Bike Reviews

It moves like the wind You may be a fan of movies like Who Killed the Electric Car? and An Inconvenient Truth, or you may think global warming is a bunch of alarmist horse hockey. Either way, you're a cyclist, so you've probably said, "I wish I could ride more." In that case, think of the Breezer Uptown not as a way to outpious Prius drivers, but as an excuse to ride. In fact, you will want to ride the Uptown, because it's a fun, fast bike. As an accomplished cyclist himself, Joe Breeze designs his bikes to move. The Uptown accelerates with surprising quickness, and could almost be said to rail corners. You can even get out of the saddle and sprint the Uptown, headlight generator, fenders and all, with the buckles on your Ferragamos glinting in the sun. Breeze himself smiles slyly as he tells stories of being able to hang with some very surprised skinny-tire leg shavers on his Uptown. This is not to downplay the Uptown's utility. This bike is ready for a life of commutes and quick trips to the corner store to pick up snacks for poker night. It's full of convenience-adding details, but the coolest is the lighting system. A Shimano hub dynamo powers the Busch & Müller lights. Like a luxury car, the LEDs automatically click on when the ambient light falls to a certain level, and a capacitor keeps them lit for visibility when you stop. Unlike the generators of yore, there is no noticeable increase in drag when the dynamo is operating. Breeze specs the Premium model of the Shimano Nexus eight-speed internally geared hub, which is lighter, noticeably smoother and more efficient than the standard Nexus 8 hub. A full chain case protects your pants and keeps the elements out for smoother performance and longer chain life. The tires have reflective sidewalls and heavy-duty casings. Comfort is enhanced by the suspension seatpost and cushy saddle, which was too soft for our liking, so we downsized. The Uptown also comes with the nicest kickstand we've ever seen, fenders, a rack, a bell, and a built-in ring lock for convenient, if low-level, security. It doesn't come with panniers and a trunk bag, but add those to the package, and you'll find that you're taking your car in for an oil change a lot less often.--Matt Phillips