trails in parks (nothing serious).

My two LBSs have been helpful in allowing me to test drive the basic Specialized alibi, sirrus models, Trek verve and Fx 2, Jamis coda and sport models. Comfort wise I would be ok with anything, look wise, I realized I preferred the classic/retro/cruiser style bikes like the Bedford7/Roebling. I don’t have any experience with the specifications, so thought I would post this question and ask you if these latter models from Brooklyn Bicycle company have good/comparable specifications to the similarly priced (around $500) models from Jamis / Trek / Specialized. If you have any other thoughts / suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them as well!

Thank you!

Traditional styled bicycles? Are fenders and chain guards worth considering?

The first things that pop up in my mind is the Electra Loft 7 and the Fuji Regis, but I have no experience with them.

I am curious to hear what people have to say about companies like Brooklyn, Priority, Fairdale, Civia, etc.

@FiftySix, Thanks!

Yes, I am definitely adding fenders. Racks, very likely. Chain guards, last in priority list. I forgot to mention about the Electra Loft in my post, but I was also thinking about those. REI sells them which is a plus, because they have good return policies. Just from the specifications, do you think the Loft are comparable to / better than the Brooklyn models?

While I almost bought a Loft myself a few months back, what kept me from it is I didn't want the forward mounted bottom bracket/crankset. Call it a bike that was so close, but not quite what I wanted.

Assuming manufacturing and company support is equal to the big names, out of the Brooklyns you mention I think I'd choose the Roebling and add fenders.

Two things would make the Roebling better for me personally. A single chainring and wider tires.

I ride in flat areas and have little need for double or triple chainrings.

Plus, I like more width in my tires for pavement irregularities, hopping on sidewalks when I have no choice, and it doesn't hurt in the dirt either. The original 32mm tires are sitting in a spacious fork and rear stays, and those v-brakes pop open wide when pulling a wheel. 40mm or so wide tires would be great on that bike, I'd think.

@FiftySix, thank you for the insights! I will have to test ride both the Loft 7D and the Brooklyn Roebling / Bedford 7. I am now trying to figure out what a "forward mounted bottom bracket/crankset" is and its dis-advantages.

I certainly like the look of the Roebling / the Bedford 7. I guess right now the confusion is the price difference: the Loft 7D already includes the the fenders and chain guards. It also appears to have wider tires that you prefer. In addition, when bought from REI, it comes with a great return policy! All for $499 - member dividends.

If buying the default Bedford 7D at $499, those fenders / chain guards add extra expense. Furthermore, on checking in with the Brooklyn people, it seems like there might be a $100-$150 re-stocking fee if returned depending on the shop from which the bicycle is brought. If buying the Roebling at ~$520 for its extra gears and a relatively more sporty ride, in addition to the above, I would also want to change the saddle and the handle colors to something similar to that in the Bedford. Because Brooklyn always ships their bicycles direct from factory, it turns out those edits mean buying those components extra and changing them ourselves. That adds to the price as well. So pretty confused. :)

I guess will have to seriously think if the Roebling / Bedford 7 is worth that much more to me than the basic Loft 7D capabilities and its REI model's looks. Thank you!

All that means is that the cranks are not at the bottom of the seat tube. Electra moves the crankset forward a bit so that a rider could put both feet directly on the ground while sitting on the seat, if the seat height were set low enough. Basically a cruiser bike type of pedaling position.

https://www.electrabike.com/way-to-r...oot-technology

Changing things out on a new bike sure makes the purchase price keep climbing.

That's what happened with my last purchase which was a used, but near complete bike. First, the rear fender got smashed in shipping, the saddle was horrible, it didn't come with pedals, I couldn't live with the tire color, and the stem angle wouldn't fit me correctly. So, a "bargain" doubled in price over the following two months as I got the bike to be the way I wanted it.

Interesting.

I agree 100% as I've been down this road before.

Not that you're looking for a 3-speed, but this Mark III from the Australian company Apollo on eBay looks like a nice blend of traditional and modern.

https://www.apollobikes.com/bikes/urban/mark-iii/detail

Thank you @FiftySix! I am taking a look at this one. Very nice, indeed!

Quick question: one of the spec differences I saw with the Roebling/Bedford vs. the Loft / Regis is that the tires of the former are puncture resistant. Is that a big deal / worth $100-$150 in overhead?

Also, if there are any specifications that you think are attractive with the Brooklyn models for the price, that would be very useful to know. The Loft / Regis are indeed more attractive from a pricing standpoint.

Thank you!

Strange that Brooklyn claims to have puncture resistant tires, but fails to mention the make and model of tire. It could be the Brooklyn tires simply have thick tread compared to road bike tires? Or Brooklyn tires really do have a puncture resistant layer built into the tire?

Similar with the Electra as tire make and model isn't stated, so the tread on the Electra could be thick as well. The Fuji on the other hand at least tells you the tires are Kenda and a close up of the photo looks to be the Kenda Kwest 193. I only know from looking into those tires recently. Otherwise, you'd need a dedicated tire seller to tell you from just looking at tread patterns.

I'm sure all the tires are fairly cheap and the make and model tire aren't listed so the bike manufacturer can put on whatever tire they can get through a bike's manufacturing run. An entry level tire with a puncture resistant layer shouldn't add $100 to a bicycle in my opinion.

Check out these Giant branded Kenda Kwest 193 tires and the price increase for puncture protection.

https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...iant-k193-tire

https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...00c-sport-tire

One thing I know is that if tires are better than entry level, bike sellers love to mention that on their webpages. But not to worry, commuter type low end tires have fairly beefy tread and sidewalls compared to road bike tires. That extra rubber on the commuter tires naturally adds a bit of flat protection.