Stuff We Love: Cruiser Bikes
Retro chic AND comfy for girls with big butts? Sign us up for a bike ride!
Bikes have never been cuter – or more comfortable! (Image by ubrayj02)
From remakes of old skool flicks (including the recent redo of A Nightmare on Elm Street) to the return of skinny jeans and ballet flats, it seems everything old really is new again. Sometimes, as in the case of the latest trend in bicycling, this is a very good thing. Search for “retro” or “cruiser” and “bike,” and your browser will display a two-wheeled blast from the past. I don’t know about you, but my first thoughts when I first saw Tee’s Craisglist score of an Electra “Twiggy” was: that seat looks COMFY!
Before I began bicycling regularly, I dreaded that first ride of the season because my butt would be sore afterward (even though I always recovered by the second or third ride). According to Tee, this isn’t as much of an issue with the wider, springier (literally) cruiser bike seat. That was a big deal for her because getting back on a bike after many years can easily be discouraging if your butt is sore all the time. This style of seat also mitigates the “butt overflow” factor common with today’s standard bike seats — a nice boost for both comfort and self esteem.
Because road bikes tend to feel flimsy and intimidating to girls who haven’t been on a bike in a long time, cruisers offer a bit of brawn to support a big girl who wants a leisurely riding experience. Cruiser bikes marvelously mesh mountain bike sturdiness with road bike agility while allowing riders to sit upright instead of hunching or leaning forward as riders do on more athletic styles. Plus, they look both cool and stylishly cute and come in fun, flirty colors like ivory, pink, and powder blue – and we know it never hurts to look adorable, even while bicycling.
Designed for recreational riding, cruisers are also less complicated to operate than bikes designed for distance or rugged terrain. They can handle city streets and a gravel country road equally well, making them a good transitional bike for those who want to move on to more athletic models at some point. There tend to be fewer gears and some models come with pedal braking systems, which might feel more familiar for more tentative riders to operate. Most major manufacturers like Schwinn and Trek and outfitters like REI offer cruisers in a range of prices, but don’t forget to check Craigslist for gently used bikes – Tee found hers for a fraction of the retail price. Big box retailers like Target and Walmart also carry cruisers at lower prices, so there’s something for just about any budget out there.
Tee says she loves all of the great comments she gets when she rides around the streets and trails of Reno. “Everywhere I go, people LOVE this bike and smile and wave and comment on it, which ends up feeling a lot better than the ‘fat girl on a bike’ looks I expected I might get.” This is the perfect time of year for a leisurely ride and for getting out and looking cute – and cruisers offer us fat girls the perfect excuse to ride in safety and style. If you’ve been hesitant to try bicycling for a while, consider testing out a cruiser and seeing if you won’t love one, too.
Girls, have you embraced the retro cruiser bike trend? Tell us what you think in comments. And if you find yourself jonesing for a new bike, check out the Fat Girl’s Guide to Cycling for tips on getting started.
I have an Electra Amsterdam Original in purple, and I am a Super Fatty. It’s so comfy and so cute that people stop me just to tell me how awesome my bike is.
It’s not as recumbent as the cruiser style, so you ride with a very straight back and pedalling is very comfortable.
Best of all? It’s a full step-through with chain guard and mud guards, so you can ride with a skirt on! Combine that with the wicker basket on the front and that upright position, and you have the most awesome Elvira Gulch style bicycling in the world!
sleepydumpling – What a great review–thanks for commenting. Having fenders is a HUGE perk for those afternoon sun shower days.
That is an adorable bike. Pink! And I love the basket. You’d have to have a pretty big lock for that one if you stopped anywhere!
Last summer I reluctantly hauled myself down to the local bike shop. I’d been wanting to ride a bicycle for exercise for quite some time, but was terrified that it would crumple under my 300lbs. After working up the guts to share my concern with the salesman, he informed me that most high end (i.e. not from a “big box” store) bicycles are pretty uncrushable, and also that my concern was a pretty common one. Whew! I settled on an Electra Townie and haven’t looked back!
Best tip received while at the bike shop: Stash a small hand operated air pump in your bike basket or backpack. The biggest problem heavy folks run into while cycling is underinflated tires that cause “pinch flats.” No fun! If you notice the tires getting soft, give them a bit of air. This bit of advice has saved me a long walk back many times!
Great idea, thanks Katherine!
I ride a Specialized Expedition Sport. I don’t know if it fits the definition of ‘retro’ but I sure love it. Sitting nearly upright, nice big seat, big, fat tires
It’s white with blue accents, which could be prettier, but since I had a rack installed the other day, I think I will make myself some blue-and-white Hawaiian print panniers (I love the look of Basil Bags but don’t want to spend the money!) to dress it up and make room for library books and picnic goods.
[...] isn’t as unforgiving (either way, I still wear sweatproof sunscreen). Our guide to cycling, mad love for cruiser bikes and tips on finding plus-size padded bike shorts are helpful starting points if you’ve been [...]
This may be a dumb question, but how do people transport their bike to safe bike trails? I am really inspired by this post, but even if I spent the money on a bike, would I then have to buy an expensive car-mount-thingy?
So nervous, but hopeful!
jk,
I just bought a new (to me) cruiser and since I don’t want to ride in my neighborhood, I looked for the car mount on Amazon. They come as cheap as $50. And my Jamis Earthcruiser cost $50 at the pawn shop. Super comfy. Looking for padded bike shorts now though, slightly sore butt!
I picked up a huffy cranbrook cruiser style bike from a garage sale for $40, half the price of buying the same bike from walmart. I never realized how much I’d love my bike. I literally ride it everyday and it’s a great way for a ‘fluffy’ girl like myself to ride in style. I’m looking to by a basket and rear rack for it. It looks so cute riding behind my beetle, which happens to be the same light tan color. I love my bike and would recommend one for anyone, ‘fluffy’ or not!!
Have you heard about Creme Cycles? They look just amazing (http://cremecycles.com/)
Take a look at pretty, unique and girly Caferacer Lady or Holymoly with the basket!!!!