Critical Cycles Beaumont Review


Pros	Retro look, good quality, comfortable, price
Cons	Tricky assembly, seat, shifting
Summary	The Critical Cycles Beaumont bikes are perfect for the city-dweller, with the ability to take on any urban terrain, including hills.
Our Rating	90/100
Manufacturer	Westridge

The Critical Cycles Beaumont collection includes two bicycles: the Critical Cycles Beaumont 7-Speed Diamond City Bike and the Critical Cycles Beaumont 7-Speed Step-Thru City Bike. The two models are quite similar, with the biggest difference in the shape of the frame.

The Diamond is a more traditional frame design, with two triangles making up the frame, and is also the larger of the two. The Step-Through frame has a lower top tube and higher handlebars, allowing for a lower stand-over height, easy mounting and dismounting, and upright riding that is easier on your back.

The Step-Through frame used to be known solely as a women’s bike, as the design is typically smaller and enables riders to wear a skirt or dress. Today, however, it is simply an alternate, smaller design with the benefits listed above.

The Critical Cycles Beaumont bikes are perfect for the city-dweller, with the ability to take on any urban terrain, including hills.

Tech Specs

FRAME SIZE: 50 cm – 58 cmBRAKE TYPE: Front and Rear Alloy BrakesSHIFTER: Shimano Rear Drivetrain, and a RevoShift Grip ShifterRIMS: 700c Stars Deep-v Double-wall AlloyTIRES: 700x35C Wanda Tires

These bikes are suitable for any urban, relatively flat surface, whether using for commuting, leisurely riding, or exercising. The Critical Cycles Beaumont series is tough enough to handle uneven ground and potholes but is not recommended for trail or mountain riding.

The Beaumonts are high-quality bikes crafted with study drivetrain, shifters, brakes, and tires. Though they do not arrive fully assembled, they come about 85% built, with assembly tools and instructions to simplify complete assembly. Beginners may have trouble with full assembly and have the option to go to a local bike shop for assembly help.

Frame Size

Each Beaumont model comes in multiple sizes. The Beaumont Diamond bike offers the following size options:

Small: 50cm
Medium: 54cm
Large: 58cm

The Beaumont Step-Through, on the other hand, is the smaller frame of the two, available in the following sizes:

Small/medium: 38cm
Medium/large: 44cm

Both frames are made with hand-built, high tensile strength steel, making the bikes lightweight with a softer, more absorbent ride.

Brake Type

Both the Diamond and Step-Through models include front and rear alloy brakes that offer responsive stopping, and a safer, more in-control ride.

Shifter

The Beaumont series incorporates a seven-speed, Shimano Rear drivetrain, and a RevoShift grip shifter. Because the shifter is integrated with the handlebar grips, you never have to choose between comfort and control, and shifting gears is as easy as twisting your wrist. These components provide for ultimate speed, precision, and control for riders from beginner to advanced.

Rims

The Beaumont 7-Speed bike models both come with 700c stars deep-v double-wall alloy 30mm 32H rims, with machined sidewalls.

Tires

The extra thick 700x35C Wanda tires on these bikes offer the following benefits:

Great shock absorption
Dependable and reliable gripping
Resiliency against uneven terrain and even potholes
Superior grip in wet conditions, due to a unique water dispersion tread

Price Range

The Critical Cycles Beaumont models are available on the Westridge website. They can also be found cheaper on other sites, such as Amazon.

What We Like

The Critical Cycles Beaumont bikes are a great value, with much higher quality than most other bikes of a similar price range. It’s also a sleek, retro-looking, beautiful bike that many users have raved about and gotten compliments on.

It can be tough to find a suitable and comfortable bike for shorter individuals, but the Beaumont Step-Through fits the bill perfectly. Even riders as short as 5’ report the ability to stand flat footed on the bike and the lower top bar makes getting off and on simple.

Pros

Good quality for the very affordable price
Cool retro-looking style in multiple color options
Comfortable and easy to ride
Step-Through model is excellent for shorter individuals

What We Don’t Like

Though this is a good quality bike, especially for the price, there are a few aspects that we don’t like. A primary one is the that the bike doesn’t arrive completely assembled, so new riders need to finish assembly and adjust various areas before riding. However, most local bike shops will assemble for a fairly low price.

While most users report high quality and satisfaction, a few complain about issues with gear shifting, an uncomfortable seat, or parts arriving defective.

Cons

Assembly and initial adjustments may be tricky, especially for beginners
Some users report gear shifting isn’t always smooth
Seat could be more comfortable
A few users report factory-defective or lower-quality parts

What Users Say

[rt-testimonial id=”1026505″ title=”What User’s Say”]

Buying Advice

There are a few things to consider when purchasing this bike, as well as deciding which model is best for you. If you are shorter in stature, we definitely recommend the smaller Step-Through model, which also has a lower stand-over height for easy mounting and dismounting no matter your height.

This bike is great for urban riding or simple, flat trails, but isn’t the right option for you if you’re planning to do a lot of off-road or mountain biking.

Though the quality is good, you may benefit from a few of these tips:

Upgrade the seat to a more comfortable option, especially if you will ride often or for longer distances
Consider taking it to a local bike shop if you are not comfortable on assembly
Upgrade some of the ancillary parts, such as the replacing the bell with a higher quality one or adding a basket to the back

Conclusion

Overall, the Critical Cycles Beaumont 7-Speed Diamond City Bike and the Critical Cycles Beaumont 7-Speed Step-Thru City Bike are great options for urban and suburban dwellers looking for a quality bicycle at a good price. This line of bikes isn’t top of the line, but both are stylish and reliable.