[excuse-me]

A real eco solution would be to make cheap and simple 'supermarket bikes'

At the moment the $75 bikes in Walmart are terrible - but mostly because they try and copy $750 bikes with 24gears and full suspension. If you wanted a green solution make very simple, single gear, hub brakes, steel frame bikes in the same factory for $50 and make millions of them.

There is a city bike rental scheme here, but like all the other rental/free bike schemes around the world - it uses some 'novel' bike design which somehow end up costing $1000 each! And so either require credit cards and security or they only distribute 10 of them around the city.

[sitkack]

I didn't check it out much, but at the local sporting goods store in Seattle (Big-5) I saw a single speed with 700c rims, steel frame for about $110 I think maybe more maybe less.

If the crappy bike manufacturers of the world aren't making simple steel utilitarian bikes, they should be. I'd buy one and I already have 2 bikes.

Steel frame, steel handlebars (for safety), sealed bottom bracket, 5 speed rear derailleur and friction disc brakes. 25-30 lbs is fine. Doesn't need any aluminum except for the rims and the chainring.

[excuse-me]

I'd buy that - except I live in a city with 1:4 hills!

Here even the outdoor gear coop charges >$900 for a single speed and says it's ideal for "urban life' - which tells you everything about the market for them.

[koenigdavidmj]

> I'd buy that - except I live in a city with 1:4 hills!

sitkack and I live in Seattle, where our downtown area has hills up to 19% incline, and other areas near downtown (considered bike-friendly areas) have up to 26%.

Source: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/steepest.htm

Admittedly, most of the city is not /that/ steep, but we're up there with you guys on quantity of hills. (I assume that you're from San Francisco.)

[sitkack]

Sharks with lasers protection system included at no charge? That is reeediculous! Lemme guess, comes with a brooks saddle and flask pouche?

[kstenerud]

They have them already, but the only people who buy them are hipsters who want to pay $300+ to look cool.