When I think of bike commuting I think of skinny-tired race machines, folding bikes, or fixies. But bike commuting is about, well, just getting from here to there via pedal power. And while riding a bike to work is as rare as real boobs, here in Orange County, the beach towns actually do embrace bikes. Especially beach cruisers. The Nirve Night Owl falls into this category but strays a bit from the usual formula.

Small rodents beware

But what’s so different about the Night Owl? Lots of companies turn out beach cruisers but a lot of times you get what you pay for. My wife and each had a $100 cruiser that we bought from an online store. These both weighed a ton and were so difficult to pedal that we never really had much fun and sold them within a couple of months. I always saw the Nirve cruisers at my local bike shop but thought there was no point in paying more for one. The Night Owl is quickly changing my mind.

N is for “Neato!”

The kickstand comes with a frame integrated housing rather than the usual clamp-on stand. Although there is a warning not to sit on the bike when the kickstand is down, it feels like you could. Nirve also has a little “N” on the end of the top tube. At an MSRP of $359.99 this isn’t a custom-built bike but little details like this give you a little comfort in knowing someone actually put some effort into the design and build.

Trying to show up the roadies?

I was surprised to see an internal cable route on the top tube. This obviously isn’t to protect cables from gunk since it has an uninterrupted housing. I figured it was mostly just for aesthetics and/or to keep the cable from catching on clothing. Still…pretty cool for a cruiser!

This is definitely not made to be a commuter bike but the more upright seating position along with the BMX style handlebars give the Night Owl a fast handling, speedy ride. The weight is on par with a cruiser but after the first couple of pedal strokes the bike lightens up and you’re rolling with speed and a smile. Because of the easy pedaling I’m going to try to ride the Night Owl to work so check back in for the full review. It’s definitely a fun bike. I’ve caught myself hopping on it after work a couple of days just to ride around the neighborhood. When I look at people riding beach cruisers I always imagine riding one to be a laughter inducing gigglefest. This little gem makes it a reality.

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Bike Commuter Essentials at PricePoint.com