The color alone is bright, vibrant, and full of personality and it turns heads every time I ride. I’m transitioning from a beach cruiser to a city bike, and the Franklin 8 has made that shift effortless. It’s the smoothest ride I’ve ever experienced and it truly glides like butter, even on San Diego’s bumpy streets.
I needed a bike that could keep up with our crew (my husband and our friends are serious riders!), and this one delivers. From meetups in Mid-City to cruising through Balboa Park, the Franklin 8 handles it all. I especially love that it has both backpedal and handlebar brakes are perfect for my comfort and confidence as I level up my riding game.
Delivery and setup were seamless. Brooklyn Bicycle Co. arranged for a local shop to assemble it, and it was ready in record time. I even received a proactive email from their team offering a refund for an accessory I had ordered that wasn’t compatible. Who does that anymore?! Truly kind and generous icons.
I took advantage of the Warehouse Deal and honestly… I can’t find a single imperfection. This bike is perfection.
10/10 recommend!! I’m officially a lifelong fan of Brooklyn Bicycle Co!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thorough review Olivia. We love having you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family and appreciate your enthusiasm for your bike. Enjoy the ride and thanks again. - Ryan Zagata
It's my second bike. My first is a road bike. I use it for getting around the city. My girlfriend is sharing the Lorimer, re-learning to bike (yes, riding a bike isn't as easy as riding a bike). We both appreciate everything about it. Great frame, great design (7 gears with a very wide range, nice and simple). And it looks great, beautiful cream color, great typeface, and the Brooklyn Bridge on the head tube! I got Timbuck2 saddle bags. My Lorimer gets me around town faster than public transportation or taxis.
Thank you for sharing Richard. Glad we're your consummate companion. Thrilled to have you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata
I love my bike. I am just starting my biking journey and this bike makes it easy and enjoyable. The ordering to pick up was also pretty seamless..no complaints.
Thank you for sharing Tanya. We are thrilled you're enjoying your Lorimer hybrid bike. -Ryan Zagata
The bike is nice. I bought it because I loved the coral color. Rides well. I already lost the kickstand cap, and it’s only been a few weeks. The pickup process was painful. Overall, I’m happy with it.
Thanks for sharing your feedback Jacqueline. We're thrilled that you're happy with your bike. I dropped you a private message to understand more about yoru experience with your pickup process. Thanks again and welcome to the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata
THE BIKE IS FABULOUS! PRETTY, LIGHT WEIGHT, AND A MUST WITH THE ACCESSORIES . BASKET, BELL, AND THE BOX ON BACK. ORDERING EASY. DELIEVRY TO LOCAL BIKE STORE FOR ASSEMBLY. COULD NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the bike and our Buy & Ride program Gina. Our team loves delighting customers and this feedback suggests they've hit the mark yet again. We're thrilled to have you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata
Fantastic bicycle
Appreciate you sharing your feedback Kevin. Happy to have you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata
Personable staff, and solid product. Would recommend.
Thank you for sharing Ryan. We're delighted to have you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata
I'm extremely picky about finding a high quality bike that is smooth to ride. This is the bike! I'm so glad I finally found this, the red color is gorgeous too. It's a showstopper!
Thank you Chelsey. We'll take 'showstopper' for the win. Appreciate the kind words and we share your love for that red. Thrilled to have you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata
I love how this bike rides. It’s super smooth and perfect for getting around town. I literally get compliments on it every time I am out. I just got one for my wife as well!
Thank you for sharing Aaron. We're thrilled you're enjoying your bike and that you've also introduced your wife to our brand. -Ryan Zagata
Overall, I like the bike. The gears work well, I’m very happy about them being internal, and the bike itself is very light-weight and mobile.
However, the handlebar height can’t be adjusted, so they end up too low for this to be a true sit-up-straight bike like those in Denmark (where I’m from).
I had some issues with assembly, where one of the back wheel screws wasn’t tight enough so it came loose, and the back cover started going onto the wheel and the chain became so loose it’d fall off. But I went to the assembly place and they quickly fixed it up for me, so that was a good experience.
The brakes are super smooth, which is very nice!
Though I found it a bit weird to not have pedal-brakes like I normally have on my bike in Denmark, just like it was weird for me to not have spring bracing on the front end…
The handlebar covers feel good, but the stoppers (the round plastic thingies that go on the end of the covers) both fell out after just having my bike for two weeks. It doesn’t affect the usage of the bike, but it’s something to be aware of.
The bike also comes without a rear-rack, which is something to be aware.
Thanks so much for the detailed and thoughtful feedback and for riding with us.
We're thrilled to hear you're enjoying the internal gearing and lightweight feel of the Willow 7. You're absolutely right, those internal hubs are a game changer for smooth, low-maintenance riding.
As for the handlebar height, great observation. The Willow features a modern threadless stem, which helps keep the bike lighter (you felt that) while maintaining durability and performance. It’s a more contemporary design choice that many urban riders prefer here in the States.
Coaster brakes and spring suspension are more common in parts of Europe, but in the U.S. market, we’ve found that hydraulic disc brakes (like the ones on your Willow) offer superior stopping power and performance, especially in city conditions. They're actually the same technology used in many cars, so we're glad you noticed the smooth feel.
We also appreciate your shoutout to the local partner. Our assembly partners are a key part of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. experience, and we’re happy to hear they got you sorted quickly.
Thanks again for your review, it helps us keep improving and ensures future riders know exactly what to expect. -Ryan Zagata
very satisfied! easy to install
We're thrilled to hear that our kickstand met your expectations and that installation was a breeze. -Ryan Zagata
Just bought a second pair for my new bike. I've used them on my snow bike for a few years and the comfort snd stability is amazing.
Thank you for shairng. Thrilled to be a part of your daily rides. -Ryan Zagata
great bike
great staff
great follow up !
Thank you for sharing Karen. We're thrilled that you had such a great experience with our team and that you're enjoying your new commuter bike. -Ryan Zagata
I have had a Brooklyn Bike for the past few years. I enjoy taking it for rides. Just ordered this bundle not long ago. I enjoy taking the bike on trail rides. Just did a 20 mile trip this past week and got so many compliments.
Love the retro look of the bike and the box. Very functional.
Thanks for sharing Landen. So glad you're enjoying your rear crate and scoring some compliments along the way. -Ryan Zagata
Top notch service from the moment I inquired about purchasing my bike, my Lorimer has been a great purchase. Light frame, beautiful and super convenient for my urban commuter needs. Thank you Brooklyn bikes for such a smooth experience!!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience Natalia. Thrilled to have you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. - Ryan Zagata
The rear carrier is very sturdy and stylish. I use equipment straps to secure things I need on it, but otherwise it looks great on my bike. I recommend it.
Thanks for sharing Abe. Carriers make for a great addition when riding about with cargo. -Ryan Zagata
Buying my 2nd set.
Glad to have you back for more Drew. -Ryan Zagata
I absolutely love this bike. I ordered it a month ago. The shifting is simple and easy, the style looks amazing. The ride is smooth and handles great. The bike is light weight for its size yet very sturdy. I get a lot of compliments when I’m out riding.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a fun review. We're thrilled you're enjoying your bike and appreciate the photos. -Ryan Zagata
Fantastic quality and exactly what I needed!
Thank you for sharing Mario. We're thrilled you're enjoying your cargo carrying rear bike crate. -Ryan Zagata
I've had my Roebling for around six months now. It's been a good experience. The key use for me is for utility rides, but sometimes for athletic rides too. Everything has really checked out with it. Brakes, gears, tires, etc. The layout with the bike tends to support my efficient ride style, where I want the speed I can get from it, where I'm tucked into it, and am able to respond to any traffic problems. I did have one flat early on with it and patched it. For myself, while the tires are good, and are the same size compared to what I sized down to on my Marin hybrid (35C) I'm planning on sizing down to 32C with this for the speed and city streets. I did have an issue with the left rear brake arm locking on me, but when I removed the arm, it was obviously related to too much crud built up or left. Cleaned and lubed and it straightened out for me. The other three haven't done that yet, but now I know the take down for those. The 29 pound weight is reasonable and three lbs. under what the Marin weighs, and five over what my steel State road bike weighs.
Thanks so much for sharing such a thorough review Derek. We're honored to have our Roebling as part of your stable of bikes. The Roebling is a fun do-it-all bike and from the sounds of it, it's delivering as promised. -Ryan Zagata
Ha rent really had a major reason to use it but it seems great.
I’m curious why you don’t sell more accessories? Gloves, lights, leg straps, shoe covers
Thank you for sharing Karen. We sell quite a few accessories - mostly those that we use in our daily riding, so that includes things like lights, bells, racks and panniers. We don't often use gloves or shoe covers so we don't carry them. -Ryan Zagata
My new Roebling bike seems solid and the riding smooth for my first 1.5 months since I purchased it. I need to store my bike outside and this winter was hard with snow and freezing rain. The breaks completely froze one day and when thawed, the break parts became too loose to use safely on the busy urban streets. I needed to get it back to the shop I bought it from to have the complimentary 30-day tune-up, but I had to pay for new break parts. It felt weird to having to pay over $50 for a $700 bike I bought 1.5 m months ago. But overall the bike is solid, and seems to take the varied surfaces I travel on, including some big potholes, without all bike parts coming loose. I do love the positioning of the gear shifts and how the gear range helps me to get up some steep hills. Overall I'm hopeful my Roebling will handle the difficult road surfaces, long distances, and the outdoor elements, while I ride 50 miles per week for my day job.
Thanks for the detailed review, Colin. We're sorry to hear that winter turned your brakes into an impromptu ice sculpture. While our bikes are built for urban adventures, extreme weather can sometimes have other plans for even the best built bikes out there. If possible, indoor storage is likiely to save your brakes and other components from their frosty escapades in the future. We truly appreciate your honest feedback and are glad you're enjoying the ride overall. -Ryan Zagata
Nice looking wooden crate, but it arrived with a few chips in the finish and has progressively gotten worse with minimal cargo.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback Jeff. The 'factory deal' rear crate that you opted for was heavily discounted because they have cosmetic imperfections as noted on the product page. It is purely a cosmetic imperfection and does not impact the perforamnce of the crate. -Ryan Zagata
Love this thing for daily errands and love the fact that it was professionally assembled. It is light and speedy and looks so good!
Thanks so much for sharing Dan. We're thrilled you're enjoying your Wythe fixie bike and it's great having you in the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. family. -Ryan Zagata