Electra Flat Foot Technology

Home • Men's Electra Townies • Women's Electra Townies
Townie Types • Flat Foot Technology • Contact • Inquiry

Electra Flat Foot Technology
To most bike companies, putting your feet flat on the ground is a foreign concept. For Benno, it was a simple solution to the greatest inherent problem in bicycles today, the fear-of-bikes factor. This same fear is a barrier to cycling and a healthy lifestyle for far too many folks out there.

For Benno, the lower center-of-gravity seating and forward pedaling were incredibly comfortable. And an inspiration. The seat is suddenly lower, allowing you to put your feet flat on the ground. Revolutionary? We think so, but we’ll ask an expert.

We’ll let a test editor, not just any, but Zapata Espinoza, tell us what he thinks: “The Electra Townie. I totally get it. It is all things needed in a re-entry bike.

Lightweight aluminum frame and forward pedaling make it fast. Lowered seat height makes it feel safe. This user-friendly bike is different. I hope it will open cycling up to a whole new audience. This is a bike I know my wife would enjoy, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to a friend.“

And we think that is a pretty serious endorsement from a guy who knows his bikes.

Flat Foot Technology  (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Ladies' model Townie. In 2003, the company introduced a major new design: the Townie. This bike’s innovation was what the company calls “Flat Foot Technology.” Simply put, when the rider is sitting on the saddle, his or her feet can still stand flat on the ground, making the rider feel much safer and more comfortable. At the same time, riders can still get full extension when they pedal. Baenziger achieved this breakthrough by combining the cruiser frame with some of the geometry of recumbent bikes, moving the pedals forward and the seat back. Although ads claim that the design is easier on the back and knees than traditional bicycles, the real advantage is that novice riders feel at ease on the bike. The Townie is the embodiment of the “bikes for people who don’t ride bikes” Electra philosophy.

The design has won wide acclaim and has enticed many older Americans back onto a bike. The Townie is an ideal first bike or re-entry bike for lapsed riders, because it is easy and comfortable to ride, and the “flat foot” design overcomes the number one fear of many non-cyclists: falling off the bike. "The bike had to be easy to ride and put a smile on your face," Baenziger says.