Rugged Cycles.

I just got back from a business trip to the ISA Expo in Houston. The ISA Expo is a trade show and conference for users/buyers/sellers of industrial instruments and automation products. It was pretty much the last place I would expect to find a company selling bicycles.

Rugged Cycles (http://www.ruggedcycles.com/) builds and sells bicycles for use around large industrial facilities, but also markets them for rental fleets or personal use. They have created a bike that is virtually maintenance-free in most applications. All of the parts of the bike are stainless, polycarbonate, or otherwise corrosion-resistant. Instead of exposed chain drive with deraileurs, it uses an enclosed shaft drive with internal hub shifting. The tires are made of solid polyurethane, so flats are thing of the past. This thing is bulletproof!

If I had a shorter, less hilly commute - I would definitely consider this as a commuter bike. They offer a single speed or 3-speed option, so it is ideal for level to slightly hilly conditions. They have a comfort bike configuration, so the rider sits up straight for excellent visibility. It is not the lightest thing on the road, but I didn't think it was excessively heavy considering the airless tires and heavy-duty shaft drive.

The list price for the single-speed model is $745... but they were offering a 10% discount during the Expo. I think it was less than $100 to upgrade to the 3-speed (internal hub) model.

Check them out. It's great to see expanding applications for bicycles... even if it is not the bike for me.