I have a Trek 1500, carbon fork, seatpost, 20/24 spoke wheels, extra wheel set Bontrager race wheels. Also a 1988 Schwinn Alum. 564, Shimano, extra wheels. An MTB, a 1964 "all Campy" custom JRJ with Brooks B-17 Pro and all the hot components.

But I'm falling in love with this machine . . .

Trek Cruiser Classic -- 26" X 2.125" balloon tires (We're looking at white walls), fat saddle, single gear -- 46", coaster brake. It's not without it's sophisticated side -- alloy frame, seatpost, stem, hubs, rims.

http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2005/citybike/cruiserclassic.jsp

Out on the "Promenade" at the beach. It's total class, and a chick magnet. What's not to love about this bike?

Yeah, at 57 yrs old I can do 17 mph avg. over terrain for 50 miles on a road machine. But sometimes the roses are worth stopping to smell.

I have an Atlantis and Rambouillet (nobody needs both, but I got a great deal on a used bike). More and more, though, when I'm headed for coffee or just "out for a ride," I take a 15-year-old Bridgestone mountain bike I built up with three-speed style bars, fat 40psi tires and big ugly black fenders. I'd probably turn it into a singlespeed if I hadn't already done that to a Trek tourer. So far no evidence of chick magnetism, though....

So far no evidence of chick magnetism, though....

Ohhhhhhh, noooooooo . . .

The babes are checking you out. You just need to tune in a bit. :D

The "Prom" along the beach in Seaside Oregon is like Venice CA or some such. It's a beach resort destination. On the weekends, it's all about people at the beach, working on getting away and having a good time. Kites, bikes, sand castles . . . picnics, BBQ, surfers, skateboards, shopping for souvenirs . . .

I just like riding the bike, checking out the scene. I think maybe white wall tires . . .

Seems to have more soul than the Trek...

http://www.electrabike.com/04/images/05bikes/main/str/05_str_22nn.jpg

http://www.electrabike.com/

- khill

I have a Trek 1500, carbon fork, seatpost, 20/24 spoke wheels, extra wheel set Bontrager race wheels. Also a 1988 Schwinn Alum. 564, Shimano, extra wheels. An MTB, a 1964 "all Campy" custom JRJ with Brooks B-17 Pro and all the hot components.

But I'm falling in love with this machine . . .

Trek Cruiser Classic -- 26" X 2.125" balloon tires (We're looking at white walls), fat saddle, single gear -- 46", coaster brake. It's not without it's sophisticated side -- alloy frame, seatpost, stem, hubs, rims.

http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2005/citybike/cruiserclassic.jsp

Out on the "Promenade" at the beach. It's total class, and a chick magnet. What's not to love about this bike?

Yeah, at 57 yrs old I can do 17 mph avg. over terrain for 50 miles on a road machine. But sometimes the roses are worth stopping to smell.
I was looking at those the other day. I want to get something for my wife. She doesn't ride now and probably won't ever do anything other than tool around the neighborhood or the MUT with me and our daughter. I don't want to dump a lot of $$$ into it but I don't want a Walmart special either. Simple and comfortable is what I want for her.

Seems to have more soul than the Trek...

http://www.electrabike.com/04/images/05bikes/main/str/05_str_22nn.jpg

http://www.electrabike.com/

- khill

I looked at the Electras. The Trek is a nicer bike for less $$$.

Electra is single speed, steel frame, one piece steel crank, steel seat post, steel stem, steel hubs and rims. $320

Trek is single speed, alum alloy frame, alum. cotterless cranks, alloy seatpost, stem, hubs, rims. Alloy is important at the ocean. I paid less than $200. -- Although MSRP is about $250.

Electra is a nice bike, but you're paying for "bling" (Jeez, I hate that word and would never pay for it.) Trek is solid engineering, alloy bike, alloy components, understated, perfect.

Electra seems to have a lot of extra, overstated "retro intrusion" while the Trek is just a nice, well engineered, classic design sans affectation.

You can spend extra and get jerked around forever on the Electra web site.

http://www.electrabike.com/bikes.html

Or, you can get specs and a price on the Trek.

http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2005/citybike/cruiserclassic.jsp

Trust me. I shopped around.I shopped a great deal. The Trek is more bike for less $$$. Electras are about spendiing money for marketing. Electras are overstated retro schmaltz.

$24 will put me in white wall tires -- probably less because I get a discount at my LBS.

Trek bike has nicer lines if you look past the smoke and mirrors. Compare the top tube line from the crown to the bottom bracket. And it's alum. Aluminum at the beach is nice. Steel rusts.

I was looking at those the other day. I want to get something for my wife. She doesn't ride now and probably won't ever do anything other than tool around the neighborhood or the MUT with me and our daughter. I don't want to dump a lot of $$$ into it but I don't want a Walmart special either. Simple and comfortable is what I want for her.
Just bought my wife a Specialized Crossroads comfort bike. She loves it. She had an old 3 speed that she would rarely ride. She would not even look at any kind of a hill with it because she is not a strong enough rider and the bike did not have a low enough gear. With the Crossroads she is now doing 10 miles at a time and will ride palces other than just a flat MUT. The only problem is she wants to go riding all the time and that slows me down. But that's ok, it gets her out riding. The Specialized is nice, but all the brands make one. Retail was $330.00. Have a look at the comfort bikes.

The "cruiser" is a putz around bike. It's for flat terrain, in town, not in a hurry, and no place special you need to get to.

Trek is geared 46" -- 32 X 18 on 26" wheels. Balloon tires. It's all about "cruisin' " and not at all about going somewhere. I ride mine up and down the "Prom" and along Broadway. Down to the turn-around, wave at the girls, stop at the wayside and watch the surfers or the kites.

Weekends I park the truck at the edge of town by the fire station and spend the day on the bike, cruisin' . . . putzin' around, looking, hangin' having a good time. I typically get about 5 or 6 hours riding in, but nothing fast enough to get me breathing hard.

It's about hanging out. I spend the day on the bike, no destination, just hanging out and having a good time. Besides which, it's cushy and a classic design. I get admiring comments all day long.

Seems to have more soul than the Trek...

http://www.electrabike.com/04/images/05bikes/main/str/05_str_22nn.jpg

http://www.electrabike.com/

- khill

For goofing around I got a Rat Fink this spring. I love that thing. It costs 75% less than my Trek road bike but gets much more attention. When I'm dinking down a bike path roadies will actually ride alongside to check it out. I got my wife a Hawaiian cruiser and that thing is gorgeous and more importantly very comfortable to ride.

I have 5 bikes. Old vintage "all Campy" race machine. Two road bikes with two sets of wheels, and a Nishiki Colorado MTB.

This is the fun bike. On the beach, easy goin' . . . I get to be a kid on this bike.