Residents of American cities and college towns may have noticed a growing urban species whizzing down their streets.
One strand of the highly adaptive Homo pedalis can be identified by telltale markings: a single leg of skinny jeans rolled up, a plaid shirt unbuttoned to alleviate perspiration and a clumsy retro helmet. As many young professionals choose cities over suburbs, the rising cost of living has pushed newcomers to the fringes of the urban core.
Mass transit is not always available or convenient. Driving is costly and time-consuming. So young urbanites, like people nationwide, have turned to bicycles. Therefore urban bikes sales have gone up 39 percent nationally since 2001, according to the League of American Bicyclists. In the seventh largest US cities, urban bike use is up 63 percent.
Bikes are tough to beat in terms of urban transportation: They’re reliable, emissions-free, small, healthy, and cheap to operate. Urban Bikes are going to replace your car, while fuel-efficient vehicles are great. Driving less is even better.
We’re big bicycle fans here. Urban 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 off-road cousins, the mountain bike. They’re known 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 mud flaps; 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.
If you’re thinking about getting on board with the future Urban Bikes are the way only way to ride!
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