Comments on: An American with a bike company in Holland? Part 2

By: EcoVelo » Blog Archive » Henry WorkCycles

EcoVelo » Blog Archive » Henry WorkCycles — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:37:22 +0000

[...] Henry Workcycles in Amsterdam are builders and retailers of bakfiets, workbikes, and hand-built city bikes. What I find intriguing about WorkCycles (besides their exquisite products) is the fact that owner Henry Cutler is an American expatriate living and working in Amsterdam, building and selling traditional Dutch bicycles. You can read more about his interesting story on his blog, Bakfiets en meer. [Part 1, Part 2] [...]

By: henry

henry — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:32:10 +0000

Heleen,
As long as you keep the compliments coming I won’t complain that you bought your bike elsewhere

Groet,
Henry

By: HeleenH

HeleenH — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:38:38 +0000

And I’m not even a customer of your shop, I was too lazy to cycle across Amsterdam y to your shop top try all the different models when I can buy it at a dealer only 10 minutes away in our little suburb just south of Amsterdam. But I love your blog, I’ve spent all afternoon reading old entries.

You can read a longer review in Dutch in the newsgroup nl.fietsen: http://groups.google.nl/group/nl.fiets/msg/793b127f38f04e47

By: henry

henry — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:10:57 +0000

Hi Heleen,
Thanks very much for your feedback here. It means much more when it comes from the mouth (or keyboard) of a customer/rider rather than the dealer who has an interest in promoting what he sells.

Groeten,
Henry

By: HeleenH

HeleenH — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:19:40 +0000

I am a Dutch owner of a long Cargobike by bakfiets.nl. I first did a couple of testrides on the cheap look-a-likes. The bicycle shop on the corner of our street sells the 010 and the 2006/2007.
The trike 2006/2007 was uncomfortable because of the three weels and the straight steer. The two wheeled 010 cargobike look-a-like was a scary ride. I actually never got round the block, after trying to drive straight for about one row of houses, which is about 50 meters or 55 yards, I decided this wasn’t safe and I wasn’t going to try any further and returned the bicycle.
I went to another bycicle shop where they sell the proper Bakfiets.nl bikes and was very apprehensive when I tried to get on the bike, but this was a completely different story. This felt as safe as my own bicycle.

From the pictures you wouldn’t tell, but the bicycles are really very different.

By: henry

henry — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:33:05 +0000

Hi Mark,
I’ll eventually get to questions 3 and 4, but its just been too busy to do much writing lately. Coincidentally I’ve also been gathering photos for an article about the Chinese bakfiets copies.

If you’ve never seen the bikes yourself I can completely understand that consideration. But the reality is quite different. Comparing these bikes is akin to comparing a mountain bike ridden in professional competition to a “mountain bike” purchased at a Walmart.

The Bakfiets Cargobike is a serious vehicle designed and built for the rigors of many years of everyday use. It rides easily and solidly, even with considerable cargo in the box. All of the materials, finishes and components have been chosen to ensure that it works safely and conveniently today, tomorrow and ten years from now. The Cargobike is not a cheap purchase, but it is cheap to use and own and they provide many years of pleasure to countless families.

The Chinese copy Bakfiets are knock-offs of the worst kind. They not, as they claim to be, the same thing with some cost cutting compromises. They’re horrid pot-metal constructions posing as real bikes. If the owner actually manages to get it assembled it will nonetheless never ride stably, the brakes will never do much, the chain will jump off (inside a steel chain case – not so convenient!) constantly, the lights will be ineffective, the tires will flat constantly and the deterioration process will begin fast and hard. Left outdoors these bikes rust fast. Did I mention that the frames break in half? IMHO the purchaser of one of these didn’t save €1000; they wasted €600 and a lot of their time. Hopefully nobody got hurt in the process.

Groeten,
Henry

By: mark

mark — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:24:29 +0000

Henry,

I’d really love an answer to question #4. When a Chinese knockoff costs slightly more than just the shipping for a Workcycles cargo bike (there’s no US dealer in my state), it isn’t too hard to rationalize getting the cheaper one.

Admittedly, this is a bit of a straw man- shipping the knockoff is going to be significantly more since there’s not any US dealer, and there are other disadvantages, but I’d like to hear your reasons.

By: fiets_503

fiets_503 — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:21:26 +0000

Henry,

Your modesty is duly noted. I appreciate what you are doing and what I do know is that had you not begun your business, I would not be seeing other bakfietsen around Portland.

Yes, I understand that the Bakfiets Cargobike is Maarten van Andel’s creation. I’m very thankful for his design and I look forward to the next generation.

I’m also aware that bakfiets is a generic term for transport bicycle. It is funny; I took the van Andel designed bakfiets.nl bike by a local bike shop where a Dutchman named Hans works as a repairman. When I showed him the bike he said, “Oh, that’s not a bakfiets, bakfietsen have three wheels.” **grin** yes, he has been living in the USA for some time now and he was more familiar with other bakfietsen.

I have also often wondered why bakfiets.nl is not more prominently displayed on the frame. As you know, the only visible mention of the word Bakfiets is behind the seat on the back of the box.

Although it is well worth mentioning for the American readers, your comment about bakfiets singular and bakfietsen plural makes me chuckle again. This has been the subject of several different conversations in the last week. See my post here from a few days ago:
http://bikeportland.org/2007/05/17/bakfiets-go-mainstream/#comment-396420

Tot ziens!

By: henry

henry — Sun, 20 May 2007 22:30:25 +0000

Thanks very much for the note and compliments, but I don’t mean to take credit where its not due: The Bakfiets Cargobike is actually my friend Maarten van Andel’s creation. I’ve contributed to its design, development and business execution but its very much Maarten’s brainchild.

And just a little terminology:
“bakfiets” is both the generic term for transport bicycle with a big box (usually with three wheels), and also the name of Maarten’s company. Well, technically that’s “bakfiets.nl” but you get the idea. The bicycle model is called “Cargobike”. Considering that it doesn’t say that anywhere on the bike its not surprising it gets missed.

While I’m at it I’ll point out that bakfiets is singular and bakfietsen is plural.

Happy cycling!

Groeten,
Henry

By: fiets_503

fiets_503 — Sun, 20 May 2007 22:08:04 +0000

Part 2. The story continues. Thank you so much for taking the time to compose this explanation. When I first heard of you a year and a half ago, I wondered what your “story” was. Again now, the picture becomes a little clearer.

…it is funny, as I ride Todd’s Bakfiets here around Portland, people who have never seen a Bakfiets will often read your large “Henry’s Workcycles” logo and say “Nice Workcycle!” …rather than the Bakfiets name, here in America, it is YOUR company’s name that they understand. Many parents at my kids’ school make comments and wonder where I got such a bicycle. Other parents at my kids’ baseball games also quiz me about the Bakfiets.

What one man dreamed of and started in a garage now is making a difference on the other side of the world.

Keep it up Henry!