Friday, August 1, 2008

Stand Out in the Crowd!

Last autumn sometime, I was riding on the Greenbelt and about fell off my bike when a "cruiser" style bicycle came at me in the other direction. It had giant tires! We've all seen those mountain bikes with 29-inch tires... but they're TINY by comparison!

I asked my bike-expert friend Woody if he'd heard of a cruiser bike with huge (diameter) tires. Nope. Nothing bigger than the 29-inchers. And he wasn't aware of a 29-inch "cruiser" style bike. I was starting to wonder if maybe I had been hallucinating. (Dehydration or something.)

Well, LO AND BEHOLD, this morning I got an email from a work colleague. I thought you would be interested in checking out the "Monster Crusier" bike that is on the plaza today. It has 36" wheels.

Of course, I dashed right down to look it over.

(These days I'm parking at the CEO bike rack, rather than with the common rabble, so I don't always see the bikes in the outside rack. Or I certainly would've noticed THIS one.)

Eureka!

Ladies and gentlemen - presenting... (drum roll...) the "Coker Monster Cruiser."


I did a bit of web searching. It runs about $600. Replacement tires are $80. (Ouch!) And from what I can find on bicycle forums, etc., you better have some cash to support the thing, because apparently it's more of a novelty bike than a transportation bike - the componentry is proprietary, of marginal quality, and expensive to replace. Too bad, because riding on this thing would literally make you feel like a kid again!

A variation that might be more practical is the super-fat-tire Surly Pugsley. It's actually built for riding, and would be just the thing if you ride in snow and sand and such on a regular basis. And you control the build-quality, since it comes as a bare frame, and you spec it out.

7 comments:

Clancy said...

A Coker Monster is on my list of bikes to own.

Bikeboy said...

Clancy, I've recently had my nose to the ground, hoping to get wind of a Surly Big Dummy, the "long tail" bike set up for your long carryall bags, rear deck, etc.

George's and Id Mtn Touring are both listed as dealers; Woody (works at George's) says they've gotten one or two in and built 'em, but for prepaid ordering customers.

I've not seen one in person, and don't know if I could justify the expense, but owners are TOTALLY psyched about 'em!

Anonymous said...

Man, those Pugsley tires look like they came off a motorcycle. My legs are tired just thinking about pedaling them. Probably gives a nice ride though. You could run over a Hummer and not feel it.

Clancy said...

Josh at Powered by Nachos has one. Pretty cool. I wouldnt mind having one either. On a sad note, my Xtracycle frame broke and replacements are on the slow boat from China

http://poweredbynachos.blogspot.com

Bikeboy said...

Too bad about the Xtra, man!

I thought of you earlier in the week. Did the loop out around Warm Springs / Barber Park / Boise Avenue one afternoon. Stopped at the park for a water refill and to check out the scenery (if ya know what I mean). There were THREE (!!) Xtracycles parked up there, locked to the bike rack. It was like the place had been overrun by Xtra-thugz!

Clancy said...

The scenery is very nice along the greenbelt this time of year, especially at Barber and Ann Morrison Parks.

S said...

Hey there!

I've been looking for the Monster Bike to purchase. Where did you find them for sale? I know they were only made for three years, 2002, 2003, 2004. Where oh where are they?