Beach Cruiser Bikes A Summer Tradition

Beach cruiser bikes are one of the Jersey Shores' most notable items. They are well built, affordable and always in style. Not only are beach cruisers a lot of fun, but they also come in a wide variety of colors and styles.

James McCartney of Beachwood Bicycles recently sat down with Toms River Patch to explain what a beach cruiser is: "It's traditionally designed to be ascetically pleasing and comfortable," said McCartney. "Obviously it holds true to the name and is meant to be ridden along the beach, on the boardwalk."

McCartney, who not only sells beach cruisers, but helps build and maintain them, spoke about the models they offer and differences between basic and advanced beach cruisers: "We carry a lot of different brands like Electra, Sun Cruisers, Schwinn, but as far as quality Electras are the best quality." said McCartney. "It's all in the manufacturing; as far as the paint, the quality of the welds, the quality of the bends, these things determine how long the bike will last. All the features offer a really good ride, very comfortable and very upright."

Beach cruisers are as basic as a bike comes. They offer many different colors, styles and makes, but the standard bike has an upright handle, very comfortable seat and a sturdy aluminum frame.            

A basic beach cruiser consists of fewer features than a mountain bike or a racing bike. Cruisers have a basic braking system on the pedals and can offer different speed settings depending on the model you choose. It’s a good idea to try a cruiser without gears at first, just to get a handle on the bike.

McCartney also went into detail about the basic ways to maintain your bike to keep them in working order: "Obviously you want to keep the tires pumped and to make sure all the nuts and bolts are tightened before you ride. After every ride you want to wipe the frame down with WD-40 to keep all the surfaces clean, especially if you are riding on the boardwalk. You can get a lot of salt on the bike from the air, but wiping it down with WD-40 keeps the bike clean."

McCartney said that the average beach cruiser has very little moving parts and is relatively easy to maintain. He also stated that it is a good idea to bring your bike into the shop for a tune-up; things like making sure the wheels are straightened and the tires are in good shape are topics you want to take care of before the season starts. Another thing to keep in mind while storing your beach cruiser is location. One common problem McCartney notices when people store them in a shed or garage with pool chemicals is that they rust quickly. Pool chemicals are incredibly corrosive and tend to rust fenders and wheels a lot faster, McCartney said.

Another knowledgeable bike shop in Toms River in Padi's Pedal Power Bicycle Shop. Located at 1177 Fischer Blvd, Padi's also sells and works on beach cruisers.

Ryan Scanlon, a bike tech at the shop, spoke about the different types of beach cruisers they sell: "The most basic beach cruiser has a steel frame, stainless-steel spokes and aluminum wheels to keep them running as long as possible," said Scanlon. "These parts are made from these materials to resist the salt air from the bay and the ocean. Once you get into the next price point higher you will start getting into an aluminum frame which is lighter and will not rust or corrode. You will also notice that these bikes will start to look a little fancier which will add a little more to the price."

Scanlon also said that the higher you go in price the "crazier the paint job gets."

"Everything matches on these bikes; the grips, the seats, the fenders etc which goes along with the beach theme and something people are willing to pay for," said Scanlon. "The next price range includes things like a 3-speed hub and leather bike seats."

Padi's also sells bikes from Electra, which is a company that only produces beach cruisers. They also bikes from Trek and Giant.

Scanlon spoke about routine maintenance for beach cruisers which happen to be minimal: "We have a full service bike shop on premises. With beach cruisers one of the glories about them is the maintenance. To keep them running all you have to do is ride it. The only service we have to do on them is if they have been sitting for a long time and the grease has locked up on the chain. But as long as you keep them rolling or moving the only thing you have to worry about in the inevitable flat tire." said Scanlon

One of the more popular bikes they have at the shop has to be the lower end models, just because dollar for dollar they are the most bang for the buck. Scanlon said the cheaper models come in a variety of colors and are very dependable for the price.

Most of the beach cruisers ride about the same according to Scanlon, so for about the same price you can get the same bike minus matching colors.

As far as prices go the basic beach cruiser will cost about 230 to 250 dollars. The steel frame cruisers fall in this category with a few exceptions. The next price range goes from 250 to about 400 dollars. These bikes have better paint jobs and usually an aluminum frame. With bikes over 500 dollars you would find things like multi-speeds and highly customized parts.

Bikes at this level with consist of graphics on the paint, good fenders and a few more bells and whistles that make the bike more appealing and eye-catching. Both bike shops said the plain, basic beach cruiser is the most appealing to the average customer.