Normally, I have to say, Trek makes some pretty ugly bikes. Not bad bikes, but if aesthetics is part of it, as it should be, this bike is a welcome surprise. Not quite an upright bike as they advertise, but with the chainguard, fenders, racks, internal hub, etc, the Trek Belleville is another major-brand citizen cycle option for a pretty good price. And eco-friendly to boot.
From their website:
Inspired by the French porteur bikes of the mid-20th century, Belleville is designed front to back to reduce environmental impact. Fully equipped with steel front and rear racks, generator lights eliminate the need for wasteful batteries and the tires contain regrind and sustainable harvest rubber. The bike is a 3 speed internal but is compatible with single and multi speed derailleur drivetrains.
Cool! Most Trek city bikes I've seen don't even come equipped with fenders. I put fenders on the Trek I was using before I got my Batavus, but the fenders didn't fit properly because the bike wasn't really designed for them.
ReplyDeleteThis bike almost looks a bit like an Opus city cruiser. They just need to change the handlebars a bit to make it more upright.
Thanks for sharing this Bill.
On a different page they have a photo gallery of the bike in action, it's people meandering through charming scenes, all cozy, serene urbanity, shopping and flowers in the front basket... aannnnd - helmets. Kind of jarring and incongruous. What are they implying will happen in such a paradise? ;) Not surprising, of course.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/story/eco_design/ (at the bottom)
I agree. I think this a great looking bike.
ReplyDeleteDo you think a 3 speed hub would be adequate for DC?
I guess depends on your commute. I have a east-west ride mostly across Columbia Heights/Adams Morgan. The 3-speed is great and very comfortable. Same if you are mostly downtown, Dupont, Logan... But for a lot of south-north riding, downtown to, say, Petworth every day would have that long uphill climb so you might think twice about a 3-speed.
ReplyDelete