Grist: Is Detroit making the Model T of bicycles?

Taking a page from Henry Ford, Detroit Bikes is manufacturing a simple product with what it hopes will have mass appeal. Its three-speed Model A is a simple, durable bicycle inspired in part by Henry Ford's Model T, a one-size-fits all car that revolutionized the auto industry. Grist, a self-proclaimed "source of intelligent, irreverent environmental news and commentary" had this to say about Detroit Bikes and its founder Zak Pashak:

"The bicycles that Pashak makes are simple. Not fixie simple; practical simple. Three speeds, fenders, and a chain guard, with a frame made of lightweight chromoly steel. The first one was named the Model A – a riff on Ford Motor Company’s Model T. Like the Model T, it only comes in one size, and you can buy it in any color, as long as that color is black. (A second model, the Model B, comes only in white.) The plan is to keep the selling price under $700 (spendy, but about as low as you can get when buying a new bike with decent components), and appeal to the same type of person who would buy the European commuter-style bikes made by Linus or Public (neither of which makes their bikes in the U.S.)."

Read more about Detroit Bikes and other Detroit bicycle manufacturers on Grist.