BC Business
Landyachtz City BikeLandyachtz City Bike
There are two new bikes on the market for getting to work, running errands or just having fun. On Wednesday, Mike Perreten and Tom Edstrand, who have manufactured their Landyachtz skateboards in Vancouver since 1997, launched the City Bike, an urban bike designed for distances of up to 10 kilometres, and the 1146, a road bike that takes its name from the Landyachtz shop at 1146 Union Street.
The City Bike has a flat handlebar like a mountain bike but takes its geometry from a road bike so the cyclist sits upright—standing on top of the pedals. “There’s not another bike that’s exactly like it,” says Perreten. “It can be pedalled very quickly, and it’s a sturdy construction. The tires are quite light and skinny, but they’re still durable enough that you can jump the bike off stairs.” With a frame of Columbus steel tubing, which absorbs road vibration, making for a more comfortable ride, and hydraulic disc brakes, it retails for $1,695 online or at the shop.
The 1146 road bike, handmade at the Union Street shop (the CB is manufactured in Taiwan) is designed for an avid, passionate cyclist, says Perreten. His commute on the 1146 from Deep Cove to the shop takes just over half an hour. “I’ve also got a very high-end road bike, all carbon fibre, carbon fibre wheels. If I ride that bike as fast as I can from my house, it takes about 30 minutes. If I ride my steel-framed 1146 bike, that weighs about five pounds more, it only takes 31 and a half minutes. The time difference is not huge, but the comfort is a totally different thing. The steel gives you a much more supple ride.” The 1146, which is customizable, starts at $5,495.