12 Cool Urban Bicycles Ready to Replace Your Car

By Chris Baskind in Transportation

Fuel-efficient vehicles are great. Driving less is even better.

We’re big bicycle fans here at Lighter Footstep. Bikes are tough to beat in terms of urban transportation: they’re reliable, emissions-free, take up very little parking space, and cost almost nothing to operate. Depending on your commute or the length of your errand, it’s possible that a bicycle will get you where you’re going faster than an automobile. And they’re great for your health.

For many people, a bicycle could replace a car (or a second vehicle). Even if putting your auto out to pasture isn’t a realistic option, having a bicycle on hand can substantially lower your monthly transportation costs and environmental footprint.

What is an urban bike, anyway?

You can commute, get some fresh air, or fetch groceries on pretty much any bike that rolls. But urban bicycles are a developing class of bike which falls between skinny tired, racing-style bicycles and their burly offroad cousins, the mountain bike. They’re know by a lot of trade names: city bikes, commuters, town bicycles, and hybrids. Generally speaking, urban bikes are optimized for reliable city travel.

Features vary from bike to bike and manufacturer to manufacturer. Most urban bikes are built with a comfortable, upright riding position for better visibility in traffic. They may be equipped with one or more of the following: cargo racks; fenders and mudflaps; a light set; chain guard; wider, puncture-resistant tires; and a kickstand. Almost all urban bikes are multispeed, and many feature low-maintenance internal gearing.

About the bikes we’ve selected

We’ve chosen a dozen examples of purpose-built urban bicycles that would make worthy, full-time transportation. The cheapest retails for just over $500, and most are in the $1000 class. Some cost more.

Why such expensive bicycles? Our philosophy in picking this bunch is that we’re looking for automobile replacements. Even the most expensive of our choices is a bargain compared to a scooter, motorcycle, or used car. You’ll be getting quality components and a great frameset, which is the heart of a bicycle. Most models come with accessories which would cost more, if purchased separately. With reasonable care, any of these bikes could last a decade or longer — even under heavy use.

We’ve also stuck to bicycles from manufacturers with strong reputations. Most of these models should be available wherever you live, or can be purchased online. We’ll list our choices alphabetically. Let’s ride!

Breezer Uptown 8

Joe Breeze was an early pioneer in the development of what are now called mountain bikes. In the late 1990s, his attention turned to the idea of bicycles as urban transportation. Under the banner “transportation for a healthy planet,” Breeze began designing bicycles specifically for the comfort and convenience of riders who would primarily use them for riding to work and running errands.

The Breezer Uptown 8 is an excellent example of a purpose-built urban bike. The unisex U-frame model, pictured here, can be ridden by anyone (a men’s frameset is available). Here are all the classic city bike features: a built-in generator set and LED lights, a chainguard — the newest models are fully enclosed to keep cyclists clean — fenders, cargo rack, and an internally geared 8-speed hub.

Breezer Uptown 8 from Breezer Bicycles. Approximate retail price $1159.00.

Cannondale Street 1

Cannondale’s aim with this model is clearly to put some style into urban commuting. The Street 1 is a great looking package, with an aggressive-looking compact frame design and sexy paint. Strong points include disc brakes and a mild front suspension that can be locked out for maximum efficiency when roads are smooth. On the downside, the Street 1 is going to require considerable additions to make it ready for anything more than light commuting. Racks, fenders, and lights will add to the Street 1’s none-to-cheap purchase price.

2009 Street 1 from Cannondale Bicycles. Suggested retail price : $1179.00.

Fuji Cambridge

Here’s a  gorgeous bike clearly designed to evoke the glory days of Raleigh 3-speeds and vintage grocery bicycles. The Fuji Cambridge oozes retro styling, but with modern components and materials. The Cambridge’s most obvious feature is its lugged steel frame. Steel has fallen out of fashion as a frame material, replaced with lighter (and easy to fabricate) aluminum. But while it’s a bit heavier, steel can give a much more forgiving ride than its aluminum equivalent — particularly when carrying cargo.

There are some nice details on the Cambridge, such as the sprung Brooks look-alike saddle, fenders, and an unusual mustache handlebar set. The 700c wheels are heavy duty, and paired with wider 38c tires for durability. Gearing is internal, through a Shimano 8-speed rear hub. Add headlights, and the Cambridge should serve for many years as a bombproof commuter with timeless lines.

Fuji Cambridge by Fuji Bikes. Suggested retail price: $1250.00.

Gary Fisher Simple City 8

Technically, this is the Simple City 8W (women’s frame). The men’s version is the Simple City 8M, and comes in any color you like, so long as it’s Gloss Sand.

Gary Fisher is actually a Trek company these days, but the parent company has shown enough common sense to let Fisher express its own design sense. That’s the case with the Simple City 8, a satisfyingly complete urban bike for under $1000.

Both the men’s and women’s version of the Simple City 8 feature a distinctive front basket. In our experience, most bike errands are small runs with loads of 20 pounds or less. A lot of people find carrying cargo up front to be comforting. Your stuff is where you can see it — just throw a few bags in the basket and go. This particular basket, which is painted to match the bike, has a 5-point mount and a spring system to keep in in place while loading. Add a Shimano Nexus 8-speed rear hub, and the Simple City is a well-balanced, convenient city cruiser at a reasonable price point.

Simple City 8 from Gary Fisher Bicycles. Suggested retail price: $969.99.

Giant Transend EX

Giant started life stamping out bikes for other brands. These days, they’ve found their own voice, and are making some well-priced offerings in the commuter market.

The Transend EX is another remarkably complete city bicycle in the $1000 class. Highlights include powerful disk brakes, a semi-enclosed chain, full fenders, and a rear rack that comes with built-in straps (no fumbling with bungee cords!). Add lights, and you won’t need a car for much.

Transend EX from Giant Bicycles. Suggested retail price: $920.00.

Novara Fusion

The Fusion is a great-looking urban bike that comes equipped with virtually everything: a headlight with built-in generator, disk brakes, cargo rack, and full fenders. Best of all, it retails for $900.

There are downsides to the Fusion. It’s only available through REI, the online outdoor merchant, so you probably won’t be riding one before purchase. There only three frame sizes. But neither of these things are disqualifying, and the Fusion is an excellent, all-inclusive deal.

Novara Fusion by REI. Suggested retail price: $899.00.

Raleigh Sojourn

Raleigh actually makes a commuter bike called the Detour, fully equipped with racks, fenders, and a built-in light set. Despite this, we’ve chosen the company’s Sojourn, which is marketed as a touring bicycle. The main reason? A steel frameset.

Most touring bikes make good candidates for grocery-getters. Their frames are generally beefier than recreational bicycles, with relaxed frame angles and long wheelbases, which improve stability and comfort when carrying heavy loads. That’s the case with the Sojourn, which is built like a tank from Reynolds 520 chrome-moly steel. It’s also full of touring touches which translate well to hardcore commuter use: Avid disk brakes, full fenders, beefy Vittoria Randonneur tires, a heavy duty rear rack, and a full complement of braze-on frame eyelets for future expansion. It’s also one of the few bikes we’ve seen that comes with a pump. Also worth noting: As of this article’s publication, the Sojourn is substantially discounted over at REI.

Raleigh Sojourn from Raleigh Bicycles. Suggested retail price: $1199.00.

Schwinn World GS

We’ve includes the World GS for two reasons: First, we wanted to show what’s available in the $500 class if you shop around; and because we’re glad to see Schwinn back in the saddle again.

For those of us who grew up riding a Varsity, Paramount, or Stingray, Schwinn was — at one time — the all-American bike company. But a series of missteps dragged the company into bankruptcy and ownership turnover before settling with its current corporate parent Montreal-based Dorel Industries,

Dorel knows how to price. The World GS sports a mild suspension fork and seatpost, fenders, a semi-enclosed chain, and a rack suitable for light cargo. With a decent aluminum frame and alloy components throughout, there’s not much this bike can’t do — on a budget.

World GS by Schwinn Bicycles. Suggested retail price: $499.00.

Specialized Vienna Deluxe

There’s no denying the sexiness of the Vienna Deluxe’s lines, which seem influenced by those of the now-classic Bianchi Milano cruiser. In any case, Specialized’s top-end commuter looks hot enough to make you feel good about parking your car forever. And it’s well-equipped, with a cargo rack, hub dynamo-powered headlamp, fenders, and a chainguard styled to match the Vienna’s fluid design.

At this price level, disk brakes would be nice. But it’s an awfully appealing package.

Specialized Vienna Deluxe by Specialized Bicycle Company. Suggested retail price: $1100.00

Torker Cargo T

Got a heavy load to carry? This is your bike. Torker’s Cargo T is clearly pattered after a Dutch delivery bicycle — the kind of hard working bike you’d see on the streets of Amsterdam, hauling unreasonable loads in all weather. That’s what the Cargo T is designed to do.

The Cargo T’s comes with massive front and rear racks for better load balance. The frame is steel, and the U shape is intended to allow an easy step-through when the racks are piled high. There’s a fully enclosed chainguard, an unusual (and sturdy) double-sided kickstand, generator mounts, and a front steering lock for simple loading.

This bike has a couple of shortcomings: 3-speed gearing really limits the Cargo T to shorter trips or Holland-like flat terrain, and the rear coaster/front drum brake leaves a little to be desired. But the drive train is nearly maintenance-free, and for a specialty bike, it’s a bargain.

Cargo T by Torker Bicycles. Suggested retail price: $640.00.

Trek Soho

Behold the most technically innovative bike of our select bunch: the Trek Soho. If the Breezer Uptown or Fuji Cambridge are the Classic Rock of our dozen choices, the Soho is its Trance.

We’re fond of the Soho here at Lighter Footstep, where what passes for our company car is last season’s conventionally geared Soho 3, mated with Xtracycle’s Free Radical hitchless trailer. But 2009’s Soho is essentially a new bicycle. Designed as a fast, stylish commuter, the Soho’s most obvious new feature is its Gates carbon belt drive system. The lightweight, essentially noiseless belt requires no grease, which makes for a cleaner bicycle. It’s partially enclosed by a new guard, also new for this year.

Gearing is through an internal Alfine 8-speed hub. Brakes are Shimano’s new IM50 rollers, which are also internally mounted in both hubs. The Soho is finished in very modern high-gloss grey, with matching fenders. As in previous years, it comes with a pair of nice little urbanesque touches: dual rubber strips across the top bar — which make for scratchless parking — and a natty thermal coffee mug. You’ll need to add lights and a rack to round out this package.

Trek Soho by Trek Bikes. Suggested retail: $989.99.

Xtracycle Radish

Just as the Trek Soho is the most technologically advanced of our urban bike selection, the Xtracycle Radish represents the biggest departure from what most people consider normal bicycle geometry.

The Radish is a longbike, specifically designed to haul pretty much anything: a full cart of groceries; a surfboard or kayak; bricks; puppies; a passenger — you name it. This bicycle is basically a steel cruiser frameset permanently mated to Xtracycle’s popular Free Radical hitchless trailer. The advantage of having the two as a single assembly is strength and rigidity. You’ll purchase the panniers and associated gear separately — an extra $250 to $350 dollars. But you might also have to purchase panniers to fully appreciate the capacity of any bike listed in our bunch, and the Radish is arguably the most capable.

Fenders are standard, as is a partial chainguard and massive 203mm rear disk brake. There’s a V-brake up front, heavy duty alloy wheels, and 26 x 2.24 inch tires. This isn’t just a car replacement: It’s a two-wheel pickup truck.

There’s a whole car-free culture surrounding longbikes. The Radish is a ready-made entry, or you can build your own.

Xtracycle Radish by Xtracycle. Suggested retail price: $939.00 (base frameset) or about $1199 with racks, panniers, and snapdeck.

Which is best for you?

That’s a function of taste, budget, and how you live. For casual grocery runs and quick errands, the Gary Fisher Simple City 8 is a great choice. If you live in a sufficiently dense area, the Simple City could be a full time car replacement. Traditionalists will like the beautiful steel frame and retro vibe of the Fuji Cambridge. Riders with longer commutes will probably best appreciate the randonneur heritage of the Raleigh Sojourn. If you want bleeding edge urban bike technology and arresting style, Trek’s Soho is the obvious candidate.

But we’re giving an unreserved thumbs-up to the Xtracycle Radish, Lighter Footstep’s Carfree Lifestyle Bike of the Year. The Radish — combined with an appropriate longtail pannier kit — simply takes bicycle utility to the next level. If you’re serious about living without a car, the Radish is an unbeatable combination of price, community, and capability.

So there are a dozen smart urban bike choices. If you ride one of these bicycles and want to share your experience (or if you’d like to bring another bicycle to our attention), leave a note in our Comments section below or email us using our Contact page.

Want to learn more about the green and healthy benefits of a bicycle lifestyle? Check out Twelve Reasons to Start Using a Bicycle for Transportation, How to Pick a Great Used Bicycle, or How to Bike to Work (Or Anywhere Else).

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Originally posted 03. Aug, 2009 | Tags: Bicycle Commuting, Bicycles, Carfree Lifestyle, Transportation