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Electra Townie 21 700C Bike

Electra Townie 21 700C Bike

Item # 751498
!
This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

For your reference, this page contains historical product information.

The Townie 700C 21 combines Electra's comfortable forward pedaling position with a sporty design geared for long-distance and fitness rides.

  • Frame geometry places bottom bracket and pedals well ahead of the seatpost, resulting in leg movement many people prefer over standard designs
  • Geometry places rider upright for comfortable, heads-up positioning; aft positioning allows a rider to place both feet on the ground at a stop
  • With 21 speeds, this Townie is set to tackle hills and charge the flats; features Shimano Tourney rear derailleur and a replaceable derailleur hanger
  • Shimano trigger shifters are intuitively easy to use
  • 700x40 tires provide a big-wheel ride that covers distances quickly and smoothes out small bumps; quick-release hubs make wheel removal a snap
  • Hand-operated linear-pull brakes control both wheels, providing smooth, responsive deceleration
  • Townie saddle features soft Lycra® spandex insert and shock-absorbing elastomers for all-day riding comfort
  • Lightweight aluminum frame provides vertical stiffness for prompt acceleration and power in climbs; it's also easily lifted for storage and transport
  • Platform pedals accept most casual shoes

After an initial break-in period you might notice your bicycle performing less responsively than the day you brought it home. Not to worry, this is typical of all new bicycles and simply reflects that cables have stretched or their housings have seated themselves into final position. To keep running at peak performance, all REI bicycles come with a FREE warranty tune-up, which should be accomplished between the first 100-200 miles of riding or after the first two months if you're accumulating miles less quickly. Contact your nearest REI bike shop for details and an appointment for this important service.

Imported.

Item 751498


REI Store Pickup Only
Electra bikes purchased at REI.com can only be shipped to the REI store of your choice for pickup. The bikes are fully assembled and the shipping is free! We cannot ship Electra bikes to your home or other addresses.

Electra Townie 21 700C Bike Specs

Specification

Description

Frame6061 Aluminum
ForkUni-crown steel
CranksetForged alloy 48/38/28
ShiftersShimano Revo 7-speed
BrakesLinear brakes
Brake leversAlloy
Rear derailleurShimano Tourney
Headset1-1/8' threaded steel
Bottom bracketSealed cartridge
Rear cogsShimano 14-34, 7-speed
Front hubAlloy
Rear hubAlloy
RimsAlloy
TiresSemi-slick 700Cx40
StemAlloy
HandlebarAlloy
Seat postAlloy pillar
SaddleErgonomic with elastomer bumpers
PedalsResin

Electra Townie 21 700C Bike Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
Electra Townie 21 700C Bike
 
4.5

(based on 2 reviews)

Reviewed by 2 customers

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Mar

14

2008

(15 of 23 customers found this review helpful)

 
4.0

A great start, needs more development

By mtn.bum

from Portland, OR

About Me Avid Cyclist

Site Member

Pros

  • Attractive Design
  • Comfortable to Ride
  • Safe

Cons

  • Poor Components

Best Uses

  • Road Biking

Comments about Electra Townie 21 700C Bike:

The Townie is the most comfortable and safe bike I have ever owned. We're just about to buy another. But buyers should know what their getting. The Townie 700c is not a well thought out bike ready to go, but rather more of a bike kit for people ready to do their own wrenching.

Perhaps unlike in Santa Cruz, where Electra is headquartered, people in Portland ride hard and expect bikes to take it. The Electra Townie 700c is road bike version of the Townie, not for cruising, but for going places. However, expect to rebuild the Townie to make it road capable.

Putting about 100 miles a week on the Townie, the first thing to go were the pedals, which were broken in two weeks. Both of them.

The bike comes with low-pressure balloon tires that had to go. The narrowest tire the wide rims will hold is 28mm, which is what we put on them. The rim tape was no such thing but some form of shrink wrap that was no match for the higher tire pressure of the 28s. The Townie should come with conventional-width 700c rims so people can use tires as narrow as 23mm.

The worst offenses are the seven-speed freewheel and conventional hub. The axle broke -- the reason the design is obsolete -- in two months. So the hub and freewheel were replaced with a freehub and cassette. And while I'm pointing out obvious areas for improvement, it should be a nine speed, not a seven speed.

Besides the poor quality of some of the components, the 700c is not geared for hills, either going up or down. The freewheel is a 14-34 matched to 28-38-48 crankset. An 11-34 cassette matched to a 22-32-44 crankset provides twice the overall gear ratio -- with both lower and higher gears -- and is compatible the with the capability of the rear derailleur. As anyone who has done Cycle Oregon will tell you, recumbents die on the hills. Recumbents must be geared lower than road bikes.

The replacement components are here for the second Townie. When the bike arrives the first thing we'll do is rebuild it before we put a mile on it.

If that's your mindset, you don't mind buying a bike kit in order to get an ingeniously comfortable frame design, then I recommend the Townie 700c without reservation. It's a great ride, a much safer design than a full recumbent and even safer than a conventional road bike (unlike on a road bike, hitting the brakes hard will not stand the bike on its front tire). Electra is to be commended for the excellent design. Finish the execution yourself.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

(15 of 23 customers found this review helpful)

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Sep

21

2007

(8 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

 
5.0

Great ride

By jdearing740

from Boise, Idaho

About Me Avid Cyclist

Site Member

Pros

  • Attractive Design
  • Durable
  • Great Components
  • Handles Well
  • Lightweight

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Commuting
    • Road Biking

    Comments about Electra Townie 21 700C Bike:

    Bought this bike to replace the road bike I had been riding for years. My back and shoulders were really giving me problems. The salesman suggested I test ride the Electra 21, I rode it and was hooked. The upright design and pedals forward make this a very comfortable bike. I am 67 years old and ride 100 to 150 miles per week. It's not the fastest bike on the road, but it is the most comfortable I've ever ridden.

    Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

    (8 of 8 customers found this review helpful)

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