Dutch style bike

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Location
Gatley
I currently do a 14 mile commute on a tourer/audax bike and have an MTB for weekends, but I fancy getting something that I can 'pootle' on in normal clothes for a few miles.

I quite fancy the Pashley Roadster Sovereign; very much like the built in lock for shops where I can keep an eye out through the window, like the hub dynamo (have one on my commuter already) and the fully enclosed chain.

Couple of little niggles though - the area I am about to move to (Stockport) is quite hilly and although I would rarely go below 36 Front/27 Rear as a gear ratio even with panniers I'm concerned about the weight of the Pashley and only having 5 gears.

The other one is a child seat (without wanting to start a debate on the perceived safety or otherwise...) - I'd quite like the option of a child seat, but despite coming with an extremely chunky high quality rack it doesn't seem compatible with a child seat. From what I can find the step-through frame models are compatible but not the Roadster...

Suggestions?

Thanks,

Alex
 

AliA

New Member
Location
Dorset
Hello
Like you I have a tourer for commuting and a MTB for weekends. I have a Pashley for city riding, but do find it VERY heavy compared to my 'normal' bikes. Winchester is hilly, but seem to manage the worst of hills on it with no load - just wonder if the gears might not be enough with a child on board too, or shopping in your basket!....
 

Vikeonabike

CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
A modern dutch bike....I give you VANMOOF, built in lock, integral LED lights....saw one in Amsterdam last month...lovely

vanmoof-no5.jpg
 
OP
OP
amasidlover
Location
Gatley
The VANMOOF looks stunning; if anything, that's probably its biggest weakness - given that I'd like to be able to lock it up quickly outside the shops without having to worry about it being too desirable to thieves... That and it only comes with the 3 speed Nexus hub. Plus I suspect from the images that the LED lights are in the top-tube so adding a childseat would mean adding an alternative rear light. I'd also need to find out if it will even take a childseat...

I've also found the following:

Cannondale Street Sport Nexus - Nice looking and should be lighter than most dutch style bikes and with 8 speed instead of 5 (on the Pashley).

Popiel Chamonix Pure Gents - another lightweight option and with 7 speed instead of 5.

Had a look at the Decathlons, but I like the idea of hub gears quite a lot and having switched to a DynoHub on my commuter I have no intention of going back to a sidewall dynamo...

I'm still a bit concerned about gear ratios and hills - but I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that if it comes to it, I can either increase the rear sprocket size, decrease the chainring size or both.

So, I'm not really any closer to a choice - but the VANMOOF is stunning...
 

dav1d

Senior Member
amasidlover said:
I quite fancy the Pashley Roadster Sovereign; very much like the built in lock for shops where I can keep an eye out through the window, like the hub dynamo (have one on my commuter already) and the fully enclosed chain.x

I think you can buy locks for back wheels seperately. I bought one in Amsterdam, an Abus one. Also, is the chain completely enclosed? That could be a pain - cycling on the rental bike in amsterdam, the chain came off, but as it was completely enclosed, I had to take it back to a Macbike shop to sort it out, which took around 20 minutes!
 

Jugular

Well-Known Member
Location
Manchester
Why not take a look at some Dutch bikes, rather than UK copies. I'm sure the postage wouldn't add all that much. You could look out for the Nuvinci hub which sounds like a dream for pootling.

If you want an alternative option take a look at www.practicalcycles.co.uk they sell a range of dutch bikes and some very useful looking utility bikes that may suit your requirements.
 
OP
OP
amasidlover
Location
Gatley
Goldie said:
What's the bike in your avatar Alex? I'm in Flixton -just wondered if I'd seen you around.

More details of bodger here. Its quite possible I leave for work around 6am and then arrive back in Flixton between 5 and 6pm - I used to do Irlam Road then through Urmston, but my new commute takes me past the station/Church road and down to Sale.
 
OP
OP
amasidlover
Location
Gatley
Jugular said:
Why not take a look at some Dutch bikes, rather than UK copies. I'm sure the postage wouldn't add all that much. You could look out for the Nuvinci hub which sounds like a dream for pootling.

If you want an alternative option take a look at www.practicalcycles.co.uk they sell a range of dutch bikes and some very useful looking utility bikes that may suit your requirements.

Bizarrely I hadn't thought of that - am now searching Google for 'STADSFIETSEN' !

Have looked at practicalcycles, but they seem quite pricey.

The Nuvinci hub also looks good - I think Ford put CVT on some of its smaller cars for a while; not sure why its not taken off more - I wonder if there might be maintenance/reliability issues; which at £350 + for just the hub puts me off a little. Might re-consider when I can find some long term reviews of them.
 

Alan Whicker

Senior Member
dav1d said:
I think you can buy locks for back wheels seperately. I bought one in Amsterdam, an Abus one. Also, is the chain completely enclosed? That could be a pain - cycling on the rental bike in amsterdam, the chain came off, but as it was completely enclosed, I had to take it back to a Macbike shop to sort it out, which took around 20 minutes!

I think I've seen them in Decathlon, made by Trelock. The Germans call them nurse's locks but i've also heard them called horseshoe locks. Very handy.
 

Jugular

Well-Known Member
Location
Manchester
There is a new Nuvinci hub out called the Nuvinci 360 which has improved on the various slight failings of the previous model. None of which were reliability as far as I'm aware. The main problems with the original Nuvinci were the wide diameter of the hub, the weight, the not quite wide enough range (the 360 offers 360% range, strangely enough :biggrin:), the price (sitting somewhere between a Shimano Alfine and Rohloff ~£350), efficiency (often neatly sidestepped by the manufacturer in it's blurb) and frankly people take a long time to take on unusual new technology.

The Nuvinci 360 improves on all but the price. If you look hard enough there are a couple of rave reviews about the original and a number of comments about the efficiency dragging it back. A renowned dutch firm includes the hub in a range of their bikes so I imagine they're very rideable just not perfect.

Practical cycles are fairly pricey but it's a niche market and I haven't found any alternatives so far. Either way they seem well stocked and very friendly. The best option for a Dutch bike would be a quick holiday to Holland and test ride of a few of their bikes. Lots to choose from over there. Maybe even a long ride back to Blighty xx(
 

mac1

Aggravating bore magnet
Location
Basingstoke
Before you take a trip to Holland, these bikes are more widely distributed over here than some might think; try these people: some of them might be nearer to you than others - Cycling Heaven in York, (most are down south), but I'm sure they could advise you further - and at least one of the Gazelle models - the Bloom has 2 child seats, as does the Azor Mother at Velorution:


http://www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/bikes/brands/gazelle/

http://www.dutchbike.co.uk/Modern.htm

http://www.dutchbikeshop.co.uk/index.htm

http://www.gazellebicycles.co.uk/?k=1

http://www.velorution.biz/bikes/

WRT wheel locks, provided your bike's frame is tapped, they can be attached with a couple of screws - the locks can be bought separately; 2 makes are Abus and Basta.

And you'll find Pashleys compare quite well pricewise especially as they're all made here, although they might not be as well equipped.
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
I like those Dutch roadsters. They're sensible bikes for commuting to work or pootling around town. It's a bit of a shame our English roadsters became unfashionable and died out, notwithstanding Pashley. I like Pashley and would like to get one of their bikes one day, them being one of very few companies still manufacturing in the UK, but there's always something about their bicycles I don't like. Regarding their roadsters, I don't really like the mix of archaic Olde Worlde looks and modern anachronistic components like the drum brakes. I don't really like big bells and I think the cable brakes look wrong. OTOH, I'm not mad keen on a lot of old cycle technology, such as cotter pins, and rod-operated brakes, which do not work so well. I don't know why their cables look wrong neither, as I'm sure my grandad and granny's bikes had cable operated brakes. I once saw two beautifully restored Raleigh roadsters in a shop in Bury St Edmunds with cable operated brakes and they looked fabulous. IMO, either Pashley should go the whole hog and keep the model exactly as it was way back when, or they should update it so that it looks like roadsters would have evolved into if they hadn't died out. At the moment their roadsters remind me of BMW minis, new VW Beetles and the newer bigger Fiat Cinquecento, trading on nostalgia and eccentricity.
 
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