I’ve never been convinced by the Langster, and the emergence of themed ‘city’ editions of each has made me even more unsure about them.
They’ve received a lot of stick all over the internet for the bikes and I don’t think I can do a better job than Bike Snob NYC of explaining all the things that are wrong with them (he’s talking specifically about the New York version) so here’s the link.
I just got the London edition myself and love it. In my opinion it’s the best looking of the Langster “city bikes” and very hard to find.
Don’t worry about the snobs (haters). There is nothing else out there with a cooler look with such great finish for less than $700. It looks good, does everything well and is low maintenance; what else can you ask for?
It’s a great bike to ride. That should be enough. People either love it or hate it… great design should elicit an emotional response. In a world where products are produced for the middle ground it’s good to see someone taking a risk. I won a London on eBay… the owner said he rode it from the bike shop (on the fixed sprocket) and found it a bit “scary”… stuck it on eBay. I luv it! If you enjoy riding it that’s all that matters.