City bikes have made a huge comeback in the last few years, and with obvious reasons: the bikes are awesome. Modeled after Dutch or Belgian bikes they have a certain feel of sophistication mixed with whimsy. You might see these bikes called Town bikes or Townies or even English Racers, vintage ones were called 3 speeds.
City bikes are perfect for riding to the local farmers market, coffee shop, pub or just taking your time and enjoying the scenery all around you. These are some of the only bikes still made in "girls" and "boys" versions.
Because these bikes are so trendy right now, it's difficult to find one used. However, fear not, older bikes from Raleigh are perfect and look a lot like what you'll see at your local gucci bike shop.
See the Raleigh Sport below circa 1972:
The going rate for one of the "boy" versions of the bike above is probably in the neighborhood of $250-$400. While not necessarily cheap, they are typically made better with better components than their newer counterparts. Many of these old bikes often referred to as "3 speeds" came equipped with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed rear hub. The Sturmey Archer hub is very weather resistant, serviceable and long lasting. It's for all of these reasons that an old Raleigh in your size is a great purchase in the city/urban bike category. All of these bikes were made in steel, so look at the pictures closely to ensure that there is little rust.
Take a look at some of the current Raleigh Sport bikes on eBay currently and see if there's one in your size:
RALEIGH BOMBER REAR 3 SPEED STEEL CHROME RIM REAR WHEEL 26 x 1.75 STURMEY ARCHER
US $60.75
27d 4h 41m
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RALEIGH BOMBER REAR 3 SPEED STEEL CHROME RIM REAR WHEEL 26 x 1.75 STURMEY ARCHER | |
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US $60.75 | 27d 4h 41m |
Other Resources
Ecovelo.info: cool bike blog
Republicbikes.com: bike retailer