Urban Legends

A civic-minded new line of bikes from Specialized

September 24, 2007—Did you ever wish your bike was decorated to match the city you live in? No, neither did we—at least until now. The 2008 edition of the Langster, a sweet-riding (and sharp-looking) single-speed model from Specialized, comes in five versions inspired by five bike-mad cities: London, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, and New York. (Curious omission: any town in California, where Specialized is headquartered.) The company is producing 300 of each, and the details range from clever (the London's Banksy-esque palace guard, the Al Capone–inspired "Gangster" rebranding on the Chicago, above) to useful (the Seattle's mud flap) to ill-considered: The yellow-and-black Big Apple version is inspired by that old bikers' nemesis, the taxi. And while it might be tempting to imprison these collectible two-wheelers in your garage, each comes with some road-ready features: a coasting-friendly Shimano freewheel, a lightweight aluminum frame, and, unlike some more purist-oriented fixies, actual working brakes. Live in a flyover state? Don't worry—Specialized still makes the Langster in nonpartisan green and white.

2008 Specialized Langster city bikes, $740, specialized.com