ooh la la - new semi-custom mixte from Sweetpea!

[jdubble]

but why does it have to be just an errand/townie bike? i've regularly done 40 milers on my sweetpea mixte with no problem, and have mounts for racks to eventually do touring/bike camping with it, once the kids are old enough to pull their own weight so to speak. it's set up to be a great all-rounder and very good at it. i have no doubt that it'd be just fine on longer rides, i just haven't had the opportunity to do so.

i've held my own on club rides and hill repeats on it too, much to the surprise of the other women who looked at me sort of askance when i showed up with that instead of my road bike. in fact it gave me great pleasure to pretty much dust my friend who's a very strong climber on a ride this spring, on a big hill. my back was bugging me and i didn't want to be on my road bike. she said, ok, take that one, but i don't want to hear you complaining when we hit the hills. first big one we came to, she was struggling and i dropped into a nice low gear, sat up and spun past her, whistling the Wicked Witch of the West tune as I did so.

and someday when i'm old and my gimpy back doesn't let me ride my road bike anymore, or i have trouble clearing the top tube, i'll still have my mixte to keep me company. at least that's the plan.

[Cataboo]

Quality for WHAT? It's a towine/errand bike ferchrissssssssakes.
Gawd

It's $800. Which is over what an errand/townie bike should cost without having better components. For that, they can throw in some sora or some tiagra that I'd still turn up my haughty nose at.

I think the sweetpea mixte is meant to be more than a townie/errand bike - road bike geometry to go faster & longer distances, road level components.

[Crankin]

I agree, Cataboo. If I get a bike like the Sweet Pea mixte, I want it to be as nice as my road bike. Because, I know that eventually, I may end up on that bike a lot more than my road bike. Plus, I live on a huge hill and want to be able to come home from my errands in the same nice low gears I have on my road bike.
I have a 500.00 Jamis Coda. It's OK, but I don't love the geometry (my back hurts when I ride it) or the flat bars. I will keep it until I get a touring bike or the mixte. I can't get both .

[Cataboo]

You could possibly tour on the mixte

[Zen]

Meh.
I just don't care anymore.

[Cataboo]

meh.
I just don't care anymore.

victory is mine!

[Zen]

Ok. Go with that.

[Zen]

You could possibly tour on the mixte

My next tour is gonna be with the Allman Brothers. As a guest on their bus.
In my orthopedic go-go boots.
And nothing else.

Party on, Garth.

[sarahspins]

Your tocino costing $800 is ridiculous. It's 8 speed - none of the drive train components are quality.

I'm pretty sure it has the exact same hub I just put on my vintage Mixte.. and I had a wheel custom built for it, and that ran me just under $300 (including shipping). I felt it was a reasonable investment at the time.... and I still do, but if you consider that to buy a mixte frame new (from Soma or VO) is about $500, and if only the rear wheel is another $300, there's an $800 bike before you've added any other components. $800 for the Ticino is really not bad.

You might claim the components are not quality, but I find that the hub is well suited for what it is... mine is an errand bike. A cute thing to ride to the corner store or our little post office.. she's not a speed queen, and I didn't build the bike for touring or long distance riding.

[Cataboo]

I'm pretty sure it has the exact same hub I just put on my vintage Mixte.. and I had a wheel custom built for it, and that ran me just under $300 (including shipping). I felt it was a reasonable investment at the time.... and I still do, but if you consider that to buy a mixte frame new (from Soma or VO) is about $500, and if only the rear wheel is another $300, there's an $800 bike before you've added any other components. $800 for the Ticino is really not bad.
.

Soma or VO are selling small production steel frames in various sizes, ticino's aluminum mass produced in one size. The quality of a soma or VO frame is expected to be much higher than electra. Your rear was custom built for your bike - the ticino is a mass produced bike, they aren't spending $300 for a custom built rear wheel for it.

That being said, I don't really care - I just found it funny that Zen was saying the price of another mixte was ridiculous when I would find the price of her mixte ridiculous. But it's all relative depending on what people are willing to spend for a bike for what purposes. I wouldn't pay $800 for a townie or an errand bike, which doesn't mean that it's not a perfectly reasonable way for other people to spend their money.

[velogirl]

JJ's was the first, then Natalie built a prototype for herself, and then there was mine -- the first of the new A-Line! I picked it up in August in Portland and toured the state for almost three weeks. now that I'm home it's my town bike. custom fit, mtn bike triple for loaded touring, and turns heads all over the place.

[Blueberry]

JJ's was the first, then Natalie built a prototype for herself, and then there was mine -- the first of the new A-Line! I picked it up in August in Portland and toured the state for almost three weeks. now that I'm home it's my town bike. custom fit, mtn bike triple for loaded touring, and turns heads all over the place.

She's fabulous!! Love the color Wishing you many more happy miles together!

[emily_in_nc]

Beautiful bike, velogirl, and I greatly admire your touring set up. Very nice, and the ultimate in practicality!

[JennK13]

Velogirl,
I have SERIOUS bike envy right now.... Loving your setup with those bars and the pumpkin color is beautiful. Yes, I'm selling my Trek and Giant to get one.......