Anatomy of a Dutch Bicycle 40

While it’s true that something which set apart proper Dutch bicycles from cheap copies is the paint finish which allows them to spend decades outdoors, not all bikes are left outside. Some homes in the Netherlands don’t have storage for bikes, but most that have been built in the last 50 years do it. Bicycle storage has been a requirement of planning permission here for two decades, and was part of the design of most homes for some time before that.

I previously posted more details of what makes for a reliable everyday Dutch bicycle.

Nice post. A bit commonplace, even though interesting.

I have an exception for these Dutch bikes: hilly areas, like such I live in. This kind of bicycles doesn’t work on climbs nor on toboggans.

Well, I must recognise that hilly urban areas are not the best for cyclists, but, since they exist, they must be considerated.

The main success of Northern Europe is to be flat. This condition makes things easier in order to encourage people to cycle.

Congrats once again for this blog from Pamplona (Spain).

Eneko
http://bicicletasciudadesviajes.blogspot.com/

Nice post and pics. As a Torontonian who rides an omafiets to/from work daily (even today despite the gloomy, slushy winter), it’s great to see someone else appreciate the secret behind great Dutch bikes: they’re comfortable all year round.

Interesting to see at least one pic with a dude riding an omafiets. Mine is occasionally called a “girls bike” — usually by some slack-jawed yokel who hasnt been on two wheels for decades!

Eneko: Hills are simply an excuse.

kfg: Quite right. I took a photo of an American “Dutch bike” at a museum here in teh Netherlands.

“If these style of bikes were used as widely in North America . . .”

I remember when they were, and when they weren’t called Dutch bikes, even if they were of European import (a lot of those came from Austria and are still fairly common on CL); so I’m not talking ancient history. About two generations of Americans were virtually unaware that anything other than sturdy sit up bikes even existed, other than perhaps an odd knowledge that there was something called a “racer,” but they’d never actually seen one. Ever.

“Mamacharis” were a common sight on American streets right up until the mountain bike boom hit. Schwinn Suburbans were popular for this and Dorel, which now actually owns the Schwinn trademark, made its bones fitting them out.

I still see CCM’s now and again as well. Canada represents!

I’ll note also that Mexico is part of North America and many of them still won’t have anything but an American style utility bike, even if they have to make do with one made in China because one made in Chicago isn’t available to them. They have never gone away, even if you have not been noticing them.

There is no harm in becoming aware of and acknowledging your own cultural history.

Bits of it might even prove worth embracing.

Nice, fairly comprehensive article of introduction. A lot of people even in Europe don’t know a lot of this.

One thing missing from your post but detailed in one of David Hembrow’s links is the traditional sturdy rear rack.

As David mentions, a primary use for this is carrying passengers, casually with no special kit, sitting side saddle (“Dutch style”, of course!).

On his Flickr pages, Marc from Amsterdamize also has tons of photos of this simple, social, sometimes romantic and certainly efficient activity.

As far as I call tell among EU states the Netherlands is the ONLY country which allows this officially (people still do it in other countries as enforcement is generally slack, but many provided racks in e.g. Germany are quite flimsy and often used for cheap and ugly baskets (unlike David Hembrow’s glorious ancestrally-channeled ones) or designed just for detachable pannier bags. One of the shops in Berlin which sells the gorgeous and rugged Dutch-made Workcycles Fr8 explicity mentions the strength of the provided rack and the limits on its utilization in Germany.

Here in Berlin I see a lot of people walking their bike next to a friend without one. Germany does not have a great pedestrian culture but rather a sort of inconsistently-applied worship of speed and – related – I imagine many of them would rather be going faster.

In response to Eneko’s comment above: I live in hilly Vancouver, BC, and I bought a Batavus omafiets in October, 2010. On the really steep hills, I simply get off my bike and push it up the hill. There’s no shame in pushing.

Dutch bikes mimic a walking position, head, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle in line on the down stroke. Hence comfortable but also mirrors the energy consumption of walking. Everything is set up for easy use, they are beyond a pleasure to use. I live in a hilly rainy city, with poor bike infrastructure everybody should have one for day to day use.

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Of course there have always been situp bikes in every country, not just Holland. But the rear rack seems not so common. If you want to give your friend a ride and you dont have that rear rack, she’ll end up on the handlebars… (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VILWkqlQLWk)

worcestershire campervan hire so wonderful and nice bike

What a great post. Made me extremely sentimental about my time living in Amsterdam. I ride a really old Miele hybrid cruiser that I got for super cheap in order to upkeep my memories but it’s definitely not the same.

These types of bikes can be as low as 150 euros in Amsterdam in the peak of the season, and in Montreal I have not been able to find a ‘true Dutchie’ any advice for brick and mortar or online retailers that sell them at student-affordable pricing?

Tell them it’s actually a “Scottish Men’s bike”.