Showcases

6 Amazing Commuter Bikes

In what must have been inspired by a feeling of social harmony in the 1960’s, the city of Amsterdam placed white bicycles on sidewalks and street corners for its citizens to use free of charge. Unfortunately, too many interpreted free to use as free to take and the program was ended prematurely. Today, congestion and pollution have inspired cities like New York, Paris and even Des Moines, Iowa to take this old idea for another spin. Paris’ program is run by the city government and has committed 20,000 bicycles while the New York program is more of a test run initiated by designers, architects and planners. The Des Moines program, the most recent of the three, is coordinated by downtown businesses and unfortunately is not cheap—rental fees start at $12 a day.

More and more have seen the benefits of leaving the car in the garage and pedaling to work, school or the grocery store and as a result more commuter bikes like those in this list have become widely available.

Alta

Single Speed Racer by Alta  www.altabikes.no  $911
The product of a collaborative group of designers, Alta is just as much style as it is substance. No one will blame you if you buy it just for looks!

 

Soho-S

Single Speed by Trek  www.trekbikes.com  $599.99
Trek’s “murdered out” satin black road bike has an aluminum frame which is perfect for hauling up and down steps. If Batman lived in a cramped little apartment he would ride this bike.

 

Puma / Biomega

8 Speed Folding by Puma  www.um.puma.com  $1600
Yes, believe it or not Puma (the shoe company) has a bike. And this bike isn’t just any bike, it folds in the middle to take on the bus or train and get this—it glows in the dark!

 

AMS

Biomega 8 Speed Bike by Jens Martin Skibsted  www.biomega.dk  $1200
Ease of use is what the AMS (Amsterdam) is all about. No chain makes this a clean and maintenance free bike. It features a drive shaft, internal gears and fenders.

 

S2L

Brompton folding S-type  bromponbicycle.co.uk  $1149-$1995
Why lock up your bike when you can just take it with you? The Brompton is one of the most compact of all commuter bikes and is available in 16 colors.

 

Vintage Racer

Single Speed by Schwinn  www.craigslist.com  $25
Ok, so a 1970 Schwinn Racer with a steel frame and fenders isn’t exactly what you had in mind; but for those concerned with their carbon footprint and an eco-friendly solution, a used bike may be the most amazing choice.

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