Buying a bike in Holland, then riding home

[HelenD123]

Cycle Heaven in York has a huge range of Gazelles. Might be worth checking out before you venture to the Netherlands. Also remember that it's legal in the Netherlands just to have one brake but that would be illegal here so choose carefully if you go the Dutch route.

 

[slowmotion]

If you live near Harwich, I guess you'll be on the Stena ferries to the Hoek. The bike racks on the ferry can be a bit weird. Take about a metre of nylon cord to tie your bars to the rack. Paracord from Ebay works well.

 

[grldtnr]

If you live near Harwich, I guess you'll be on the Stena ferries to the Hoek. The bike racks on the ferry can be a bit weird. Take about a metre of nylon cord to tie your bars to the rack. Paracord from Ebay works well.

Yes ,I've traveled on the Stena many times, last 3 times with my recumbent trike, which doesn't need a bike rack, I just put the parking brake on and leave it in gear!

 

[CXRAndy]

Great idea, if there is a specific bike and features you want and cant get elsewhere.

Sod the declaration of duties, governments waste our money, get it cheapest and best from wherever you can.

Good luck on your mini adventure

 

[CXRAndy]

I once bought a mountain bike in Poland. 2nd or 3rd ride I thought it would be fun to pull a 180 on a grassy bank. Rammed on the left brake and straight over the handlebars. Thankfully only injured pride. Swapped them over as soon as I got home.

I got at the time the cheapest set of Di2 hydraulic brakes from Germany, knowing they were reversed. First job swap hydraulic hoses over on levers, job done.

A year later after Shimamo factory burnt down, prices shot thru the roof





Has did the flames at the Shimano factory

 

[Hornchurch]

Also remember that it's legal in the Netherlands just to have one brake

But that would be illegal here so choose carefully if you go the Dutch route.

Is that really truthfully so ? (BTW, "loving" your avatar, Helen !)

Can anyone actually prove it AND actually point to me, where it says that, legally, in print ?


Jamie Whitham was a famous Yorkshire British Motorcycle Champion during the late 1980's & early 1990's

He also ended-up "doing the commentary" on the British rounds, seen on the well-known channel, "I.T.V"


Back in the days when HE was a 'Champion Racer', he ONLY ever used to use the front-brakes (twin-discs)

When I wuz a professional M/cycle Instructor, we were also told, that....

"Due to forward motion AND inertia, your FRONT BRAKES equate to at least 75% of your stopping power"


Now, given that cycles (pushbikes), ARE infinitely SLOWER that a 120+mph M/cycle, I cannot see it being "different", huh ?

Perhaps I'm "too ingrained" with what I was taught (D.S.A = Driving Standards Agency)

Even the SLOWEST bikes (on 'Direct-Access' courses), were 500cc M/cycles, infinitely faster than ANY pushbike or cycle


I've been 'cycling' (pushbikes) since 1968 & have only ever been stopped ONCE, waaay back in 1972

That's because I'm tall (& was then) & was caught "riding on the pavement" - I wuz eleven yrs old

Meanwhile, March 2022, I purchased THREE pushbikes (2 x Road Bikes & 1 x MTB) this year & ALL are/have been serviced

The cycle (Claud Butler MTB) I've had since 1998 is still mint, but, I've disconnected the back-brake entirely - (reasons, above)


Are you ACTUALLY saying Helen, that, in the remote unlikelyhood that I WILL get stopped, I'm running illegal ?

I'd like to clarify that (please), as I fear that, Jamie Whitham (at OVER a regular 120mph) seemed to know what he's doing.

Meantime, Fat-A$$ "Me", traveling at around a meagre 15mph, has never felt "in danger", nor compromised by lack of rear-brake !

Bike looks immaculate, works just fine - Does it for me - Been riding it since June 1998 & am still here, intact.

I was told that the rear-wheel (Pushbike, or, M/cycle), is actually DRAGGING inertia, so, only constitutes 25% "At Best"

Lastly, I used to earn my weekly-wage & pay my mortgage URGING M/cyclists NOT to "snatch the front brakes"

(lest they fell, when I wuz teaching them "Emergency Stops" for their actual forthcoming Driving-Test)

.

 

[Time Waster]

https://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-library/regulations/construction-use

This is from the CUK website guidance on bikes. Two independent brakes, one for front wheel(s) and one for rear ones. It's the legal requirement unless you brought your bike in from overseas for temporary use like a holiday.

 

[Cycleops]

Of course the chance you getting stopped for only having one brake are almost nil as @Hornchurch says but if you are involved in an accident without one then the other person’s insurers could argue your bike did not meet the legal requirement for braking and reduce your compensation. Should the accident be your fault that would then increase your culpability.

 

[Time Waster]

Oh and aiui motorcycles need an effective braking system that uses two independent front and rear systems or one system operating front and rear brakes. Iirc the Honda braking system uses one brake lever to operate front and rear brakes. This is of course for all motorcycles produced after 1927 I believe, there's also a change late 60s about 1968.

So it matters not whether a famous motorcycle racer chose to operate one or two motorcycle brakes on his bikes used on the road or not. It's written down in stutory regulations or instruments. Whether you choose to obey these is also up to you.

Same applies for bicycles. I'm sure very occasionally both motorcyclists and bicyclists have fallen foul of these regulations, however rare those cases have been.

BTW motorcycles are not very analogous to bicycles other than sharing the same number of wheels. Different uses and applications I reckon, sufficient for enough reason to not look to one for guidance on using the other. Just my opinion of course.

 

[bitsandbobs]

I think the OP probably needs to consider whether bike shops in NL will actually have much in stock. You might get lucky, but likely not.

 

[vickster]

I think the OP probably needs to consider whether bike shops in NL will actually have much in stock. You might get lucky, but likely not.

Presumably he’s planning on ordering a particular model or bike in advance and not just turning up on spec to buy any Dutch bike a shop happens to have?

 

[normgow]

This question of which brake lever controls which brake has got me quite intrigued.
Most Continental pros seem to favour left lever - front brake but looking at some reports of old races I find Eddy Merckx in the 1968 Paris-Roubaix with his front brake operated by the RH lever, Felice Gimondi too. Later that same year in the GP des Nations the Italian champion still had this set-up.
At the Tour of Flanders 1969 Eddy Merckx had swapped to left lever - front brake which he also used in Paris-Roubaix a week later.
What does this all mean? Perhaps which side you get out of bed on a particular morning has a bearing.

 

[All uphill]

I often think I'd like a left hand front brake for those occasions when I'm signalling a right turn in traffic. The rear brake alone isn't always enough.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It sounds like you have never ridden a Koga bike

Which you can buy in the UK

 

[Andy in Germany]

I often think I'd like a left hand front brake for those occasions when I'm signalling a right turn in traffic. The rear brake alone isn't always enough.

A good point. It's curious then, that in Europe it's the other way around.