There’s an article in the style section of the New York Times promoting old school Dutch bikes at the civilised way for the stylish man to get around town.

Could this mean the death of the fixie as the fashionable bike to be seen on? And more importantly the death of wearing your little sisters jeans

[nostalgic] Ah, back pedal braking. [/nostalgic].

I almost fell off my MTB when I rode it for the first time in a month or so last week, because the German bike I’ve been riding for the last month has a coaster brake and my MTB doesn’t 🙂

The fixie thing does distress me a bit as although they are good in some ways they have obvious limitations as useful everyday bikes. I’d much rather see practical bikes that are easy to ride, low maintenance and which you can ride in smart clothes and not look like a retard.

I’m a massive fan of Dutch bikes! Am pondering getting a Batavus PersonalBike singlespeed back pedal beasty! Bikes as transport, not fashion statement!

Dutch bikes: http://www.velodarlo.org/
Cool bikes: http://www.bikebeauty.org/english/

I’d much rather see practical bikes that are easy to ride, low maintenance and which you can ride in smart clothes and not look like a retard.

I enjoy having fakengers to laugh and rant at, long live stupidity and fixies!

I have a Gazelle Trim Trophy – does that count? 🙂

Its when they match an olympic dinner plate sized chainring they can’t turn over, to ridiculosly narrow dildo bars that offer no leverage that amuses me.

or

It’s a no brainer!

I’m a massive fan of Dutch bikes! Bikes as transport, not fashion statement!

Well said that man..!

(I also have a pet theory that one of the reasons why bikes and pedestrians mix well in northern continental Europe is that Dutch bikes can only be ridden slowly, and so there’s none of this “yoofs on the pavement on their BMXs” that gets Joe Public so wound up in the UK.)

What you on about? Dutch bikes have been the choice of stylish young ladies (and some gents) in That London for ages now. The fixie image is too grungy for your more fashion-conscious girly, and many people give them up after a short time anyway, as they are pigs to ride.

Where the fixie ‘look’ is little sister’s rolled up jeans and ironic political statement t-shirts, the Dutch bike look is more frilly; skirts and nice shoes. Handbag in basket at front, BOSH! Away you go.

[edit] CFH has demonstrated my point perfectly.

As OMITN is here: guess what’s just arrived in Lytham 🙂

This is all well and good, but in the UK, you’re most often riding amongst heavy traffic and negotiating roundabouts etcc, which is far safer if you’re doing a similar speed to the cars. Dutch bikes are also a pain to cycle up even a small hill.

If we had loads of segregated cycle paths, Dutch bikes would be a much better idea.

about 11 or 12 years ago i did an event in holland, and as we had vans over there thought i’d buy a dutch bike to ride around in london. i was shocked at how expensive they were.

but anyway, these days dutch bikes are passe. butchers bikes are where its at!

p.s. if anyone wants an ex ghurkha army bike i have one i’d sell.

As OMITN is here: guess what’s just arrived in Lytham

Woohoo!

Post up pics as soon as you have it. Are you travelling over to collect, or having it delivered?

I’m increasingly taken with the Mundo, and have been hatching plans as to how I might acquire one.

Looking forward to pics!

i was shocked at how expensive they were.

Built to last, and they are the main mode of transport. As such, they’re pretty cheap when you think about it!

Ghurka bike? Any pics?

CFH is right it’s no brainer, top one i faster and less maintenance so it will get my vote for commuting.

My wife will be pleased she’s just ordered on of these, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her excited about a bike.

Not too sure about the maintenance, fully enclosed chain, hub gears, drum brakes, auto sepia effect on cameras

auto sepia effect on cameras

😆

My wife loves her Pashley. I can’t lift it up.

I love Dutch-style bikes and the girls that ride on them are automatic objects of desire. They always seem to be classy and interesting looking as well (the girls)

lets not forget indian bikes. heres a couple from last months trip.

Glorious, tang.

Remind me of Chinese bikes. There’s one or two in Beijing..!

It’s been my plan for a next bike for a while. There’s something soooo cool about a whicker basket.

TheOtherMrsFlash is lucky, ThisMrsFlash is jealous.

Dutch bikes are also a pain to cycle up even a small hill.

The weekend before last, when waiting for the main race to arrive, I saw a woman make it up the Murr-Kapelmuur on one with a small child in a seat on the back.

Having spent a day riding around Dusseldorf on one of those style bikes, I can honestly say that they are the perfect design for riding around town.

I am now struggling to concentrate on work after having looked at the legs pedalling the red bike in CFH’s images.

😀

For getting into town and back, the German bike I’ve been riding recently is absolutely perfect for me. 5 miles round trip, with 250′ of climbing in total.

This is also pretty much my commute to work, and riding in in normal clothes, with my back in the basket on the back, is great. It helps that it’s almost entirely off the roads, with just some quiet residential streets. Ace.

Well I am building up a Dawes for the misses atm and I guess it’s a dutch style bike! – One step ahead of the game for me as I only paid about a quid for it on flee bay – might sell it and make a profit if it becomes ‘trendy’.

You better not look at the Copenhagen Cycle Chic site then, midlifecrisis 🙂