altondavis2

Looking for a good cruiser for my wife.
Online checking out Sun, Electra, not sure what a good bang for
the buck choice would be. Any of you guys have input ????

jnewkirk77

My wife and I both ride Electras. They're definitely worth their price. I have a Cruiser 1 and absolutely love it - in good weather, I ride it 10 miles a night at work (I work in security at a small college), and it's the most comfortable bike I've used for that purpose.

altondavis2

Today I looked at a couple of Electra's.
The Cruiser 1 with a steel frame, single speed.
She has to have coaster brakes.
I also looked at a fancier model with an aluminum frame, 3-speed hub and fenders.
It surprised me to find out that there wasn't much of a weight difference (when I lifted).
Quite a price difference between the two.

For a casual, and she probably will be and occasional rider, will the 3-speed make much
of a difference ??? The 3-speed bike had a heck of a nice paint job on it too. Undecided
and I'm also curious to see the competition. u

Any ideas on other cruisers that I should look at **********

altondavis2

Today I looked at a couple of Electra's.
The Cruiser 1 with a steel frame, single speed.
She has to have coaster brakes.
I also looked at a fancier model with an aluminum frame, 3-speed hub and fenders.
It surprised me to find out that there wasn't much of a weight difference (when I lifted).
Quite a price difference between the two.

For a casual, and she probably will be and occasional rider, will the 3-speed make much of a difference ??? The 3-speed bike had a heck of a nice paint job on it too. Undecided and I'm also curious to see the competition.

Any ideas on other cruisers that I should look at **********

rhenning

Buy the cheaper one now and IF she really rides it then worry about upgrading/spending more money. Most bicycles bought almost never get ridden whether they cost $100 or thousands. The cruiser I ride the most cost $67 at Walmart. It is an aluminum framed 25 pound OP Roller and is very similar to the Electra 1 if not made by the same people in China. Roger

altondavis2

Less than $100 is a great price for a bike with an aluminum frame. Not sure
if Walmart is still selling that brand. Anybody know anything about Sun or
Giant cruisers ???

SquidPuppet

I don't know your budget, but these are nice bikes.

Cruiser - Felt Bicycles

altondavis2

I can afford a fancy Electra with the aluminum frame and fenders and whitewalls and..... and.......
Looking at the Cruiser 1, which doesn't have any of the above; thinking that may be the
way to go. Will all the extra glitzy stuff matter. Steel frame ??? or aluminum frame ??

jnewkirk77

Electras start at one price level - right now $250-275 (depends on the dealer, I guess) gets you a Cruiser 1. I upgraded mine with a complete 3-speed wheelset, but I got a deal on that through Craigslist. If you have hills, the low gear in a 3-speed might help. If I'm in a hurry to respond to a call on campus, I like the high gear, as I can do 14-15 MPH without a lot of difficulty.

Electra paint jobs are as good as I've seen. They do a fantastic job with the details.

That said, if you're looking to spend less, don't shop at Walmart. Shop Craigslist and save some money on a good used bike that's made by a quality manufacturer. I know people who have scored serious bargains on there on some of Electra's pricier models, as well as others. They're out there waiting for a good home!

Oh, and if you do buy new -- you CAN add bling later. I've added to my Red Metallic men's model a bell, chrome fenders, and the 3-speed setup. I may or may not be done yet. ;-)

skidder

If you're really adventurous, and handy with tools, you can make your own: Here's your source for parts:

Wholesale Lowrider bike, Beach cruiser, Lowrider bike parts - Top Lowrider

Rev

Bought my wife a cruiser with 7-speed Revoshifters. Huffy Main Street Lexington at Target. Aluminum with 700c 1.5" wide tires.