From what I understand, Electra's a pretty great bike company. So at least it's got that going for it?

Bikes are the new cargo pants.

Now I eargerly await the new holiday commercials featuring peppy dancers, patterned bicycles and perky, faux-hipsters to the tune of Queen's "Bicycle Race."

With scarfs!

$500 bike!? I don't know if anyone trying to flee the gap is willing to spend that much to get away. But that comment did make my day :-) lol.

I went to San Francisco a few years ago and outside a Gap there were people breakdancing.

Anywhere else it would have been kind of "oh, well that's interesting," particularly if it were like, outside some porno theater discolored by crack smoke. Outside a Gap it's obvious and pathetic.

Also, it looks like you get to pay an extra 50-150 dollars for this bike for buying it at the Gap.

[www.google.com]

I really want that bike. Does that make me a bad Consumerist?

@Crabby Cakes wants some Dance Biscuits.: Only if you pay full price for it.

I can picture the "bicycle accident in the mall" news story now.

At least Electras are solid bikes with good quality parts. That said, I'd be real nervous to ride one if I didn't know who was going to assemble it...

To some people bikes are just another fashion accessory. That's obviously the crowd Gap is going after with this.

Should we expect a less interesting, cheaper bike at Old Navy?

Chanel has a bike so I guess Gap assumes the mall masses want one too.

@stanner: Ha! Mom works for Gap, I wonder if she gets her discount? :)

@pb5000: None of those stories will be as awesome as this

@TechnoDestructo: people breakdance there everyday. they have nothing to do with gap or gap stores, just a little bit of Powell street/ Union Square entertainment.

@thepassenger: To some people bikes are just another fashion accessory.

Next year Gap will be selling children.

"GAP Sells Bikes For Holidays. We Don't Know Why."

...because nobody buys their CLOTHES anymore, and they need SOMETHING to put into the windows?

@AlteredBeast: I'm holding out for the more expensive one sold at Banana Republic.

@Canino:

I thought that is what they sold at 'Baby Gap'

@B: @AlteredBeast: Thread-winners!

Huh. I thought they were super cute. Love the argyle.

@eukaryote: Wait... so where am I supposed to get my accessories for my Angelina Jolie costume??

Apparently, at 500$, they are trying to douche bag more of their highly intelligent customers.

My husband and I have a pair of Electra cruisers and they are fucking awesome, so they do have that going for them. I wonder how Gap is handling the whole assembly issue. I bought my bike at a proper bike store (as you do...yes, the price was better) and let me tell you, these bikes come in an uncharacteristically small box with lots of parts. I was glad to have a professional do the work for me. I don't think the Gap training manual covers bike assembly.

@AlteredBeast: Yes, it comes in the maternity extended seat version.

Hmm. Seattle hipsters will eat this up.

They heard some people finally got off their butts and start bicycling to work and want to get in on the "green" rush. :-p

@pixiegirl1: Nice bikes cost beaucoup money. My bike cost me $150. My husband's cost him about $450-$500. His bike is lighter (easier to get on the bike rack on the bus) and the parts aren't coming off of it or breaking.

@AlteredBeast:
Careful with the Old Navy version - if you wash it, it's done for.

For $500 I bought a road bike that can take me just about anywhere, such as touring about and visiting places 200 miles from me and then some.
For about $150 you can get a snazzy used and rebuilt classic Schwinn, Firestone, or Raleigh cruiser bike. Maybe thats just our regional prices. For another $100 you can get a custom powder coat paint job. $15 for one of those dorky giant bike bells, $40 for a helmet, $30-$40 for a U-lock. So you're looking at about $335 for a custom painted Cruiser bike with the bells and whistles.A helmet is a must, people look pretty dorky with their brains spilled on the asphalt.
Then again isn't it impulse shopping that keeps the economy running? Whatever the reason or price its nice to see bikes becoming 'cool' and its good to get people off their butts and out in the fresh air.

This is GAP's attempt to go "Green".Redeeming themselves from all the sweatshop child labor that went into their clothes.

I wouldn't trust a bicycle built by a clothing store (or a department store for that matter) employee. Even a decent bicycle can be a hazardous pile of junk if not assembled and tuned by a decent mechanic.

They look cool - and truth be told I have wanted one of those types of bikes for a while.
But like hell I'd enter a Gap for the first time in my life for a bicycle.

@LintySoul: Oh but a helmet isn't STYLISH.

Dude, I had to petition my boyfriend's parents to buy his sister a helmet because she wouldn't buy one. Because "none of the other kids wear them".

Kids these days. AUGH!

I love the argyle but not for $500! Although, a good bike is a good bike just this one is not in my price range. Plus, difficult to buy something that I couldn't use until April(ish.) Bike+NorthwestIndiana+Cold=death wish. Heck Bike+Northwest Indiana+anytime of the year=death wish.

Ben,

You are missing the lovely cross sell here!!
When all those Gap customers lose their SUV's they couldn't afford to the repo man they need new wheels. Well who better than a Gap-FreeCreditReport cross brand. Like they do a retro just like out of the FCR commerical now running.

Perfect.

@Rectilinear Propagation: no, not as awesome as that.

@Crabby Cakes wants some Dance Biscuits.: I want it too!

@TechnoDestructo: There's all kinds of things going on in front of that Gap store, like hot dog vendors and people waiting for the cable car. It's the location, not anything Gap is providing.

@PedroAmyclas:

Okay, I stand corrected. It just seems like something they'd do.

@TechnoDestructo: That's nothing. Outside the Old Navy on State Street in Chicago, there's a crazy preacher with a loudspeaker telling everyone they're going to hell if they smoke or fornicate. He's a hoot and a half.

@Oranges w/ Cheese: You know, if they put out a matching helmet for that bike, I'd be ALL over that. And I don't even have a bike (yet).

GET ON IT, GAP

Forget Gap. I want the G-Star Raw Cannondale. Considering a pair of G-Star Raw jeans can cost as much as the Gap bike, I'm not going to even bother to ask how much their bike cost.

[www.radkom.de]

what a rip... they don't even
look good. with that amount
of money you can get an HDTV.
the only bike that comes to mind
that i would pay full price for
is the Schwinn Phantom.

They do this every Holiday season.

Last year it was a Vespa.

@jurijuri: I beg to differ

@ophmarketing: OMG I have seen that guy, he is nucking futz. He reminds me of the preacher from Little Nicky.

If you are looking to spend that much on a bike, go to a professional bicycle store. Seriously, there are much better, prettier, and longer lasting bikes there for that kind of change. I paid $450 for this:

[www.trekbikes.com]

If you look at the specs for the gap bike you will see how retarded it is, one gear, backpedal brakes, ancient design, likely no care plan and a crummy warranty, but its all in a pretty blue argyle!

If you want twenty-one gears, real brakes, top of the line Bontrager equipment, great customer service, bicycle care and advice from professionals who will match you with the right bike for you (they are like matchmakers, they find you love on two wheels), go to your local Trek dealer. By the way, Trek is made in the USA.

@LintySoul: Totally agreed! I love my Trek! It's loaded with Bontrager hardware and was less than $500! Why? It wasn't designed by a graphic designer. It was designed to be a bike!

Also, I yell at people for not wearing their helmet.

@TheStonepedo: omfg that is so true! My brother assembled bikes for walmart (ugh), and he says that he doesn't know how many are probably hurt by his bikes, but they just gave him the instruction manual and said "build it."