Comments on: They just don’t make them like they used to.

By: Erik Sandblom

Erik Sandblom — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:38:58 +0000

Henry,

“most cities have a flat downtown area”. Uh, well, it would be nice if people rode their bikes in more places than just downtown. I have a three-speed bike with a coaster brake and it works sooo much nicer since the friendly bike shop exchanged the rear sprocket for a bigger one. It cost 10-20 euros to do and made me the Master of Hills. It also helps to learn to pedal a little faster, a little over one rotation per second.

Anyone can ride up hills with a three-speed, as long as the gears aren’t too high. And a three-speed doesn’t need much maintenance either.

By: henry

henry — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:35:45 +0000

Hi Stephan,
I love to see bikes ridden for decades with zero investment into pure patina. Here in Amsterdam it’s rarely done so gracefully but I see plenty of bikes with one pedal spindle, fender wagging without a stay, rear hub with no bearings, chainring teeth worn to slivers, paint worn off by a swinging lock…

A bolt upright bike is never ideal for climbing hills but most cities have a flat downtown area, and it’s really not such a big problem to occasionally work hard or walk. In Japan most people ride single speed city bikes, even when they live up a hill. They just walk the bike up the hill. Maybe sometimes we try to design and invent for situations where much simpler solutions exist.

By the way, I’ve tried to send you a few emails over the last few months but they all bounce.

-Henry

By: Stephan Bianchi

Stephan Bianchi — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:04:31 +0000

Hi Henry,
As you know, I like the trusty old stuff, so I appreciated your photos. I wish I’d had a camera when I saw one old bike at an Italian train station: It was rust brown rust except for a St. Christopher medal strapped on where the head badge had been. It was well-worn, but well-oiled, ridden for years with the ball-less headset bearings tightened, the riders shoes pressing on bare spindles.

I’ve seen a few nice old Dutch-style “girl’s” bikes for sale here, but I worry about them ascending the occasional hill. How do they fare?

-Stephan

By: Brandon

Brandon — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:49:45 +0000

Dave, it seems you are on the same page as me. I’m saving up for a bike and trying not to spend a few hundred on a bike I’m not going to be happy with. So I’m trying to save up for an Opa or SS. I’m not really sure of the different except price. The only things I really want on it are standard issue I believe. Rear coasters, front rollers, rear rack, head and tail lamps, rear wheel lock, bell, and maybe a front rack too. I just got married so we don’t have the extra cash just yet. But hopefully soon. Thanks for the information Henry, I will definitely keep you guys in mind. I’m just hoping to purchase a bike that will last me at least 20 years.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:50:58 +0000

Right, so just saying it’s something I’d have to save up for, not something I could just drop the money on (since I don’t have the money to drop). I’m definitely thinking more and more about seeing if I can’t save up a bit, then sell the amsterdam and get an Opa or a Secret Service. I definitely think it would be a good investment.

By: henry

henry — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:14:28 +0000

Dave,
Almost everything you mention above is standard on an Opa GT NR3D. We don’t bother with tire dynamos anymore because a Shimano hub dynamo costs only a couple euro more and is much more reliable, less damage prone, has less friction and is silent. We put the headlamp at the top of the head tube, Dutch style on bikes not equipped with the Hebie 2-leg stand and steering limiter.

That’s a €749 bike at our Amsterdam shop, though obviously much more once it arrives at a US dealer.

These bikes ARE serious investments and so were all of the bikes in the photo above. The Netherlands was a poor country and people shelled out a couple months salary for a “vehicle” that would cost little to maintain and last a long time. That’s the whole point.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:50:24 +0000

Also, it’s not that I wouldn’t pay 1100 euros for an Opa if I had it, but anything at that price is a serious investment for me.

By: Dottie

Dottie — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:12:33 +0000

I have a feeling my Azor will see me through life, stored indoors. She’s really solid!

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:09:23 +0000

Funny you should have mentioned the quality of the wheels on the Amsterdam, I actually popped a spoke today on the way home from work – the wheel is a bit wobbly now as well, have to take it in and see if the rim bent – hope not

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:47:42 +0000

Would you consider building an Opa (were I to save up for one) with a 3-speed rear coaster brake hub, a front roller brake with a sidewall generator and headlight mounted at the fork crown? (with the view to making the initial purchase price cheaper and then possibly saving up for a dynamo hub later)? I don’t know how much difference that would make, but it might be notable at least.

The 700 euro price you sell them for in the NL ends up being more like 1100 euros by the time they make their way to Portland through Clever Cycles, so any way to reduce that up front cost a little would be nice if I were to think about getting one