Meet DuraBike

by Greg Bowen, PCI #1227T
Tarrant County College (TX) Police Department
IPMBA Industry Liaison

Welcome to IPMBA’s newest Corporate Member:  DuraBike. 

Brenden Westin, the founder of DuraBike, was deployed to the Middle East and Africa.  He questioned why the bikes at his deployment locations were almost always rusted and in pieces.  This frustration inspired him to develop what he has dubbed, “Earth’s toughest bike”.  

In his words:

“DuraBike was engineered to thrive in austere environments and require an absolute bare minimum amount  of maintenance.

DuraBike’s mission is to provide the most durable and reliable bikes to working riders.

The world needs a bike designed for work; used by professional organizations, with reliability that can be depended on.

I am a life-long cyclist and bike mechanic.  My perspective comes from my experience as an Air Force operator, medical device quality engineer, and production plant manager.  I value reliability and equipment.  I designed DuraBike to fill a gap in the service bike market by developing a  bike that defines a new value point between performance, utility, and service-life. 

DuraBikes are designed to be ridden in all weather conditions, year-round, with minimal maintenance. 

They feature a sealed gearbox transmission, carbon fiber belt, stronger wheels, puncture proof tires, and a comfortable frame.  DuraBikes will last many years longer than traditional bikes at a fraction of the cost, thus saving organizations time, money, and headaches.”

Lars Irvine, EMSCI #251, West Hartford (CT) Fire Department, and Jeff Foran, PCI #1668, Manchester (CT) Police Department (retired), both performed test rides and provided their impressions of the DuraBike.  This review is a compilation of their insights and opinions.

Jeff stated, “Overall, the design and concept of the gearbox and belt-driven DuraBike seem to have resulted in a high-quality, purpose-built bike that any police department could seamlessly incorporate into their fleet”. 

Lars stated, “Overall, for the public safety riding that we do, I think the twelve-speed version of the DuraBike is the most suitable [it is also available with six or eighteen speeds].  The bike rides well, has a great build quality, and requires less maintenance”.  He added, “I think that this is a great new bike for any department”.

Having been responsible for maintaining a fleet of public safety bicycles, Lars’ interest was piqued when he heard about a bike without a chain that required little to no maintenance.  He understands that high-quality, more expensive components generally offer better performance than lesser ones, but they still require time and maintenance in order to last long and perform well.  DuraBike solved the problem of having to repair, adjust and maintain a bicycle drivetrain by providing a bike with a gear box and belt drive.

Lars observed that the bike was a little different than what he was used to riding.  The bike is equipped with a twist (grip) shifter, but he was surprised how well it performed.  He had to adjust to the need to stop pedaling in order to shift.  He commented on how crisply and cleanly the bike changed gears and how quiet the bike was to ride without the sounds of the chain and the derailleur. 

Lars appreciated the Surly Sunrise handlebars, which provided a good, heads-up riding position that he described as helpful “for those handlebar surveys”.  His demo bike was equipped with a seat dropper post, which he said made for a comfortable ride.  I never thought of installing a dropper post on my patrol bike, but why not?

Jeff stated, “I liked the overall comfort and shifting of the bike.  The wheels, tires, dropper post, and front fork made it a high-quality, solid package”.  The bike he tested had a rear cargo rack and bag.  However, he suggested changing that to a rear rack that would accommodate a trunk bag that could be more easily removed.

He noted that the bike did not have a silent hub.  Anymore, how many bikes have silent hubs?  They seem to be a thing of the past, even on patrol bikes.  Our IPMBA training and experience teaches us that we can overcome the clicking of the rear hub by applying a gentle pedaling motion when we want to make a stealthy approach. 

Jeff also emphasized that the DuraBike, being almost maintenance-free, should help to reduce the yearly expenditures for a bike unit, and that the bean-counters need to look beyond the purchase price and factor the cost savings into the equation.  The bike has a reasonable price considering the high-quality components.  Though it is not yet available, the cost is expected to range $2000-$3000. 

As for my thoughts, when I was first approached by Brenden as he was entertaining the idea of developing a belt drive bike to be marketed to public safety, I was intrigued.  I was a bit surprised that the DuraBike would have a steel frame.  There are some benefits to a steel frame.  A steel frame can be more comfortable.  The ride is smoother because the frame is not completely rigid, which helps it dampen and absorb road vibrations.  I would not worry so much about weight on a patrol bike.  Even a lightweight bike becomes a heavy bike after we load it up with our public safety equipment.

Brenden expects production bikes to be available in late 2022 or early 2023.  He is accepting pre-orders with a 30% deposit.  In the meantime, come to Dayton, Ohio, June  20-25, 2022, for the 30th IPMBA Conference (finally!).  Brenden will be offering test rides and an opportunity to get acquainted with the new DuraBike. 

DuraBike Specs

Bicycle: $2,150 - $3,175

OPTIONS

• Frame:  Chromoly steel, gloss black, ED coated
• Transmission:  6, 9, or 12 speed
• Drive system:  Carbon belt
• Fork:  Rigid or suspension fork
• Brakes:  Stainless steel or standard cable disc brakes
• Seatpost:  Suspension dropper or standard seatpost
• Wheels:  27.5+,  29” standard, or DuraWheels
• Tires:  2.2-2.8” urban, mixed, or trail with puncture- proof liner

STANDARD EQUIPMENT 

• Bottle cage and direct-mount kickstand

ACCESSORIES

• Carrying System +185
  • Topeak Explorer MTX Rack, Topeak DXP trunk bag, Topeak top tube bag + 185
• Law Enforcement Light Package + $390 
  • NiteRider dual 600L with pursuit flashing, siren, and flashing tail lights

After our break due to COVID-19, I look forward to seeing the “regulars” and meeting some of our newest IPMBA members!

Greg is a police captain for the Tarrant County College Police Department in Central Texas.  He attended the IPMBA Police Cyclist Course in 2001, hosted by Denton Police Department, and started the bike unit for his department.  In 2011, he attended the IPMBA Police Cyclist Instructor Course in Richmond, Virginia.  He was fortunate to attend several IPMBA Conferences.  He always thought that Fort Worth, Texas, would be an outstanding location for a conference.  After building a relationship with the Fort Worth Police Department, he was asked by their bike unit commander about co-hosting a conference.  Of course, he said “yes”.  After over a year of planning, Tarrant County College Police Department and Fort Worth Police Department were co-hosts to the 2019 IPMBA Conference.  After having such a positive experience working with the leaders of IPMBA, Greg decided in 2020 year to run for a position on the IPMBA Board of Directors.  He was elected and appointed to the at-large position of Industry Liaison.  He can be reached at industry@ipmba.org. 

Photo courtesy DuraBike.

(c) 2022 IPMBA.  This review appeared in the 2022 Product Guide issue of IPMBA News.

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