Going Old Skool Cruising

I bought a new bicycle.

After looking at various bikes for about a month – both on-line and in bike shops – I decided on a beach cruiser. I purchased a Huntington Beach Bicycle

Company (HBBC) Old Skool with seven gears from O’Wheelies in Mandeville, LA.

The ability to “step-though” the frame to get on the bike played an important part in my decision. This feature means I can step across the frame to sit on the seat instead of having to swing my leg over the back and seat. I often tilt my hybrid bike over to be able to mount the seat.

I also liked how I sit more upright since the handlebars are a “swept-back” design as opposed to the straight bar on my hybrid. The pedals are slightly forward of the seat instead of almost directly under the seat of my hybrid. One advantage is sitting in a straight, upright position with your feet flat on the ground when stopped. On my hybrid, only my toes touch the ground when I am at a stop.  I feel more stable on the cruiser.

Another thing I noticed is the power transfer from my legs to the pedals on the cruiser. Initially I believed that since I was on a cruiser, I would be riding slower.  Instead, I feel like I apply more force to the pedal when I’m sitting upright. Instead of an average 9.4 on my hybrid, I have ridden as fast as 10.4 on the cruiser. I also see a difference in my heartrate between the two. According to my Apple watch, my heartrate on the hybrid would often be above 125 BPM. So far on the cruiser, my heartrate is usually under 120 BPM.

Negatives

Are there any negatives about the cruiser? The one difference where my hybrid is better than the cruiser is the smoothness of the ride. I mistakenly thought the cruiser would be a smoother ride because of the wider tires. The hybrid has 26 x 2.0 (52-559) while the cruiser has 26 x 2.125 (57-559) tires. The hybrid rides smoother, but don’t think it is the tires. The hybrid’s dual suspension just makes for a smoother ride over rougher surfaces.

I am not going to say the actual cost of the cruiser. I could have paid less by ordering online but didn’t know if the bikes shipped assembled or not. It would have cost less buying one from a big box store. Most big box retailers outsource the assembly of bikes and other items through part timers or small companies. The may or may not know what they are doing besides trying to follow manufacturer’s instructions. The questions on my mind are, “How well did the follow the instructions and did the tighten every single nut or bolt properly.”

I also passed buying from the other bike shops. I won’t mention names, but the workers in one shop didn’t show any interest in helping a 72-year-old. Workers who can’t answer questions about the product they are selling also don’t get my business. Sean at O’Wheelies listened to me, asked questions about what I wanted and made several different bike recommendations. He then offered to ride with me as I test rode two of the bikes.

Do Bikes Have a Gender?

While not an operational issue, I think bike companies are stuck in the old tradition of designating bikes with a gender. Everyone selling bikes in this country wants to separate them into men’s, women’s and kid’s classifications. They also seem to be stuck in the perception that women and girls only want colorful bikes like teal, blue, purple, etc. When it comes to bicycles, I don’t see why this is still done.

In Europe, many bikes sold are designated as either commuters or step-through. Bicycles are often used as delivery vehicles in some areas. Having a frame the rider can step through is more convenient since packages are often carried over the back tire.

Huntington Beach Bicycle Company’s website list my Old Skool as a “women’s bike” because of the frame. I don’t care and I refer to it as either a step-through or a unisex bike when asked. I did pass on some of the brighter colors though. Mine is a metallic black cherry. If you think a 72-year-old man would be embarrassed to ride a “women’s” bike, you would be wrong. I bought the bike simply because it’s easier to get on and it is more comfortable to ride.

Accessories for you

Once you choose a bike , you need to think about accessories. Many bike riders I see don’t wear helmets. I’ve seen visors, ball caps, sun hats, flat caps and other stylish but non-protective headwear. The “professional” bike riders – the ones riding road bikes at 30 mph – all wear helmets. (They also were riding bibs or shorts, jerseys, etc.). I have also noticed a lot of children wearing helmets because their parents make them. Wearing a helmet is smart and I wear one so that my grown children don’t yell at me.

I also wear cycling gloves to protect my hands in case I fall. When I took up riding last September, I did fall a couple of times. I hate picking small rocks out of the meaty part of my hands.

Find comfortable shoes to wear also. They don’t have to be the fancy cycling shoes that lock into the pedals. I wear hiking sandals that gives a good grip on the pedals. I also have a good pair of sneakers that I use. What I don’t feel comfortable wearing are stiff leather sole shoes and slip-ons. I have seen people wearing them, but I don’t.

Wear whatever you feel comfortable with on a bike. I now own three bike jersey’s I wear when riding my hybrid. I admit an old man wearing a bike jersey and riding a cruiser may look odd, but at my age, I tend not to worry about how that looks.  (You won’t catch me wearing bike shorts or a bib though. An old man must draw the line somewhere.)

My favorite riding gear for exercise consist of t-shirts and hiking shorts, hiking sandals and a helmet. If I decide to take a recreational ride, you will probably see me in a Hawaiian shirt.

Bike Accessories

Add front and rear reflectors if you bike doesn’t come with them. If you are going to ride in the early morning and before dusk, I recommend adding front and rear lights. My helmet also has a built-in flashing LED light. The key is visibility makes you safer.

I like having a handlebar mounted mirror on my bikes. The Tammany Trace has rules for use. One rule is keeping to the right side of the trail. This is especially important when you are riding one direction, and a herd of professional road bikers are riding three abreast down the middle. Having a mirror lets me see if anyone is overtaking me and gives me time to safely move over.

I have a round mirror mounted into the left handle of my hybrid. It is easy to adjust and provides a good view behind me. I initially had a rectangular mirror installed in the left handgrip of my cruiser. After trying it for a week, I changed it to a different mirror that mounted on the handlebar. This makes it easier to adjust and provides a better view.

Other things I have added include a water bottle holder on the frame, a phone holder on the handlebar and a small bag under the seat. I am also considering changing the small bag for a rack over the bike wheel.

 

Bike Rack

How do you transport your bike? At first, I just folded down the rear passenger seats in my Subaru Forester and slide my hybrid into the back. A month

later I bought a light weight bike rack at Walmart and an adapter to fit the 1-1/2 inch hitch into the 2-inch hitch on my Forester. It worked great for the less than 10 miles I traveled to the common bike paths I use. The same rack also worked when I bought a new Subaru Outback in January.

What I didn’t feel comfortable with was putting the heavier cruiser on that Walmart rack. After shopping around for a week, I ordered a heavier Vevor bike rack that fit my 2-inch hitch. It is capable of carrying two bikes up to 160 pounds. I can also easily tip the rack and bikes forward so I can open the rear hatch. And, if I’m not transporting bikes, the rack will also easily fold up against the back of the Subaru.

Things to consider in a bike rack are: 1. How it fits your vehicle, 2. Is it sturdy enough to carry the weight. 3. How the bike secures to the rack. Bike racks can range from $80 to $900 so you have to decide what your budget is.

 

 

 

 

 

© J. Gibson Creative Services. May 8, 2025