New Bike Day!

My new ride: a Pure City Langdon

Ever since riding the typical Dutch bike--an "Omafiets"--in Amsterdam in 2005, I've wanted to get a step-through frame. I do have a soft spot for my old hybrid Diamondback Wildwood, but it's so much easier to just step over a low bar, rather than kicking my leg back & over the seat. I'm sure this is only going to be more of an issue as the osteoarthritis in my hip progresses. Riding in a skirt is also much easier with a proper step-through frame--this style of bike just gives you a lot more options, wardrobe-wise.

The trouble with finding a step-through bike is that a lot of these bikes are only three gears, or even single speed. That's just not enough to get me up the hills around Vancouver. To get a step-through with a gear range that enough to get me up Ontario Street without standing up in my pedals, I think I'd need at least a 5-7 speed internal gear hub. Which starts to get pricey--somewhere between $700 & $1000, usually. That's just not in the budget right now, so I have put my search on hold.

When I went to Momentum Magazine's annual gear sale, I wasn't really looking to buy a bike, but as soon as I walked in, the white Pure City Langdon grabbed my attention. $200 for a lovely step-through, ridden for about a month when it was reviewed for the magaine. My hestitation was because this one, like so many others, was only a single speed. However, my DIY gears started turning & I called Oliver to discuss whether or not we could add an internal gear hub to the rear wheel to make it a functional ride for me.

I decided to jump on it. I am now in possession of a (fairly) shiny, new (to me) step-through bike. I had ridden to the Momentum gear sale, so I couldn't take it home with me that day, but decided to pick it up the next day. Oliver rode down to Chinatown with me & Bronte on the back of the Yuba to get me there & I rode it home. As I suspected, a single speed was not a fun ride up Ontario Street. I stopped for a brief break half way up & was grateful for the red light at Broadway.

Next step is to look into what internal gear hub is going to work with this bike, find new fenders (the front one is missing for some odd reason), then kit it out with lights, bell, front basket, & possibly a rear rack. I'll probably get new more swept-back handlebars & larger pedals too. Even though it's a project bike with a lot to do, I'm pretty excited that I've finally got my own omafiets!

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