Good thing it’s a stepthrough…

* The tire rolling resistance is surprisingly low. I don’t feel like I’m pushing against sand, even when I’m actually riding on sand.

* Beware that 2.6″ tires don’t fit in many bus bike racks.

* Yes, you can ride down stairs, go mountain biking, and take impressively high jumps on this monster. The ultra high rise bars = lots of leverage, so make absolutely certain the stem bolts are torqued down tight or your bars will flop forward and you’ll crash. It’s a good thing this bike doesn’t have a top tube, or I’d be singing soprano.

* This bike does not ride or feel like a beach cruiser, but like a good, well built utility bike. It’s comfortable and reasonably fast. A design goal of this bike is that it’s “fun” and I think KMI achieved that goal while retaining good utility.

* The build that Noah and I have (8 speed, racks, fenders — the works) weighs in at 42 lbs or so. It’s a beefy bike, but when you’re actually riding the bike it doesn’t “ride” like a heavy clunker. “Solid” is a better description of the feel of this bike.

Yes, I understand that sounds like a lot of money. This isn’t a “Girl’s bike” nor is it a “beach cruiser”. This is a utility bike: a city workhorse. I’ve already abused the hell out of it this week, and I’ve put about 60 miles on it so far. It’s held up to everything I’ve thrown at it.

They sell through bike shops only, for the time being. As their distribution channels grow, they’ll probably be easier to find.

The Tires aren’t just balloon tires: They’re flat-protected tires designed for the lowest rolling resistance possible. The high-volume tires are wide and provide a lot of cushion. Topped off to 40 PSI, they actually feel pretty hard.

I wouldn’t use this thing on a daily commute for a long distance. This is one of those bikes for people who might ride 5-10 miles per day over harsh terrain. The tires (specially made for Urbana) are named “Pot hole” in French, and I’ve tried a lot of things to see if I can get these to pinch flat, and it just goes “bonk” and bounces right off of pot holes, over curbs and down staircases. Snow, sand and light mud don’t seem to be much of a problem, either.

This is not a beach cruiser.

Perhaps an Urbana? To me they look like the ubiquitous beach cruisers we see all over around here without the stupidly big saddle and handlebars. I think it might be a winner, but I’m waiting on the “official” review!

Rolling resistance WILL increase — fat tires like this seem to be geared toward around-town comfort, not long-haul applications.