With “lifestyle” cycling taking hold in America, and as we are big proponents of it, we’ve covered the genre here, here, and here (just to mention a few). However, a large barrier to entry especially for cargobikes has been price.
Virtue Bike of San Diego, CA has met that obstacle head-on with its line of “lifestyle bikes.” Whether your style is beach cruising on Sundays, kid hauling on Mondays (w/ motor assist option), or fixie mashing on days that end in “y,” Virtue has your ride for less. Read on for coverage of their newest models – the prices might surprise…
With most cargo bikes on the market commanding $2k-$3k price tags, and electric assist motors tacking on an additional grand, it’s not a big surprise that very few commuters have fully abandoned their cars. But behold the beauty of trickle-down-technology as it deflates entry costs. The headliner Gondoliere (and Gondoliere+ w/ electric assist) retail for $949 and $1,399 respectively – and the above Virtue SchoolBus (and SchoolBus+ w/ same assist 250W motor) sticker at $999 and $1,499. With a respectable weight limit of 242lbs that’s you and the kids and the dog and groceries all pedaling sweat-less there-and-back-again for under $1.5k – not a bad gig.
But the story is not simply cargo bikes, nor is it all about accessible pricing. Virtue has a full line of commuter/city bikes in classic designs and many manufactured with 100% chromoly frames (not common feature at these prices). Here is Virtue’s Curve 7 sporting, you guessed it, a Shimano 7speed drivechain and full CroMo frameset. It can be under your Christmas tree for $399.
Rounding out the freshest options from Virtue is the 2014 Valor that sports a full CroMo frameset, a flip-flop hub, and optional front and rear brakes. (Pictured is the ’13 model with 1 1/8″ threadless headset – for 2014 they are returning to a “retro” threaded 1″). Price TBD.
