Comments on: How the Amsterdam Papa Rolls

By: Nynke

Nynke — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:04:38 +0000

This is not just how the Amsterdam pappa rolls. It’s how the dutch (grand)parent in general rolls. My son is seven now and too big for the small saddle (he’s in my face/line of sight). I think we’re both equally sad about it. He was devastated when my father took off the saddle last year. It was a bit higher up and the ‘in your face’ stage came a bit earlier.
Anyway; he’s big enough to ride his own bike (without a helmet) in the city (Groningen). Even the hills in Limburg are no real obstacle anymore, so my bike (Sparta Amazone with front rack and ‘kistje’) can go back to being just a 1-person + goods transporter.

Nynke

By: HeleenH

HeleenH — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:55:31 +0000

Oops, put my comment in the wrong place it is here now : http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2009/01/20/test-carrying-a-newborn-on-a-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-25085

By: ten

ten — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:04:32 +0000

@feddo:

yep, japan. I recently got tailgated at 25kmh downhill (not with baby, of course), I got the plate number and as a social experiment called into a police office on the way home and asked if there was anything they could do.

The police officer understood my point, but said unfortunately they can’t do anything unless there is an actual collision (which he conceded was a bit late). He recommended I ride on the sidewalk to avoid these kinds of problems. Go figure.

By: henry

henry — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:24:50 +0000

All types of steel basically weigh the same amount per cubic unit and they all have the same stiffness. What varies widely are the strength and fatigue characteristics. If the very strong 4130 chrome-moly tubes of the Fr8 frame are replaced by less strong stainless we’ll have to make the walls thicker. The selection of suitable stainless tubes is also much smaller so there won’t be many choices in some of the sizes. How much heavier is dependent on what tubes we can find. A kilo or so sounds like a fair guess.

Alternatively there are some very special structural stainless steel types but they are extraordinarily expensive and must be very skillfully welded.

Sure it would be super bitchin’ cool, but it’s just not so simple as telling the framebuilder “please make some Fr8 frames in stainless steel” and I think our time is better spent on several other development projects.

By: Feddo

Feddo — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:22:52 +0000

So, in stainless the FR8 would be heavier unless you resort to special equipment and manufacturing specs? Thinner tubes or such?

Are we talking WAY heavier? Because weight concerns on a bike like the FR8 seem pretty moot. The phrase “Parels voor de zwijnen werpen” comes to mind.

It seems to me that paying a couple hundred more for a “limited edition” stainless FR8 is somethin I and many others would seriousy consider.

I know that you are not in the business of trying to build cult or collectible bikes, but from a marketing perspective they would pay their dividends, and I know you like cool looking or badass bikes.

By: henry

henry — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:39:16 +0000

Feddo,
Depending on how faithfully we wanted to replicate the chro-mo design making the frame in stainless steel would add at least couple hundred to the cost. Making it the same weight would cost many hundreds more since it would require working with some very special materials. Doing the carriers and other ancillaries in stainless would get way out of hand since the bending and forming characteristics of stainless are very different.

Fenders are painted because it generally looks better that way. They come from the manufacturer in Italy polished which looks kind of cheezy. Brushing the stainless does fix that but costs at least as much as powder coating them.

Ten is indeed in Japan where they ride on the sidewalk.

By: Feddo

Feddo — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:17:33 +0000

Define “expensive”. Just ballpark it for me (and others). Very curious.

Why powdercoat Stainless? I’m not a techie, just figured Stainless need not be coated. I know that Stainless is not “rust-free”, but a little scouring pad cures that problem.

@ ten: “At about a jogging pace on the sidewalk (!!!!)”. Where is that? Japan?

By: ten

ten — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:09:12 +0000

nice, that’s how I rolled (except the baby was on my back) until my baby got too heavy. tho that shouldn’t be a problem to the man in the picture, he’ll probably still be able to do that when that baby is 25…..

At about a jogging pace on the sidewalk I felt pretty safe, tho I can see how the front-loader arrangement would be safer in the unlikely fall scenario – I’ll bear that in mind for #2.

By: Amsterdamize

Amsterdamize — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 06:45:45 +0000

turn your head (or ride to Blijburg beach on a Sunday) and you’ll see another one. Oh wait, same guy/family

By: henry

henry — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:54:03 +0000

Feddo, Replicating the zinc with paint just wouldn’t do – it’s fake. I’ve toyed with making a series of stainless steel frames for the hardcore fans. They’d be badder than badass but also expensive as heck. The fenders and struts are already stainless (under the powdercoat). Replicating the carriers in stainless would just be going too far though. I’d be happy with a stainless bike with brightly colored carriers though.