Giant Chixie: Cool or Uncool?

I was drawn to a twitter post today that mentioned Giant's new bicycle: the "Chixie," a fixed-gear ride built specifically for women. Though perhaps gimmicky and slightly offensive (chixie? really?), I think there are some good ideas behind this bike.

Let's be honest: bicycle components and clothing built specifically for women have to walk a fine line. Ideally, they would appeal to urban hipster 20-somethings AND forty-year-old suburbanites who are more likely to actually dole out the cash to buy their products. The incentive to make products that people actually buy seems to mean that most of this stuff is designed for the forty-year-old suburbanites (re: trying to buy decent cycling gear here), and less for the 20-something urban rider. The Chixie represents a big step away from the grandma stuff towards the cooler stuff.

My initial reaction to a large manufacturer like GIANT is: ugh, another factory pumping out bicycles without any style. I feel this way about Trek too, although my father would probably disagree. Perhaps it's pretension, but there's something achingly uncool about GIANT and Trek; I just feel like these ubiquitous navy blue/silver hybrid bicycles have no soul. Of course, was my mini Fuji pumped out by some other assembly line in China? Yeah. But at least Fuji knows a thing or two about style (check out their 2010 Classic series: it's so sexy).

I think the ideas behind this bike are good. I know I sound like a broken record when I talk about bicycle sizing, but it IS nice to see a mainstream manufacturer produce something that fits. There is a lot to be said for that. Also: the Chixie incorporates a Sugino crankset, the 46T Messenger, which is a nice crankset for a stock bike. Also: this bike is a little bit cool. It has the plain chrome frame that some fixed-gear riders crave and a nice bright blue color scheme. My guess is the Giant Classic Road saddle is neither comfortable nor designed for women, but that is easily replaceable.

Clearly, if you're a female fixed-gear rider, this isn't the bicycle you're going to take to the track. Also, it's way overpriced. You could buy a small, nicer IRO for $200 less. In fact, I think is speaks more to the "I have money to burn and I might ride this cute bicycle to get my coffee" crowd. But, I'm happy to see companies producing small, sexy(ish), fixed gear/singlespeed bicycles for women. Amen to that.

bike neurosis

Last week I made the fatal mistake of investigating WSD Trek Bikes (Women's Specific Design), when Chris Garrison held a talk at Bicycle Habitat. I approached this with an open mind thinking perhaps this woman has the best job in the world--promoting women's cycling around the country with high-end, fancy bicycles. I went in my femme work clothes, giving the air of an informed and educated "young professional." The atmosphere was very laid back--mostly women in their 40s and 50s who were milling around, drinking wine and eating cheese.

A cool artist/cyclist named Jennifer Benepe presented a bunch of slick women's jerseys that she had designed with her company hotvelociti. It was clear that her illustrations had double entendres, coming from a political as well as artistic place but she didn't describe each shirt in depth, as I wished she would. I especially like the ones with Spanish sayings, such as this: (it reads: for how many miles should I follow you?)


Chris Garrison spoke shortly thereafter and immediately reminded me of a high school field hockey coach--super nice and approachable but inherently athletic in the way that makes everything she says sound like a pep talk. I think certain people (women?) just speak like that. Anyway, she launched into the importance of bike fitting and parts that are designed specifically for women. Now, before I do any sort of trash talking, I have to say that the extent of market research that Trek performs IS impressive. Giving a few hundred college kids a bike seat and telling them to ride around on it seems pretty legit to me. However, I must admit that I started to feel like it was a bit of a marketing scheme in that ALL of Trek's products are relatively expensive and perhaps unnecessary for the casual cyclist. Although Chris went into a thorough, insistent speech about the importance of chamois cream (placed delicately within, ahem, the bike shorts), I couldn't help thinking: I am clearly not riding 30+ miles a week and this doesn't apply to me. Perhaps in a later life, with a disposable income.

However, Chris mentioned the reasoning behind the smaller wheels and the importance of the shorter top tube--something I had ignorantly dismissed in my last post. And so, she planted the seed, igniting a mild inferno in my bike interest/obsession. Now, after flipping the bird at the recession and spending my hey-it's-March-Merry-Christmas! bonus on these puppies:





Now I'm thinking should I trade my beloved Bianchi in for a Fuji Track 650, the very vehicle I scoffed at? It's just that Chris's talk brought upon a deep insecurity that I could, in fact, be riding something much more suited to my size. And, of course, now I'm obsessed with knowing which feels better (investigative test ride post coming soon).

how to become a cool bike mechanic: take 1

I'm usually aware of the bike shops in my area, similar to the way you might know a local deli or coffee shop. You go there, you eat some eggs or a bagel--just the way I go to these places and drool over blinking red lights and purple chains (NOT USELESS, I swear). So, imagine my surprise when I found out the bike shop closest to me, On the Move (7th Ave between 12th & 13th streets) is woman-owned! Yes! I love when that happens. This has, of course, turned all my bike daydreams into bike-shop-owning-day dreams. How hard can it be, right?

Hmmm. This coming from someone who recently got her rims installed by assuming that the hubs on my bike came with 32 holes. They come with 28. Cue to embarassing call from bike shop lady, Deborah, telling me I either need new hubs or I need to pay for them to rebuild my old wheels. SIGH. I can't seem to get this stuff right, despite being obsessed with it. I guess I could have counted the spokes...

ALSO: one of the mechanics at my bike shop is a girl my age! Ah! She stole my bike-shop-owning-path daydreams by planting herself in the local bike shop and changing pedals on middle-aged women's Schwinns while wearing a dirty black cycling cap and sporting a lip ring. Damnit, how do people get involved with these things? I had fantasies of asking Deborah if I could hang around her shop on Saturdays and learn things about fixing bicycles but it seems my role as bike mechanic girl has already been filled. Perhaps it is too little, too late...

I recently stopped into the bike shop on Vanderbilt Avenue. When I asked what kind of bikes he carried -- thinking he only did used bikes -- he told me he basically finds bikes and "city-fies" them. Though unfamiliar with this term, I think he meant he just strips down the gears and makes them either fixed or singlespeed. He also likes to use old steel frames and riser handlebars. I am jealous of him too, and think that he may be plan B to bike shop owning stardom (plan A being: become Deborah's right hand mechanic girl by learning everything I can from mechanic girl #1 and then taking her place when she moves to Portland, OR or San Fran like any self-respecting bike enthusiast).

In other news, K. is looking for a bike. This isn't too difficult, considering her criteria is "blue or green" and "has a basket." We saw this pretty Gary Fisher Simple City bike on the street:



We also stopped into a bike shop and saw this 2009 Raleigh One Way, that looks like my bike, but nicer:



I also saw a Fuji fixed gear, which I have been told is the best fit for women. This basically means its a miniature version of the smaller fixed gear bikes, and all of the dimensions, like the top tube, are slightly smaller and therefore better for petite frames. It means you won't be leaning to far or overextending to be riding your bicycle. I'm interested in comparing my bicycle (49cm) to this Fuji, but alas, that will be another post.