My main commuter bike is a Jamis 2013 Coda Femme. In late autumn, I bought the Tern D7i as a secondary bike and was floored by it. I really like it.
I love the dynamo lights.
I love the internal hub.
I love the nice-looking, made-for-the-bike fenders.
I like-ish the weird chain cover thing even though I bet it is shedding more microplastics than a belt drive does.
It all came with the bike.
In contrast, I've had to buy fenders for my Jamis. I've had to buy the rack. I've had to buy the nine and a half million lights to use on it in winter. I've had to get the front chain ring switched out for a covered one that doesn't try to take big bites out of my calf or shred my work pants. I love this bike so much because it was my first big adult milestone purchase when I entered the workforce, back in 2012 when $550 was a huge chunk of change for a mid-20s professional woman trying to tread water despite massive student loans. I've recently discovered that it had wheel lock mounts, so I bought a wheel lock. I'm planning to put a dynamo on it as soon as I have enough money for that.
But I also think to myself … do I actually need to do this? What if I'm frankenbiking a bike that I love until it is beyond recognition? Why am I doing this to a bike I love in winter when there's so much salt damage? I know the bike won't last forever, but still.
I live in the Northeast USA. Cities are putting in bike lanes, even with the federal headwinds. I see more and more commuters out every day, even in winter.
Based on my gym performance, I will never lift my way into being able to smoothly carry a 50-60 lb ebike up my stairs into my apartment every work day. Neither will many of us living in the myriad walkup apartments that significantly pre-date modern building codes. Landlords of older buildings don't do bike parking options, unlike what seems to be the case in other countries. And yet all of the excellent commuter bike companies are not selling nice commuter bikes in the USA anymore in favor of ebikes that cater to people in suburban environments with garages and the economically fortunate who have a job that lets them pay the hefty rent fees for an apartment with an elevator.
Sometimes I go on European bicycle websites and just … feel sad. Yes, sometimes I'm lusting after cargo bikes like the Muli or Omnium MiniMax, but more often than not, I'm looking at the non-electric Canyon CityLite, Creme Eve, Schindelhauer Greta, or any number of commuter bikes that would be better for my daily commuter use than my lovely Jamis. And I think a dealbreaker with Priority Bikes, one of the only acoustic commuter bike companies in the USA, is how few of their bikes come with dynamos and how I'd rather buy through my LBS (they're direct-to-consumer) so my bike is in their system and it's easier to get serviced when major part things happen.
I'm convinced that companies don't know how to market real commuter bicycles to Americans. Like, the actual market for these bikes in the USA is stressed-out professionals who want to use the bike lanes and decompress before or after work with a nice bike commute, not necessarily athlete-types like the current US marketing is focused on. The full cost of those bikes with accessories is up-front. Dynamo lights mean having an easier time in the dark months. Just throw in a coupon for a Cleverhood poncho and 95% of what a commuter needs is there, except for the winter studded tires. Take some inspiration from the plethora of ridiculous infomercial montages on YouTube for some ideas of how to create ads for this.
Anyway. Thank you for reading this rant, which has been building up in me for a while. I hope everyone is having a calm weekend.
EDIT: I'll also add that the two reasons I'm not using the Tern bike in deep winter (Jan-Feb) are (1) that studded tires were out-of-stock in its size and (2) that the winter pothole situation is evolving rapidly due to freeze-thaw road damage, so it's a bit safer to run wider studded tires on 700c wheels.
by tabbypumpkin0000
16 Comments
I have two Priority bikes – Onyx and 600 – that come with dynamo hubs and lights… and I’ve always supplemented with real, bright, flashing bike lights, because I want to see and be seen. IMO belt drive, fenders and racks are the prime commuter-friendly features.
Canadian – right there with ya. I’ll say that I’ve heard great things about Priority customer service in the US, but they aren’t a great option for us because they don’t honour their warranty out of the US. There’s a Montréal brand that makes commuter focused bikes, but they’re quite expensive and more limitedly available by comparison.
I think Marin has a belt drive non-e commuter bike option. Trek _used_ to have one, but even though it completely sold out, they retired it for ebike options, as you said.
It’s also very difficult, of not impossible, to find non-e cargo bikes here.
This feels less like a rant and more like a set of observations about integrated design and market trends. Interesting points, but I don’t think anyone’s being wronged; it’s just a mismatch between product offerings and a subset of riders.
What you’re describing isn’t exclusion or neglect, it’s a market preference shift. Some riders want fully-integrated commuters, and those seem to be more common in Europe than in the U.S.
I feel your pain. It’s not just USA… Bike industry think that commuters want road bikes or fixies. The lack of options is staggering. I just imported a schindelhauer bike (not to America)… Honestly… It was worth it. I commute 10 miles each way (circa 100 miles a week + weekend rides). It was so difficult to find a bike that ticks all my boxes. Dynamo, belt drive, internal hub, fenders, rack… I replaced tyres with marathon pluses. It’s a dream.
Thank you for highlighting the walk-up apartment issue with ebikes. I’d have to move to get an ebike.
Bike shops make more money selling accessories than from a bike.
American here. Have you thought about a bike with 4 wheels and an engine?
/s
Agree!!
Simple is best. All those accessories on dedicated commuter bikes are just more hassles to worry about. There is peace of mind just riding a bare bones cheap disposable bottom shelf F-tier bicycle that you can just leave parked for hours without being stressed about theft.
Agreed entirely.
It shocks me how few commuter bikes are available here in the U.S. And I genuinely believe that there is a large, untapped market for good commuter bikes if only the marketing were done correctly and persistently.
Having said all that, I did buy a Priority Continuum Onyx about 5 years ago and I do love it. Both of my bikes have a dynamo front hub and that’s non-negotiable for any bike I’d consider buying.
Folks in Canada were so annoyed they started importing second hand Dutch bikes. https://plainbicycle.org
Normally they also ship to the US, but unfortunately we don’t live in normal times.
Rural dude here, Northern New England, I feel The O.P. I have had to source and install everything on my bicycles; fenders racks and lights (22 lights).
Made worse by the fact that I fell in love with longtail cargo bicycles.
Most Americans see bicycles as toys at best.
I’ve been a cyclist since ’79.
I have been car-free, by choice about ten years of my life. Not counting my current foray back into the lifestyle.
I was car-free from ’79-’85, and then again ’08-’13, now going third time started in October.
As a whole, the American market is still sport focused, the same bike shop from 1979, still caters to sport, go fast riders. I get it. There are literally only about a dozen commuters or transportation based cyclists in the area. I consider my self and commuters and “forced” cyclists to be what I call transportation based cyclists. Of that number, maybe four of us are “wanting” to be transportation cyclists.
I’m basing that statement on the bicycles, gear, and demeanor of the others I have noticed. There is a difference between folks that want to vs folks that have to. Not being judgemental,
I’ve no idea how many “go fast” cyclists there are in the area. But the shop has been there since at least 1979.
The internet has made it easier in some ways to properly outfit your bike in almost any manner. I got a set(~2009ish), of Scottish made turn signals that aren’t being made any more. The product should be revived, especially considering the push for e-bike and bicycle legislation. It could serve as marker lights, turn signal, mirror and front reflectors all at the same time. I think the problem may have been battery life and expense (six AA batteries), when used as marker lights.
Another issue is that those built-in systems on the bike cost.
Lest we forget there is the American desire to be an individual. If manufacturers were including them as standard, how long before someone is removing said items like the fenders to go a little faster, As a matter of fact this may be how we got here. I would expect that during the 1890’s most bicycles came with fenders, based on the theory that bicycles originated as a alternative to the horse as affordable transportation.
Fellow masshole here
Currently using a brompton on the mbta. For my commute.
I enjoy being able to live like I live in the Nederlands
I see a car commercial for the lasted goant SUV. That gives you ‘freedom’ with scenes of traveling though a forest. But the reality is the it’s crushing you with debt and your never go off the pavement .
I see your point. When I moved to Denmark I decided to get myself a super nice commutter. Found the Creme Ristretto Bolt and other than pannier rack, it came with everything I needed, great fenders, dynamo lights, IGH with belt drive, simple steel frame. I have other more expensive bikes but this is the one that I rely on most to drop my kids and pick up my groceries.
I have a Marin Larkspur E and I like it a lot. Comes with fenders & lights and a Bosch motor. The steel frame probably makes it a bit heavier than a comparable bike in aluminum, but Marin makes one of those, too….i forget the model tho
Almost everyone here rides a bike like you described. Maybe you could raise the import tariffs even further. LOL