Comfy New Commuter Bikes for Getting Around Town

biIKE SEATS

The bike you show has a poor seat. We need more support of our butts, especially men! And softer, with springs too!

the price of a commen bike

in china, it's about $45.

These are commuter bikes

Jeffrey, commuter bikes don't have shocks. They don't have more than a few gears. That's how they're made -- they have no frills. They're light, ergonomically designed, and that's that.

This is an article specifically about commuter bikes -- nothing else, so naturally the writer wouldn't discuss shocks... since they're not on commuter bikes.

If you want shocks, you buy a mountain bike -- but then you're also leaning forward and putting weight on your hands.

Great article!

I'm a 62 year old woman,nurse, overweight. I was thinking about getting a bicycle to "get healthy" and lose weight. Years ago I used to belong to a local bicycle club and know it is low impact aerobic exercise. Your article gave me lots of good info. Thanks from "the big easy" (New Orleans).

Bicycle Travel

Have you reviewed either the Trek 7100 or Schwinn GSD?

$429-$529. My only comment is none of the bicycles in your review have either a front shock absoper or seat post shock absorper. On the pothole NE, these are a big help. As older riders take to bicycling I think they are important injury and pain preventers. I have added an odomoter, and have calculated for every 450 to 500 miles I ride the bicycle I save about $100 to $125 in gasoline, so the payback will arrive very soon. When I hit approximately 2,000 miles or so (several cost factors involved make an accurate measurement more difficult) I will have the bike paid for and begin saving money. The batteries used in the LED lights last much, much longer and reduce this expense also. Department store bicycles and chain store discounts bicycles are only good for small kids, who quickly outgrow them anyway. They fall apart so quickly around here, and parts are IMPOSSIBLE TO GET, that when people here throw them out no one even garbage picks them as they know those costs more to fix than new......avoid those, and save up for one from a bicycle shop.

Maybe one of your staff could come up with a chart, like if your car gets 15 mpg around town, and gasoline costs $4.25 how much per mile you save on the bike, and the break even points for a bicycle investment? When readers see how fast this adds up there may be more interest, which benefits the country.....

Happy pedaling.........

Re "expensive"

Jack, it is true with bicycles as with most things, up to point you get what you pay for. It's worth a few hundred dollars to get a good bicycle. There is a dramatic difference in quality between a $200 bike and a $600 bike. If you buy a $200 one, most likely you won't enjoy using it because it will operate poorly, the low quality parts will fail, and you'll have to replace it soon, whereas a good quality one will last many years with very littie toruble or additional expense if properly cared for, and it will be a pleasure to ride. The difference between the two is incredible. Also, if you buy a bike from a regular bicycle shop you'll have a good warranty and they'll take care of your maintenance needs which is important unless you are a bicycle mechanic yourself. True, $600 is a lot of money for many people, but where can they get a car for that, and one that doesn't need gasoline to run? If you commute on any regular basis, depending on the distance you commute, you'll save $600 in gas alone in just a few months. For anyone that intends to stick with bicycle riding, whether for tranportation, pleasure or fitness, they should invest in a good quality bicycle. By he way I do not work for a bicycle shop or bicycle company. Im an active duty military member who loves bicycling (and I ride to work whenever I can, usually 3 or 4 times per week), and I love to see more people get into it. Good luck!

Mike Huckabee is always first with the trend

Huckabee once again, leading the pack in health care, saving gasoline and making the news! Gotta love the guy.....

The case for folding bikes!

Although shown in the photo gallery, folding bikes offer many riders greater range and flexibility in their commute with bike/bus/train. I've used a Dahon and find that bad weather just changes the length of my use of mass-transit, fair weather will shorten it.

Expensive!!!!

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I would think bicycles are usually purchased by the consumers that do not have the money to spend on $4 a gallon for gasoline not the ones that can dish out $600 to $900 on a freakin bike. They look very comfortable, but maybe i'll just spend $200 on a bike from wal-mart even though that sounds expensive to me too.

@Dan Or & Alan OR - just open your eyes and grow up.

Not wearing a helmet doesn't hurt. Being hit a by a motorvehicle does, and it doesn't make scrap of difference whether you wear a suit of armour or a bikini as most injuries from hits are to the limbs and body and anything at 40mph or over will probably be fatal.

My friend was hit by car and suffered damage to his spleen, kidneys and legs - just think how much he trouble he might have saved himself if he had worn a helmet.

Road safety is NOT seat straps, tin-lids and padding, it is responsible behaviour of road users.