A beach cruiser is the perfect bike for taking leisurely rides. They are set up to allow the rider to sit more upright, without having to lean forward towards the handlebars, which greatly reduces stress on the back. They are not made to ride very fast, rather, they are bikes to enjoy the ride, to see, and to be seen and to cruiser.

Single Speed or Multi Speed?
One of the first things to consider is where will you ride the bike, and what type of terrain will you encounter? If you are going to be on flat terrain and on sand a lot, without the desire to ride very fast for long periods of time, we would suggest a single speed cruiser. These are very simple, and have the basic coaster brake for stopping. Because there are no gears for shifting, there is not much of a chance for sand to cause problems while riding on the beach. This is the type of bike you can hop on and ride, without ever thinking about what gear to shift into.

For those of you on hilly terrain, or if you need to ride for longer distances, you may want to consider a multiple speed bike. Most of the cruisers with multiple gears have between three and seven speeds. Basically, the more gears there are, the more options you have for pedal efficiency and resistance. On a three speed, you will have a low, middle and high speed. If you are riding up a hill and are having a difficult time pedaling, you can shift into the lower gear, so that the pedaling will be easier. The same holds true for if you are pedaling very easily and want to go even faster, shift up a gear and the resistance will increase some, but you will get more "bang for your legs" so to speak. A six or seven speed bike operates in much the same fashion and has even more possibilities. Most of the cruiser bikes that we carry have grip shifters, which means the shifting mechanism is part of inner portion of the hand grip, and all you do is twist the grip to shift speeds.

Steel or Aluminum?
Where you live can play a role in what type of bike will suit you best. If you are near the beach, where the salty ocean air rolls in, you may want to consider an aluminum framed bike because aluminum is more resistant to rust than steel. The steel frames are a little bit heavier than aluminum, but traditionally provides a bit of a smoother ride than aluminum because of aluminums stiffness. If your bike is going to be kept outside most of the time, and you are near the ocean, we would recommend aluminum framed bike with alloy rims.

Rims will either be steel or alloy (aluminum). Aluminum rims provide a better braking surface, especially when wet than steel does, and stainless steel spokes provide good strength. The alloy rims are also a bit lighter and more resistant to rust than steel. You will find that the more aluminum there is on a bike, the higher the price will be, as the alloy material is more expensive than steel. For bikes with a coaster brake, and no handbrakes, the braking surface of steel vs. alloy will not apply.

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