nivv

Hey guys!

I've been lurking the last couple of months but finally got through to register.

I'm looking for a new bike for my gf. You can see the list below for what she is looking for:

• Frame: Relaxed position, no track geo needed this time! (Doesn't have to be a step through frame). Lugged is a plus for that old school feel.
• Relatively light
• Will run it with freewheel or with hub brake (forgot what it is called). Gears are fine, but singlespeed is preferred
• Rack, front or back doesn't really matter
• Complete bike (no worries if the handle bar needs to be swapped though).
• Available in Europe (or US company that ships world wide)
• Cost: Approximately $900

The only match I've found is...lo and behold...a State Bycycle Co. :
Shoreline Dutch Inspired Bike | City Bicycle | State Bicycle Co.

The problem with that one is that is Hi-tensile steel and not Chromo.

Any suggestions?

Huge Zits

I'm surprised you can't find anything local. Try looking at some UK shops like Evans Cycles or something.

NormanF

The Papillonaire Classic with custom upgrades comes $1 under your budget at $899.00

https://www.papillionaire.com.au/our-bike/classicA

And it has a hand-built chromoly frame unlike many of the offerings at this price point that have hi-ten steel.

Its a very good bike for the money.

nivv

I've checked Evans but they don't have many single speed bikes. And none that looks interesting. Problem with Evans is that I can't view all their bikes here in Sweden, they only show bikes that ships to the country you're from.

^They look great really! Shame that I can't buy them in the EU. And they seem to only ship within Australia.

I have since found the Creme Caferacer that seems nice, and is just in budget as well.

DiegoFrogs

Crescent, Monark and many others make bikes like this. I would seriously consider the used market, too. Not a minute goes by that I don't see something like this in Lund!

Edit: relatively lightweight only makes the challenge slightly greater.

Lycka till!

nivv

She already have a Crescent but it's run down into the ground. I'll check the used market, but most mixte bikes have freewheel gears. And it needs to at least look new. Picky gf

triumph.man

bought my wife a retrospec siddhartha. you can find them on the bay pretty cheap brand new.

europa

If she's already got a Crescent and liked it enough to ride it into the ground, that sounds like a pretty good place to start

nivv

Yeah, but you know how it is, it feels boring to buy a similar/same bike again. Problem with the Crescent was that the components seem to be sub-par. Even the handlebars are rusty, it turns out they were only painted to look like aluminium, which in turn makes me want to look elsewhere. Another problem with the Crescent bikes is that they either look like a 60's granny-bike or a thick tubed cross-bike.

Steev

Why not put the money into fixing up what she's got? For the amount you're spending you can get some pretty nice parts.

oouellette

My wife has one of these and loves it; it is a 4130 Crmo frame. Coaster brake. Comes in packages $199 to $299. There are some higher priced ones with 3 speeds and hand brakes.

Town Bikes | Classic, Stylish City Bikes | Urban Bikes | Commuter Road Bikes | Windsor Essex Deluxe from bikesdirect.com

Steev

Bikes Direct do not sell to anyone outside the USA.

DiegoFrogs

Where in Sweden are you located?

It's not like I can fit any more stuff into my 42 square meter, 2-level house (!), (as it is, my old Finnish 7-speed internally-geared bike lives in the garden when I'm not riding her!) but I'm constantly checking blocket for stuff. Of course Skåne is kind of a Mecca for this type of stuff, and I love old bikes... The two bikes I brought from the USA are my 1967 Carlton fixed-gear and my 1977 Centurion Pro Tour.

Of course bike shops are a good source of parts and whatnot, but I've also come to really love Clas Ohlson and Biltema. Just today I enjoyed my half-day before the holiday by buying the 430 SEK (65 USD) Shimano dynamo-hubbed wheel from Biltema, and it seems to be just great! The aluminium handlebars at Biltema seem quite nice, too, but the selection is rather limited. I kept the rusty black handlebars on my Finnish bike. My bike works good enough (the stem and seatpost moved okay once loosened!) with some work, and doesn't look flashy enough to steal (a problem here in Lund).

Sköt om dig! (Jag är ledsen. Jag talar och skriver svenska mycket dåligt! Jag är en nybörare.)

oouellette

Ah.

europa

It stops us buying their bikes ... so I've never been able to work out if it is a good thing or not.

nivv

I'm in Kristianstad, 8 metric/real miles from Lund. No worries, what you lack in Swedish I lack in English
Another problem is that she wants it to at least look brand new, which limits the used market. But I'll look for a good used one as well.


I guess you could use a proxy service. But I'm guessing the shipment to Europe/Aus would be too much anyways.

Hm, the frame itself is in pretty bad shape. Almost everything needs to be changed, even the wheels are in bad shape (the aluminum rims has started to oxidize). And of course, she's bored of it.

--

So, we've been talking a lot about mixte/ladies frames, what about a relaxed geo diamond-frame? Any suggestions?

nivv

Is this a Surly Steamroller or am I completely off? Looks perfect



Edit: Seems to be a Surly Crosscheck, correct?

Fyxation Pixel looks nice as well, but not available in Europe. Anyone know anything similar/equivalent in Europe?

https://www.fyxation.com/collections/...graphite-pixel

DiegoFrogs

I've seen some Surly bikes here in town, mostly the long haul trucker. I don't know where they come from, but I suspect there is a local source.

jocke

@nivv

Cyclecomponents have the Crosscheck in stock, but comes in way pricier than the Fyxation Pixel. Childstore in Gothenburg used to stock Pake bikes but I can't find 'em online anymore. Maybe you could check out the Bavarus Boris if you're looking for an entry-level fixed gear/single speed. I think Bavarus is a dutch brand - but I have no clue what their products are like.

nivv

Hm, yeah. I guess a Surly is out of the price range anwyas.

Yeah, the Pake looks nice as well. Childstore only had the Boris in one size, which is too big. I didn't know Surly was such an expensive brand, at last in the EU.
But damn, the pixel would've been almost perfect, it looks pretty relaxed doesn't it?

jocke

Yeah, it does. Shipping, handling, customs will be a killer getting to Sweden though.

The general consensus around here seems to be that the Surly Steamroller were a better priced products a few years back, but now they're overpriced. And yeah, Surly is steeply priced in Sweden. Regardless of that, I still got a Steamroller last year as my first fixed gear bike and I've been super happy with it. With that said, I'm sure you can find a similar bike for less cash. I'm sure I've seen Batavus being sold här i Sverige - despite that their official website doesn't show any Swedish retailers.

thewilson 

Looks like Wabi ships internationally Single Speed, Fixed Gear Bikes. Fixie Parts & Accessories | Wabi Cycles

WestPablo

Go to www.pashley.co.uk

nivv

I've found a danish bike company that makes bikes that really look good. Any objections on this one Viva Bellissimo Mixte - Shimano Nexus 7 - Chromoly

europa

If she rides it and loves it, go for it. I does seem to fill your original brief.

Those bars do look horribly straight but that's the sort of thing that's easily changed. It pays to remember that the American market only has relevance to Americans, for those of us who live elsewhere, the local industry is usually more useful and in your case, Europe is the home of cycling (my benighted country just whimpers and does what the industry dictates ... at inflated prices).