'This is the bike for Chicago'

The worst winter in decades inspired a design firm and frame builder to fashion a bike tough enough for this town.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/minimal-method-bicycle-concept...

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 24, 2014 at 2:14pm

Vanmoof?

h' 1.0 said:

[snip]

I wonder how they arrived at their presumptions.

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 24, 2014 at 2:28pm

I agree. I might use this bike to go to the grocery store, but my commute? Only if I want it to take twice as long and to be twice as hard.

h' 1.0 said:

I've been frequent party to "best winter bike" discussions for over a decade and have never seen anything resembling consensus on what the best qualities for a winter bike are.... for every winter cyclist who thinks wide tires are best, there's one who thinks thin tires are best, etc.

I can't say any of the other main design points appeal to my needs....

I wonder how they arrived at their presumptions.

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on July 25, 2014 at 3:27am

'This is the bike for Chicago"? Not without fenders it ain't.

Permalink Reply by Koltraned on July 25, 2014 at 3:35am

The lack of chainstays/traditional down tube solves the belt replacement problem. 

Think a mud/snow/debris guard for the belt would be a necessary addition even with a center-drive belt set up. 

Wonder what this weighs in at? The downtube and seatpost have to be pretty burly to keep the tolerances tight enough on the belt drive.  

Permalink Reply by Koltraned on July 25, 2014 at 3:37am

* The illustration shown is not the design of the better Chicago bike.

Perhaps a front fender is forthcoming at the unveil?

Fran Kondorf said:

'This is the bike for Chicago"? Not without fenders it ain't.

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 25, 2014 at 3:59am

I have to figure that the fenders were such a no-brainer that the designers didn't feel the need to be all design-y about it. Of course it's going to have fenders - right? What is there to say about it?

Of course, that raises further questions - wouldn't a utility-oriented bike designer mention something about the number of things you could attach to the bike, including fenders? 

The silence that I find deafening here is - what about lights? There are certainly high-tech, utility-oriented lighting options that one could have considered and incorporated into the design. Given that a winter commuter is going to be in the dark most of the time, that's a big consideration. But not a word on that...

I guess we'll find out soon enough.
Fran Kondorf said:

'This is the bike for Chicago"? Not without fenders it ain't.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on July 25, 2014 at 4:56am

I'd rather have mounting points to attach my own lights than have a bike with lights built in to it.  Case in point the near-useless rear lights on Divvies.

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 25, 2014 at 6:04am

I think multi-modal commutes would blow the designers' minds. People do that?

h' 1.0 said:

One of my top criteria for a bike to use in Chicago is that it can be placed quickly and easily in a bus rack.

Start putting all kinds of baskets and accessories and super wide tires on it and you kind of blow it.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 25, 2014 at 6:16am

I expect any bike built by Method to be beautiful. Here's one they built for someone I know. And believe me, it looks even better in person.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Wolfe on July 25, 2014 at 10:10am

Someone on the Reader site said, "Way to go guys. You've built a Divvy." I almost spewed my tea laughing.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Wolfe on July 27, 2014 at 11:53am

Drum roll, please .... Meet the Blackline:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2014/07/26/the-ultima...

Does it look like a Trimble?

http://trimblemtb.com/Main.html

-- Dawn

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on July 27, 2014 at 10:01pm

CHI: MNML x METHOD BICYCLE'S BLACKLINE from oregon manifest on Vimeo.

VOTE FOR THE ULTIMATE URBAN UTILITY BIKE JULY 28!
Inspired by the City of Broad Shoulders, the BLACKLINE bicycle has a strong spirit and is ready for just about anything. It takes its name from Chicago’s iconic elevated train lines that run throughout the city, non-stop. While the ‘L’ will get you from station to station, the BLACKLINE is the ride that gives you the freedom to get everywhere in between.

Tough yet refined, this bike has just the right amount of street savvy. A custom smart handlebar with integrated LED headlight and side blinkers utilize GPS enabled turn-by-turn navigation to help you safely navigate the urban grid. Once you reach your destination, the bike’s location can be securely tracked using a connected smartphone app.

The virtually maintenance-free drive train utilizes a sealed 3-speed hub, originally designed to endure the extreme conditions of rural Africa. It’s driven by a nearly indestructible belt drive able to withstand everything from the daily commute to the harshest winters.

Balloon tires smooth out your ride, won’t slow you down, and lessen the worry of roadside repairs during pothole season. The BLACKLINE’s bold yet simplified frame has a singular, angled 2” tube, which makes dismounting your ride a little easier in stop-and-go traffic. And thanks to the lessons from Ferris Bueller, it features a ready-for-anything cargo system that can be configured to help get you to lunch, a museum, the ballpark, a street festival, or anywhere the wind blows in the Windy City.

Crafted for the individual who prefers life on two wheels, the BLACKLINE is the ultimate urban utility bike.

SEE MORE AT oregonmanifest.com

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