Linus City Bikes

Linus, the Classic City Bike

The commuter bike has long been tossed aside as the ‘practical’ family sedans and mini vans of the cycling world…they had a purpose, and served it well. No fuss and certainly no sense of fashion. Linus is a different story. It’s a utility bike draped in cashmere. Finally, a little personality has been infused in your morning ride!

Linus bicycles are all inspired by the French designs of the 50’s and 60’s, simple elegance and an embracing of a golden era. Each one has a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes us weak in the knees (though that may just be the Bordeaux that we’re inspired to drink after a ride).

Our pick for the classic city bike and ultimate gentlemen’s accessory is Linus’s Gaston 1. No, we didn’t just pick it for the name, though that’s part of the fun. With its underslung handlebars this single speed gets your weight forward and your wheels moving. Simple and clean, and with awesome hand brakes. The free wheel hub can be flipped to fixed if you so choose… but we prefer coasting. It’s purpose meets happiness. Pricetag’s not too shabby at $529 either either. A Linus is a solid investment for the everyday chap, but they don’t come decked out so you’ll have to add on a few sharp accessories (and for those in the know, you know to upgrade with Brooks).

Brooks England dominates the cycling world of accessories with their hand crafted saddles and bags. They are a prestige luxury brand steeped in history with 150 years of tradition and expertise…the kind of quality and style that never ages.

We fell in love with the Select Flyer, an enduring saddle intended for high mileage and heavy use with gorgeous little hand hammered copper rivets keeping it all in place. This particular model is a direct descendent of the B66 Champion saddle, and Brooks claims it’s their sturdiest saddle yet. The Champion has been known to handle over 100,0000 miles, so this is a functional heirloom that will last for generations. Extremely stiff at first—even stiffer than most leather saddles, since the Select line leather is sourced from Swedish ‘freedom farmed cows’ who’ve been reared organically outdoors, making it tougher. But don’t worry, at about 300 kilometers something magical happens and it all starts to make sense. Eventually you’ll sit on the saddle with a sigh of relief—it’s like sitting in a favorite armchair. MSRP 131.78 £

The last accessory to perfect your daily ride? Brooks Hampstead Holdall, an original piece of bicycle luggage that literally holds it all. At a seriously hefty size you can fit a 12 pack, the laptop, a couple sandwiches, clothes for the gym…It’s quite possibly one of the worlds largest cycling bags, expanding to mammoth proportions and shrinking back to a more manageable size via the adjustable straps. Most importantly, no one will confuse this for a European carryall. MSRP 307.48 £

Share the love of the better commute…Happy cycling!