Got this for trade. A bike halfway between a ladies cruiser and a mountainbike, it's the sort of bike now popularized by "comfort" hybrids -- from a time when the genre was being born: a "city" bike. Upright handlebars halfway between a beach cruiser and a roadster, 26" mtb rims, semi knobby or street tires (but not narrow road tires) and heavy frames were the hallmark of the breed. Often they came with unusual brakes; this one had a u brake in the back -- under the chainstays -- and old style canti's on the fork.
Why such a bike? It's heavy, stable, and fun. It isn't fast, expensive looking, or costly. No one will steal it -- or want to. But it is perfect for around town...
The "urban" bike -- a clunker?
Originally had front and back gears. Ran it as a fixed with a 16t rear cog and the inner front chainring (maybe a 42?) after stripping off the gears which didn't work, tho I contemplated leaving it as a ghetto s/s -- keep all the rear gears on but strip the shifter and run the chain over one cog. I may return it to it's "ghetto singlespeed" state before long.... we'll see...
