After a move from the US to Europe that necessitated dropping all but one really nice road bike I've finally had cause to get an all-round upright commuter, and I've discovered that the average cheap commuter bike here is a really good platform for an xbiking-style build.
These things are just average 90s hybrids in geometry, nothing special there. What differentiates them from similar bikes on the US market is the fact that it's a pretty even split between 26" and 700c even in large/small frame sizes, and besides universal front/rear rack and fender mounts many with rigid forks have mid-fork mounts too. They're also way more common to see in aluminum or step-through, and the 700c ones have the same 40+fender clearance as the 26ers.
Best of all, they're totally immune to the 90s MTB cool tax, and they already come with a lot of the "xbiking" accessories like racks and fenders already installed. This is exactly as it came for €100, the only thing I've done is install my own seatpost and saddle. I'll be ripping off the dead bottle dynamo and fixing my fender lines soon, but outside of that it's functionally perfect as is, even if not aesthetically.
I know this is a very American forum, but are there any other Europeans here who are exploring the possibilities of your commuter frames? I feel like every time I check willhaben (local buy/sell site) I see €50 trash bikes with frame specs that anyone stateside would dump a $800 Blue Lug order on for a guaranteed Radavist feature.
by rasmussenyassen
5 Comments
I have the same reflectors on my bike!
>exploring the possibilities of your commuter frames
If by this you mean ride it until it falls apart, then fix it and repeat, then yes. That’s what I’m doing. It’s an old Gazelle, that was given to me for free. I was so happy! It must have been a really expensive unit 25-30 years ago. Then I found out exactly why someone would give away a bike for free, and ended up having to replace half the parts on that thing.
I’ve just realised Germany is the only Axis power I haven’t had a bike from. There are some commuters that are both lugged frame and disc brakes, and I’ve been thinking about getting one of these and going wild with the parts
Tbh even 90s MTBs have not been struck by the cool tax here, I still see all kinds of cool bikes for sub 100€. But very interesting to read an American’s perspective, kind of makes sense now why there’s a market for ridiculously expensive racks in the US.
Also you way overpayed for that thing lol, for 100 I’d want a hub dyno on there at least.
My time to shine. I‘m also in Vienna 😉 there is ALOT of xbike potential on local markets.
Austria has a completely different bike history than the US for example. Biking was still a pragmatic mode of transport through the 20th century, Even though the car got more and more important like in all of Western Europe.
My grandfather (died in 2008) still did most of his daily journeys on his bike right until he died. And he was no weirdo doing that.
There is a huge surplus of your typical steelframe commuter from the 70s to today. Most prominently the local brand „Puch“ who still produced locally until the 90s I believe. So you get good quality steelframes for almost nothing on willhaben. Most of the bikes only need superficial service and are ready to go.
I daily ride a few puchs twice my age.
There is a huuuge community of shitbox loving bike nerds in the city who just don‘t call it xbiking.
Lots of love for them! Here is my cheapo Pegasus from the 80s. Today Pegasus still exist, but they make bottom of the barrel stuff. Back then, they were still not fancy, mind you, but it‘s a fairly workable lugged frame. I paid 50 Eur for the base bike and put about 100 Eur of rebuild into it. It‘s a properly good commuter now!
https://preview.redd.it/1huact8tnwjg1.jpeg?width=3578&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=496bf8d69d407e980f15ec40902078fe18281993