Hyde Park Roadster

One Bike, Please.

It was over a decade ago, on a chilly ride along the lake, that Rob complained how bikes had become too complex. “Most folks don’t care about the brand, or the number of gears, or how much it weighs…” I nodded as he continued. “…and they don’t want to search Craigslist, or build it up themselves, or spend a lot of money.”

We warmed up at a coffee shop in Edgewater, scribbling notes on a long scroll of kraft paper towels borrowed from the restroom. “It should be priced similarly to used bikes.” “It should be extremely low maintenance.” “It should be really easy to ride.” “It should last as long as my PhD.”

Rob continued, “Nobody has time to research which bikes are good, and which bikes are bad. But nearly everyone in Hyde Park uses bikes in precisely the same way. They need to be reliable and simple; they need to live outside in all weather conditions… if someone comes into your shop and says ‘One Bike, Please,” they don’t want a manifesto, or an index of choices.”

The Hyde Park Roadster is the correct bike for most folks, most of the time.