My neighbors down the road have introduced a sexy new commuter bicycle. I wonder if this signals a new direction for IndyFab? They've always been so sporty, are they getting into townies?
At any rate it's a beautiful bike and somehow very youthful and masculine to me. Gentlemen, what do you think?
27 comments:
It is pretty, but personally as a commuter bike, I'd like a lot of different things in it - full fenders, chain guard, back rack, kickstand, etc. And I'd also much prefer upright bars.
This is definitely still a pretty typical indie-fixie, they're swarming all over Portland :)
Just my personal taste :)
It reminds me of the lines of cafe racer motorbikes.
Wicked bike to lock up in front of your favorite cafe, but I'm not convinced it would be pleasant to ride.
Definitely dig the chrome and the moustache bars. I love me some gears though, and would dig this even more with an internal gear hub.
But it wins big style points either way!
It's pretty, but looks uncomfortable as hell. What is with U.S. bike makers obversion to people actually sitting upright on bike?
I think they chose a bad image of it. The saddle is way too high for a commuter and the wheels have way too little spokes for everyday usage.
Otherwise it looks very aesthetically pleasing.
I think someone put the bars on upside down!
Does look like a set of albatross bars inverted from the usual orientation. But if you check their site, they say it's a concept that is open to a wide range of customization.
I think the point is that the frame is the departure point and you can have everything else built up to spec, just about.
I'm afraid I have to agree with most other posters. Add together time spent trying to get the grease off your pant leg, soothing your aching back, and truing your uneven rims, your time for fun may be very limited.
Looks like you'll have a great view of your front tire and front rack while riding in some sort of butt-up face down position. Reminds me of a rap song...
the drop north road handlebars are so pashley guvnors... Kael likes the bike...hates the color..
Chi'
Except for sport racers, I find it rather terrifying that the seat is so much higher than the handlebars!
No wonder some people get so obsessed over head injuries - that is one waiting to happen!
Why do bike companies associate commuting with single speed bikes?
I live around a lot of hills. Gears are good. Embrace gears.
I'm actually surprised by the dislike, though I agree with some of it (more robust fenders, rear rack, more spokes) and conditionally agree with other feedback (singlespeed is good if you only need one, gears have not been good in Boston over this winter but internal gearing is a good thought).
Yes, the handlebars drop down. So do mine. But you don't have to like it, I understand.
Unlike a lot of bikes mentioned, this one is handmade in MA. That counts for something, at least for MA folks. And as Chestery reminds us, this is a concept bike to be customized, so they were going with something striking to attract a particular type of customer (perhaps one that does not already read my blog?) so perhaps it's extreme, like photo editorials are extreme.
Oh well.
I run my fixed gear with flipped north roads. Since I live in nowhere rural america(ozark mountains) with no one to impress other than redneck chicken farmers its not for style though.
Its a lot like having no options but the drops on a roadbike.
its great for long distance training/torture, and even a trip to the post office through town every once in a while pretending that anyone over ten years old thinks its cool. But if I had to commute in a city on that bike It would get the bars flipped upright pretty quick.
The front fork geometry looks all wrong for loading weight on a front rack. It seems strange that they'd get that wrong.
Interesting, the contrast in the comments between this bike and the "cheshire cat".
Although the CC bike had some similar features (down turned handlebars, minimal chain guard, stripped down racks, it seemed to have been purpose built for a specific commuter and imbued with a personal style.
At least in this photo (obviously it could be customized as well), this bike seems more about fashion than function. I wonder if people are reacting negatively because it's being marketed as a "commuter" without any obvious commuter features. The same photo with a different caption "masculine city bike" might have generated a much different reaction.
Carice, thank you for that perspective, I think you're exactly right.
Keeping in mind that it's a CONCEPT bike. There are things I really dig about this little ti bike. I really like how they integrated the rear fender and rear rack. I'd really like to see that on a standard commuter bike.
Aside from what other people said here about the bike lets keep a few things in mind that this bike will be VERY expensive. It's custom ti or steel folks from a custom builder.
Being custom you can fiddle with the parts specs at will. Hate the wheels get something bomb proof hand built. I personally prefer an internal gear for commuting. Fixies should be for flat areas or on the velodrome.
Overall it's an eye catching bike that allot can be learned from. I would not run out and buy one at the price tag (easily over a few grand) Because it's a commuter and those bikes take a beating. I'd hate to see my pretty custom ti bike all beat up. Have a great ride everyone!
It looks great to me. But, then again, I ride a fixed gear bike with upside down Huffy 3-speed bars and no chain guard on my daily commute.
The IF is basically a high-dollar version of my ghetto-orange Rockhopper mishmash.
It's a beautiful bike style-wise... but I have to agree with the other commenters.... to call that a commuter bike when you aren't showing a chain guard? Really? And no rack? So I"ll be all stylish on my shiny bike (with great fenders) and wearing a backpack and an ankle cuff thing to keep my pants out of the chain? And sweating because 2 gears doesn't cut it for my route? (I'm also more a fan of the upright riding position, but I get that tastes vary.)
Can I customize it with some gears?
Try riding up Mission Hill while commuting with a 35lb. toddler on a 5lb bike seat, and you will find that single speed bike don't cut it.
Cool? Sure, I guess.
Well built? without a doubt.
Functional in the real world of groceries and kids? not so much.
If you follow the link to IF, you will find that the "Super Commuter" can be made in any configuration you like, with any tubing and components you want [lights, guard, higher bars, wheel size etc...] All you have to do is pay for it.
However if you want a real super commuter then buy an ANT;)
I agree generally on the need for a chain guard and more upright handlebars, and I did see that the bike was supposed to be customizable (which to me is sort of a cop-out from criticism -- no matter what you say, the response can always be "but it's customizable, you can change that").
What I did not see was the ability to use my favorite thing, which is incredibly fat tires. This is (around) Boston -- we have monster potholes, we have roads full of sand and debris, we still, in this millennium, have tire-grabbing slotted sewer grates. The only problem I have with fat tires, is the lack of a good frame lock to fit around them.
Sorry Charlotte, this is a status purchase for a yuppy equipment freak.
alf
A.N.T Boston Roadster...
BTW made in Massachusetts...USA ;-)
Aaron
Hey Aaron,
I am a huge fan of ANT bikes!
OK everyone - I would hate for every commuter bike to be a clone and so I still maintain that there is a place for this sort of bike (or the cheaper/more usable "off-catwalk" copies it inspires) on the street, ridden by someone like my bachelor brother.
My husband can confirm that my favorite designer store on Newbury Street is Akris, for all the same reasons I love ANT. If I could afford to shop designer, I'd buy Akris/ANT. But I still like glancing in the window at flashy ideas from Valentino/IndyFab.
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