Photo courtesy of Peter Bojanczyk for The Urban Country
On Sunday I bought a used 2011 Batavus Fryslan bicycle that I spotted on Craigslist to replace my 2010 Fryslan that was stolen in March.
Last night we tested the rear rack while my 210-pound colleague Al sat side saddle while we transported ourselves from one pub to another.
It was a little wobbly at first since we didn’t do the customary Dutch Side Saddle Hop, but once we got moving it was smooth sailing.
Just another example of why bicycles are the most pragmatic, fastest and fun way to get around the city – even when one member in your group has no bike.
And yes, sitting side saddle is technically illegal in Toronto. So sue me.
James D. Schwartz is the Editor of The Urban Country and is based in Toronto, Canada. You can contact James at james.schwartz@theurbancountry.com or follow him on Twitter.
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Regarding the stolen Batavus, did you have the frame code recorded? I happened to see the same model outside the Eaton Centre recently.
Unfortunately I don’t have the SN# written down for the old one, and I contacted the store where I bought it from and they didn’t have it noted down either. But if you see it again, could you just snap a quick photo of it and send it to me? I could probably tell almost immediately if it was mine based on the parts, the rust, etc. (james.schwartz@theurbancountry.com). Thanks!!
It didn’t appear to have rust but I’ll definitely take a photo if I see it again.
It didn’t have a lot of rust and the rust wouldn’t be noticable unless looking at it closely. It just had little spots of rust in places that I would know it was mine if I saw it 🙂
Happened to see it again. It’s not this one, is it?
Nope, that’s not mine. My old one had a step-through frame. Thanks for taking a photo though!
what kind of rear rack do you have that supports a person?
It’s just the standard rack that came with my Batavus Fryslan bike. I think pretty much all bikes that are made in the Netherlands will support a person.