Hello there! I am a tall person (200cm/6'6-6'7) with a need of a bicycle for chill city commute. I was advised to look on this Esprit from Gazelle, because it is readily available with a bigger frame (64cm), and also because it was specifically made for riding upright.
As far as my research goes, the downsides are:
– because of inner tubes design and a dynamo light it could be difficult to repair without a master.
– it has an aluminium frame, which should be fine since my bodyweight is only around 80kg
– it has the "roller-brakes" system, which is appearently the cheaper one.
Here is the link to the store page:
https://www.gazelle.de/fahrraeder/esprit?color=color-iced-blue&frame=frame-low
The price for my configuration is 820€, but my budget is around 1100-1200€ if anyone could advise a better alternative. I like this one due to minimalistic design and matt colours.
Thx in advance!
by Saysick
3 Comments
As far as point 1, I suppose what you’re referring to is the need to remove a wheel to repair a flat tire. Yes with a front dynamo hub and a rear planetary hub it’s a little more difficult to remove wheels, but once you learn how no problem, it just takes a little more time.
But a very good way to not get flats would be to install Schwalbe marathon tires and tubes.
Roller brakes aren’t used because they’re cheap, but rather because they are better protected from bad weather (ie rain) than discs or rim brakes.
Assumedly you want a bike with a planetary hub, chain cover, roller brakes, fenders, etc for protection from bad weather?
Priority and Momentum make some quite nice bikes with belt drives and disc brakes, along the lines of what you’re looking for. But I suspect you’re in DE, and those are us brands.
[momentum ux3s](https://www.momentum-biking.com/us/ux-3s-2022)
This is a good deal, less expensive, with 7 speed planetary, chain guard, generator hub, fenders and disc brakes
[decathlon DE](https://www.decathlon.de/p/city-bike-28-zoll-elops-900-hf-schwarz/_/R-p-300905?mc=8405468&c=carbongrau)
The brakes are reallly good. I have a Gazelle Tour Polpulair T8 (classic omafiets), which is a bit heavier and I am a lot heavier than you are and I never had any trouble with the brakes.
These bikes are virtually maintanance free, once you’ve installed Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires and the corresponding tubes. In eight years I never had a flat, did not need to change the chain or anything and I live in Berlin, the capital of broken glas and cobbled streets.
My bike is my only means of transportation, I use it daily. I love the automatic lights, which switch on much earlier than I used to switch them on, when I did so manually. Having them on at the traffic stop is great on rainy days. Not having to clean the chain when you get home at night all wet and clammy is priceless!
These bikes are made for people who ride year round, to be left outside year round and to serve you for decades. Well, probably not tge aluminium ones, but you should be goid for 10 to 15 years. Their only drawback is tgeir weight, but I really do not mind. There is a compromise to be made with everything.