TenaciousDH
Active Member
Hi all. Currently a MTB rider but age and practicality has me looking at commuter/city/pub/errand bikes.
Dutch bike curious
- Thread starter TenaciousDH
- Start date
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Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
to CC.New or used? What's your budget? Hub gear , single speed or derailleur, if so how many speeds? What kind of use is it going to get? Do you want a true 'dutch' style or would something like a hybrid do?
Gwylan
Veteran
- Location
- All at sea⛵
My wife rides a Dutch bike. Swears by it.
I cannot bear to ride the bloody thing. Awful posture. OK in a straight line or a gentle curve. Any fancy turning and it all goes pear shaped
The upright position more suited to a mature district nurse.
The sight of a chap on step through bike is unsettling for me.
But everyone to their own.
I cannot bear to ride the bloody thing. Awful posture. OK in a straight line or a gentle curve. Any fancy turning and it all goes pear shaped
The upright position more suited to a mature district nurse.
The sight of a chap on step through bike is unsettling for me.
But everyone to their own.
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
They're great for their intended purpose - short, relaxed, comfortable, flat, practical urban journeys with minimal disturbance to clothing or need for regular maintanence (at least the proper ones with hub gears and coaster brakes).
Probably worth trying before you buy; personally they're too slow, heavy and narrowly geared with big jumps for me to live with and I suspect the coaster brake would take a lot of getting used to. There are less pure variants with more capable derailleur gears and rim brakes, however they'll still be pretty slow thanks to the poor power transfer and aero drag associated with the upright riding position..
Probably worth trying before you buy; personally they're too slow, heavy and narrowly geared with big jumps for me to live with and I suspect the coaster brake would take a lot of getting used to. There are less pure variants with more capable derailleur gears and rim brakes, however they'll still be pretty slow thanks to the poor power transfer and aero drag associated with the upright riding position..
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raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
. If vintage style interests, see if you can pick up a nice 531 mixte frame. Won't be too heavy, and can be made to use fairly modern kit. Or an old Marin Pine Mountain or similar rigid mtb, they make great do-it-all bikes.
OP
OP
TenaciousDH
Active Member
Thanks for all the replies so far. I've recently been trying to replace short car journeys with a bike. My hardtail MTB (Pinnacle Iroko) is great for bombing around the woods or trail centres but I rode it to the doctors surgery and back the other day and it was really hard work (very long uphill return). Wrong geometry, wrong tyres, great bike but the wrong bike for the job.
My long term plan is to get a bike for trips to the shops, errands, train station, "relaxed, comfortable, flat (mostly), practical urban journeys" as wafter wrote. Hence my interest in a dutch style bike . I realise that dutch bikes work particularly well in the Netherlands because of its terrain and the fantastic cycling infrastructure they have and that might not translate to riding round Northampton, UK. I'd prefer a more upright riding position (I had open heart surgery this year, I prefer not to place to much weight on my arms/chest), hub gears would be nice but I'm ok with a derailleur if the bike is right (at least 3 gears, preferably more - my current bike is 1x10, great off road but not so great on). I say hub for the hopefully reduced maintenance. The ability to fit a cafe/wheel lock would be a bonus, same with a pannier rack, kickstand, mud guards and chain guard. New, used or vintage, I don't mind. Used is a plus as it probably wouldn't be as knickable. Budget would start around £400 but like I said, I'm not in a massive hurry and the budget might rise for the right bike.
True Dutch or Hybrid, I don't mind but I'd prefer more of a step through frame. I suppose I'm looking for something with the best aspects of a Dutch bike rather than a true Dutch bike.
The 531 Mixte frames look fascinating (thanks DCBassman), I wasn't even aware they existed. With a slightly taller stem and the right bars I reckon one could be made to have a more upright position. So many bike rabbit holes to disappear down when you join a bike forum... I can see this being an expensive pastime...
My long term plan is to get a bike for trips to the shops, errands, train station, "relaxed, comfortable, flat (mostly), practical urban journeys" as wafter wrote. Hence my interest in a dutch style bike . I realise that dutch bikes work particularly well in the Netherlands because of its terrain and the fantastic cycling infrastructure they have and that might not translate to riding round Northampton, UK. I'd prefer a more upright riding position (I had open heart surgery this year, I prefer not to place to much weight on my arms/chest), hub gears would be nice but I'm ok with a derailleur if the bike is right (at least 3 gears, preferably more - my current bike is 1x10, great off road but not so great on). I say hub for the hopefully reduced maintenance. The ability to fit a cafe/wheel lock would be a bonus, same with a pannier rack, kickstand, mud guards and chain guard. New, used or vintage, I don't mind. Used is a plus as it probably wouldn't be as knickable. Budget would start around £400 but like I said, I'm not in a massive hurry and the budget might rise for the right bike.
True Dutch or Hybrid, I don't mind but I'd prefer more of a step through frame. I suppose I'm looking for something with the best aspects of a Dutch bike rather than a true Dutch bike.
The 531 Mixte frames look fascinating (thanks DCBassman), I wasn't even aware they existed. With a slightly taller stem and the right bars I reckon one could be made to have a more upright position. So many bike rabbit holes to disappear down when you join a bike forum... I can see this being an expensive pastime...
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
If you have to make long uphill trips then forget about a traditional Dutch bike. They're heavy and high geared.
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
@Hebe of this parish has a beautiful Dawes mixte, to give some idea. I previously had a Revell which adapted well also.
Hello and welcome! I do have a Dawes Cambridge mixte, steel, 7 derailleur gears so not brilliant at climbing but perfect for shopping/errands. Front basket. I swapped out the saddle for a Brooks and the mudguards for Velo Orange ones. It's superbly comfortable and very reliable.
I bought a Marin Larkspur 2 (the new model) recently, which is also steel, step through, upright seating position and will take basket/rack etc. But it also has very hill friendly gearing and a dropper seat post and big tyres. Lots of fun and very comfortable too. I'll add photos later.
I bought a Marin Larkspur 2 (the new model) recently, which is also steel, step through, upright seating position and will take basket/rack etc. But it also has very hill friendly gearing and a dropper seat post and big tyres. Lots of fun and very comfortable too. I'll add photos later.
Moon bunny
Judging your grammar.
- Location
- Basking in my own brilliance.
I have a Pashley Aurora Mixte in mint green which I love. It has a Reynolds 531 frame and fairly light components so weighs less than 14kg, hub gears and mudguards. Downside: new they are your budget², but perhaps look out out for a used one. Pahley also make a level top tube equivalent called the “Countryman”.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I would advise you have a test ride on one before you buy.
People won't like this, but they are hateful bikes. Very heavy, steering like an oil tanker, poor gearing, uncomfortable upright position (weight on your aris). Horrible to ride. Give me a Halfords Apollo MTB over one of these.
I serviced a friends Pashley and took it for a ride, nasty.
Horrible bikes.
People won't like this, but they are hateful bikes. Very heavy, steering like an oil tanker, poor gearing, uncomfortable upright position (weight on your aris). Horrible to ride. Give me a Halfords Apollo MTB over one of these.
I serviced a friends Pashley and took it for a ride, nasty.
Horrible bikes.
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
This is why I mentioned mixtes, they're not nearly so heavy.
Modern Dutch bikes are nothing like the traditional, heavy granny bike. They have all mod cons inc aluminium frame, hub gears, dynamo hub lighting, full chaincase and come equipped with rack and 'guards. Gazelle Koga, Batavus all make the modern version but it is a serious investment.
You can make your own grab and go utility bike . I would suggest a frame with horizontal dropouts and generous clearance. My own version has disk brakes and eccentric bottom bracket but that is harder to find.
Hub gears and dynohub lighting make a real difference to convinience.
You can make your own grab and go utility bike . I would suggest a frame with horizontal dropouts and generous clearance. My own version has disk brakes and eccentric bottom bracket but that is harder to find.
Hub gears and dynohub lighting make a real difference to convinience.
