Cruiser bike -- Not mine, but someone's in the hood
1. Cruisers are heavy. They're hard to pedal. They don't go fast and you have to put a lot of weight on the each turn of the crank. I think my cruiser weighs about 50 pounds. I guess cruisers are fun riding casually on the Newport beach boardwalk, but wow, it takes a lot of work to pedal one. And I'm glad I don't have to load one onto my car bike rack. I might break my back.
2. Cruisers rattle and are noisy. A lot of times, cruisers get bumped and messed up when you push them into the bike racks at school. Then the fenders might start to turn in or rub against the tire, making it even more difficult to ride smoothly and comfortably on it.
3. Cruisers have those crazy bike bells. I can't imagine having a little warning bell on my road bike. Just think how slow you must be going to have the reflexes to stop or swerve your bike out of the way of an oncoming pedestrian. You're not breaking any speed records if you're workin' the bike bell. Two words ...slow mo.
4. My quads are sore from riding my crusier. Well, not actually sore, but there is a muscle in my legs that must go unused when I ride a road or a tri bike. That top quad muscle got a workout tonight. It could be that since there are no clip-in pedals you have to really push down on your pedal stroke when you ride...especially when you are riding into the wind. Anyway, I probably could get sore, maybe, if I rode my cruiser long enough.
5. I gained a deeper appreciation for my fast bikes as I pedaled home on my super-heavy inefficient banana yellow cruiser. Yes, it is cute, colorful and looks like it would be lots of fun. But honestly, I'm glad I don't have to ride it everyday. Leave the cruisin' to the young 'uns. Keep 'em working hard on that miler ride to school. Bikes are awesome. But adult road bikes are a sweet reward for riding those heavy tanks year after year.
Thank heavens for carbon, titanium and near weightless components. Someday, kids, you'll know what I'm talkin' about.
I say train on the cruiser...
ReplyDeleteI have to ride my piece of crap cruiser a LOT. I live in a tiny town, (or rather, a few miles out of a tiny town)so there isn't public transportation and my parents refuse to ever give me a ride. In the summer, I go downtown every day either to go to work or to go do hardcore sports. Let me tell you that riding my cruiser out from my house, along the dirt roads, up the steep hills, and down long strips of empty highway takes a lot of energy, especially on a cruiser. I've wondered why it is easier to ride other bikes. Along with what you've said, I find that it's mostly from the handlebars being above the bicycle seat. Your butt is much too low compared to your arms, making your knees bend too much and creating difficulties. Some shapes of cruisers are different but it is a laborous activity to ride a cruiser.
ReplyDeleteI have to ride my piece of crap cruiser a LOT. I live in a tiny town, (or rather, a few miles out of a tiny town)so there isn't public transportation and my parents refuse to ever give me a ride. In the summer, I go downtown every day either to go to work or to go do hardcore sports. Let me tell you that riding my cruiser out from my house, along the dirt roads, up the steep hills, and down long strips of empty highway takes a lot of energy, especially on a cruiser. I've wondered why it is easier to ride other bikes. Along with what you've said, I find that it's mostly from the handlebars being above the bicycle seat. Your butt is much too low compared to your arms, making your knees bend too much and creating difficulties. Some shapes of cruisers are different but it is a laborous activity to ride a cruiser.
ReplyDelete