European Style Commuter Bikes

[GoneOffShore]

Just came back from Paris and saw so many great commuter bikes. Upright riding position, fenders, integral hubs, lights, panniers, the whole enchilada.
Can't find anything like them here in Philadelphia.
I've made my old Panasonic mountain frame into a commuter (as I've posted about before), but my wife wants to ride to work in a skirt. So she needs a step through frame and chain guard and fenders, etc. Apart from buying a bike in France and shipping it here (an expensive proposition) does anyone have any suggestions as to where to buy a European style city bike?
I've been searching the net, but all I can find are those really expensive Dutch bikes.

[happyslug]

1. Sorry, I looked some years ago and found NOTHING.

I have been looking for a Chain Guard and the only site I saw selling them was a Taiwan factory selling them at 500 to an Order.

My Advice is to buy a Mixte bike (A bike with the top bar dropped for women to wear with a dress), but a new Front Wheel from Peter White Wheels and order Fenders from the same place. Peter White sells Wheels with integral generator hubs (and he sells high end barrel generators if you do not want to buy a new wheel). He sells the lights that go with the Generator.

As to his fenders, Peter White not only sell Aluminum reinforced plastic Fenders, he sells french made Stainless steel fenders. Thus Peter White Wheels is a good place to start looking for parts to upgrade a bike to commuter standard:

Peter White Wheels:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

[happyslug]

2. Site from Cycling Forum suggest that Trek STILL has these L300s in stock

But since no one was buying them in 2004, Trek just keep them in their warehouse till someone orders one. Go to your local Trek Dealer and see if he can ORDER a L-300 "Low Rider" Bike, you may be surprise and be able to get one. A lot of bike stores only stock bikes they think they can sell quickly, other models they order in. For example I have been eying up a Connondale Large Frame Touring bike for about a year, one of these days I can going to get it. Looks someone ordered it, but then backed out of buying it. The Store took the lost but still trying to sell the bike. The same may be in your local Trek Dealer but more likely he be surprised he can still get one for your wife if he orders it even through it is no longer in the catalog.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t-306921-15-4.html

[Gregorian]

3. A couple of ideas.

I find it very disturbing to see the vast difference in their values versus our values. I am not overestimating or exaggerating. I am very disturbed by this. And have been for many many years. Even from my first exposure to a French exchange student in 1970. Mopeds? Wow, that was an eye opener. I really don't recommend riding on the roads of this country, for the reason that we are not valued. I've only been forced off the rode one time since 1967 when I started. It does depend on where one is riding. Rural riding is where one faces the morons. City riding one just has to be vigilant. I hope you find what you are looking for. And I really hope it works out. I love to see more people on bikes. You have to look hard to find the eclectic builders, but they do exist. As for a chain guard, I really don't think you'll find that here. Not in the higher end bike. Breeze bikes do have the chainguard. They seem to have many more years of bike building over in Europe. And they value cycling and cyclists. I'm sorry, I find it hard to not bash America when it comes to biking.

Having said that. I know that Joe Breeze has a company that makes a line of bikes. He's one of the early mountain bikers. I don't think they're cheap. But he does have a line of step through frames.

Giant has a steeply sloping top tube design that might also work. The Ranier model. Or their full-on girl's bike. The Suede.


As for internal shifting mechanisms, Shimano, Rolloff, and another I forget, make them. They are not cheap. But they are really nice.

Here's a couple of the links to the sites I mentioned.

http://www.giantbicycle.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.006.asp?year=2005&model=11083


Breeze makes what you are looking for. He made the very first custom mountain bike. I know the guy who owns it. And I doubt they are cheap.
http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes.cfm


This is the Ranier. I think it's the '06 model.

[GoneOffShore]

5. Thank you -

The Breezer looks like the one!!

That is a city bike! And luckily there is a dealer here in Philly!!

I was getting desperate and thinking about buying a bike in Paris and shipping it here.

Either that or spending money for one of the Dutch bikes.

Philadelphia is becoming a much more bicycle friendly city with the advent of bike lanes, the Delaware Valley Bicycle Coalition and more people riding.

[bikebloke]

4. Jolly Bikes

http://www.jollybike.com/

If you want something Dutchie.

[Kolesar]

6. Pass the dutchie

$600...a bit steep for a single speed. Charming, though.