Bike Commuting

DZR GMT-8 Shoes review

I got to review these awesome bike commuter shoes for BikeCommuters.com. Click here to read the review.

Product Feature: Pedalite Baglite

I’m always interested in any cycling accessory that will make me more visible during the day or the night. The Pedalite Baglite caught my attention at Interbike because it was lightweight and there are no batteries needed. The Baglite is really easy to install, simply attach the Velcro straps to your backpack and you are set to go.

Continue reading “Product Feature: Pedalite Baglite” »

Awesome interview with Joe Breeze

Jack Sweeney from BikeCommuters.com had a great e-interview with Joe Breeze, one of the pioneers of mountain biking:

1. Please give us a little background on your history, particularly your involvement with transportation-oriented bicycle development.

I’ve been an intercity bike traveler since 1965 when as a fifth grader I rode with neighborhood friends to the local bowling alley, 14 miles round trip. It was with a great sense of accomplishment that we crested the 300-foot hill along the way and made it home under our own power. By 14 and 15 years old I was going on rides of over a hundred miles, to get to places like Lake Tahoe and the southern Sierra Nevada. In 1971 I took a ride through Europe with a dozen friends.

Click here to read the rest of this interview.

Torker T-450E Hybrid Review

The Torker T-450E is a bicycle that some people me frown upon and some people may be curious about it. The concept of a Hybrid bike is quite an interesting one, not really an electric moped and not really a traditional bicycle, but a bike that assists you to pedal.

As a rider that has ridden most types of bikes, (yes, I even ridden a recumbent) I was quite pleased with the ergonomics, looks and comfort of this bicycle. Although I prefer more aerodynamic bikes, having had a surgery in my shoulder a little while ago I welcomed the upright position and angle of the handlebars.

As far as a bike goes, the Torker T-450 is well equipped with a rear rack, fenders, adjustable stem, 5 speed Sturmey-Archer hub and a chainguard. Yes, the bike is heavy compared to motor-less bikes, but surprisingly light to comparable electric bikes. The bike’s heft does not affect the handling of the bike, in fact, this bike is well balanced. As a previous owner of a bicycle with an electric kit, I can say that these type of bikes have come a long way in weight and handling characteristics.

The Torker T-450E is powered by a lithium polymer battery which is controlled by a trigger-like accelerator mounted on the left hand side of the handle bars. The juice is then delivered to a protanium motor in the front hub. (by the way, both hubs are NOT made out of plastic)

Riding the Torker T-450E took a little while to get used to. Once the ignition has been switched to on and the switch on the trigger accelerator is also on, the bike’s hybrid system engages as soon as you start pedaling without pressing on the trigger. The light pedaling sensation makes you shift and start pedaling a little harder, once you hit a high cruising speed, the pedal-assist disengages altogether. This took a little time to get used to, if I wanted to engage the pedal-assist system, I had to slow down for it to engage. The system will also disengage if you start pedaling, even if you are pressing on the trigger, that means no free lunch!

So how fast does it really go? I grabbed my handy GPS and tested the bike’s top speed on a flat road and I achieved 14.3 mph. Keep in mind that I weight about 178lbs and I was carrying about 7 lbs worth of cargo.

How long will the battery last? I did about 21 miles without recharging the battery and using the motor quite a bit. Charge time took about 4-5 hours (as claimed), plenty of time to charge in a 8 hour work day.

So what type of bicycle commuter would benefit from this bike? Bike commuters that don’t really like to arrive sweaty (like myself) to work, commuters who have time constraints or new commuters that don’t have the fitness level to do long or hilly commutes. Besides commuting, this bike is also nice to do long trips to the beach, imagine leaving the car at home and forget about parking hassles! The bike is also a good light grocery getter, simply attach some grocery panniers and you are ready for beer runs.

So what about cons? Well, the only con I found about this bike was its sticker price, at $1,649 the bike is pricey compared to regular bikes but competitively priced with other electric hybrid bikes. However, keep in mind that if you have a long commute and you leave the car at home, this bike will pay for itself in the long run.

KHS Urban Uno Review

If you believe that “Commuter Bikes” should be multi-geared, have fenders, racks and a chainguard then click here. If you are looking for a simple to maintain, fair weather “singlespeed commuter bike” that has a little bit of flair, then read on.

KHS Bicycles have always offered a big selection when it comes to “Urban” bikes; the KHS Urban Uno is one of their three singlespeed/fixed gear offerings. The Urban Uno comes with decent specs such a 520 Reynolds DB CrMo Frame, a CrMo Fork, 44t Gold crankset and alloy fenders.

Here is the full spec sheet:

I’ve always been a fan of singlespeed bikes, since my commute is flat and I live in sunny SoCal, the Urban Uno is perfectly suited for my ride to work. Singlespeed bikes are also easy to maintain, lighter and there are no derailleurs to adjust.

You may love or hate the KHS Urban Uno’s style; I actually like it. It does not scream vanilla Singlespeed or hipster fixie bike. The geometry of the bike was comfortable, the cockpit didn’t feel tight nor too stretched out. I was pleasantly surprised that the saddle was very comfortable; some OEM saddles tend to be too hard and fall in the numb nuts category. The cowhorn bar is another love/hate affair; although stylish, they do lack more than two hand positions. I’m not a toe-clip type of rider, but I gave the Wellgo pedals a chance — unfortunately, they sucked so I swapped them for my Crank Bros Quattro pedals.

The fenders that come with the KHS Urban Uno do serve a purpose; they did a great job when I rode over little puddles of water, but I doubt that they would do very well in a downpour. My ride takes me across a couple of railroad tracks; the rims and tires always gave me a good sense of confidence and their durability was not an issue. The Kenda Kontenders are a great choice of tires for those of us who commute. I never got a puncture and they seemed to roll rather fast.

For those who would like to add a rear rack, the Urban Uno does come with eyelets, but you may have to get longer screws since the fenders will be sharing the same holes at the dropouts. The Urban Uno’s frame also has room for your hydration needs; it comes with two sets of threaded bosses for your water bottle holders. Another feature of the Urban Uno is that if you want to go fixie style, you can. Although the fixed gear cog is not provided, the rear hub is threaded for one. I did not get the chance to ride the bike as a fixed geared bike.

The MSRP of the bike is at $489.00, if you are looking for a singlespeed commuter, the Urban Uno is certainly worth a look

Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.