Coh&Co Erik – Stoneweave – 8SP Alfine Coh&Co

How is a city bike different from other types of bikes?

Behind each bike lies a designer, and within each designer lies assumptions. The assumption of most North American bike designers is that people ride bikes for recreation, which usually involves a bike path, a country road, and several hours of spare time. The bikes that result from this assumption are usually hunched-over, have exposed oily drivetrains that require tighter athletic clothes, feature anywhere from 21 to 33 speeds, and aren’t often made to be locked up to metal poles all day, especially in foul weather. A city bike is quite the opposite. Its position is gloriously upright (or aggressive, in the case of the Coh & Co Erik), the chain is totally covered (or there is a belt drive like with the Erik – even better!), you can wear whatever you want, you have all the gears you’d ever need (3-speeds for flatter terrain, 7 or 8-speeds for hills), and tough frames and sealed mechanisms to battle all kinds of weather.

What’s the difference between a brand like Coh & Co, Rabeneick, and others you carry?

We believe bikes are beautiful objects, but few bicycle designers tap into this beauty. At the same time, we don’t believe function should follow form, otherwise function is sacrificed to schmaltz. That’s why we like Coh & Co. They’re Danish, so they were born on bikes, and they add function where we haven’t seen function before – take for instance the clever and beautiful asymmetrical rear triangle! At the same time, they take the best existing technology and use it on their bikes. The Gates belt drive, the dual action hydraulic brakes- these are all faultless parts. And then there is beauty for the sake of beauty, because why not? This is a bike that honours the bicycle as a design object while pushing function and form further. 

What is an internal gear hub?

In Europe a bike with an internal gear hub is what makes it a definitive city bike. Internal gear hubs are awesome. Because the chain isn’t derailed up and down a set of external cogs (using a derailleur), the chain will never fall off again, and best of all, the chain can be covered so you can wear whatever you want. The gears are sealed inside the rear hub and they hold a tune two times longer than a derailleur, minimizing tune-ups and allowing you to store the bike outside throughout the winter problem-free.

What is a belt drive?

Belt drives have been developed over the last 30 years for use in racing engines and motorcycles. They are a band of nylon teeth held together with a series of carbon fibre cords, paired with alloy alloy chainrings and stainless-steel cogs. They’ve recently made the jump to bikes because they’re nearly silent, don’t require lube (and are much more winter-proof as a result), don’t rust or get jammed with debris, and last for up to 30,000km of riding before needing replacement. We don’t see them often on North American bikes because they can’t be used with external derailleurs, only internal hubs or crank-based gearboxes.

How do I ensure my new bike won’t get stolen?

Research shows that very few bicycle thefts are related to a bicycles value and are best defined as low-risk/low-return. A good bicycle lock is expensive to break through and takes time, thus increasing the risk and lowering the return. Estimates are that over 90% of bicycle theft is tied to cash-for-drugs and that makes every bike a target. Make sure you buy a good Abus U-lock or a chain and you’ll be fine. 

What’s the warranty?

Lifetime warranty for the frame when registered with Coh & Co at the time of purchase. Covers critical material and/or critical workmanship defects, does not include wear and tear.