When I was in Toronto my bike guru friend, Brian, was educating me about a great value bike. This is something that is good for commuting in the city. It's a great every day transportation bike. It's tons of value for the money. It's relatively light with a smooth ride. All the sorts of things you want in a work horse, but without the monstrous price tag.
And it's Canadian!
Allow me to introduce Brian's lady commuter pick: The Devinci Paris for women.
Now you guys know I'm not a bike tech so I'm not going to bother getting into the mechanical details, but it was highly recommended by a friend who is most knowledgeable about everything bike-related. I trust Brian's opinion.
Also, it's definitely not as old school looking as the Pashley and might not have precisely the same nostalgia in terms of its aesthetics, but let's just say the swoop on the frame was low enough to wear those heels up there.
It has those reflective lines on the wheels so you would be extra visible at night.
Easy shifting. Click, click.
Tough rack for your stuff.
Good, neutral colour. So all your clothes will coordinate with the ride.
If it was mine I would probably replace the saddle and maybe stick a wire basket on the back rack, but otherwise it was ready for action. I took it for a test spin while waiting for the redbike guys to add some treats to my old Raleigh that I am bestowing upon a friend. I had time. And test riding a bike other than your own is totally a task in the LGRAB's summer games!
Lately I've been having lots of conversations with girls about the price of bikes. I was ready to throw down for the Amsterdam and the Pashley, etc, back in the days when I was a discretionary spending power house (no baby, working full full time for myself). I suppose seeing a four figure price tag on a bike can be rather shocking to people who just want to ride a bike for fun, or just want to get started and see how it fits into their lifestyle.
If you're not feeling like investing a lot into a pricey bike, then this Devinci might be something to consider. It was light, smooth, and totally nice to ride. I was quite surprised at how much I liked it!
And just for the record. Expensive bikes don't always necessarily mean YOU will have a good life them. Always test ride and discover your style and your likes and dislikes before buying a bike. Sometimes the super pretty one might not be for you.
If I had a limited budget, I would definitely consider getting a Paris. It was good to me. Maybe it will be good to you too?
5 comments:
Cool, I've never heard of this bike before. Looks like an impressive set up, ready to go. The chainguard is especially nice to see. Very few "commuter" bikes have those.
Yes, having the little chain guard details makes all the difference between your pants being eaten up and not.
Bruce highly recommends DeVinci,too. He says it's the best value for a solid, quality bicycle.I've seen a few gals riding around w/DeVincis and they look very chic. I'm thinking about getting one for winter riding.
Although I have a lovely old Batavus in Berlin, when I'm commuting in London I ride a cheap hybrid for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's light which means that having to carry it up steps is no big deal but perhaps most importantly if it gets stolen, although I would be very sad, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Sadly bike theft is an all too common problem in many areas so sometimes cheap bikes just make sense. I have to say this one looks really nice.
love the reflective additions. i walways think bikes should have magnetic-add on pieces so the visibility at night gets taken to another level
btw. love those shoes - so cute!!
xxo.m
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