Beach Cruisers: gears worth it?

[Miranda]

I've been thinking about getting a beach cruiser. I saw some at a LBS that had both gears, and traditional no-gears with a coaster brake.

I'm trying to decide if having gears is beneficial or not.

Basically, I want it for just tooling around the neighborhood with my kids.

Now, I own a traditional road bike and mt bike. I usually ride the mt bike with the kids. The tire vibration on the mt bike is just a nuisance.

Maybe I'm just getting the itch to buy a new bike. The cruiser is a cheaper sell than the all carbon road bike I can't convince DH about... yet.

Thoughts?

Thx! Miranda

[KnottedYet]

More than gears, I'd be thinking about the coaster brakes.

Single speeds are great fun, and more versatile than I thought they'd be. (with the right gearing!) Can't say I really missed having gears while toodling around on a sweet smooth lugged steel single-speed mixte.

But think about how you want to brake.

Feet or hands? What's your instinctive reaction if you need to stop when a kid wanders in front of your bike?

[Miranda]

More than gears, I'd be thinking about the coaster brakes.

Single speeds are great fun, and more versatile than I thought they'd be. (with the right gearing!) Can't say I really missed having gears while toodling around on a sweet smooth lugged steel single-speed mixte.

But think about how you want to brake.

Feet or hands? What's your instinctive reaction if you need to stop when a kid wanders in front of your bike?

Thx Knott... that's a really good point. That brings back a memory from last summer. Per other bikes, hands would be the instinct to stop.

DS just learned how to ride without training wheels. I was clipped in on my road bike, pulling up the house, with DS on his bike, speeding up and down our drive, to the neighbors. He yells out, "Hey, Mommy! Look at me! I learned how to ride on two wheels while you were gone on your bike... ride to the corner with me." I coast behind him as slow as possible without falling over, clipped in. That was one stressful stretch. He was wildly weaving back in forth in front of me. I thought we'd both crash any minute.

Maybe besides a cruiser, some type of hybrid, or comfort might be an idea? (with hand brakes/few gears?)

[HillSlugger]

What about putting road slicks on your mtb?

[Miranda]

What about putting road slicks on your mtb?

Thx, that's a good idea. GF did that to make her mt bike, her "mommy bike". I do use the mt bike for some light trails, and the noby tires are nice then, of course.

[Zen]

If you're only doing light trails without much speed or loose debris a more street friendly tread will still work off road.

[Miranda]

If you're only doing light trails without much speed or loose debris a more street friendly tread will still work off road.

Thx Zen... I'll have to check it out at my LBS. M