Are cruisers the proverbial SUV of the bicycle world?

This thought dawned on me today while preparing a big hulking cruiser for sale today: Have “cruiser bikes” turned into the proverbial SUV? Oversized, slow, inefficient, they do have a lot of similarities to the ubiquitous sport utility vehicle. And now with gas prices at record highs, SUVs are finally being tossed aside for more fuel efficient and sensible vehicles (some even choosing bicycles, whodathunkit). As I see the migration away from SUVs, I also see a migration away from the cruiser bike. The cruiser was THE bike to have, something to look cool on, something to leisurely jaunt upon on for recreation only. But now, in the zenith of oil production, bicycles are at long last being considered as a viable means of transportation for the masses. Then the realization comes: “Wait…my cruiser is slow, I can’t use this, screw that”.

So maybe I’m alone in this but I do believe that cruiser interest has greatly waned and will continue to taper off in a similar downward curve to SUV interest. People now prefer a bike that is useful and practical, someone pinch me I must be dreaming!

12.Jul.08 Editorial