Review of ALPHA Bicycles - Campus Commuter Bike

ALPHA Bicycles - Campus Commuter Bike
By: Alpha Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 2
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Great frame, bad parts

On: 2009-02-18

**changes number of stars to three**

I had written a glowing review of this bicycle, so satisfied was I with it after buying it in October 2008. As soon as said review was posted, things started going wrong: I have had to replace the crank cup and both crank bearings because the crank kept coming loose. The rear derailleur would not maintain shifting, so I had to replace that; and the freewheel started spinning forwards, similar to how it will when peddling backwards, so I had to change that also. The chain wheel has, somehow, become bent -- I will have to replace that soon. I have also had to replace the front and rear break arms as the spring wore out. (All of this, save the problem with the freewheel, began after about 400-plus miles of riding).

The frame is wonderful; I really love the design. The tires and front wheel are good. There are plenty of mounting points on the frame for whatever apparatus one could hope to put on it. As another reviewer noted, it does not come with a kickstand (this was not an issue for me as I intended to put a different one on anyway). If you want a neat frame to work off of, I would suggest this bike, but the components are crap.

Good shopping!
-SC

Affordable, Durable Commuter/Touring Bike

On: 2009-02-18

In October 2008, I bought a 20" Alpha Campus Commuter bicycle; I have ridden it nearly everyday since. So far, I have put well over 200-miles on it with no problems from hardware or tire-wear. As I use the bike as my main source of transportation, I haul groceries often and have hauled various other things with it (nearly 190 pounds on a bike trailer at one point, with no stress to the frame or chain, and with no problems stopping the weight so well do the brakes work).

The Campus Commuter comes equipped with Linear Pull brakes on the front and rear, but has mounting points for caliper brakes should they be preferred.

The positives: 1)Affordability -- this is a great price for a steel-framed, sturdy bike (what do you expect from a frame constructed by a company called Frankenstein Bike Worx?); 2)due to the design of the tires, they do very well in rain; 3)the wheels, and by association, the brakes, work _great_ even in wintery conditions; 4)the gear shifters are very nifty and, frankly, fun to use; 5)There are plenty of mounting points for various accessories: I have put a Bell rack, a horn, old cruiser-style fenders, mirror, analog speedometer, headlight, taillight, and bike trailer hitch on mine with no problems. 6) The biggest positive? The frame: that frame just looks cool! Its honestly the primary reason I bought the bike, and I have had many people wonder why it looks so odd.

The negatives: 1)As noted by a previous reviewer, the Alpha Campus Commuter does not come with a kickstand. Unlike that other reviewer, I was not perturbed by this, and do not attribute any "cheapness" to the lack -- but, I did have a telescopic kickstand I intended to use, anyway. 2)When peddling backwards, because one tends to do that out of boredom when coasting, the chain tends to kick down a gear or more on the freewheel/cassette (this may be due to a too-short chain on my bike).

I definitely recommend this bike for anyone interested in a commuter/touring bike and who doesnt want to spend a lot of money, or for anyone who wants a bike that looks different from any likely around you (no-one else in my town has one of these). As with any product with moving parts, make sure anything that should be tightened (i.e. wheels, brake cables, peddles, etc.) are tightened _before_ getting one the bike, and especially before riding it! I have crashed bikes more times than I care to remember due to that neglect...

Good shopping!
-SC

NO KICK STAND

On: 2009-01-19

This bike doesnt come with a kick stand. HOW CHEAP CAN THIS BE to sell a bike without a kick stand.