Utility Cycling - my local paper has bakfiets article

My local paper has an article about a women who takes her two kids to school on (in?) a bakfiets.
here (http://southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080830/News01/808300290/1130/Sports01)

Great article. I just wish they were more available. We have 10 of them here in Austin, but no one rides them. They were purchased as props to sell hi-end, hi-rise condos.

:cry:

Great article. I just wish they were more available. We have 10 of them here in Austin, but no one rides them. They were purchased as props to sell hi-end, hi-rise condos.

:cry:
Any idea how much the real estate agent is asking for their used props?

Any idea how much the real estate agent is asking for their used props?

We are going to ask about that. I'll let you know what I hear.

Would love to know.

Sort of like the Bilenky Viewpoint.

Sort of like the Bilenky Viewpoint.

Yeah but a hell of a lot more useful and durable.

All i've heard about a Bakfiets is that they're unusable in most places because they're Dutch and are built around a ridiculous Dutch gearing system. The Dutch may know a lot about bicycles in some regards, but their tastes in gearing are totally unworkable for anywhere outside of their own country; that wouldn't be so bad if they would at least acknowledge that fact, but instead they sneer at more workable gear ranges and try to push their narrow ratio internal hubs on the rest of the world. *grumbles*

All i've heard about a Bakfiets is that they're unusable in most places because they're Dutch and are built around a ridiculous Dutch gearing system. The Dutch may know a lot about bicycles in some regards, but their tastes in gearing are totally unworkable for anywhere outside of their own country; that wouldn't be so bad if they would at least acknowledge that fact, but instead they sneer at more workable gear ranges and try to push their narrow ratio internal hubs on the rest of the world. *grumbles*


Every one I've seen being sold in the US has an 8-speed nexus hub. That's a 305% range. If you need more gear than that, I doubt you're seriously considering one anyway.

Would love to know.

I would too.

I asked about them in Portland, and was told that the Bak simply couldn't cope with a lot of the hills in that area. The hills in Portland did not generally strike me as being exceptionally steep.

I asked about them in Portland, and was told that the Bak simply couldn't cope with a lot of the hills in that area. The hills in Portland did not generally strike me as being exceptionally steep.

305% range is about equivalent to an 11-34 rear hub. With the right choice of chain ring and rear cog, that would give a range of gear inches of about 25 to 76. (75 or so is the most common single speed gearing these days.) That gives speeds, at 80 rpm, of about 6 to 18 mph, with about 11 in the direct drive gear. If you've got steep hills, you can drop down a bit lower.

While South Bend, Indiana is pretty flat, there are some hills that are surprisingly steep, if fairly short. There are several stretches of over 15% grade. (They're all less than half a mile long, though.) Judging by where she works, and where her kids go to school, she takes her kids down one, and then up on the other side of the river.

That's the thing though... I doubt anyone really needs 76 gear inches on a bak. I cruise at 22ish mph with that gearing. I certainly wouldn't want to try to stop a full load at that speed.

I asked about them in Portland, and was told that the Bak simply couldn't cope with a lot of the hills in that area. The hills in Portland did not generally strike me as being exceptionally steep.

Sounds like the person you talked to needs to get in better shape. ;)