Electra Amsterdam Royal 8 mini-review
Being in a household with both a Classic 3 ($600) and a Royal 8 ($850), here are the upgrades you get for the $250 more money (Classic 3 is here):
More smaller gears for hills. But the top gear on the Royal 8 and Classic 3 are roughly comparable in speed --you're really just gaining more small gears. The Shimono Nexus 8 is slightly more finicky to keep tuned than the Nexus 3, but both Shimano shifters are much, much better than deraillers.
Both models shift by twisting the right handle, and as someone who faces numerous stop lights on my commute, the ability to downshift and shift back up again with a flick of the wrist is fricking fantastic. I *love* being able to downshift to 3rd gear for starting from a cold stop and then quickly racing up the gears to 8 again once I get back to my cruising pace. (I can flick down to gear 1 just as easy, but I find I only use 1 and 2 for steep hillsides, not even for starting from a complete stop.)
Kevlar tires (more flat protection for those riding in urban areas with broken glass and other sharp objects)
Front and rear hand brakes. The ability to freewheel the pedals backwards without braking and coast while standing on the side for those used to doing this in urban commutes. When stopped, it's easier to adjust a pedal to the optimal 10 o'clock position for when you next start pedaling --this quick launch technique is really only useful when you find yourself at stoplights a lot.
Fully enclosed disc brakes. No more sanding brake pads! No worries about wet rims, since the brakes are fully enclosed. (Classic 3 is fine in rain too --it's my old mountain bike with calliper brakes that sucks in this regard)
A lighter frame --which with the heavier 8 speed rear gear and the enclosed brakes, means it weighs just about the same as the Classic 3 in the end.
For my ten mile round trip daily commute, the Royal 8 upgrades were worth it. Especially since I have to ride up a 15% parking ramp grade from the basement parking garage every day and I actually use gear 1 on the way up --and I need the freewheel since I coast standing on the side of the bike in a business district where technically we're only supposed to walk our bikes on the sidewalk. :-)
People not doing such a long daily commute (and having to pedal up and down parking ramps) should save their money. The vast majority of people beginning at city bicycling will be quite happy with the Classic 3 instead.
But don't take our word for it. Give them both a test drive if you can. Even in the same household we came to two different decisions on what was right for each of us. ;-)
(Note: The college student in our spare room managed to pick up a usedElectra Cruiser Black Betty off craigslist for cheap, so we also have some pictures of that and mods made to make her 20 minute trip to classes each day easier. Before this she was riding a 10 speed she bought from a Master Student who had graduated. The Electra 3 speed is much, much easier to shift and much more comfortable to ride.)
The after-market upgrades I've added to make the bike even more usable are:
* Wald 582 wire baskets for the back rack. ($32 for 2 on amazon) Work much better for
carrying groceries than panniers. Grocery bags slip in exactly as they
should with no repacking necessary.
* Cargo net for $5 for keeping things from popping out of the top on
bumps
flickr.com/photos/dancingisland/2533283604/
* Use multiple 50lb www.buycableties.com to attach each basket to your back rack . The metal brackets Wald
provides are too small for the diameter of Electra's rack tubing. I
use 8 cable ties per side. Three per side meant they would break off
from time to time.
* Pletscher ESGE double kickstand and rubber feet ($51) --because your
bike tipping over once loaded with groceries sucks. (both from www.aebike.com )
http://flickr.com/photos/dancingisland/2596528526
* We moved the light on the Classic 3 to make space for the basket, and the same thing will work with the
Royal 8 as well. More details Moving Light Classic 3 Royal 8
* Planet Bike 9.0 wireless cyclometer ($32) --makes rides more fun by
knowing your speed and distance traveled. I actually prefer the wired
version now. The wired version's display wakes up on its own once you
start moving, while the wireless version has to be "nudged"
to wake up at the beginning of each trip.
flickr.com/photos/dancingisland/2562895142
* Bell Citi helmet in black charcoal fabric
* Bell Citi helmet mirror --because craning your neck around to look
behind gets old quickly, and you can order both at once from REI.
www.rei.com/product/711135
www.rei.com/product/747024
* Fahgettaboudit 5' chain and lock is too heavy for most people. I'm used to it and use it because I've
already bought it, but I recommend for others a Kryptonite U-lock to
lock the frame and the front wheel with a 7' cable to reach the back
wheel.
The issues I've faced during shakedown of the new bike are:
* A coat panel on the back wheel came loose and started to slip down
the frame --a twist of the screwdriver and it was fixed (instead I
wasted a few rides pushing it back up into place, it slipped back down
again. Duh, you really do need to tighten with a screwdriver to really
fix it)
* After 80 miles the shifting cable needed to be readjusted (this is
normal with all bikes as part of breaking in).
* The back tire and fender were rubbing one trip. A tap on the fender
(no tools, just my finger) and it stopped.
* One time the Shimano shifter cable jumped out of its seat on the
handlebar. Well, not the steel cable (which stayed in place), but the
plastic sheath on the outside. So all the gears got unaligned when
shifting. Once I noticed the plastic sheath had walked up out of its
seat on the handlebar shifter, a quick poke back into place and
everything returned to fine. I've lubricated the cable now, will see
if it reoccurs.
Took it in at 4 months for my free tuneup and it's still smooth sailing. Have 500 miles on it.
There's some idiot that sued Electra because his chain fell off and rather than pay him and his slime lawyer a fat check, Electra decided to starve them both and pay out the judgement as a recall settlement instead. You take it in, they replace a screw with a shorter one and change a 30 cent piece of aluminum on the chain guard. It's completely useless and unnecessary, but so was the lawsuit. This way the money goes to bike shops instead of some ambulance chaseing goon and his stooge lawyer.
* Because the shifter is internal hub, the chain is cheap to replace: $10, $20 if you want nickle plated. My bike shop feels you should replace the chain every 3,000 miles. So I've got some time on that still.
[March 2009 update: The new prices are $970 for the Royal 8 and $700 for the 3i, with $750 for the Girard Tree of Life and Madonna 3i art bikes. The "i" means "internal" or "inside the wheel hub" shifter that they've already been using for years --much fewer problems with chains falling off when shifting than a derailer shifter.]
Chachi Bonacci, tiny tan tricycle, and 16 other people added this photo to their favorites.
dancingisland 61 months ago | reply
An outdoor shot with the new Pletscher ESGE double kickstand:
Chachi Bonacci 60 months ago | reply
Your "review" of the Royal 8 is just what I've been looking for!!! I currently ride a Classic 3 and am thinking of upgrading to the Royal 8. I'm moving from Chicago (flat) to NYC. Because there are a few hills and bridges to ride up, I'm thinking that more gears are essential.
Great pics! Thanks so much for posting such good info!
dancingisland 60 months ago | reply
You're welcome, Chachi!
jimsimpson 59 months ago | reply
Wow, again, thanks for this review! I am about to purchase a bike and was looking at this one in particular. The additional extras about add-ons is very helpful, too. Thanks again!
Daniel Driensky 55 months ago | reply
I am looking at getting one of these. Is it hard to change out the back tire? that is my main concern. thanks!
dancingisland 55 months ago | reply
DD, I don't know. Because of the kevlar lined tire, I've not had to change it out yet.
maclaren 54 months ago | reply
Thanks for your reviews. I bought my wife a white, womens, Electra Amsterdam Classic 3 and a black, mens, Electra Amsterdam Classic 3 for myself a few days later. We love riding them around town in Silicon Valley. :)
maclaren 53 months ago | reply
Where did you find the rubber feet for the Pletscher ESGE double kickstand?
dancingisland 53 months ago | reply
Greenfield Kickstand Rubber Foot
I got mine from aebike.com
I also see them from Niagara Cycle Works
www.amazon.com/Greenfield-Kickstand-Rubber-Foot/dp/B000FR...
MerrieEllen 47 months ago | reply
I have been trying to figure out how to disengage the front light on my Electra Amsterdam. I don't like the drag when it isn't dark. Anyone have any idea?
dancingisland 47 months ago | reply
MerrieMary:
Try these two videos to see how to engage and release the wheel mounted electric generator:
www.flickr.com/photos/dancingisland/3490900331/
www.flickr.com/photos/dancingisland/3490919541/
Carlos Landaverde 44 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Fashion Bicycles, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
okcowgirl2014 24 months ago | reply
I was wondering if the front wheel is a quick release. I'm a college student, and it would be nice if i had this so I could take it home every once in a while.
okcowgirl2014 24 months ago | reply
If it doesn't come with the quick release, is it possible to have it added?
dancingisland 24 months ago | reply
I've got the 8 speed model with internal brakes from several years ago. So taking off the front wheel would be a pretty annoying. Your bike shop guys are probably far more clever than I, but I don't see it myself. There also may be improvements since I bought mine that make it more possible.
_chelleshock 24 months ago | reply
Thank you so much for this review! I'm looking at getting a bike for shorter commutes (I work at home, so this would be like, maybe 2-3 miles to the grocery store every few days, or toodling around the neighborhood) and it looks like the Classic would probably be a better fit. Austin isn't super hilly, after all, especially not our new neighborhood (we're moving in a few weeks). Do you have any experience with the Townie series? I was looking at the Townie Euro, but it's looking like for the price you pay for the three speed Townie Euro is the same price as the three speed Amsterdam Classic, so I'd think the Amsterdam would be the better deal.
One other thought: how tall is your wife? I'm on the short side (5'2") so I have some trepidation about the bike being too big for me. Going to be checking some out in person in the next few days so I guess I'll find out!
gyjywbdykbq [deleted] 19 months ago | reply
美麗ㄉ照片..........................
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ZeeLilBee 16 months ago | reply
I know its been 7 months since you asked, _chelleshock, but just in case anyone else stumbles across this with the same question: I'm 5'1" (~155cm), own an Amsterdam Classic (and have tried out the Royal too, I think they're the same frame). With the seat all the way down I can stand with both tip-toes firmly on the ground. I wouldn't recommend the bike to anyone much shorter without trying one out first, but this bike is a good fit for me :)
qdmojt 11 months ago | reply
Wishes you all smooth is really US