Ride Lugged

Cycling in Miami Beach is a combination of chilled out on-vacation-time cruising and urban busses-cars-red-lights biking. On trip to South Beach over 4th of July weekend, Nora (pictured) and I rented some bikes from a shop called Miami Beach Bicycle Center. Not the most creative name, but a decent shop nonetheless, and they had exactly what we wanted: beach cruisers. For $8 bucks an hour or $20 a day, what we got was basically this, with a lock and a basket. A heavy ass one speed bike (gear ratio unknown (chainring had a guard over it, and I didn’t care to count)) with one-piece cranks and at least 3” tires.

If I saw someone riding one of these in D.C. I’d laugh a little laugh inside at their naiveté. In South Beach it’s a completely different story. These bikes are completely standard issue – everyone rides them. Even the more style conscious, and or cycling enthusiasts, ride cruiser style bikes – like the one pictured with dual-crown fork and radially-laced wheels. South Beach is small enough and with enough “beach lifestyle mentality” that having a geared bike is ridiculous overkill. You’re only headed to catch some rays, so why go faster? It’s completely flat and you’ve only got one easy gear, and so a coaster brake is all you ever need. Additionally, two of the main restaurant/shopping/nightlife streets are Lincoln Rd and Espanola Way, both closed to motor vehicle traffic. Interestingly, South Beach may also be one of the only places in America where a skateboard is a legitimate means of transportation.

The beach there is wide enough that between the small dunes and where most people lay out, a concrete base has been placed beneath the sand so police and emergency vehicles can drive more easily – and so can bikes. My last day there I rode from the very southern tip of South Beach all along the beach up to 16th street where we were staying. Cathartic. I saw loads of bikes laid down in the sand next to topless sunbathing beauties all along the beach.

While there I only saw two “hard core” roadies: one on a Colnago Masterlight in full team Mapei kit, and another guy in plain jersey on a Felt with Ultegra-10. Both guys were spotted soft-pedaling on Lincoln Rd. looking a lot more interested in scoping ladies than maintaining optimum heart rates.