3 speed cruiser bike

Owning a 3 speed beach cruiser bike – A day in the life!

A 3 speed cruiser bike, whether it's a step thru bike or a horizontal diamond frame, can be an integral part of many people’s lives. This bike is not only a means of exercise and coasting the beach, but it's also a great way of transportation. This is especially true if you hate getting stuck in traffic. However, there are many people who are hesitant to use a bike as their means of transportation. I do that, and there’s no reason for you not to. To try to get this closer to you, I’ll try to guide you through one of my days with my bike. Specifically, it’s a day in the life with one of the best 3 speed beach cruiser bikes that I love and try to ride as often as possible. Be it to work, or around town, I use it daily.

Cruiser bikes are known for being a comfortable, yet far from slow, means of transport, they're far from "just a beach bike". Add gears to them, and you can conquer your town, as well as the surrounding streets and bike paths. You can also choose between 3 or 7 gears, as well as internal or external gears, so you can suit yourself to the environment. I opted for an internal transmission system, but more on that below. Let’s dive in, and see the things I get done with my 3 speed cruiser bicycle on a daily basis. Once you're done reading, next thing you know, you will be looking at affordable beach cruisers.

Morning rituals

I wake up in the morning, and grab my morning coffee. It’s something I can’t live without, and it helps me get to the things I need to get done. I usually have quite a few places to be every day. However, my town has one major issue – parking spaces are severely limited. That’s where my 3 speed beach bike comes in. It’s what I use to get around town, and even hit the local beaches during summer. After I’m done with my coffee, I get dressed and get moving.

clothing for 3 speed cruiser bike

The “get dressed” part is where one of the key features of cruiser bikes comes in. I used to ride a road bike. Actually, I still do every once in a while, but the cruiser is my main bike nowadays. A road bike requires cycling shorts if you want to feel comfortable, but that’s not the case with a cruiser bike. You have a large, cushy Velo saddle, which is super comfortable. I often spend hours on my bike throughout the day, and I have yet to feel that I need a better saddle. This is actually one of the major reasons why I got a 3 speed beach cruiser bike, and why I keep recommending it to all of my friends and acquaintances.

3 speed cruiser bike saddle

A trip to get some breakfast on the 3 speed cruiser bike

Once I’m on the 3 speed beach cruiser, I get going. My first stop is a local café, where I usually have breakfast. They make amazing waffles. Yes, I eat waffles for breakfast. However, if I were to get to the café, I do need to go through streets that aren’t really well made, they’re either cobblestone, or have really bad asphalt and potholes. My other alternative is to go around all of them, but that’s an extra half an hour I just don’t have. But to be honest, I don’t really feel all those issues.

getting around on beach cruiser bikes 3 speed

The 3 speed cruiser bike has one more thing my carbon road bike didn’t have – a shock absorbing steel frame. That steel beach cruiser bike frame isn’t as heavy as you might think (total bike weighs 30 pounds), and it solves a lot of my issues. I actually don’t feel most of the vibrations coming from the road. True, I do feel when I hit a big pothole, but anything else is as smooth as possible. I’ve even tried the 3 speed beach cruiser bike on some gravel, and it works just as good. I would strongly recommend that your beach cruiser frame is made of steel. All good beachcomber bikes are, but it's worth checking it.

It's not just the frame

I also feel like I have to give kudos to the beach cruiser tires. Yes, those Fwide, balloon tires. No, they don’t have too much rolling resistance. The rolling resistance is minimal, and it’s very much worth it when you feel the comfort you get. Any minor bumps in the road get evened out, and I never feel like I’m losing contact with the road. Being an ex-racer, I’ve also leaned in a corner once or twice and those tires do stick. Amazing stuff, I don’t think I’ll be putting any different ones anytime soon. They look great on my black beach cruiser, too. And if you have a 3 speed cruiser bike, yours should have them as well!

3 speed cruiser bicycle

Getting a few things done here and there

After I’ve had my breakfast, it’s time to get some work done. I need to deliver some papers in a few places around town, get some signatures and business deals done. This isn’t a difficult job, it’s just riding around town. However, I do need to carry those things somewhere. My old road bike required me to have a backpack for this. Sure, that doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Try wearing a backpack in the middle of July, when you can barely stand outside. It’s incredibly hot, and you’re going to regret having that backpack every step of the way.

basket on a 3 speed beach cruiser bike

Once again, my cruiser bike comes to the rescue. I couldn’t attach a basket to my old bike, but the cruiser actually comes with one. It’s pretty sturdy so it’s not just papers you can carry around in it. More on that later, though. I can easily carry everything I could possibly need. And I don’t have to worry about things falling out of it either. It’s a mesh style front basket, and I’ve even carried things as small as pens and chewing gum without even thinking about the chance of them falling out. This is actually much better than I expected, and I'm never getting anything but a cruiser beach bike with basket!

I actually leave my 3 speed cruiser bike wherever I want

One issue I’m seeing pretty often with my city is the lack of parking spaces for bicycles throughout town. Sure, you can lean it against a wall, but that might damage your bike. If we had parking spaces, that wouldn’t be an issue. But there are a lot of reasons why this isn't the case, and I can't really do much about it. What I can do about it is find a way to be able to park my bike without the need for a parking space.

parking a 3 speed beach cruiser

If only I had a kickst… oh wait, I do have one. In fact, I have a double kickstand on my 3 speed cruiser bike. You know what that means? Yes, I can leave it just about anywhere, no parking or walls required. I hear you, you might be thinking "Why is he making such a big deal out of this? You can put a regular kickstand on most bikes, not just the 3 speed cruiser bike.", and you'd be partially right. A kickstand can be mounted afterwards. But that's not that easy with a double kickstand. Plus, getting one that is the right size for your bike can be a pain. Therefore, having it on your bike when you buy it is actually a necessity for me.

Just put a regular kickstand, maybe?

But why a double kickstand? What's wrong with a regular one? There's actually a pretty big difference if you're using this as a daily driver. And if you have a 3 speed cruiser bike, you should be. When you put a kickstand on one side of the bike, every time you lean it against the kickstand, it's going to lean towards that side. This doesn't just take up unnecessary space, but it can make loading groceries a bit more difficult. When your bike is leaning, the handlebars and front wheel are turned on one side, and you'll have a hard time putting things in the order you want them.

However, with a double kickstand, your bike is completely upright. It's also much more stable, and you don't have the basket moving around. This is something you'll learn to appreciate if you're shopping and loading groceries often, just like I did.

Time to go back home

Once I have everything sorted out, it’s time to head back home. I’ll need a few things from my local supermarket, which is another 10-15 minutes of my time. The thing is, the sun’s set, and it’s getting darker by the minute. I do need to eat something for dinner though, so supermarket it is anyways. There was a line, and I lost more time than I anticipated. It’s pitch black outside, and I’m on a bike. Well, not much I could do, so I put all the things I bought in that mesh basket up front, and get moving.

cruiser bike bell on a three speed

I can’t ride in the dark though, and it’s a great thing that my bike has lights and a bell. Any 3 speed cruiser bike should have them, they aren't just a decorative item. The lights can be easily turned on, and even though it’s still different than riding at day, you won’t really feel endangered in any way. You’re aware of your surroundings, and if a car or another bike are coming from behind, they’re going to know you’re there. This makes things much easier. The bell is also a must have. Whenever you have people on the bike lane (and there are more than you’d imagine where I live), you can let them know they should move.

Why did I get a 3 speed cruiser bike, and not a single speed one?

Cruiser bikes can be bought in a single speed configuration, or with three or seven, internal or external gears. You're noticing that I got a 3 speed bike, and not a single speed, and you might be wondering why. Geared bikes are better, but single speed ones do have advantages. As far as simplicity goes, there's nothing that matches a single speed bike. No transmission to adjust, no cassette or internal systems to worry about, no shifters on the handlebar. But just how practical is it as a daily driver?

3 speed cruiser bike gears

Let me tell you, a single speed beach cruiser is not that practical. Unless you're a person who's in perfect shape, you'll have issues. For example, if you have even a slight uphill on your way back home, you may be able to conquer it with a single speed. Sure, it's going to be difficult, but you'll manage. Now, add to that your groceries that you bought, as well as the fact that you've been out and about for the entire day. This is where the 3 speed cruiser bike has an advantage. Just put it into the lightest gear, and there you go. Problem solved. Climbing that uphill is now much easier, even if you're tired, and even if you have a ton of groceries in your basket.

You'll appreciate it for exercise, too

But it's not all about the uphill's either. A 3 speed cruiser bike is commonly used as a method of exercising, too. Having a choice is great here, and a major convenience point. If you feel you're a bit tired, put it into the lightest gear, and cruise around. Feel like you have a bit more in you? Shift into the hardest one, and go faster. It's all up to you, and you'll see that a 3 speed cruiser bike gives you options you'll never get from a single speed.

recreational riding on a 3 speed cruiser bike

Wrapping up my day with the 3 speed cruiser bike

I actually think the 3 speed cruiser bike was one of my best investments. No longer do I bother with thinking about parking, and I can just get on it and move wherever I want to. There are plenty of features to keep me happy, from the comfortable ride, thanks to the saddle, frame and tires, to the basket that lets me carry just about anything, no matter the size, to the bell and lights.

Now that I’m home, I can relax a bit. I had my morning coffee, I got to my breakfast spot in a comfortable manner. My business is all taken care of, and I didn’t have any issues when I wanted to stop and buy things for home, and proceed to carry them home. And last but not least, the fact that it got dark in the meantime was absolutely no problem at all. Modern cruiser bikes are really great. I mean, what else could you ask for from something as simple as a three speed bike?

The 3 speed cruiser bike won't be going anywhere anytime soon. It's become a staple in my garage, and I truly use, and enjoy it, on a daily basis. I wasn't sure I'd use it that much when I was buying it, but boy I would've been wrong if I didn't get one. If you're also a person who wants to make their daily tasks easier and more convenient, get yourself a 3 speed cruiser bike. You won't be regretting it any time soon.

Have questions or comments? Leave us a comment below!

Andrej Hadji-Vasilev

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