Seven Bikes that Make Great Alternatives for a Car
11. Apr, 2011 
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When Your Other Car is a Bike
There are many reasons to use a bike instead of a car for transportation and being gentle on the environment is just one of them. For those who love to multi-task, cycling is one way to stay healthy and fit while doing something you already have to do: such as riding to and from work and getting in a workout.
With the price of gas climbing, many more may be focused on the economic benefits of cycling for transportation. AAA recently came out with their new driving cost analysis and the average cost of driving a mid-sized car is about 58.8 cents a mile. Driving an SUV costs about 75.9 cents a mile to operate. (The formula took into account the price of gas in December 2010 at $2.88/gallon and today’s national average price is $3.77/gallon and rising!) Consider instead, leaving that SUV in the garage and bike an 8-mile round trip to meet your friends for lunch. If you rode your bike instead, with the savings you could easily have paid for a $6 lunch (and incidentally burned a few calories.) How much do you drive? Keep a log and note how many trips you are doing within a 4 mile-radius of your home. How many of those could you do on a bike instead?
We chose these bikes which are perfect for getting you and some of your stuff from point A to point B while wearing your everyday clothes. They can be used for a commute of about 7 miles, but the sweet spot for these bikes is a trip of 4-miles or less: going to the grocery store, the library, and the bank, riding with the kids to school and pulling a trailer with a little one behind you. (All of these bikes can easily pull a trailer.) They can also be used to make the trip to and from work. These bikes offer a comfortable upright position, enough gearing to handle a few hills, and fenders to keep the street muck from splashing on your clothes.
| Brand & Model: | Giant Transcend W | Globe Daily 3 Step-Thru | Felt Café 8 | Trek AllantWSD | Electra Ticino | Novara Transfer | Bianchi Milano Citta |
| Frame: | Aluminum | Premium Aluminum | Aluminum | Alpha White Aluminum | Butted Alloy | Steel | Aluminum |
| Wheels: | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 700c | 26-inch |
| Speeds: | SRAM 24-speed | Shimano 7-speed | Shimano 8-speed | Shimano 7-speed | SRAM 8-speed | Shimano 7-speed | Shimano 8-speed |
| Fenders: | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Racks: | yes | yes | yes | no | no | yes | yes |
| Price: | $540 | $800 | $569 | $569 | $849 | $649 | $599 |
| Extras: | Bell | Bell, clip-on saddle bag | Front mini-rack | Dynamo lights, battery powered tailight | Mudguards on fenders |
Add Necessary Safety Gear if it Doesn’t Come Standard:
- Lights: Headlights and tail-lights are good idea at all times (turn them on during dark and cloudy days) and are mandatory at night.
- Bell or horn: Get a loud bell—it can be more effective than your voice.
Other Things to Consider:
- Is there is a rack or basket on the bike? What is the carrying capacity (in weight)?
- If it is not a women’s specific bike, can the bike shop put on a women’s seat for you?
- Do you need gearing? If you live in a flat area, a single-speed may be all you need.
- Internal gear hubs may add some complexity to removing the rear tire to fix a flat. Ask the shop if this is an issue for the bike you are considering buying. Get good durable tires so you have fewer flats.
Giant Transcend
Giant Transcend DX
The Giant Transcend DX W comes in a women’s frame ( it’s actually the men’s frame that is shown above) which is a soft metallic blue in color. The women’s step-through frame comes in 4 sizes from extra-small to large. The rear rack, bell and kickstand come as standard features. The Transcend is a great city bike. (I only wish it had a chain guard.) Giant now has the Via 1 W, a bike inspired by 1920′s vintage bicycles and features a front-rack flower holder basket, graceful curving frame, and Nexus 3-speed internal gearing.
Globe Daily 3 Step-Thru
Globe Daily 3 Step-Thru
Globe Daily 1 Step-Thru
Globe Daily 3 Step-Thru (rear view)
The Globe Daily 3 Step-Thru is a bike that has some great premium touches to make it ride better and last longer. It’s not flashy, just well-made. After all, who needs a bike that attracts the attention of would-be bike thieves? The bike also has a chain stay protector, chain catch and Nexus Internal 7-speed for easy maintenance. The saddle is a Specialized BG saddle: soft and supportive in all the right places. The Globe Daily 2 and Globe Daily 1 are the other bicycles in this collection. The Daily 2 has an 8-speed conventional drivetrain and rear rack (MSRP: $640) The Daily 1 is a single-speed with an integrated front basket that nicely holds a U-lock (MSRP $520.)
Felt Cafe 8 Deluxe W
Felt Cafe cup holder
Felt Cafe saddlebag
The Felt Cafe 8 Deluxe W is an Uptown Cruiser. It’s frame is lightweight aluminum tubing and has a relaxed geometry for a comfortable riding position. It has 8 gears and simple twist shifting. It comes with a bell, a classic looking saddlebag and a cup holder. Yes! You heard that right–a cup holder! You can carry hot or cold drinks cradled in this cup holder on the handlebar of your bike. The “Cafe” is appropriately named. This bike has sisters: the 24-speed Cafe 24W Deluxe (MSRP: $619) to the single-speed Cafe 1 W (MSRP 349) and two others besides.
Trek Allant WSD
The seven-speed Trek Allant WSD has ergonomic grips, a comfortable seat and a front rack. The front rack helps make a front basket more stable and able to carry a little more weight. It’s a great bike for a campus commuter as the olive green isn’t flashy, just classic. (Think Ivy League?) One question that many people have asked is which is the best basket to buy for the Trek Allant. Trek doesn’t sell one themselves so that can be perplexing. But I’ve heard that the Axiom Expresso Front Basket fits perfectly on this bike. (Not expensive–and available at Amazon.com) Wald may have a basket that works for the Trek Allant as well. The aluminum frame comes in three sizes in the women’s specific design.
Electra Ticino
Electra Ticino
The Electra Ticino (Tuh-chino) is a classic sporty bike and has a very different look than the Southern Californian beach town style of most of Electra’s bikes. The Ticino was inspired by classic bicycles which were popular in the the Italian speaking region of Switzerland. The Ticino’s have beautiful hammered fenders, upright tourist handlebars, unique reverse-style brake levers, and a hand-brazed chromoly fork. It is the priciest bicycle in this selection, but it’s an absolute head-turner! Here’s our previous article about the Ticino.
Novara Transfer
Novara Transfer's Basta Headlight
The Novara Transfer is a commuter bike that is ready-to-go. The frame is considered gender-neutral with a slight slope that isn’t quite a step-through frame. This bike already has the nice features that make it the perfect go-to-work bike with not only fenders, a partial chain guard and a rear rack, but also a Basta headlight which is powered by a generator in the front hub. Unlike another bike I’ve tried, this headlight remains on after stopping to ensure your pathway is lit, even when stopping at traffic lights. The rear light is battery powered and has a indicator to let you know when the battery is low. The bike comes in three sizes. Novara has another commuter bike with a few more upgrades that is worth checking out: the Novara Fusion (MSRP: $949).
Bianchi Milano Citta
Bianchi’s Milano Citta has been reviewed by us before. It’s a classic city bike, named after the most fashionable city in Italy. It has 8 gears, fenders, a partially covered chain guard and a rear rack. The Ladies version is shown here and the color is a particular Bianchi classic: “celeste” (a blue-green shade) and there are some vivid touches of red. Così bella! If you want a good-looking Italian in your life–this beautiful little cafe racer may be just the perfect daily companion. Did you know that Eduardo Bianchi built the very first bike designed for a woman in 1895 and that first bike was painted blue-green to match her eyes? I love that story! (If you haven’t heard it before, you should read it here!)
Thank you to the following bicycle shops for making these bikes available to us: Bingham Cyclery (the Globe Daily 3, Globe Daily 1 & the Electra Ticino); Guthrie Bicycles (the Trek Allant WSD): REI (the Novara Transfer); Cyclesmith (the Bianchi Milano Citta) and Fishers Cyclery (the Giant Transcend). We checked out the whole Felt Cafe line at Interbike 2010.
Sorry, but if it does not have fenders and a chain guard, I don’t consider the bike a serious alternative to a car. You need a bike you can hop on in regular clothes and get there splatter/grease free.
Amen. I agree with you Elliott–and all the bikes here have fenders and many (but not all) have chain guards. Chain guards can be put on by a bike shop in the case of the others. What is a bike that you recommend? I would also add that I prefer a step-through frame so I can ride in a dress, skirt, or long coat if desired.
Love the article!
I just recently got a bike from http://www.villycustoms.com and I love it!
I ride it with regular clothes and even a dress sometimes, it definitely replaced my car for short distances!
Great post! I just ordered a Globe Daily 3 Step Thru from my LBS.
As a tall woman (5’10″) I had a hard time finding a step-thru/u-frame bike that came in a large-enough size for me, but the Globe size L worked.
I also found some larger u-frame bikes by Breezer and Kettler on commuterbikestore.com, but once I tried the Globe, I was sold so I looked no further!
Excellent guide. It’s great to see so many mainstream bike companies making real transportation bikes. When I first looked for a commuter bike three years ago, my options were much more limited than they would be today. A solid Dutch bike is my favorite choice, though.
Great post – thanks for the comparison.
Kathleen – I’m also a tall gal – I’ve got you by 2″ though! REALLY tough finding a step-through frame in a size big enough for me. I prefer single speed bikes (with a freewheel, though – not “coaster” brakes) and I’m hoping to try a Globe Daily 1 large-size step through.
I recently rode a Trek Soho Single speed – not at all what I’m looking for in terms of looks or riding position, but I have to say that it was the easiest, lightest, most wonderful bike I may have ever ridden. Such a great gear ratio and maneuvering…I’m almost tempted to try and “make it into” more of an upright bike by swapping out the handlebars for an Albatross / moustache style bar (and seeing how high I can raise them) and the stock seat for a Brooks saddle….
I really like the looks of the Novara Transfer in this post too. Actually, it comes with so many of the things that I want – rear rack, fenders, “step-through-ish” frame and more of an upright riding position…I have some thinking to do! (and some test-riding.)
I agree with your choices, however, I would like to mention that http://publicbikes.com/ produces the same kind of urban/commuter bikes with approximately 10 to 12 pounds less of weigh that you have to pedal
Of course, once you start loading the bike with saddle bags, a super chain, basket, etc, etc… it does not matter how light the bike is. It will get heavy anyway.
I found this late but I wish to note that some of us are too short to ride a 26″ or 700c bike! I would love to see reviews of bikes for those of us with short legs! Grrr—the frustration of a woman who feels left out of being able to buy a big girls bike!