With a city bike, like most finely crafted things, the devil is in the details. The best city bikes have everything you need built into the bike. You just hop on and ride. As much as I love my Dutch bike and my mixte, I have to admit that Dick’s new Dutch bike beats both of mine hands down in terms of these important details.
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- A great city bike stands out in a crowd, starting with a sturdy center stand.
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- The Brooks B67 saddle has springs for upright riding on potholed streets.
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- The full chain guard keeps the grime off the chain–and off your pants leg.
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- Hub generators power the bright, auto-on built-in front light.
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- And power the built-in rear light too.
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- The coat guard keeps your overcoat and scarf out of your rear wheel.
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- Swept back handlebars and a slack geometry give you an upright posture.
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- The little spring stabilizes the front wheel, perfect with a front rack.
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- All together, it’s the Ultimate City Cycling Machine. Sorry, BMW.
Frank Peters
June 2, 2012 at 9:42 am
Nice bike. Glad to see you’re promoting everyday, practical bikes and biking. There’s too much road bike racing noise out there. Keep up the good work
ladyfleur
June 4, 2012 at 11:10 am
Thanks, Frank. I actually ride road and mountain bikes too, but I completely agree that the bike conversation, and North American bike industry is dominated by the bias from the racing culture.
Rachel Unger
June 2, 2012 at 3:40 pm
I will freely admit that I am envious of the built in lights – but don’t you have to work significantly harder because of that hub charger? Or is that no longer true?
This reminds me to change the battery in my bike computer, actually…
ladyfleur
June 2, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Rachel, Dick, err Dirk, says that he can’t detect any difference when the lights are on or off. But the bike is so much heavier than any of his other bikes (i.e. road bikes) that it would be hard for him to compare. But I’m pretty sure the new hub generators are nothing like the ones that drag on the tire.
Dottie
June 2, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Beautiful! Certainly has everything one would need for city cycling. Oh, except a heated saddle for the winters and a satellite radio, I guess. :)
ladyfleur
June 2, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Dottie, you nailed it. Heated seats and the radio the only things I realize that I miss by not driving. The heated seats really relax my back and hamstrings.
ladyfleur
June 2, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Oh, and isn’t the Secret Service a lot like your Oma? It’s from WorkCycles too, isn’t it?
Jennifer in Scotland
June 3, 2012 at 2:47 am
Nice to see a Secret Service in detail. I have a Workcycles Oma and I absolutely love her.
ladyfleur
June 3, 2012 at 8:48 am
Does the Oma have all the same bells and whistles? I wish my Viva Juliett did. But she’s gorgeous, so I’m OK with it.
Jennifer in Scotland
June 3, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Your bike is beautiful. I would love a red bike. Yes, the Oma is well kitted out on the bells and whistles front. She’s not so great with the hills round here but I don’t mind that. I just accept that it will take me longer to get to work on those days than on my faster bike.
Vicki
June 3, 2012 at 4:14 am
Nice bike! I just found your blog and am enjoying having a look at your biking wardrobe, nice!
ladyfleur
June 4, 2012 at 11:11 am
Thanks, Vicki!
Ken from Northumbria
June 4, 2012 at 10:52 am
We were once pacing an elderly Dutch gent on a bike like this near Leiden. We were following him because he knew where the cycle tracks kept changing sides of the road. He was in a suit and after 14 miles we thankfully turned off, having struggled to keep up with him….and he pedalled off into the sunset. Previously we had thought we were experienced cyclists, but a Dutchman gave us 20 years, a suit of clothes, about 20 extra lbs of bike and still left us in his dust. :-(
Once you have your eyes opened to these beautiful bikes you realise just how good they are.
ladyfleur
June 4, 2012 at 11:09 am
How sweet! Your comment made my morning.