A beach cruiser with gears or speeds is a good way to go whether you are new to bikes or not. Gears are a premium option in the same way a cruiser bike with hand brakes is premium over coaster brakes. Whether you're looking for a women's or men's cruiser bikes with gears, they simply provide too many advantages to overlook them.
Multiple speed bikes are more efficient to use and can accelerate and ride much faster which is the reason we've included only geared options on our cruiser bikes. They also provide a smoother, more reliable ride quality that simply cannot be matched by a single-speed bike.
We offer two choices for beach cruisers with gears: Our Puppy Beach Cruiser series which features a 3-speed internal transmission while our Dreamer Dutch Cruiser series comes with the choice of internal or external 7-speed transmission.
Here are some of the cruiser bikes we offer for sale online:
Our Diamond Beach Cruisers
Sure, some people are fans of single-speed bikes and they might prefer to go with a single-speed beach cruiser. However, if you are unsure of which bike is best for you, choose a multiple speed beach cruiser. Here is why.
The Main Advantages of a Beach Cruiser with Gears: The Gears
A single-speed cruiser bike is obviously different from a beach cruiser bike with gears as it lacks multiple gears provided by a derailleur or internal gear setup. This means that you cannot shift to a higher or lower gear on varying terrain because single-speed bikes lack multiple cogs.
You are forced to bike on one gear for the duration of your trip. If you are biking on rough and hilly terrain, this can be quite a chore with a single-speed bike. Over time, this can wear you out and you can lose enjoyment in your biking. And even if you are riding on even terrain, it's nice to have to option to work less when you want it.
Beyond exhausting yourself, single-speed bikes are slower on more difficult terrain for this reason. Shifting gears makes it easier for you to navigate varying terrain. From a performance perspective, this is one of the main advantages of multiple speed bikes.
A Beach Cruiser with Gears Requires Less Maintenance
Another disadvantage that is related to the single-geared system of single-speed bikes is the need for increased maintenance. With a multiple geared bike, the wear and tear from riding is distributed among multiple gears and chainrings. With single-speed bikes, all this wear and tear is placed solely on one gear and one chainring.
While this may not seem like an issue for a die-hard biker, most bikers do not want to spend lots of time maintaining their bikes, especially if they can avoid it by purchasing a beach cruiser with gears.
The Physiological Benefits of a Beach Cruiser with Gears
The range of power you produce with your legs while biking is minimal. You can only bike so far and so fast before you get tired. At that point, you either coast on your bike, you stop and take a break, or you walk your bike until your energy returns.
This point of exhaustion is significantly delayed when riding a beach cruiser with gears. You can simply use the gears to make your biking as efficient as possible.
Using a low gear for tricky terrain, for example, requires you to move the pedals faster, but it is easier to turn the wheels. You may be moving your feet faster, but you will not tire as easily.
The same is true for a high gear. You move the pedals slower and it is harder to turn the wheels, but you can go faster over smoother, flatter terrain like city streets and tracks. You would not be able to do this with a single-speed bike.
Going Multi-Speed
With a beach cruiser with gears, and the efficient use of those gears, you can bike farther and faster than you would be able to with a single-speed bike. Now, whether you want a 3-speed bike, or a 7-speed bike is another matter altogether.
The amount of gears that you have on your multiple speed bike comes down to preference. Many people like the relative simplicity of a 3-speed bike (easy, medium, and hard biking mode).
Others like the increased efficiency that a 7-speed bike gives them over a 3-speed bike. At Peace Bicycles, we offer both beach cruisers with 3-speed internal gear hubs, and Dutch cruiser bikes that come with a 7-speed internal or external gear hub option.
However, not all multiple speed bikes are built the same. Riders at any level also need to choose whether their bikes come fitted with internal gears versus external gears.
Internal Versus External Gears
The difference between internal and external gears depends on where they are located, and how they are enclosed, on your cruiser bike.
If the gear and cog system is enclosed in metal or plastic, and is located in the rear wheel between the rings of spokes, you have an internal system. If the gear and cog system is located on the exterior of the rear and front wheel, and is not fully enclosed in metal or plastic, you have an external gear system.
External gears are also called a derailleur (right). A derailleur is a French word that describes the derailment of the bike chain. Therefore, bikes with derailleurs have bike chains that hang down on the rear wheel. The system is external, and the gear rings are placed on an external hub on the outside of the wheel.
Internal gears are situated within the rear wheel itself, between the two rings of spokes. Since internal gears are enclosed, the internal gears are larger than a derailleur. While the gears are less accessible for maintenance, maintenance is not required as much since the system is closed off from the elements, like dirt, dust, and water. Though, realistically maintenance is low on either style with regular riding.
One major benefit of internal gear hubs is that they provide a smoother riding experience and a more comfortable ride quality than a derailleur system. One major benefit of a derailleur system is that it is less expensive than an internal gear hub.
More Advantages of a Beach Cruiser with Gears
Cruiser bikes can be heavier than other types of bikes (though ours come in at a lightweight 30 pounds). When riding a cruiser, you need to be more efficient, even though you do not need to ride as fast as you would with, for example, a mountain bike.
With a single-speed cruiser bike, you can tire yourself out due to the weight of the bike, the width of the tires, and the fact that you can only use one gear.
Due to their weight and tire width, you should consider purchasing a cruiser bike with gears. Doing so will provide you with a more efficient, and comfortable, ride quality that cannot be matched with a single-speed bike.
In addition, the upright seating position is better ergonomically when you use multiple gears to pedal on a variety of terrain. It is also easier to accelerate and maintain speed while sitting in the upright position if you use a beach cruiser with gears. With a single-gear bike, this is all but impossible.
The Only Reason You Should Consider
There are multiple reasons why beach cruisers with gears are more advantageous to riders than single-speed bikes. However, there is really only one reason why multiple gears are objectively better: the ability to coast.
Pedaling will tire you out sooner or later. Once that happens, your ride comfort and experience will suffer. With a single-speed bike, you have no choice. You have to pedal if you want to move the bike forward. However, with a multiple gear bike, you have the option to coast.
Coasting is one of the best advancements in casual cycling and you should take full advantage of it. To not do so would limit your ride quality.
Because of this, we believe a beach cruiser with gears simply makes more sense than a single-speed bike.
However, you should weigh the advantages and disadvantages of doing so for yourself. In the end, it is up to you:)
Just remember, achieving that ride quality and comfort comes easier when you purchase a beach cruiser with gears.
