Marisa Tomei Rides a Bike 03/10/10

Reader Melissa tipped us off to this one — Marisa Tomei riding a gorgeous vintage-style bike as part of the promo for a new web-based series, “Into the Heart of Italy.” (Didn’t embed the whole clip since most of it is a Bertolli pasta commercial!)Melissa, who’s based in NYC, happens to be looking for a similar bike. Readers, any suggestions? Do any modern manufacturers mount the headlight on the handlebars like that? I can’t think of one . . .

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  • http://www.slowbikemiami.com Daniel M. Perez (Slow Bike Miami)

    I saw that ad the other night (during The Amazing Race) and both my wife and I said at the same time, “nice bike!” So yeah, I’d like to know as well.

  • http://www.portlandize.com Dave

    I’m sure any competent bike shop would be happy to re-mount a headlight on the handlebars like that to accommodate a basket :)

    It almost kind of looks similar to an old Schwinn Breeze or something similar. I don’t know of anything super similar that’s made currently, but might recommend a Pashley :) I mean, how can you go wrong with a Pashley? :)

    By the way, if you ever hear of an opportunity to do a culinary tour of Italy, Spain, France… let me know. How can I get on one of these shows? :)

  • http://www.portlandize.com Dave

    Sorry about the obnoxious redundancy in that last comment :) I should have said similar a few more times, I think :)

  • http://letsgorideabike.com Trisha

    @Dave, that was what I figured she’d have to do — get something altered. Most of the Pashleys, etc., place lights below the basket. But there are so many city bikes popping up these days, I thought someone might have seen one designed like that. And yes, if I find out about such an opportunity I will post here — as long as they have a space left after I have signed up. ;)

    @Daniel, I keep forgetting to watch “The Amazing Race” this season. Love the show.

  • http://letsgorideabike.com Dottie

    I have definitely seen an old Schwinn or two with lights up by the handlebars. I can’t think of any modern models like that, though.

  • philippe

    IMO she’s ridind an ABICI Amante Donna.
    http://www.abici-italia.it/index_it.html

    Now, it makes much more sense to place the light below the basket, if you ask me…

  • Frits B

    Dahon Ios, new for this spring. Has a LED headlight built into the center of the handlebars, swiveling, fed from a hub dynamo. Looks very clean. A folder with 24″ wheels.
    But any headlight can be fitted to handlebars, of course. Isn’t very effective with a basket in the way …

  • neighbourtease

    Apart from fishing through Craigslist, which of course has a ton of old bikes, Melissa could try Landmark Vintage Bicycles in the East Village. They have a large selection of old Raleighs, Schwinns, etc. and might be able to source what she would like. They’re pretty nice for an East Village bike shop, too.

  • http://www.wheredorootsbelong.wordpress.com Lorenza

    In Italy I still see a lot of bikes with their lights fixed high up on the stem/headset of the handlebars. I am sure it can be applied to other bikes too.

    An example of what I mean here

  • http://girlsandbicycles.blogspot.com Miss Sarah

    I thought the Batavus Old Dutch has a headlamp on level handbars. So do some of the Electra Amsterdam Classics!

  • http://www.portlandize.com Dave

    The Batavus and Electra both have the headlight mounted similarly to the bike Lorenza showed there, not actually on the handlebars – but that may be what you’re going for, I dunno :)

    I do agree with philippe that it makes more sense to me for the light to be mounted under the basket, as then you can still see it from in front of the bike, and it will actually light the ground as well. Anyway… :)

  • Man

    To reiterate what Miss Sarah’s stated, both Batavus and Electra offer a similar headlamp as optional equipment as do other manufacturers (Gazelle’s Toer Popular?). To clarify none of these bikes have the light mounted on the actual handlebars. The bracket that holds the light is mounted at the base of the handlebars and you can position the light up or down. I have a very similar vintage dynamo light on my bike. These vintage lights and the reproductions can fit almost any bike.

  • Tali

    Yeah, I know from experience that a bar mounted headlamp is not ideally paired with a front basket. Stuff sticking out from the top of the basket can easily block all the forward light and send it up into your eyes. It make the front basket less useful if you know you’re going to be riding in the dark.

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  • http://stylocycle.wordpress.com Morgan

    Lovely! I remember being in Prato, just outside Florence, and being blown away by all the people of all ages riding around on bikes. The old part of the city had almost no cars in it at all and it was wonderful! It didn’t cause the epiphany in me that riding in the fall in Amsterdam did because it was summer and so it didn’t ‘click’ with me that people were riding in ‘normal clothes’, but they were, of course, doing just that. Amsterdam showed me that you could ride all year long in ‘normal’ clothes.

    I agree about the headlamp, btw; I think it’s safest *under the basket*, but: I’d love to see the mounting system become more flexible. My stem is set pretty low to accommodate my short stature and that means that my basket sits right atop my lamp and we can’t put the lamp any lower because to wire to the dynamo has only one point of egress out of the stem and can’t go any lower.

  • Melissa

    Trish, Dottie and everyone who responded, thank you so much! Actually, the Chiodini Vintage bicycle is EXACTLY what I’m looking for. I’m definitely going to research the practicality of a handle-bar mounted light. Thanks again, I will keep you updated on my future bike purchase!

    • http://letsgorideabike.com Trisha

      Yay! I’m so glad we could help, Melissa.

  • http://www.usedtruckjunction.com gaush

    You can find people riding bicycle in the European countries. This is the best medium for pollution free environment.