Cruising Without the Bruising

By Lisa McLaughlin Sunday, July 18, 2004
    • If the Tour de France has filled you with dreams of chasing the yellow jersey but watching the race on television is the closest you've come to a bike since childhood, you might want to check out the Electra Townie. Designed for rusty or neophyte adult riders, the retro cruiser combines the geometries of recumbent and traditional bicycles to create a new kind of vehicle: it has a seat and center of gravity lower than a standard bike's, making it easier to climb onto and off of than your average 10speed. The Townie's innovative design also lets you place both feet flat on the ground when stopped, so you don't have to wobble on your tippy-toes at traffic lights. This should lessen your chances (and your fear, if you have it) of falling.