Urban Man

The bike was delivered very quickly, ordered on a Saturday got it Tuesday afternoon!!! The packaging was great, the box had a few holes in it from where the shipping company did not follow the directions printed largely on the box to “DO NOT LAY FLAT” each part in the box is either wrapped or has a plastic piece to hold it in place and prevent shifting in transit. The assembly portion was easy enough although ours didn’t come with the packet of grease like the directions said it would. We had some laying around I would imagine most would not. I’m 5’8” with a longer torso and the bike fits me pretty perfectly when I am standing with the bike in between my legs there isn’t much clearance but I don’t have to stand on my toes or anything. My boyfriend is 6’1” and the bike is also very comfortable for him. The seat is springy but still supportive, the ride is smooth thanks to the tires and the gears change quickly and accurately with a slick action the brakes are very good and easy to adjust! Overall it’s a really nice bike and given the price it’s kind of a steal! Plus we’ve already gotten a lot of looks and complements, I have a dog trailer attached to pull our 25 lbs Shiba Inu and the bike does so without any problems.

This is a great bike. Easy to assemble. Clear, easy to read instructions. Smooth, easy shifting and stops on a dime. This is the best deal you will find for a quality, well built bike. Good job Firmstrong!!!!

This bike is gorgeous. Make no mistake, this was one of the primary reasons I selected it. The retro cruiser frame with its smooth lines and curves in a shiny black finish definitely draws attention, especially with the bright chrome accents and the white-wall tires. Everywhere I go people stop to comment on this bike. I wanted a bike that functions well but also had character and elegance, and that's what I got with this bike. It really is a beauty. Note: to really spruce up the bike, as well as to help protect against splashes, I invested in a pair of chrome fenders. I was not disappointed. They completed the bike's look, and help minimize mess during/after rains. The set I purchased: B002KVOV2A The other reason I purchased the bike, besides its cool look, was for riding. Shocking, I know. I had previously used a similar bike, an old '67 Huffy Corvair. I was reluctant to replace the old bike because of its style, its smooth ride, and its reliability. I bike a couple times a week in an urban setting, (Chicago) and while liked how balloon-tire cruisers handle potholes and irregularities in streets, the fixed gear and back-pedal breaks of the old bike weren't very good for fast starts/stops in a city in traffic, and was tiring to keep up with traffic with for long street rides. I wanted a bike with similar comfort, but more breaking control and faster speeds with less pedaling for extended rides. It was difficult to find a cruiser with shifters and hand breaks, but this bike was the perfect match, particularly for comfort. The balloon tires are even fatter than those of my old bike, lending even better cushion against the ever-present potholes in Chicago's streets. The speeds adjust to match the preference of the rider, so I do not have to pedal non-stop as I did on the fixed gear cruiser. The size is a nice step up for me as well...at 6'1" my old bike, even at highest seat position, did not allow for my legs to extend properly during pedaling. Not so with this bike. Make no mistake, this bike is BIG. This is a good thing, particularly for riders of the long-limbed variety. This is a great bike for smooth, comfortable riding and control. The downsides: The biggest downside, which was easily corrected, was that the ring washer for tightening the pedal shaft was not properly tightened. This meant that ball-bearings that kept the pedals smoothly, but tightly rotating were slowly falling out if the bike was jostled. I caught it in time, tightening the ring with a screwdriver, and though with a few bearings missing the pedal housing is a little loose, it's certainly still fully functional. The bike is of the heavier variety, so if you have to carry it you'll have a workout. I added a rack, fenders, and baskets so I am aware mine is heavier for that, but just bear in mind this will be something to think of if you need to lift the bike often. I haven't weighed mine, but if you are looking for a light bike for fast rides, thus might not be the bike for you. It never is too much of an issue keeping a good speed, but this is more geared toward comfortable rides than fast ones. The chain guard brackets are not very rigid or strong, so if it is bumped the guard can rub on the chain during riding. so be careful about the chain guard, and be prepared to carefully bend it back into proper position should it be bumped at all. The bike seat is very comfortable, but oil the springs on the mount, as the seat was creaking as much as my old '67 within weeks of my purchase. The shifters work decently, but do not always 'catch' as you change speeds, so it requires a quick switch/switch back for the gear shift to 'take' at times. It doesn't affect performance, just a minor nuisance. Though minor, the sticker accents are very obviously just that. Stickers on an otherwise VERY classy bike. All in all, I have been very pleased with this bike. It is extremely comfortable and capable, and works well for riding about town in an urban setting. (And looks darned good while doing so.) I affixed a basket rack and three baskets for grocery runs, and fenders for other weather situations, and have been quite happy with the bike. Getting it where I wanted it took some tuning here and there, but now that it's where I want it to be, the bike is a joy to ride. The price point for such a bike is also very affordable. I got more than my money's worth on this purchase. Will this be the last bike I purchase? No. I can tell the quality, though good, won't be able to stand up to decades of wear like my previous cruiser, but for this price and for the added comfort and convenience, this is well worth the money spent. Edit July 18th, 2015: Two years of use, and the bike itself held up far better than I expected. I was contemplating adjusting my review to five stars, when the bike seat broke as I was riding it. The seat was easily replaced, but for simple street biking at my weight (175 lbs) I would not have expected the seat to be the first part to go.

Best bike I ever had. I am tall. 1.89m (6'20'') and this bike looks It was done for me. Ride position amazing and I get a baby seat for my son, I tried this seat on a mountain bike and it was uncomfortable, in this bike it is perfect to ride with the baby in. Anyways, if you look for a beautiful and very comfortable bike your search may be over.

I love this bike. It is very nice looking (I have the matte black 7-speed). Assembly is very easy - the bike does come mostly assembled; I just needed to install the front wheel, handle bar, seat, and adjust the brakes. The most difficult part of a bike assembly - the drive chain - are thankfully already done and in my case it did not require any adjustment. Only standard tools are required: 4 & 5 mm Allen Wrenches, standard or adjustable wrenches, philips screwdriver, and bicycle grease (I made do with some WD-40). The bike feels light despite its size (the product spec says it is 38 lbs). On the road it is a nimble and comfortable ride. It is essentially a road bike and doesn't handle bumps very well. A couple of thoughts (neither cons nor pros): (1) I am 5'6" and this bike is just a tad on the big side for me. I have the seat almost to the lowest level. I am able to stand on both feet on the bike, but just barely. I am thinking someone that's shorter than me may have a hard time with this bike, even though it is rated for 5'2" and above. (2) The handles spread wide. This perhaps makes the ride a bit more comfortable but it does make the bike feel bulky; it is a bit difficult to maneuver this through normal sized doors.

I had been looking for a cruiser/beach bike for a while. I wanted a bike that had slightly retro styling but also with a high "packability" factor as I didn't want other people to want to take it from me. I also need a bike that I could ride for hours at a time without hurting my lower back. This bike was the absolute perfect choice. The only thing that would have been better had it come in more than 7 speeds so that I could get up the uber steep hills around Sausalito where I live. Other than that I would highly recommend the bike. I also like the customer service of the Firmstrong team.--they were quite attentive in answering my questions. If they ever came out with a beach cruiser with a few more speeds I would be more happy to do business with them again.

This bike seem solid; and assembled easy. I like the 7 speed for sure; and the gears appear to flow nicely. The seat seem adequate; but I might upgrade. I will be cruising this bike in Huntington Beach this Spring and will try to update the ride quality and durability.

Bike is comfy, soft, and rides well, but I have had a ton of problems getting it to work and maintaining it. I had to go to a bike repair store 3 times cause I couldn’t get the brakes right, and eventually they figured out that the tires were crooked (perhaps from shipping - the bike showed up in a relatively small box that had been really beat up). We tried to bend them back but it’s impossible to fix perfectly. Works ok from time to time, but the chain falls off very easily. My shipment was also a week late (never got a reason why, just a rescheduled date). I would not recommend this bike to anyone. More trouble than it is worth.