It's a small shop, but Jeff (l) and Jake (r), pictured below, are friendly and helpful.
They sell road, mountain and comfort bikes from Trek, Gary Fisher and Giant. They also have, as one might expect in a Florida shop, a couple of adult tricycles. But what I found most intriguing were the locally-designed Sun bikes, which I had never seen before.
This model seems like a cross between a mixte and a baloon-tired utility bike like the current Worksman or some of the old Schwinns. I rather like the way the rear rack seems to be a continuation of the tube that intersects the top and down tubes.
I really liked the looks of this one, though:
Although I didn't measure it, I am almost entirely sure that it has one of the longest wheelbases I've seen on a single bike. What that means is an ultra-stable, even cushy ride, which Jake cited as one of the goals in design . Part of what gives this bike such a long wheelbase is a feature I don't recall having seen before:
This is probably the first bike I've ever seen in which the frame's seat tube doesn't end in the bottom bracket shell. I don't think I've ever seen another bike, save for a recumbent, on which the pedals were so far forward from the seat. And, with the exception a tandem I saw once, I don't think I've ever seen another bike with a rear wheel that was set as far back from the cranks and pedals as this one is.
Just what I need for cruising down the boardwalk at Daytona Beach!
Many themes in this post. Per the rack - I love that rack as much as you, but it looks a little "brake challenged" as is the case with many cruiser single speed bikes.
ReplyDeletePer the step-through, how did the resulting "laid back" seating position feel? It seems, reading the post, to be a halfway house to a recumbent.
Steve, I didn't get a chance to ride either of them. I mounted them, and the step-through felt like a Lazy-Boy recliner. I was tempted to ask whether the bike came with a remote. I'm not sure I could ride for more than half an hour with the pedals that far forward: I rode a recumbent once and that was what I disliked most about it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting designs. The wheel base certainly does look long. Thanks for pointing out these little details. You will have to update us if you get a chance to ride the step-through one day. I would love to ride around on that yellow SUN for one day.
ReplyDeleteThat cruiser with the weird triangulation point (or lack of one, heh) it's got to be an Electra- they're calling it "flat foot technology" and marketing it as a comfort feature for anyone unsure about their biking skills. It's a way of ensuring the rider can have the ability to get both feet on the ground quickly and feel stable, and still have a good long extension of the leg while pedaling. While i "get it", and i LOVE what they're trying to do (the Amsterdam series, their use of 3 speed internal hubs and bikes set up for easy low-mile beginner commutes) if i did get one of these set-back cruisers i can totally see me shoving myself backwards off the saddle the first time i try a mild hill that needs some oomph.
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