AskBeehaw

Bikes! I'm thinking about getting a new bike in the next several months, and a step-through bike seems to have some features in practicality that I value compared to a step-over bike. Not Just Bikes, ironically, has a pretty good video talking about Dutch step-through bikes that introduced me to the concept and advantages of a step-through. It might be on topic to mention that Not Just Bikes gives mention to one of the Dutch names for this kind of bike: "omafiets", or Grandma Bicycle.

I'd suppose it's getting better, but I still encounter a fair chunk of people who see a step-over bike as a men's bike and a step-through as a women's bike. And I'll think C'mon, that's a fair chunk of potential storage space you could have over the rear wheel if you put a rack on top. I've tried making it work before with my step-over bike, but in my experience, that space becomes much less meaningful when you have to swing a leg over and end up knocking your shin on something as you get on.

I'd love to see bikes just sold by their step type more often. Give all of them a wide color palette, keep the labeling at Step-Over or Step-Through, and let people ride what they wanna ride. I'm making progress with changing minds, but it's taking a fair chunk of time to reach Pops at least, bless his heart 😒.

Not Just Bikes gave an iconic point: step-over/men's bikes are the only kind you can hit your nuts on.

Edit: Proofreading: “one of the names,” not the name.