It's easy to pick your bike.  Here are a few guidelines:

Pick your speed:

We design our bikes to conquer the hills of San Francisco so we're confident our bikes will work in any other urban terrain. You can choose our most affordable 7-speed external derailleur bikes - PUBLIC C7 or PUBLIC V7 - or our higher-end internally geared bikes - PUBLIC C7i, PUBLIC V7i, PUBLIC D8i, or PUBLIC M8i. If you're looking for one bike for both longer distance commuting and recreational riding, you should consider our 16-speed city road bike PUBLIC R16.

Choose a frame style:

We think this is a personal choice. Our frames are unisex, durable, and provide a smooth ride. If you like a standard frame commonly found in most bikes, the DIAMOND frame is for you - either the classic DIAMOND frame found in our PUBLIC D and R16 bikes or a sloped DIAMOND frame represented in our PUBLIC V bikes.  If you like to ride wearing skirts, dresses, kilts, or just don't want to swing your leg to get on your bike, go with the STEP-THRU or MIXTE. 

See further descriptions here:

MIXTE
From the French word meaning "mixed" or "unisex" the mixte has been ridden by men and women across Europe for more than 100 years. It is a higher priced frame because it is our most complicated build.
Advantages: Easy on and off, especially with stuff or kid on the back. Beautiful design. PUBLIC M is our favorite frame style.

DIAMOND
The classic diamond frame geometry has been the standard for city bikes, touring bikes, and even racing bikes dating back to the late 19th century. 
Advantages: You can carry this bike on your shoulder up a flight of stairs with our PUBLIC D8i models. Or you might prefer a sloped diamond frame PUBLIC V7 or PUBLIC V7i  models for greater stand-over clearance over the top tube of your bike. For longer distance commuting and recreational riding, consider our PUBLIC R16.

Step-Thru
Originally seen as the "ladies" or "girls" bike, this frame has been embraced by both men and women for it's elegance and ease of use.
Advantages: Easiest frame for hopping on and off. You literally step over the bike in easy fashion to start riding on our PUBLIC C7 or PUBLIC C7i models.

Check your height:

The nice thing about our bikes is that they are NOT one size fits all.  We have bikes that fit almost anyone. Here is a handy size chart:

    Look at your budget:

Internal Hub or Derailleur?

The type of gear mechanism is one of the main price drivers between our bikes. The sleeker, internal hub has a higher price tag because it will last longer, need less maintenance, and you can shift while coasting or stopped at an intersection, making it great for stop-and-go urban riding. The internal hub is great for the person that doesn't want to worry about regular tune ups, greasy fingers from a derailed chain or the clunk in between gear changes.  Both new and veteran riders can appreciate the advantages of the internal hub.  The derailleur gearing, which requires you to shift gears while pedaling, is most common in the multispeed bikes we learned to ride on.  With a little more care and maintenance these can handle all your urban riding needs.

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