First Look: Linus Mixte

• The first round of Linus city bicycle have landed in TATIville, and just in time for a genuine Chicago winter. Let's take a look at the most interesting bike in the line, the Mixte.

  Available in cream, pale blue, and black, the Mixte retails for $550. The package includes a Shimano Nexus 3 speed drivetrain, a kickstand, a rear rack, metal fenders painted to match, faux leather grips, a silver chainring guard, and a really cute bell. It also includes a sad little vinyl saddle, which I couldn't bear to install on the bicycle, even for one second. And so I replaced it with a dark brown Brooks B67.

  This category has recently kind of exploded, with all sorts of budget mixtes coming to market in 2010. The Trek Belleville is an interesting offering, but it's rather busy, and also, it's still a Trek. The Specialized/Globe Mixte 1 is competitively priced, and includes a beautiful integrated front rack, but it too suffers from a mash-up design aesthetic. Giant, Electra, and many others have cute step-throughs in the $500 range. And Rivendell, Velo Orange, etc. offer great mixte framesets... but at the end of the day, my sense is that most folks hunting for a mixte are surely weighting fashion over function -- and there's no doubt that the Linus looks the best of the bunch.

  This is not to say that it lacks in function, or is in any way mechanically inferior. And surely, I would have liked to see a lugged crown on the fork, a fuller chainguard, and a nice leather saddle. But from a distance and up close, the lines, color, texture, and balance of the Mixte's design satisfy this bike snob's eye.

  

  The Mixte is available in one size, and it comes out to roughly 45cm. But that only means that it will allow folks as small as 4'10" to reach the pedals. Like classic mixtes of days gone by, the top tube is very long (55cm) and designed for a semi-upright riding position and a swept back handlebar. The stock stem is 85mm and the bars are 47cm wide, which should support a very wide range of body types and sizes. However, even after swapping stems and bars, I would not suggest anyone taller than 5'10" opt for this mixte. Besides running a very long seatpost (and ruining the aesthetics), the handling will suffer for sure.

  

  The Mixte comes with Kenda Kwick Trax in size 700x32c. This width is perfect for the bicycle's intended range and speed. The tires have shallow grooves which really help in the rain and muck. On a twenty minute test run at 60psi through sleeting skies and slippery, icy corners, I never felt unsafe or unsteady. The tires are rated up to 85psi, and so in nicer weather they can be pumped up for greater efficiency. The frame and fenders look to be able to support a larger tire, perhaps 35c, if the need arises.

  

  The spec is really spot on with the bike. The brake levers and calipers are mid-range Tektro, with nice silver finishes -- a bit higher grade than I might have expected at this price range. The bars and stem lack the chromed sheen of a Batavus, but are spot on for this build. The cranks and seatpost are the two areas where the spec is a little more modern -- though not enough to really ruin the look. Like any straight-from-the-factory bike, assembly should be approached with care. The headset came too loose, the hubs too tight. The spoke tension on the rear wheel was a little low, and both wheels needed to be trued. But the 36h rims are nice and wide, with a polished beveled finish. Besides crappy saddles, sad plastic pedals are often the bane of entry and mid-range city bike specs, but not here. The Linus comes with a pair of beefy, highly polished VP road pedals. They have great grip, and are toe clip ready. The stem mounted bell was a pleasant surprise!

  

  There are a few areas in which the Mixte goes above and beyond the call of duty. The first is the very cute rando-inspired rear rack. I say rando-inspired because though it has (mostly) the correct lines, the rack is mounted to the frame with galvanized (not stainless) M5 bolts and is constructed of lightweight aluminum (not steel). I would therefore stick to portaging groceries and books, but not people, on this rack. The other area in which the Linus nails it is the paint. (PMS 9161 for those of you who speak Pantone.) It's absolutely perfect (especially when paired with leather accessories), and I can't wait to see the pale blue, either. More importantly, the color scheme is non-descript, yet attractive, and will allow the rider to wear virtually any hue without clashing... though some yellows may be challenging.

  

  The Linus is not a Batavus or even an Abici or Pashley, but it doesn't aspire to be these things. Store it indoors, ride it all year round, dress appropriately, and visit every last representation of contemporary Chicagoland culture on the Mixte. This is not a simulacrum of a classic city bicycle; it's the real thing.