"Dutch" Bikes - build 'em yourself - take 2

from this...

to this for about $400 using new parts

"DUTCH" BIKES - PERFECT FOR THE CITY

OK, so everybody and their sister is writing blogs about how great Dutch bikes are. Here's a list of some. "They're great, great, great!"  Some people call them Danish bikes. Actually, they use the same things in Germany, too, and probably most of northern Europe. They also used to use them in England. People don't throw them away so it's pretty common to find 60 or 70 year old bikes in regular use.

These practical, durable, heavy city bikes really are great for urban year round transportation.
But have you seen the prices? Scary. (They must pay those Dutch workers like people and give them health benefits! (Though many frames are now made in Asia really.) And I guess all the stainless steel parts add up. Also, regular bikes on the US market are stripped down by comparison - add the accessories that make them practical and the price gets closer.) So they are great, but expensive.  There's only one thing better for riding in the city than these - a used bike you dutchify!

But what is it about Dutch bikes that makes them so "great" for everyday city riding? How can you add whatever that is to your own bike cheaper?

You can just get on an average Dutch bike in any weather or time of day, wearing whatever you have on, and carrying whatever you usually carry including kids, and you'll probably have everything you need with you to get there comfortably. It will work even though you haven't fixed it lately. And it will be easy to see other traffic while riding because your head will be high above other vehicles. Many people in Holland ride around with two or even three children, groceries, even other adults on their bike. These bikes can carry a lot.

These bikes are - - 

• Simple to use and take care of (enclosed chain, simple to use gearing)
• Practical as routine transportation (generator lighting, cargo carrying racks and straps, heavy duty parts that hold lots of kid seats on one bike, fenders for all weather riding)
• Upright (even uptight), with the handlebars comfortably right in front of you and high enough to grab without leaning over, and a wide seat, often with springs
• Durable, long lasting with a low maintenance design (heavy lugged steel frame, stainless steel components)

They look distinctive compared to other bikes, with a high front end and lots of luggage racks and baskets and child seats and things on them. Here's another description of them from a guy who sells parts for them. They have slack seat angles because people never have to ride up a hill in Holland. Can't you picture one in your mind now? Aren't they all black? Don't try to lift one up your stairs - they are heavy! As a matter of fact, they are so heavy that they become less practical. Who wants to carry a big heavy steel frame around?

BUT NOT JUST "DUTCH BIKES" ARE SIMPLE, PRACTICAL, UPRIGHT, and DURABLE

Before you go too much further, look at the website of some actual modern bike manufacturers from the Netherlands (Azor, Gazelle, Batavus...) Did all the bikes look like a (really cool) black 1910 Raleigh? They didn't? Hmmm. Yes, they do make bikes like ancient English roadsters in Holland (and India (Hero, Avon), and China (Flying Pigeon - a version used to be available cheap in the US and they still have a shop in Canada)), and they sell a lot of them, but to be Simple, Practical, Upright and Durable doesn't necessarily mean black, heavy, expensive, single-speed, or "Dutch" looking. A lot of these actual Dutch bikes would be called "City Bikes" here. 

GOSH, NOW I WANT A BIKE LIKE THAT, TOO

Look at some of those 'people riding their bikes in Holland' videos on YouTube to get some ideas. Later in this very long post we're going to change an old impractical but good bike into a great lightweight "Dutch" city bike.

not dutch but still simple, practical, upright and durable 1965 Raleigh Sports ladies' frame 3-speed By the way, up until about 1980 Raleigh bikes were basically similar to the Dutch brands (Gazelle and Raleigh were the same company for at least part of the past century - Gazelle made many of those Raleigh Grand Prix 10-speeds.) They just kept building them in Holland. A Raleigh Sports or Superbe is basically like a Dutch bike as is, but with colored paint, a shorter stem holding the handlebars, and a less comprehensive chaincase (as imported to the US). Adjust one to fit you, maybe get a longer stem (it's a 22.2 mm, you need a shim to put Raleigh bars in the new stem) and a nice basket for it, and you're set.  It's just as heavy. It may even have the appearance of a 'classic' Dutch bike if it's a ladies' loop frame (like DL-1L Tourist) or if it's black. Old Raleighs go for between $50 and $350 used. Some Raleigh and Sturmey-Archer parts are hard to find in Chicago but DJ's has many and Uptown Bikes used to do a lot of work on them. There is more than you want to know about old Raleighs from Sheldon Brown. There are also more than a few ready-made city bikes in the $400 range including the KHS Manhattan Green, but you can do better. Read on.

YOUR OLD BIKE CAN BE SIMPLE, PRACTICAL, UPRIGHT and DURABLE, TOO

Here's the surprising truth: You already have or can get a bike that you can make (almost) modern "Dutch": Upright and Practical, and if you choose a good starter bike, it may even be Durable and Simple too. And it might be better made than some of those $1500 beauties you've been ogling (some of which are more than worth the money, others of which seem to have stamped and cut tube on the fork ends instead of forged dropouts). It's almost certainly lighter and probably just as strong, and the brakes are likely better. So why not make your sister's old mountain bike (or an old lightweight 10-speed from the neighbors' garbage) into your own Frankenstein Dutch Bike? 

this bike will get dutchified in this post

That old mountain bike - if it's an early to mid 90s non-suspended mid-level steel Specialized StumpJumper like this picture, or a Trek or Gary Fisher or KHS or similar - is much lighter than a lugged Dutch 'gas pipe' steel frame, and it's very, very strong, even if it's a step through style. Steel mountain bikes are pretty darn Durable, with butted cr/mo tubing and strong welds. 

serious wide profile cantilever brakes

They have really effective cantilever brakes (or V-brakes), much better than roller brakes or those awful classic Dutch roadster rod and stirrup brakes. The rims are much lighter but still Durable and rust free. There is plenty of clearance for fenders. They have a lot more speeds than a single speed Dutch bike so you can ride them in places that are not just plain flat like Holland is. (This may not be Simple but it is Practical except when the derailers get iced up in winter). OK, they aren't very Upright. And the suspended ones are a different kettle of fish that we won't deal with here.

the stuff you need is all here

What do you need to make your old bike into a Simple Practical Upright and Durable city bike?

Well, let's say your old 10-speed or mountain bike works pretty well. You could need fenders (mudguards), chainguards, skirtguards, a wide seat, a handlebar and stem, possibly brake levers or tires. Lighting is important too. If you need everything including tires budget about $350-400 for new parts or much, much less for used. 

CITY TIRES

The single most important thing to make a mountain bike ride like a nice bike is to change the tires. I like Schwalbe Marathon tires because of their durability and the reflective stripes in the sidewalls, but there are some decent cheaper but similar Kendas and others that you can use to replace those silly bumpy mountain bike tires. You will be surprised what a huge difference nice tires will make. They don't need treads molded in so smooth is actually better. For a 10-speed, the old ones will work all right. If the old ones are damaged, try to get the thickest tires you can fit into your frame, maybe 27 x 1 3/8. For a mountain bike try 38-559 which is wide-ish but not silly. Silly Is Not What You Are Looking For. Unless it's putty colored tires like many Dutch bikes now come with - silly but maybe that's what you want. These include Cheng Shin Traveller or several Schwalbe models. Price - $15 to $45 each.

UPRIGHT SEATING AND HANDLES

You'll want to get upright handlebars to be Practical in the city and Upright. Here, the mountain bike is going to be a lot easier than the 10-speed since your old mountain bike shifters and brake levers fit fine on upright bars. (squirt water or soap or high pressure air under the old grips to work them off the bars, or cut and ruin the old ones if they are yucky.) 

it needs new handlebars but the shifters and brake
levers will work fine

Get a really long steel stem (the up and down part that goes between the bars themselves and the head of the bike frame) and bars to fit it. You want the grips to be about as high as your elbows when you are walking the bike, so the stem might be 10 or 12 inches high, which might be hard to find. It doesn't need to have much of an extension forward.  I got a stainless steel one from a Dutch bike store as a spare part but it was $35. 

Stems come in different diameters so bring your old one or its size (stamped into the bottom of the old one) with you when you shop. Most old mountain bikes have quill type 22.2 or 25.4 mm stems but don't count on it. While you're there get a cable hanger for the front headset that will fit the stem size (don't ask - just get one).

If your bike has an Aheadset type stem, that is, the handlebars are held by double clamps onto a long tube coming from the wheel, you might want to reconsider that choice of bike. Extender bars do exist for these but talk to your bike shop. You might need a new fork to get the height we're looking for.

New bars are about $25-30 in a bike store, or you can get used ones. A real Dutch bar and stem together is 18 Euros online, but you'd have to ship it.The standard Raleigh type bars are called North Road bars, but there are lots of other options - moustache, for example, or those Dutch squarish ones online. Raleigh bars are thinner than others and need shims to fit other parts. If after your work you think the tall front of the bike looks dopey, put a basket there or attach a child seat (to your STEEL stem) or get used to it. I'd recommend stainless steel (Dutch bike stores, heavy but extra strong) or aluminum bars (lighter, almost anywhere) for practicality and durability. I went for a stainless Dutch style cruiser bar like the ones on the Bakfiets but the same shape is widely available in aluminum.

You will likely need to change the brake cable and possibly shifter cable housings because they might not be long enough to reach the new location of the brake levers or shifters. Easy to do but maybe your local bike shop can do it faster. It took me about an hour between other things to change mine; you have to readjust everything. Real Dutch bikes come with the front brake on the right lever and the back on the left - it's the opposite here. For safety you might want to leave out this touch of authenticity. This step is where the cable hanger you bought comes in. See in the pictures how the front brake cable goes through a mountain bike stem? An upright stem doesn't have that hole so you have to add a hanger with a hole to the headset or stem. Figure $15 for cables, hangers, etc.

Changing bars on a 10-speed is a little harder than on a mountain bike, since the curve of the old 10-speed brake levers might not fit the new bars well. If you choose moustache bars maybe your old drop bar levers will fit. You can get upright handlebar brake levers or mountain bike levers in the same place you buy the bars (careful- V-brake levers are different than regular levers, which fit everything else), and old-fashioned stem friction shifters are easy to find used, or use early mountain bike shifters where you can turn off the indexing, like the ones on the StumpJumper in the pictures. 

Grips made of fancy schmantzy cork and leather can give your bike that boutique look, or just stick with cheap plastic. I got cheapish cork ones and waxed them with boot wax.

the upright stem, bars and cork grips give the bike a comfortable feeling See the little black nubbin at the headset? That's the cable hanger.

A wider, sprung seat may be helpful if you have one of those ultralightweight dental floss sized racing seats. You can probably find a good cheap one at your local bike store, but you can also buy one used. Most companies that make seats have something that will work. If it has springs in back it'll be fine. Our cargo bikes came with great plastic Selle Royal seats that cost about $40. Brooks seats are trendy and Durable and retro and leather and easy to find (but about $120!). For this project, I finally bought a Brooks seat. We'll see if it was worth it. The old Raleighs had B66 or B72 seats which are wide and comfy. This one is a little narrower - it's a Champion Flyer Short.

FENDERS (AKA MUDGUARDS), CHAIN GUARDS AND LIGHTING

Dutch Bikes Have Fenders. It Rains There. It rains here, too. Fenders keep your clothes wearable. Plastic ones like SKS or Planet Bike brand are available at any local bike shop, including Irv's in Pilsen, which has tons of great inexpensive upgrade goodies. Metal fenders are more Durable and can be found or ordered at most good bike shops, and Boulevard Bikes in Logan Square always has some fancy ones. You need to know what size of wheel your bike has. It can also be a pain to install them if you aren't much interested -- something always needs bending or drilling or fiddling. You could ask your bike shop to install them. Used fenders are pretty easy to find at the usual places (Working Bikes, Recyclery, A Nearly New Shop, Blackstone...) The mountain bike has old Wald chrome fenders bought used at Working Bikes for about $30 including all the mounting stuff.

Include lighting here too since the lights attach to the fenders or to the same screws as the fenders. See our post about generator lights or find other lighting you like better. Remember, it's Simple and Practical to have the lights built in so traffic doesn't squash you flat at night. Surely you'll have reflectors, too - we use a lot of reflective tape but real plastic or metal backed reflectors are more "traditional". I haven't gotten to finishing the lighting yet on the new bike but it has a Lumotec Lyt front LED light with standlight, and I'll replace the old rear lamp with a Seculite Plus, which also has one.

Consider a chainguard. From a plastic ring that clicks into the chainring to keep your pants from catching, to a full chaincase, these things are just not optional for northern European city bikes. Look at all those "folks on bikes in Vilnius" sites for proof. A full chaincase is more Dutch and protects the chain so you don't have to oil the chain often, but it will only fit a bike with a fixed chainline, like one with internal gears or a single speed. A full chaincase won't fit a mountain bike and it's nearly impossible to find one here anyway. Lesser guards are available many places including the giant bike parts wholesaler QBP (rings, or a longer $35 chainguard made by SKS that works with front derailer) - your local bike shop can order one. I went for the SKS - it comes in different sizes depending on the number of teeth in the front large chainring, and it only fits most cranks. It took me a while to install since you have to take off the bottom bracket, which was rusted in on my bike, but it ended up looking and working OK. 

Part of the Practical thing is being able to just grab the bike and ride it wearing normal clothes without ruining them or rolling your pants legs up. Go to the trouble now and get a chainguard.

Skirtguards / coat protectors are harder to find and more optional, but here's a place online with lots of Dutch type goodies.  Try the Dutch bike specialist shops in Chicago too if you really want some, or look into the traditional methods of drilling holes in your fender to run strings to the hub (like the 1910 Raleigh), or crocheting your own net ones if they're important to you. In theory they keep your clothes from getting wrecked in the spokes. I never wear clothes on my bike so I didn't order any guards. Plastic ones clip onto most fenders. The Bobike kid seats have a jacket protector option available.

Put on a good rack or child seat at this stage too. I ordered a Bobike Junior from JC Lind and I have a nice Jandd rack from a bike swap to put under it if I need more space for panniers.

The Bobike Junior is a rack...

...And a child seat up to age 10 or so, with footrests and space for stuff

OPTIONAL DETAILS

Block pedals, Kickstand, Reflectors, Bell, Rack Strap. I use mirrors, but don't tell any Dutch person. A helmet. (In Holland they have separated bike lanes, cycletracks, so their injury risk is much lower than here, and helmets are unpopular. We have integrated traffic and resulting injuries, so consider a helmet even if it's not authentic. It lowers your risk of serious brain injury by about 80% in most studies.) Little bags for tools or lunch or whatever. Clarijs brand back panniers from a Dutch bike store. A clean up: remove the heavy metal mountain bike decals, the trail mud, and all 8 water bottle holders. Oil your chain. Get non-quick-release skewers and lock those wheels on.

Some Dutch bikes have a laughable but cute little rear wheel lock installed that keeps the wheel attached to the bike while the metal guy throws it, your panniers and your child into his pickup to take to the scrapyard to sell for $6. Many older ones can be opened without the key. Don't waste your time buying one of these and carry a real lock instead. In Holland it would be a heavy padlock and 6 to 8 mm armored chain, like here (cheap and looks good) or here, but go ahead and use what you like best. A big U-lock is easier to carry but a chain fits around a metal streetlight pole. Lock it to something that won't move and that doesn't have a CTA sign on it (or the CTA will impound it).

partly converted mountain bike with old Wald fenders and new seat and handlebars

THE RESULT?

Now after all that work (maybe you spent, what, a few hours putting it all together?) you have a really Practical Upright Durable commuting bike, maybe with a couple of kids seats on it, that weighs much less than a Dutch bike and is just as good. Depending on the frame and parts you chose, maybe it's better. You can lift it up the stairs. Even lots of stairs. And I bet it didn't cost $1000. Refer to it as your fiets (as in "feets don't fail me now") and you can be as smug as the Bike Snob about what a good value it was. Quick, increase the cycling mode share: go pick up the kids from school and get the groceries on your new old bike!

Nearly Finished! And I can lift it!

    I'm planning on putting the Bobike Mini handlebar mounted seat in front, so I can get 2 kids on with me, and I'll probably be adding a rack to more easily hold panniers under the Junior seat. The lights need to be tuned up a bit, and do you think it needs a big wicker basket in front? Hmmm.

new stem                                                       35

new handlebars                                            30

new cables and housings                             15

fenders                                                          30

lighting

for example, old dynamo with new B&M 

Lumotec D-Oval and DToplight Plus,       60

cargo rack                                                      25

basket, child seat...                                       extra

chainguard                                                     35

Grips                                                              10

Wide sprung plastic seat                             40

2 new Schwalbe Marathon tires                  80

total                                                        about $360

                                                               (but with a Brooks seat and fancy stuff it came

                                                               to a little over $400 for this one)

One grownup, 2 kids, no cargo