The Rise of the Simple Bike

The blog post I've been unsuccessfully trying to write for the last month is about distillation, the idea of getting one's life down to a maintainable level of simplicity in order to focus on what matters most. I see it in the minimalism movement. I see it in a lot of the millennial generation's more endearing traits. And, not surprisingly, I am seeing it in bicycles. (I know, I see lots of things in bicycles.)

I've written a great deal about Detroit Bikes. Their first model, the A-Type is my favorite bike they offer. This manufactured-and-assembled-in-Detroit bicycle is all about distillation if you want a regular bike to get around on. Just look at it:

What a machine!

It has a simple and low maintenance three-speed hub, fenders, a rear rack, a coaster rear brake and a caliper front brake. In the last year, I have come to love a three-speed hub. Here in Lubbock you just don't need 21 or 24 or 27 different gears. Three speeds keep it really simple and they are super-low maintenance. If I were to buy this bike, the only addition I would need is front and rear lights; otherwise, this thing is absolutely ready for a daily commute. Would it fit your needs? ($699 plus $50 shipping) (Check out the B-Type if you'd rather have a step-through.)

Or would you like one even simpler? Well, check out the Republic Studio. This thing is very simple cool:

Ah, the simple life!

So, what makes it so simple? First and foremost, it can't get a flat. It runs airless tires!

And it has no greasy chain - it has belt drive. And it has some really killer Shimano Roller brakes that are inside the hub. And it has the same Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub as the A-Type above. And it only weighs 26 pounds. This is a get-on-it-and-go bike. It's even shipped ready-to-ride. (This one is $799 and shipping is $99. It also comes as a step-through.)

Since this is Mesquite Hugger, you may be asking yourself Where are the simple electric bikes?

Well, I've covered a few in recent months - bikes like the Vilano Core, the Sondors Thin, Populo, the Propella, and the Karmic Koben, but today I present to you the most simple and beautiful e-bike I've seen - the Budnitz Model E. (One small warning - this one falls well outside the budget of us poor boys and girls, but snagit, it's cool!)

Gorgeous!

Still gorgeous!

The Zehus all-in-one-hub motor and belt drive

The Budnitz Model E in these pics is the Titanium version. Before shipping, this one runs just shy of $9,000, but those of you with thriftier budgets can get the painted steel model for $4,000. Cool in this case is not cheap, but it's sure easy to admire the simple elegance of this machine. Budnitz claims that this is the lightest e-bike on the market and that it can achieve 100 miles per charge if you pedal hard enough.

Well, I guess it's time for me to hop on the old Huffy and head home.

May you achieve your own distillation and find that simplicity can be wonderful.  

Saturday Random Junky Old Bike Post: Huff3 Rat

[This post is for all of you who wait impatiently by the phone/tablet/computer for the next thrilling installment of Mesquite Hugger. (Hi, Mom!) I am working on some more diversified stuff, but it's some slow going.]

An update on the Huff-E-Rat:

With the addition of the Phantom, the Huff-E-Rat lost its battery and started gathering dust. So...

The Huff3 Rat is born!

Yep, the electric stuff came off and I added the used 3-speed Nexus wheel from the Going-Out-of-Business sale (that broke my heart) in Dallas a few months back. I picked up a shifter and cable, gathered up the right gears - I found the Goldilocks combo - and got it all cruiseworthy.

Now I just need a seat that feels less like concrete, and a pair of grips.

The overall verdict? This thing is great! If you've never had the pleasure of riding a bike with an internally shifting hub, try it out some time. This one is much smoother and quieter than a derailleur. I love it! Now, if I can figure out how to get a GeoOrbital Wheel to sometimes throw on the front...

Detroit Bikes Fanboy Detour:

I came to a big realization this morning when I took the above photo. Without making a conscious attempt at doing so, I built an homage to one of my favorite bikes - the Detroit Bikes A-Type. No, I am not comparing the rattle-can Huffy to what they are building up there in the Motor City, but I was very pleased to realize that I had created a poor-boy version of such a cool machine.

Quintessential Cool and Handmade in the USA

The Fanboy hat I wear a lot - thanks, Mom!

So, now I need to finish up this post and gather up pieces for the community garden water pump that's next on the list!

Garden pump project lurks on the left.

May your green projects thrive, may you be healthy, and may everything be better than expected!

PS. Here's a preview for the next next (yes, I meant to do that) junky bike project on the list:

Cyber Monday Bike and E-Bike Deals (Minipost)

Bargain of the Day:

Evelo has open-box Omni Wheels cheap!!!!
 

Detroit bikes are 25% off today - that puts the (oh-so-sweet) A-type and the B-Type under $400. The C-type is under $350.
 

Public Bikes are having a big sale - I really like their e-bikes and the D8.
 

RadPower has Free Shipping today on select bikes ($175 savings) (Blue Radwagon!)
 

That's most of the damage I can do today. May your temptations be green.

Why I write so little about Electric Motorcycles

I was updating the Electric Motorcycles link page and noticed (once again) that I seldom write about electric motorcycles. It always surprises me. I write about bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, electric mopeds, and electric cars fairly often, but I rarely find myself inspired to write about electric motorcycles. I guess I got it out of my system before I started blogging. And for me, they don't make that much sense. It may also be that I live in a flat, boring place that does not inspire one to ride that much.

Getting it out of my system:

This one did it.

I once bought a brand-new electric motorcycle. I bought it discounted because it was an unsold earlier year model. It was a 2011 Zero XU. And it was a brilliant motorcycle - when it was working right. Which was rare. It literally traveled twice as many miles in the back of a pickup to be repaired by one of the nearest authorized repair facilities than it did under its own power. It had an advertised range of 25 miles. It had an 11 mile range on a warm day and an 8 mile range on cooler days. It would occasionally just shut off while I was riding it. And Zero was really terrible to work with for both me and for their authorized dealer/repair facility. I had dreamed of owning a Zero, and it turned out to be the single-most miserable ownership experience I have had in my life. So every time Zero announces a new model or extended range or a good discount...I don't bother to post about it. And Zero is truly the only significant electric motorcycle provider in the United States, snagit!

Money:

When you look at the cost of an electric motorcycle (or the cost of converting your own -  especially the batteries), it's hard to swallow spending that much money on a toy that will haul only one person and very little stuff. They are cool. They are sexy. They are fun. But they are not practical, and you have to pay for insurance and registration. When I had mine, I found myself constantly running home to get the car so that I could buy groceries or take someone with me. It made very little sense as transportation and I was not wealthy enough for it just to be a toy. So I don't write about them very often.

Value:

When I compare the virtues of an electric motorcycle to those of a Nissan Leaf or a Genze 2.0 Scooter or an Electric Yuba/Juiced Rider/Vanmoof/Radmini/etc., I start having a hard time being excited about another electric motorcycle. And until we see more electric motorcycles with attainable prices, I just don't see that changing - especially not when I can pick up a gently used Leaf plus a home charger plus a pair of Radwagon Cargo Bikes plus a plus a pair of Detroit Bikes plus a weekend getaway to the mountains with my wife for less money than one Empulse.

May we reach a point where we are overwhelmed with great electric offerings, but we are not there yet.
.

Two American Success Stories and a Grocery Store Bike

So, there I was buying a few groceries in Alamogordo earlier this week when I saw a bike, and it was not just any bike - it was the 2016 New Belgium Cruiser. And it was extremely cool- definitely a departure from the earlier models - less of a cruiser and more of a stylish commuter.

Now that is my kind of groceries!

 

Yes, I know, it's just a bike, it's just more stuff to want and to gather dust and to put me in debt (if it were for sale.) But this thing reverberates with something much more.

 

Let's check out its origins.

 

New Belgium...

 

...is a Colorado brewery that embraces bikes in a big way. (Fat Tire Ale!) Since 1999, they have been working with high-quality bike manufacturers (Electra, Felt, Spot, Schwinn) to produce limited edition Fat Tire cruisers for their employees and for promotions and giveaways and such. There have been some beautiful bikes. (I am a big fan of the 2006 and 2011 Felt models.) New Belgium is a company that pursues very green practices for business and for life. Part of that pursuit is the celebration of the bike as enjoyable and healthy transport. Yes, I like New Belgium a whole lot and I want them to live long and prosper!

Detroit Bikes (Number 565 of 2500)

 

Detroit Bikes

 

Let's start with their mission statement: To encourage cycling by making an accessible, enjoyable bicycle while continuing Detroit's legacy of quality manufacturing and design. Detroit is a place that has had and continues to have real economic and social problems.  But Detroit is also showing some real improvement and companies like Detroit Bikes are helping to make that possible. (Detroit is also quickly becoming one of America's best cities for cycling!)

 

Detroit Bikes New Belgium Fat-Tire Bike

The business model is very solid - set up shop in an old warehouse, buy high-quality, second-hand manufacturing equipment, employ local talent, and produce a high-quality product to sell at competitive prices. And they have done a great job of that.

 

I'd love to commute on an A-Type - $699

 

I have been following their story for a few years, so it was very exciting for me to get to see one of their bikes in person. And they are simple, clean, and gorgeous!

 

So, let's sum up:

 

Eco-Friendly Beer Brewer (They have really good beer too!)

Made-in-America high-quality entrepreneurealshippishness bicycle maker

Trip to the grocery store

A couple of videos

The guy who strives for minimalism finds something else he wants

 

That pretty well sums it up!

 

May we see and support more companies like these, and may you be inspired in the grocery store!