When the designers at Electra dreamed up the Glam Punk 3i in their sun-strewn Californian studio, they probably didn’t imagine it dodging glass on a bike lane in Moss Side in the rain. It languished in the office for ages while I agonised over what to wear astride such a ludicrous machine. You can’t rock a high-vis cagoule on a gold-and-black cruiser with leather handlebar streamers and a saddle studded like a camp Christingle orange. Electra’s website suggested I accessorise my ride with a mint-green beanie and cap-sleeved black T-shirt but it was 5C and chucking it down and I wanted to wear my helmet. “Turn sidewalks into runways,” they said, but Greater Manchester police had declared war on pavement cyclists the previous week and I didn’t fancy a fixed-penalty fine.
When I eventually plucked up the courage to take it out, one mate asked if I was offering a mobile dominatrix service. Snoop Dogg slopes around Compton on a cruiser in his Gin and Juice video; I took mine for a drink in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. My friend Steve fell about laughing. “It’s so butch,” he said, “and yet it’s got a kickstand and a bell.”
Once I had become inured to people laughing and pointing, I got quite into the Glam Punk. It may have been invented in the Californian sunshine, but the gold-swirled mudguards – sorry, fenders – are perfect for navigating puddles in a Mancunian spring. The swept-back handlebars are supposed to mimic a Harley zooming down Route 66, but I just appreciated the space they took up on the mean streets of Old Trafford. Far fewer drivers attempted to squeeze past me than when I’m on my road bike. The Electra’s width was less helpful when blocking my hallway, however, and I noticed the matt frame picked up a lot of scratches whenever I caught it on the way through.
The bike comes with patented “flat foot technology”, which basically offers an upright, relaxed riding position with proper leg extension that also lets you plant your feet flat on the ground whenever you want without leaving the saddle, making it good for nervous riders. The back pedal coaster brake takes a little getting used to, but the three gears were all I needed for navigating the Lancastrian plains. That, and an ability to carry on pedalling when everyone around me takes the mick.
Specifications
Price £675
Frame Electra Boomerang 6061-T6 Alloy Flat Foot Technology
Fork High-tensile steel uni-crown
Front hub Shimano roller brake Alloy 36H
Rear hub Shimano Nexus 3-speed w/coaster 36H
Shifter Shimano Nexus 3-speed twist
Extras Painted fenders, integrated kickstand, stainless steel and anti-rust hardware and bell, Glam Punk genuine leather studded tassels
