I am in the market for a new bike. I’m so excited, but a little overwhelmed too because there are just so many wonderful choices out now. Why? Because the slow bike movement is picking up steam. Articles are popping up in places like Bicycling Magazine (which normally is focused on the athletic side of the bike world),  Tree Hugger and Reuters (which is taking note of the gospel Copenhagenize.com has been spreading for several years now). New companies like Linus and Public Bikes are taking the media by storm with eye catching designs that are perfect urban transport tools.

Everywhere I look in Long Beach I see people sitting up straight, looking very happy, cruising along at easy speeds on the most marvelous assortment of bikes.  Last month I tested the “townie” (shown above) from Electra Bicycle Co. at Jones Bicycle and loved it (and may I say that my salesperson Chris did an excellent job of sharing the pros and cons of the different comfort/town bikes they carry). Yesterday I road one of LB City’s bike share bikes, a Raleigh, and loved it too, but the townie is still high high on my list.

I am not exaggerating when I say these new comfort bikes are a personal revolution. I am not currently “athletic.” I have been enough of an athlete in the past t0 know that’s not where I am now; a middle aged woman (47).  A decade of dealing with some challenging health issues have taught me that it’s best if I increase my fitness levels in a slow and steady manner.  Maybe you can relate? My old 70′s cruiser was a real challenge at times. It was just so hard to pedal that I frequently walked or road the bus instead. I’d convinced myself I wasn’t usually up for the 8 mile loop of Charlie Gandy’s “Long Beach’s Bike Innovation & Infrastructure Tour.”  Yesterday on that Raleigh I rode the tour with relative ease. Wow. I’m still very proud of myself.

I don’t think enough can be said about the joy of a comfortable bike. I know the forward stance of most road bikes means more speed but my back just can’t take it for very long, neither can my wrists. I don’t need to ride very fast. I don’t feel safe when I do. And I feel safer when I’m sitting up straight on a bike too – here’s why, it’s much easier to turn my head and keep note of cars behind me, and all around me, when I’m sitting up rather than hunched over.

I am looking to buy my new bike by the beginning of September and still have many slow bikes to test drive. Yesterday while stopped at the beautiful new state-of-the-art  Bikestation in the downtown Long Beach transit Mall I saw a lovely girl riding a brand new Schwinn that was obviously a replica of an old Schwinn. Add one more to try out to my list!