Electra Bicycle Company Townie 21

Price Paid:  $499.00 at REI

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Electra Townie 21C / 24D

Summary:
"Biking… hold the Spandex"

Four years ago no one would have ever believed that I would ever write a love letter to my bicycle. Sure, I had a bike, but I hadn’t ridden it for years. Whenever hubby would suggest a bike ride, I would find some excuse for us to postpone it. I mean, why ride when I could just drive there? I hated the hassles, I hated the sore tailbone, and most of all I hated the Spandex. But, then against all odds, the Electra Bike Company made a biker out of me.

Whoa, whoa… not that kind of biker. I still hate Spandex, I don’t understand how anyone puts up with a sore tailbone, and really, does anyone like hassles? Electra Bicycles understands that biking for pleasure should be pleasurable and biking for function shouldn’t just be about functionality. A cross between a hard-working street bike and a lazy Sunday cruiser, the Electra Townie 700c completely understands that beauty sometimes needs a little brawn and vice versa.
When I had finally convinced myself that I did, indeed, need a new bike, I had a list of attributes my new bike had to possess. I was fairly certain I was going to have to compromise on at least half of it, as I was pretty much looking for a couch on wheels but I didn’t care. My list included gems such as “flip flop friendly” and “like my grandma used to ride” along with other slightly more technical requirements such as handlebar brakes, and uber padded gel saddle seat, and a sporty set of rims.

But I did it – I found a bicycle that involved no compromises at all, in fact it even included features I didn’t even know I wanted, like Flat Foot Technology. One of my biggest requirements was one that everyone tried to talk me out of: the ability to ride while wearing a skirt. Since I wear dresses and skirts all summer, it really seemed silly to have to change my clothes into bike able clothing before I could ride anywhere, which is what ended up happening when I rode a bike with a high frame you had to swing your leg over to mount. Imagine how little you would drive your car if every time you drove it, you had to change into a “car outfit”. A simple task like running to the store would be an ordeal, and you would probably do a lot more walking. The Electra’s extra tall step-through frame allows us ladies to dress as such while cruising around town and running errands, all without compromising on style.

So, what is Flat Foot Technology? Think of it as a slightly recumbent bicycle, where the pedals are forward of the seatpost. So instead of leaning forward you sit more upright, if not a little laid back - as in super relaxed. And best of all, when you come to a stop you don’t need to teeter on your toes, you can actually stay on the seat and have your feet flat on the ground, hence making it flip flop friendly. Check out the awesome graphics on Electra’s website that shows what Flat Foot Technology is all about, in a technical sense http://www.electrabike.com/home.php

Clearly, I am under the Electra spell. Having my Electra has been the fuse that lit my entire family's interest in biking and made me agree to things I would have considered crazy before, like entire days spent in its saddle and long rides just for the sake of riding. We are now officially a biking family and you will see us all over the Seattle Metro area testing our tread along the bike paths as well as hauling our groceries home from the store. Crazy? Possibly. But at least we are all crazy as a family.
See www.raveandreview.com for full review

Strengths:
What I’m Raving About:

The beach cruiser good looks.
Supreme comfort for long rides and serious errands.
Flat-Foot Technology makes any shoe a biking shoe.
An upright ride allows you to sit tall without leaning forward over the handlebars, making it very low impact on your back, shoulders, arms and wrists.
Riding position feels more stable and secure than traditional street bikes and mountain bikes, even when fully loaded down with Electra accessories.
Which leads me to my next rave - as if their bikes aren’t cool enough, Electra makes a whole slew of accessories for their bikes so you can customize your ride – not that there’s any fear of mistaking it for someone else’s. A note of caution: the vast majority of the accessories are for a specific body frame, so the bike rack you fall in love with may not be compatible with your bike. The 700c tires prevented me from customizing exactly the way that I would like, but mine’s still a work in progress.

Weaknesses:
What I am dismayed about:

Electra no longer makes this bike. I’m sure the newer one is just fine – but it’s just not my bike.
The accessories I covet are not made for my specific bike, leaving me drooling all over accessories I don’t end up buying. My apologies to anyone shopping after me.

Similar Products Used:
Various other upright riding cruiser style bikes
see www.raveandreview.com for full review

Price Paid:  $450.00 at Cycle Werks- Costa M

Favorite Ride:
Electra Townie Original 3i 700c

Bike Setup:
700c semi-slick tires, front and rear alum. fenders, Shimano 3-speed internal hub, front and rear pull brakes,

Summary:
I have been riding my Townie for a week now and it is GREAT. By far the most comfortable bike I have been on. I test-rode a lot of cruisers/comfort/hybrid bikes over the past few months (lots of Nirve and Treks). The Townie beat them all. I live in a three story building and the Townie is easy to carry down flights of stairs, even my 5' tall girlfriend can easily do it. Mind you, I don't do any crazy city riding and I don't commute on the bike. Just a cruise down to the beach, coffee shop, breakfast joint, etc. The 3-Shimano internal hub is all I need to tackle the local rolling hills. I'm not a coaster-brake fan, but the Townie 3i 700c comes with front and rear pull brakes. That was a big selling point for me with this model. For the price and satisfaction of an Electra Townie, you can't go wrong.

Strengths:
Light weight frame, very comfortable, worry-free/reliable Shimano 3-speed internal hub, comfortable upright riding position, easy to handle steering (not squirrely), lots of Electra accessories

Weaknesses:
Not the most aggressive looking frame (but still has a classic attractiveness to it), the stock seat is fairly comfortable, but I'm already looking to upgrade it. This bike is NOT a speed demon.

Similar Products Used:
Nothing like the Townie. Lots of previous mountain bikes (mostly GT's).

Price Paid:  $500.00 at Greenwich, CT Bicycl

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Elektra Townie 21D

Bike Setup:
Stock 21D with shocks in front and 21 speed - flat black

Summary:
As soon as I saw a Townie I had to have one, just a great concept to have the laid back seating position, I am a big 300 lbs 6'2" guy so a road racing bike is really uncofortable for me. The only problem I had was chosing between this one and the rest of the townie line up. I went with this one in the end due to its flat black color which seemed to suit me well. I just love the look at the lines. The shock front fork smoothes out the ride and the 21 gears can handle steep hills with ease. This is a curising bike to relax and enjoy the ride not a racing bike.

Strengths:
Looks, seating position, design, price, ride, shifts and stops great

Weaknesses:
Made in Taiwan, cheap pedals, seat looks good but is not that comfortable.

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $425.00 at used

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Electra Townie 21 art

Bike Setup:
Speedometer added. Adding back baskets this weekend. Cup holder. Front and back lights. Can't think of anything else it needs!

Summary:
Love my Townie! I was so excited to get to buy this one used from a younger woman that realized she wanted a road bike. At 52 years old, I have no desire for a road bike. My hubby & I are riding every day all over town and are really enjoying it. We've both lost weight and feel better than we have for years. Couldn't ask for a nicer way to get around town!

Strengths:
Looks, Ride, well built. I love the lime green.

Weaknesses:
Can't think of any.

Similar Products Used:
Schwinn Suburban Sport Comfort bike- 21 speed

Price Paid:  $420.00 at Downtown Bike

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Townie 21

Bike Setup:
I added a speedometer and a softer seat. Also flashing front and rear lights and a bottle cage. I also found a clip on front basket to mount on the handbars for books and store bought items which comes off easily.

Summary:
The Townie is the right bike for a person who has not be on a bike for 20 years. Very dependable and easy to pedal. Starting with rides of less then four miles I soon was averaging 8 miles at a time to as far as 32 miles. Rode the Townie for 700 miles this year with only one flat tire from glass and a petal that cracked. Its upright position allows you to enjoy the scenery and is confortable. Expect a speed of 8 MPH and no more then 12 mile average per hour. Maximun sprint speed can hit 18-21 MPH for 1/2 mile. Brakes well and is easy to ride on crowded sidewalks or stop to read menus. You can even walk your bike while seated. I soon bought a second bike for my wife and then one for my daughter. On a recent bike ride everyone wanted to switch to the Townie when they got tired of riding the Schwinn. It is the type of bike that you should start using for daily short trips the first few times. Soon you will find you wanting to explore more side trips. Stop and rest after an hour and you can ride a long way. Never expect to pass other bikes. It just doesn't have it in it. It is a little hard to lean to turn because of the forward pedals which can make you fell unsure if turning sharp. You can not stand up to ride it either, so if it hilly you need some speed coming down to get back up. Downshifting is like an automatic and soon you don't realize you did.

Strengths:
The men's Townie 21 has excellect shifting and riders position. The front suspension eases the bumps on sidewalks. The internal routing of the cables is great. Compodent parts are matched well, of good quality and heavily built. The flat foot design makes this perfect for slow rides in the city. No jumping off of leaning to stop.

Weaknesses:
Because of the forward pedal design it is unsafe to pedal hands free. Replace the seat with a softer more comfortable one before any riding. Register your bike because everyone will want to take it. Very hard to find used because owners love them so much. Factory support poor. I had one pedal break and bad lettering. Also one bike had bad wheels seams that wobble. I used two dealers who no longer sell the bike and therefore was not able to get warranty service. Bike is heavy.

Similar Products Used:
1976 Schwinn 10 speed