Electra Townie Owner Reviews Wanted

[Darwin]

I am considering buying an Electra Townie and am interested in
owner opinions, experiences, likes, dislikes, etc of this interesting
new bike.

Darwin

[tmac]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 11:29:16 -0700, Darwin > wrote:

>I am considering buying an Electra Townie and am interested in
>owner opinions, experiences, likes, dislikes, etc of this interesting
>new bike.

I'd be interested too. I test-drove one today and really liked it.



Tracey


"Money-saving suggestion: let's cut directly to the scene where
Mr. Bush dresses up as an astronaut, and skip the rest of his
expensive, pointless - but optimistic! - Moon-base program."
-- Paul Krugman

http://www.specialplaceinhell.org

[tmac]

On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 12:37:46 -0500, tmac > wrote:

>On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 11:29:16 -0700, Darwin > wrote:
>
>>I am considering buying an Electra Townie and am interested in
>>owner opinions, experiences, likes, dislikes, etc of this interesting
>>new bike.
>
>I'd be interested too. I test-drove one today and really liked it.
>

Update - I bought it. So far so good. It's the men's 21-speed,
silver. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm old and fat, and I
find this bike very comfortable and easy to control. Because the
seat's low, I don't feel like I'm going to tump over and hurt myself
(not an unreasonable fear, since that's how I broke my arm a few years
ago). And because the pedals are 6" or so forward, I still get pretty
good extension.

I'm not a biker by any stretch, but this bike feels good to me, and if
that's what it takes to get me off my lazy butt, that's good enough
for me.

I'm happy to answer any (non-technical) questions you might have.
Like, "Do the red seat and grips look silly?" Answer: Yes. I'll
either get used to it or get replacements. Of course, no one can see
the seat once my big ol' butt gets on it... :)



Tracey


"Money-saving suggestion: let's cut directly to the scene where
Mr. Bush dresses up as an astronaut, and skip the rest of his
expensive, pointless - but optimistic! - Moon-base program."
-- Paul Krugman

http://www.specialplaceinhell.org

[tcmedara]

tmac > wrote:
> Update - I bought it. So far so good. It's the men's 21-speed,
> silver. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm old and fat, and I
> find this bike very comfortable and easy to control. Because the
> seat's low, I don't feel like I'm going to tump over and hurt myself
> (not an unreasonable fear, since that's how I broke my arm a few years
> ago). And because the pedals are 6" or so forward, I still get pretty
> good extension.
>
> I'm not a biker by any stretch, but this bike feels good to me, and if
> that's what it takes to get me off my lazy butt, that's good enough
> for me.
>
> I'm happy to answer any (non-technical) questions you might have.
> Like, "Do the red seat and grips look silly?" Answer: Yes. I'll
> either get used to it or get replacements. Of course, no one can see
> the seat once my big ol' butt gets on it... :)
>
http://www.electrabike.com/04/bikes/townie/townie_10.html

I think the red saddle an grips are cool! They make a statement. I would
love to own a ride like that for putting around with the kids, though this
would be more my preference:
http://www.electrabike.com/04/bikes/streamride/sr_16.html

Enjoy,

Tom

[Badger_South]

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 21:04:07 -0500, tmac > wrote:

>On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 12:37:46 -0500, tmac > wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 11:29:16 -0700, Darwin > wrote:
>>
>>>I am considering buying an Electra Townie and am interested in
>>>owner opinions, experiences, likes, dislikes, etc of this interesting
>>>new bike.
>>
>>I'd be interested too. I test-drove one today and really liked it.
>>
>
>Update - I bought it. So far so good. It's the men's 21-speed,
>silver. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm old and fat, and I
>find this bike very comfortable and easy to control. Because the
>seat's low, I don't feel like I'm going to tump over and hurt myself
>(not an unreasonable fear, since that's how I broke my arm a few years
>ago). And because the pedals are 6" or so forward, I still get pretty
>good extension.
>
>I'm not a biker by any stretch, but this bike feels good to me, and if
>that's what it takes to get me off my lazy butt, that's good enough
>for me.
>
>I'm happy to answer any (non-technical) questions you might have.
>Like, "Do the red seat and grips look silly?" Answer: Yes. I'll
>either get used to it or get replacements. Of course, no one can see
>the seat once my big ol' butt gets on it... :)
>
>
>
>Tracey

Surprised you didn't get the version with the parasol and the cup holder,
man. ;-p

-B

[tmac]

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 22:38:54 -0400, Badger_South >
wrote:

>
>Surprised you didn't get the version with the parasol and the cup holder,
>man. ;-p

Yeah, the also didn't have the air-conditioned model in stock.

Next time I'll buy the most uncomfortable, dangerous (for me) bike I
can find - it'll look nice in the shed not being ridden, but at least
I'll be a real biker.



tmac


"Money-saving suggestion: let's cut directly to the scene where
Mr. Bush dresses up as an astronaut, and skip the rest of his
expensive, pointless - but optimistic! - Moon-base program."
-- Paul Krugman

http://www.specialplaceinhell.org

[Darwin]

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 21:04:07 -0500, tmac > wrote:

>
>Update - I bought it. So far so good. It's the men's 21-speed,
>silver. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm old and fat, and I
>find this bike very comfortable and easy to control. Because the
>seat's low, I don't feel like I'm going to tump over and hurt myself
>(not an unreasonable fear, since that's how I broke my arm a few years
>ago). And because the pedals are 6" or so forward, I still get pretty
>good extension.
>
>I'm not a biker by any stretch, but this bike feels good to me, and if
>that's what it takes to get me off my lazy butt, that's good enough
>for me.
>
>I'm happy to answer any (non-technical) questions you might have.
>Like, "Do the red seat and grips look silly?" Answer: Yes. I'll
>either get used to it or get replacements. Of course, no one can see
>the seat once my big ol' butt gets on it... :)
>
>
>
>Tracey
>
>
>"Money-saving suggestion: let's cut directly to the scene where
>Mr. Bush dresses up as an astronaut, and skip the rest of his
>expensive, pointless - but optimistic! - Moon-base program."
>-- Paul Krugman
>
>http://www.specialplaceinhell.org


Tracy, thanks for your update. I find your comments especially
relevant since I am also "old and fat".

Do you think that the suspension fork is worthwhile? With more
weight on the seat and less on the bars, I would have thought
that a suspension seat post would make more sense. I am
considering buying the Nexus 3-speed model without the
front suspension.

I agree, the read seat and grips are a little much.

BTW, I like your politics.

Darwin

[tmac]

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 01:11:06 -0700, Darwin > wrote:

>Do you think that the suspension fork is worthwhile? With more
>weight on the seat and less on the bars, I would have thought
>that a suspension seat post would make more sense. I am
>considering buying the Nexus 3-speed model without the
>front suspension.

I suppose the suspension fork is debatable, since these bikes were not
really meant for off-road use. Same might go for the seat, though.
For the kind of riding I'm doing, it's fine.

>I agree, the read seat and grips are a little much.

I'm working on getting plain ol' black.

>
>BTW, I like your politics.

Thanks. :)



Tracey


"Money-saving suggestion: let's cut directly to the scene where
Mr. Bush dresses up as an astronaut, and skip the rest of his
expensive, pointless - but optimistic! - Moon-base program."
-- Paul Krugman

http://www.specialplaceinhell.org

[lotuseyes]

I aspire to own a Townie after buying a Van Dessel straight up 7 and
finding it isn't relaxed enough for me. I test drove a Townie 21 and
have to say I was grinning when I was done! It made me feel like a kid
again, and as I too am in the fat A department I like the fact that it
felt very stable and safe. I plan on putting my Bell kid seat on the
back and taking my one-year any place I can find the excuse to ride. And
isn't that the point? Riding because it is fun? My mountain bike isn't
fun for me anymore, with the the wrist and back pain. As for the red
grips, hell yeah!



--

[Bug_Girl]

I test rode a Townie yesterday, I liked the one with hand brakes
however, the only colors this model comes in the womens frame are baby
blue, and (I am almost 40), no baby blue, and the silver with the red
seat and hand bars. I hated both of those choices.

I also have a problem, it won't fit in my car and I can't lift it on to
a bike rack. It seemed to weight a ton. Can anyone tell me how much one
weights? I have been to the electra site and it won't give the weight
any of the bikes. The must be heavy. I am only 5 foot 1 and very
petite, no upper arm strength. I may be albe to get into my geo
tracker, but not my sedan, because the seat won't fold all the way and
there no hack back.

I just joined and I am trying to create a profile and signature, but so
far that is not working.



--

[SoCalMike]

>
> --

innit dash, dash, spacebar, enter, enter... then sig?

[Bug_Girl]

Socalmike wrote:
> > --
> innit dash, dash, spacebar, enter, enter... then sig?



It is working now, but things run a little slow, I was able to add the
link to my home page, but there is nothing about bicycles on it.



--