Auto-tranny on Trek cruiser bikes

[Ray]

On an impulse, I bought my wife a bike today (was my b-day and she gave me so much stuff I was feeling generous and vaguely guilty!). She's had a five speed cruiser for several years, but she just absolutely does NOT get the concept of gears. She never shifter hers and for the past few years, it wouldn't shift even if she wanted to. Had cheap twist shifters and I have no idea how those things work to even try to maintain them.

So today we checked out a mixte cruiser the LBS had with a big generator hub on the front. The hub runs a computer that lives in a box under the BB and actuates a cable that controls a three speed internal hub in the back. Runs with coaster brakes. She rode it and liked it. I rode it and hated it because I'm so used to controlling my own shifts. But the implementation was REALLY good. The shifts were predictable and pretty smooth. The high gear was a bit tall but it only took a very minor little pressure on the coaster brake and it would downshift even if you didn't slow down that much. Anyway, we bought it - its gotta be an improvement for her in her bike-path cruising and riding around town mode. I'd seen auto trans bikes years ago and thought they sucked, but this one works quite well. It'll be interesting to see how it holds up.

Anyone seen these? The guy at the shop said they'd been around for a few years, but Trek is just starting to raise their profile.

-Ray

[pdmtong]

I got one for $125 and immediately installed a "hello kitty" horn frm my daughters first bike, as well as my old blackburn rack with side grocery bag carriers. it is the perfect coffee run or farmer's market vessel. you can adjust the speed at which the shifts hit by turning the screw on the bottom of the under BB box.

it works well for flat cruising. anything else and I dont like the shift points or how it auto-down shifts. $600 retail is too steep. cut the price to $275 and I bet they blow em out of the warehouse.

several companies OEM the shifting technology from shimano - rei, trek come to mind....

take a look here (http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/reviews/trek_lime07)

[Louis]

Does it come with push-buttons like my father's old Valiant? ;)

[soulspinner]

On an impulse, I bought my wife a bike today (was my b-day and she gave me so much stuff I was feeling generous and vaguely guilty!). She's had a five speed cruiser for several years, but she just absolutely does NOT get the concept of gears. She never shifter hers and for the past few years, it wouldn't shift even if she wanted to. Had cheap twist shifters and I have no idea how those things work to even try to maintain them.

So today we checked out a mixte cruiser the LBS had with a big generator hub on the front. The hub runs a computer that lives in a box under the BB and actuates a cable that controls a three speed internal hub in the back. Runs with coaster brakes. She rode it and liked it. I rode it and hated it because I'm so used to controlling my own shifts. But the implementation was REALLY good. The shifts were predictable and pretty smooth. The high gear was a bit tall but it only took a very minor little pressure on the coaster brake and it would downshift even if you didn't slow down that much. Anyway, we bought it - its gotta be an improvement for her in her bike-path cruising and riding around town mode. I'd seen auto trans bikes years ago and thought they sucked, but this one works quite well. It'll be interesting to see how it holds up.

Anyone seen these? The guy at the shop said they'd been around for a few years, but Trek is just starting to raise their profile.

-Ray

Work at a Trek store. Didnt want to like it but did. People that like simplicty in their bikes like em.

[alancw3]

bought an electra with internal 3 speed shimano nexus last year for my daughter who also had trouble with derailluer shifting. even though her's is not auto shift she could not be happier. i have actually ridden the bike a couple of times and was impressed with the granny gear. by and large i think the manufacturer's should have marketed internal hub shifting instead of index shifting with a derailluer system. nexus 3,7 and 8 speed seem to work well. now they just need to match it to belt drive. actually think trek has an urban bike with that setup.

[Ray]

Work at a Trek store. Didnt want to like it but did. People that like simplicty in their bikes like em.
That's her. She doesn't get gearing and doesn't want to think about it, but she does like when its easier going up hills and faster on the flats. It would drive me crazy, always either shifting when I didn't want it to or not shifting when I did, but I guess if its limited to three speeds, it wouldn't be that bad. I can see a real target audience for these things.

-Ray

[csm]

I like that bike but the colors..... didn't care for them. I've been thinking of getting two to have for coffee shop runs. I work part-time at a Trek dealer and the folks I showed that bike to liked it but thought it needed "dressed" up a bit.

[RPS]

That's her. She doesn't get gearing and doesn't want to think about it, but she does like when its easier going up hills and faster on the flats. It would drive me crazy, always either shifting when I didn't want it to or not shifting when I did, but I guess if its limited to three speeds, it wouldn't be that bad. I can see a real target audience for these things.

-RayIf it gets her to ride more then it’s worth it. I’ve been looking for a bike for my wife (very similar circumstances about shifting, etc…) but I’m not sure how often she’d use the 7 MPH and 11 MPH gears because of our flat terrain. She might do better with a simpler single speed; although she wants 30.

In time I expect automatic CVTs will dominate this market.