Late yesterday afternoon we got the word that our bikes were ready and drove up to pick them up. They are perfect, exactly what we wanted.

Here’s the deal about these Electra Townie bikes (which are not electric – that’s just the company name): the key feature is the ergonomic Flat Foot Technology, where the crank and pedals are located not at the bottom of the seat post but moved forward a bit. This means that your sitting position is angled back 23% (in the direction of a recumbent bike), so you’re sitting upright, not hunched over. You can see the world better, pedaling is easier, and you can readily place your feet flat on the ground whenever you want. It’s a completely different riding experience, so comfortable. The frames are lightweight aluminum and the components are high quality – what’s not to love?

Patrick’s bike is a red men’s 7D, which means a Shimano 7-speed derailleur and front and rear linear-pull brakes. In this model he was able to order a Tall frame, so for the first time he has a bike that actually fits his 6-foot, 4-inch body.

Mine is a burgundy step-through Balloon 8i, which means it has balloon tires, 8 gears, and Shimano Nexus internal hubs instead of a derailleur. I wasn’t sure I wanted the balloon tires, but I definitely wanted the internal-hub shifter (which came only on the model with the balloon tires). My experience with derailleurs is that the chain tends to slip, and this internal hub is supposed to be much more reliable (and looks cleaner). It also has roller brakes built into the hub, so no brake pads clenching the tires. The balloon tires are high-volume, low-pressure Kevlar Guard premium tires that absorb impact with less rolling resistance for a smooth, cushy ride with added protection against the dreaded flat. If I don’t like them, I can change them out.

I have great existential fear about riding a bike, that it will break down and I’ll be stranded and unable to fix it. Friends tell me not to worry, someone will come along and help me. No doubt that’s true and not a problem for extraverts, but for an introvert like me, having to solicit the kindness and expertise of strangers would be even worse than being broken down and stranded. So I want a very reliable bike, even though I will mostly be riding alongside my favorite, über-competent mechanic.

After tooling around the RV park a bit last night, this morning we took our first bike ride: up the Silver Strand to Holland’s Bike Shop in Coronado, where we spent a very enjoyable hour or so choosing additional accessories.

We rode a little on Orange Ave, the main drag, and had a very nice lunch at the Tent City Café. (Tent City means something different in Coronado than in Seattle: after the Hotel Del Coronado was built in 1888, a tourist/vacation area of tents (later replaced by cottages) was established just south of the hotel.) Not wanting to overdo on our first day, we estimate that we rode about 7 or so miles up to Coronado and back to the RV park, and then Patrick attached all our accessories.

Now I have: a basket, a water cage inside the basket, a mirror on the end of the handlebars, a pretty leather case for small items, a bell with a compass on it, an odometer, head and tail lights, a tire pump, a Kryptonite lock, and a daisy (for “Daisy”).

Patrick got: a bell, a mirror on the end of the handlebars, an iPhone bracket, a tire repair kit, head and tail lights, a lock, a rack over the back tire, and panniers.

We’re very well outfitted!

For the engineers in the audience (you know who you are) – Specs for my bike:
• Lightweight 6061-t6 aluminum frame
• Shimano Nexus internal 8-speed w/freewheel
• Shimano nexus twist shifter
• Shimano nexus roller brakes w/cooling fins
• Painted alloy rims
• Schwalbe fat frank 26”x 2.35” tires

Specs for Patrick’s bike:
• Tall Sized – Lightweight 6061-t6 aluminum frame
• Shimano tx-35 7-speed w/megarange gearing
• Shimano revo twist shifter
• Forged alloy crankset w/44t chainring & dual guards
• Alloy linear-pull brakes
• Painted alloy fenders
• Double-wall alloy rims
• 26”x 2.0” semi-slick street tires