Dear Keith: 
 KK> Speaking of subjects that are on-topic,  does anybody have an 
 KK> opinion about "city bikes" in the $300 - 350 range?  I don't want or 
 KK> need a radical off-road stump-hopper -- just a bike for 
 KK> transportation, but tough enough I can take it anywhere.
I love mine.  I have 2 bikes:  my "good" one, a Trek hybrid I use for 
long-distance riding and daily exercise and a "shopping bike".
The shopping bike cost me about $250 (?) a few years ago.  It is slow and 
heavy relative to the Trek but has never given me any problems.  It has a 
3-speed shifter on the handlebar and internal gears in the back hub so I 
can shift at stoplights.  It has a basket on the front that holds my 
backpack or a bag of groceries, a chain guard so my pants don't get greasy 
and a generator light that lets cars see me [only useful in town - it's 
not strong enough to use as a headlight in total darkness].  For tooling 
around town getting groceries and running errands, it's perfect.
Well, almost perfect.  Seeing as how I am tall (188cm or so), I have 
trouble finding things in my size here in Japan and the largest frame size 
they make them in is too small.  My wonderful Bike Shop Guy found a seat 
post extender that makes it almost big enough.  I have to replace the 
extender every year or so because it bends back a little but it is a small 
price to pay.  
This type is very popular here in Japan.  The most common riders are 
students and housewives.  They mostly use them for riding to school, the 
train station or for running errands.
 KK> Anybody got an opinion about brands, metals, gizmos?  In 1971 the 
 KK> Paramount cost $389 -- since I can't afford it, I don't even _want_ 
 KK> to know what it would cost today! 
Can't help you there.  Sorry.
Tailwinds to you,
Steve
... Trackball:  a mouse with its feet in the air
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