Women's heavy cruiser bikes: ever recommended them?

[shootingstar]

Frankly, I would never recommend to any woman to buy a heavy cruiser bike. This post on the 'Net expresses a viewpoint.

I realize some of those bikes, look fashionably fun. But just are clunkers and in my opinion, would turn off women who haven't cycled in ages or wannabes. At least, they'll find out a few km. into a ride or going up a hill.

Last year, I was in a large bike shop where a teenager who was around 14 yrs. was all excited to get her yellow heavy cruiser bike. Meanwhile, a (male) store clerk tried to (helpfully) explain that a hybrid bike with some gearing would be a lot more fun and easier to ride. The bike was a brilliant lovely blue bike. I did say in a friendly way to the girl, that it's good advice and she'll go farther with less effort. But hey, why would she want to listen to me...I was in semi-cycling wear while in the store. Her father was with her.

Sigh. This is like getting all excited about a pair of very high/spiky heels and then quickly realizing you can't walk very far/for long in them. Except a bike is bigger and much more expensive.

I actually think a heavy cruiser women's bike is for an experienced woman cyclist who already has cycled for awhile.

[ny biker]

It looks like that blog post has been removed.

I've never ridden a cruiser bike. I wonder how they compare to bikeshare bikes in terms of their weight. (I've never ridden a bikeshare bike, either, but I've heard they're pretty heavy.)

[Crankin]

My son had the same discussion with his wife. They did live by the beach at the time, so lots of people on cruisers. I think she got the hybrid, but something tells me that she also got a cruiser, at a later date.

[Jolt]

It looks like that blog post has been removed.

I've never ridden a cruiser bike. I wonder how they compare to bikeshare bikes in terms of their weight. (I've never ridden a bikeshare bike, either, but I've heard they're pretty heavy.)

I haven't ridden a cruiser either, but did try out the Hubway bikes in Boston once and can confirm that bikeshare bikes are HEAVY and geared way too low. (And there are a ton of people riding them who haven't a clue what they are doing as far as rules of the road, but that is another topic altogether.)

[rebeccaC]

Lots of beach cruisers bought/ridden in my area. I usually smile when I see a bright colored cruiser with a chain guard and a nice basket. A Nexus hub or handlebar tassels gets an even bigger smile. For an area like mine I see them making some sense for some people. Personally I enjoy my heavy Celeste Bianchi Milano with Basil baskets for grocery runs, for work commutes and just running around in town. It's Nexus 8 hub works flawlessly and gets me up a couple of steep hills on my way home from work if i want to go that way for the exercise.

If asked for recommendations I’d go through some options, cruiser included if applicable, and then let them decide. Whatever someone wants to ride is fine with me! Linus is a local company and they have the Dutchi which is one fine cruiser designed bike for city riding. There have been, myself included, and still are many people riding heavy steel upright city bikes for years in Europe (much heavier than an aluminum alloy cruiser).....and cheap 50 lb Columbia's and Roadmaster's were ridden by a lot of people in the U.S. for years until the 70's.

I've been doing a lot of photography in the arts district in downtown LA which is going through a gentrification. I recently found a new bike store that gets older bikes, even some of those older heavy columbia's, repainting them, building them back up with quality parts and selling as many as they have.

[Crankin]

I would love to have one of those cool looking city bikes, although not necessarily a cruiser. But, given the hilliness of the area I live in, it will never happen, at least until I move to another house, where I can ride/ do errands on flat terrain.

[emily_in_nc]

I owned a beach cruiser when we lived in Belize for 18 months (on the dead-flat island of Ambergris Caye) and mostly rode on unpaved packed sand roads and packed parts of the beach. I bought another one for our six-month stay in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where it's also flat. It was cheaper to buy one even if I can't get much out of it when we leave, than to try to rent a bike here every time I wanted to ride.

To me, cruiser bikes make perfect sense for the roads around here and are much cheaper than something nicer. I don't do any serious cycling here but I enjoy cruising on the bike paths, and the fenders are a big help if I get caught in a downpour. I certainly prefer the bikes I have back in the US, but cruiser bikes do have their place. The simplicity of one speed is nice, and when it's flat, the fact that the bike is heavy doesn't matter all that much.

I see plenty of people around here cruising around on cruiser bikes with smiles on their faces! Enjoying them simply takes a relaxed attitude towards cycling and not being in a big hurry to get anywhere but just enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells along the way.

Here's my bike: Attachment 17574

[shootingstar]

It looks like that blog post has been removed.

I've never ridden a cruiser bike. I wonder how they compare to bikeshare bikes in terms of their weight. (I've never ridden a bikeshare bike, either, but I've heard they're pretty heavy.)

Never put a 4-letter word in blog post title like what the blog writer did...but I masked with a web link!? Here is her blog post. May I be forgiven for this full copy. Original credit is the link that refuses to work:

Step back. This is a bit of a rant.

I have been working at the bike shop for almost a year now, and here is a true fact: I have seen many couples come in to buy bikes together, and not once — not ONCE! — have I seen a couple leave with a pair of bikes, where the woman’s bike cost substantially more than the man’s. I’ve seen lots of men ride out on fine $1,000 road bikes or high-end hybrids, while the partner chooses a mid-range hybrid, or worse—a clunky “retro” upright or a step-thru ladybike. In the case of couples I can only assume this is because a) the woman’s needs are assumed to be less budgetable than the man’s, and b) the man would feel emasculated to ride on a lesser bike than his partner. I’m waiting for a better explanation, but I haven’t heard one yet.

I am sick of seeing women buy **** bikes. I refuse to cooperate in selling women bikes that will not serve their needs, enhance their mobility, or contribute to their liberation.

What I hate most are the ladybikes. You know, those dainty upright beasts with the fat cushy seats and back-swept handlebars, or the funky steel 3-speeds. They look cute, weigh a ton, and ride like a tank up even the most gradual hill. They’re great on the seawall (or arguably in Amsterdam), but try riding one across Vancouver. No matter which direction you go, you will hit a sizeable hill at some point, and find yourself standing up on the pedals or pushing that ox up the grade. The geometry does not allow for efficient pedalling. Try riding one more than a few kilometres. Try fitting one out with front and rear panniers, or towing a trailer behind. Like high-heeled shoes they are designed to look pretty and slow you down.

I know I’m gonna get a lot of blowback for this, so let me say this: step-thru bikes aren’t always ridiculous. I have gladly sold them to customers when they are in fact the right choice. They work well for people with hip problems who cannot lift a leg over a crossbar – although in general, women have proportionally longer legs than men, so if anyone should be riding the step-thrus it is the guys. Most “leg over crossbar” problems are simply due to unfamiliarity with riding a bike, and the rider soon gets the knack of it. But in the case of physical hip problems a step-thru can be the right solution.

Step-thrus can be good for people with major back or neck issues, although almost any style of bike can be comfortable if it is well-fitted. If a person has lower-back problems, a bolt-upright bike can cause compression and pain in the lumbar on longer rides.

Step-thrus do make it possible to ride in a long slim skirt, which you can’t do on a crossbar. However, you can ride a regular bike comfortably in a short dress or a loose skirt — I do it all the time. (Btw that whick-whick-whick! you are hearing is the sound of Amelia Bloomer turning over in her grave).

I think step-thus are best as entry-level bikes for women who are so intimidated that only a femmy bike will entice them onto the saddle. Late-learners, elderly women, fashion victims or the terminally timid. They are fine for people who really and truly aspire to nothing more than an occasional leisure cruise on the seawall (oh and don’t forget, you will need to buy a special attachment to put that bike on the car rack to drive it to Stanley Park). If regular bicycles are too scary for them, let them ride step-thrus. Maybe one day they will run up against the limitations of their ride and then they will graduate to a better bike. Or maybe that bike will always serve them well. Anyway, better a step-thru than no bike at all, so whatever gets a reluctant rider onto a bike is ok by me.

As for fashion, as I tell my customers — yes, it matters. You should fall in love with your bike and physical attraction is a factor. When you gaze at your bike,your heart should beat a little faster. Don’t get a colour you hate. Go ahead and accessorize. Decorate! Your bike should look hot and you should feel like you look hot on your bike. But a pretty bike that is a pain to ride won’t look good rusting in your basement.

I love my shop, and we do make a real effort to respect all the clientele. We have probably the highest percentage of women customers of any shop in the city, aside from the one female-focused store. But it still makes me crazy when male sales staff automatically default to selling women cheap, heavy bikes. It is so easy for many women to take the bait and fall for the pretty and comforting bike over the useful and comfortable bike. I have noticed that I am complicit in this tendency. I will tend to steer women toward the less expensive bikes and men to the upper range, knowing that it is easy to upsell men and downsell women. Ladybikes are an easy sell. We can do better.

When a woman enters the shop who seems fit and confident, and she says that is looking for urban transportation with a view to other possibilities, I will always at the very least ask her to test-ride a more powerful “performance” hybrid and compare it to an upright step-thru. If she rides the bikes around the block, up and down the hill, and then prefers the step-thru—fine, so be it. I will do everything I can to assist her with the choice she has made.

If a woman is open to a better, more powerful bike, I will gently try to guide her toward a bike that will fulfill her needs and take her farther than she might have imagined. I have had women thank me sincerely for pushing them a little and opening their eyes.

Women have mostly been taught from birth that we are weak, limited, and incapable. We have been convinced that our needs are not so important, and that we should not “waste” money on our deeper and more empowering desires. We have bought the story that it is more important to look cute than to be strong and self-sufficient. As a pedlar of pedals and an agent of liberation, I refuse to be part of that story.

[shootingstar]

I live at sea level, and regularly go to the ocean year-round. I have 5 bikes, and not one of them is a cruiser.

And you're right, Shooting Star, the people I see on cruisers look uncomfortable, like they are concentrating on making the bike operate.

As noticed, we in this thread are experienced and stronger (we really are) cyclists and would find a heavy cruiser on flats not a big deal. Not the wannabes or those who only bike less than 5 times per year. I'm thinking of older teen girls, some timid women, excited to bike with the gang, but rarely cycle at that point in life (at least a lot in North America don't bike much at all to school) and we want to do anything to give them happy memories of cycling...

It's not about how we as experienced cyclists, feel is fun on cruisers..it's about inexperienced women and girls on bikes, especially when they buy a bike for lst time.

[IBrakeforPastry]

I see plenty of people around here cruising around on cruiser bikes with smiles on their faces! Enjoying them simply takes a relaxed attitude towards cycling and not being in a big hurry to get anywhere but just enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells along the way.

Here's my bike: Attachment 17574

I rented a (bright yellow) cruiser last year in the Florida keys for riding on the flat beach path. Just like Emily said, I was riding around with a big smile on my face, just having fun along with everyone else. I think some people look uncomfortable because the bike's not adjusted. I made sure mine was right before I left the shop. I actually liked the slower pace for riding around town. I felt I had more time to react to traffic, pedestrians, and stop signs.

[lauraelmore1033]

Oh man! When we were finishing up RSVP last year (I believe you read my ride report complaining about that last bit on the trail...) it was all young ladies in booty shorts and big hair on step through cruiser bikes riding three abreast at a sub 5 mph pace! It's a fashion thing, I think.

[OakLeaf]

I see plenty of people around here cruising around on cruiser bikes with smiles on their faces! Enjoying them simply takes a relaxed attitude towards cycling and not being in a big hurry to get anywhere but just enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells along the way.

^This!!!!


The author of the original piece seems to be under the impression that more women than men ride beach cruisers. That's not what I see around here. Sure women typically get the bikes in pastels and men get them in bolder colors, and how much of that is corporate marketing, how much is retail pressure, and how much is actual customer preference I have no idea. But in terms of the hardware itself (or the apparent experience and knowledge of many of the riders)? Equal as far as I can see.


Fit was the only reason I spent an extra $200 on my hybrid. I certainly don't need gears or fancy brakes (though I do use three of my bike's 24 speeds pretty regularly on bridges and in wind), and least of all do I need even this bike's rudimentary suspension - all of which are vulnerable to sand and salt. It all came down to the cruisers come with huge long cranks - 175 mm if they're a mm, and frames and seatposts set up that you *can't* get good leg extension. I knew my knees wouldn't take that. So in that sense, I suppose cruisers are designed for larger, taller people, who are statistically way more likely to be male. Just like all off the rack road frames were when I built my race bike in the late '80s. (I think Georgena Terry might have just started building frames at that point.) But there are also plenty of women who *don't* have kneecap tracking problems and who are perfectly happy on cruisers.



ETA - I rode a bikeshare bike in Columbus once, and it was a LOT heavier than my hybrid which I think is around 37# IIRC. The bikeshare bikes have got to be at least 50# and I wouldn't be surprised if they're heavier.

EATA - I wonder how much the Dutch commuter bikes weigh. That's most of what anyone rides over there.

EYATA - LauraElmore's post reminded me of the century I did in Amish country a few years ago - which for those who don't know, is pretty darn hilly. It was far from "all," but there were plenty of Mennonite ladies in their long skirts and veils on step through cruiser bikes. Which goes to the point that I kind of got lost in making about my own purchase, is that much of it is about the expense, and about the conviction or just the feeling that they don't need anything fancy. Still, there were at least a few Mennonite men on road bikes, which I suppose goes to the original point that women are more likely than men to be convinced that they don't need anything "fancy," even in a culture that expressly rejects "fancy."

[Jolt]

Sure women typically get the bikes in pastels and men get them in bolder colors, and how much of that is corporate marketing, how much is retail pressure, and how much is actual customer preference I have no idea.

Ugh...definitely a pet peeve of mine, with bikes, clothing etc. I really don't like pastels, give us real colors. I doubt it is really customer preference, unless I am just an oddball (which I suppose is entirely possible). And on a similar note, what is with so many women's jerseys being white? That pretty much guarantees getting grease on it, according to Murphy's law.

[lph]

Well, if I get the gist of the original blog post, her rant is not really about women choosing cruiser bikes, but about couples (who one assumes will be riding on the same terrain, and together at least some of the time) consistently choosing much higher quality bikes for the guy than for the girl. Which is interesting. I don't doubt that heavy one speed cruiser bikes can be fun, simple to use and suited to some kinds of terrain, but they're a pretty bad match for a ride together with a faster, lighter bike with higher gearing. I agree that the reason is probably complex, a combination of real personal preference and the very subtle assumptions and pressure we all are under about what is "suitable" for a woman. Maybe guys consistently get overrated in bike stores, and get pressured into buying bikes that are more expensive and more fancy than they would otherwise choose, I dunno. But I like that at least this woman (the blog poster) isn't adding to that pressure from the salespersons point of view.

ETA: I think women in general are more concerned about what others think of them. For better and for worse, and of course there are huge personal differences etc etc. But in general still - I do think that a man is less worried about being thought a poser by buying an expensive bike when he is an inexperienced rider than a woman is. "The status comes with the object" rather than "the object comes with the status", as it were.

[Aromig]

I must be a "fashion victim" because I covet one of the cute Electra bikes. I have a hybrid, but I bought a men's bike and while I'm fine when I'm on it, the standover height is pretty high and I'd be uncomfortable loading it down with panniers and baskets. I also have a decently nice carbon road bike and I'm not going to load it down either. So I keep thinking I want a nice cute Electra bike to ride the 4 miles to the grocery store and to run errands with my twelve year old on his mountain bike that rarely goes more than 10 mph. I have about 350 feet of climbing on some hills in that 4 miles....but I keep telling myself riding that heavy bike with groceries will make me stronger!

I haven't bought one yet because that $700 or so could buy a lot of entries to fun organized bike events, but boy they do look cute to me! (FYI, my bikes are MUCH nicer than my husband's bikes)