Electra Bikes

New bikes these days tend to fall into two extremes. High Tech or Low Tech. On the cutting edge of technology, mountain bikes have multi link suspensions that are often more complicated than the suspension systems found on cars. Road bikes are built of space age materials with tuned harmonic dampeners. However new bikes are still produced that appeal to the classic in some of us. The single speed revolution harks to day of old, when all riders dreamt about was multi speed gearing. Beach cruisers have taken styling cues from the original Schwinn Phantom Bicycles.

Electra bicycles had made a niche for themselves in the classic/retro bike market. http://www.electrabike.com/

Catering, not to the hard core cyclist, but more to the bicycle lifestyle advocate, Electra carries a full line of bikes that span from antique euro bikes, to bad boy choppers. You won't be winning any competitive races on these fine looking machines, but will be wining style points at your local hipster cyber cafe.

As an ex-bike mechanic at my local shop, I still occasionally make guest mechanic appearances. This last weekend I had the pleasure to building a few Electra Cruisers. Though the "Sparker", with its beach cruiser style frame, giant rear tire, and radially lace front wheel, did little to excite me, the Delivery 3i (pictured above) was a beauty. With the modern aluminum frame material mated to the wood panel rack and delivery basket, the attention to detail was at a level not usually found on a bicycle. Though all of my old bicycles are truly old, and the $730 price tag is something I would not pay, the existence of a company that builds fine modern classic bikes is inspiring.