05-13-2024, 01:29 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,060
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave thompson
Dutch commuter bikes, real ones that is, are pretty much throwaways. Being used like they do, not well cared for, parked in huge bike parking lots cheek to jowl parts scraping and gouging others parts, they are simple tools, like a hammer. There’s no beauty in them, just utility, all built to a low cost.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Onno
Does anyone know where this bike is actually made? China probably? On the other hand, the "omafiets" as a category does represent a completely different way of thinking about bikes--not as fancy finely made machines, but as something functional, cheap, and not worth stealing. And mass produced.
I was in vacation in the Netherlands (my motherland!) last summer, and my wife and I rented bikes from a big rental company, in order to get out of Amsterdam. They were a version of the omafiets, and they too were pieces of crap, partly because they were banged up, but also just because they are not very well made. The seat bolt couldn't be tightened enough to keep the saddle from moving, and the bottom bracket axle was out of alignment, among many other problems. In my experience, the Dutch didn't seem very interested in being able to stop quickly going on their bikes, preferring to dodge obstacles than stop for them. And they don't feel the need to ride very fast either. Also, no hills.
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Sounds like we're stereotyping all Dutch bikes into one quality category. That's like saying because my Huffy ten speed was crap, all road bikes are crap.
My Azor Omafiets is a tank of a bike that I fully expect to outlive me. There isn't one thing on it that says junk. Yeah, I could have found a crappy Dutch bike if I wanted one but really there's a whole market of different quality Dutch bikes just like any other type of bike.
https://www.amsterdam-bicycle.com/.jpg
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