cyclingd

saw an ad in craigslist.

https://publicbikes.com/c/fall-Blues

Any opinions? Think quite expensive for a retro new bike.

chi-james

eh? seems reasonable to me. what should the price for a retro new bike be?

fixed1313

Nice looking bikes............price seems fair to me.

M_S

Not too many details on specs that I can find, unless I'm not looking hard enough

CACycling

Specs show a lot of house brand components so it is hard to tell what their quality is. Absent that, it would be tough to evaluate value.

Seattle Forrest

I think they're pretty expensive. But take that with a grain of salt: I don't understand why anybody would buy a three speed bike. I know it'll work in a flat place with a little bit of wind ... but it seems like a more general purpose bike would be able to do all of the same things, and a lot more, for a pretty similar price.

BM1

I agree, seem nice but too expensive. Felt has a line (Cafe I think) that is very comparible for about 40% less.

modernjess

I've seen them in person at a my LBS, they look great but have not gotten to ride one. The price seems fine to me. Espeiclaly the deal they have going now. $595 for an 8speed IGH all in.

boro

Looks, for one. While "ease of maintenance" has been a big part of sales campaigns for IGH bikes as of late, I don't think anybody can deny that it looks much more aesthetically pleasing to the uninitiated. That was part of the whole allure of the fixed gear bike for hipsters, too.

squirtdad

IMHO the 3 speed is the epitome of general use. Simple, easy to maintain, dependable, fenders. chainguard. Very few areas are so hilly that more is needed.


as for cost... A $200 bike from 1982 would cost close to $500 today....so the price point seems consistent with a reasonable level of quality. It is just that for some reason people expect bikes to be cheap not reflect inflation.

Seattle Forrest

I think you're right, and that's a big part of it. Of course there's a danger, that everybody will start fondling your bike!

Digital cameras have pulled a 180 on inflation. Apples and oranges, I know, and it has a lot to do with amortized R&D ... I'm just saying that people have got used to a strange consumer scene. People don't "need" to buy a new bike every couple years the way they do with plasma flat screens and smart phones and whatnot, and bikes provide a "real" and durable value.

Still, I don't understand why someone might pay $700 for one of these when a CX bike can be had for the same price. I see these and think "I could have some fun with that ... but I'd be very limited." They do look nice, though, and I'm sure if I was hauling groceries I wouldn't want to go very fast or take any steep hills.

boro

But that's the thing... everyone still has a mountain bike from a decade ago. Did everyone need to go out and buy a bike with disc brakes and a MX fork? Probably not... but that's how our economy works: when you don't manufacture something with immediate obsolescence (i.e., computers), you have to "improve" on what has been offered recently. "Vintage style" 3-speed bicycles might seem like a downgrade to a capable cyclist with a bike they like, be that bike 10 or 20 years old, but for a 'consumer' it's a different story.

North Americans are obsessed with buying an image, and what image do those bikes portray? 1. My bike is stylish 2. I don't 'have' to wear spandex and a cycling jersey to ride it 3. My bike is 'utilitarian' (whatever that means)

That image is worth big bucks. Kids didn't run out in droves to buy skateboards back in the '90s because they thought it would be good exercise, or a convenient mode of transportation, or because they wanted to challenge themselves in a new sport - they did it because it was a popular image that you could buy (or so they thought). And like those skateboards, I am inclined to believe that in a few years more than a handful of these "new old" bikes will be relegated to the closet or shed just like everything else that people buy to secure an image.

Will more people be riding bikes if said bikes adhere to a popular/trendy aesthetic? Probably, and that's a good thing, but the bike industry would die out pretty quickly unless it A) reinvents itself with new products or B) manufactures a product with immediate/fast obsolescence

sonatageek

Funny, they posted an ad on our local CL and left an angry message on their voice mail. I really have when companies SPAM CL in multiple cities. To my mind that is a bad business practice which violates CL usage rules and sours me them as a company.

cyclingd

I weighed my late 60's 3 speed yesterday, and it's only 3-4 lbs heavier. I guess it's filling a niche for new bikes.

monsterpile

The problem with these bikes is just as a couple others have stated. It seems they are kinda pricey, but I suppose not too ridiculous. The local used bike store that specializes in retro rides could get you into a real vintage bike for less money than any of these (especially when you add shipping and putting this together) and it would have a much better image if thats what people are looking for. There bikes do look fun and so are their accessories. Its overpriced, but fun I guess. They are probably finding a nice niche selling locally and trying to expand. Bottom line for me is I could buy a whole fleet of 3-speeds for the price they are asking for one of these. =)

jeisenbe

Sure, you can get a working, used 3-speed for $150 at a cheaper bike shop or on Craigslist / Ebay, but if you are new to bikes you might not know if it was in good shape. Cheaper used bikes at garage sales usually would cost $100 of labor, plus parts, to fix up at a bike shop, if you don't have tools and ability to do the work yourself.

And a used 3-speed bike will surely have scratched paint, a few worn parts, and some bad features like steel rims, weak brakes, probably heavy hi-ten steel frame and components. Public is selling a slightly lighter bike, due to some alloy components and the 4130 Chrome-moly frame and fork, and it has modern brakes, a modern Nexus 3-speed (much nicer for newbies than the durable but finicky Sturmey Archers from years past), and of course good looks.

$650 is pretty cheap compared to a pair of designer jeans or handbag, and very cheap next to a new Vespa scooter, or a new car. And one of these 3-speeds will be more useful and comfortable than a fixed-gear.

Personally, I went the Craigslist + upgrade route on two 3-speed bikes, but I've spent a couple hundred on parts and repairs (new Shimano 333 hub; they wear out; new shifting cable, new brake pads and cables, new chainwheels and cogs to lower the gearing, new grips, rack, basket....), and the paint is still scratched and rusty, and the bearings could use replacing...

I spent $850 for a Breezer 8-speed (with hub dynamo), which is great, but for many people a 3-speed would be perfect, if it is geared low enough. And I'm glad Public is selling some new 3-speeds that appeal to people who would otherwise be buying a fixie, or a Vespa or something.