badmother

February 2016

My plan was to use a city bike in town but I ended up walking. Only thing I regret is not wearing a pedometer, my legs still hurts from walking a lot..


One brave person locked a Brompton on the sidewalk.

Some pix from the 1905 shop (Danish cyklist organisation shop): Brompton in the window (and lots of them innside the shop), a Bruno mini velo outside the shop (owned), a Bruno minivelo on sale in the basement.

There was a sale in the basement, 50% off on most items. I passed on two Carradice s bags since I found them to be suprisingly heavy. I decided to stick to nylon and plastic after lifting them. Few bags in the shop, more (new type) bags comming soon. Bought a helmet at more than 50% off.

My first visit to a "proper" Brompton shop so I think I spent one hour in there, bought some bits and pieces.

A yellow Pedersen frame and a red Pedersen bike in the workshop in the basement of the shop. Another Pedersen on the street in a different part of town.

A parked minivelo (24"?) by the Metro.

Spotted a man on a Brompton having problems riding over cobblestones. He was to fast to be photographed.

At least two Bruno mini velos spotted in traffic. Both with female riders.

Some few other small wheelers, one cheap 20" folder parked. Some 24" non folding shoppers to be seen.

In a different shop some Velobris bikes (and other stuff in that same shop) on sale. Posters on the window of same shop saying "Regular patching 50,-" and "Speed patching (under 20 minutes) 80,-". That is approx £5 and £8.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/778361...7664403391259/

Hope the link works. BF did not want to uppload my pix.

Winfried

Thanks for the pics. I'll be in CPH again in May. Can't wait :-)

"my legs still hurts from walking a lot" : That's why I always bring a bike with me when visiting a city. Even a whole day of cycling around won't leave you exhausted like walking. Besides, it's faster and you can go much farther and see things that are just off-limit to walkers in the time available.

As for locking a Brompton: Just get a tight, Bicycle Gold-rated U lock such as the Eiger Compact. Besides, Scandinavia is a quite safe area (Even though M.C-A got his Bullitt stolen in CPH. Twice. And apparently, recovered both times.)

badmother

The B in the picture was locked with a lock I also found in the 1905 shop. Almost £100.- and almost one kilo..
I first intended to bring my B but then decided I did not want to risk locking it up. I forgot that I own a much cheaper Dahon Curve that I keep for using where I do not want to leave the B. I may bring the Dahon next time depending on what I want to do there.

This time I was in and out of shops looking for stuff, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...+royal+shopper

Could not find one.

BassNotBass

I love that pallet furniture.

badmother

Me too. Had to take some pix . Does not take much if you just do it the right way. Ther is something about Danish design, style and atitude I just can not resist.

DoubleDiamonDog

I thought an advantage of a Brompton was not having to lock it outside.

I was in Copenhagen last spring, traveling with the Brompton. Great city for cycling - rode out of the airport and back to the airport 4 days later. Didn't notice those sweet minivelos that badmother mentioned - I wish that I had. Most days we travelled around town on the Bromptons - saving the legs and covering more ground, but one day walked extensively including a trip to the Carlsberg brewery (nice tour) and the old palace grounds. Copenhagen is a wonderful place to visit - outstanding parks and open space, beautiful people, idilic society. I hope to go back some day and would love to get out in the Danish countryside away from the city, as much as I enjoyed it.

bhkyte

I was in bercelonia 2 years ago and saw lots of mini vellos. I asked to take some photos and the three guys were all hiring them for the day.

Winfried

I never got any of my bikes stolen since I learned which locks to get. Besides, Scandinavia is definitely safer than eg. NYC. Besides the Eiger Compact I mentioned, Abus' 401 mini is also a good U lock.

Andersen's Royal Shopper (Plus) is indeed a cheaper alternative to the Travoy: $€100 for the Shopper, $€150 for the Plus, and about $€50 for the bag. Make sure you get pneumatic wheels and ball bearings.

However, the Shopper (Plus) has no hitch that can be hooked onto the seat post, so there's an after-sale market for users riding folding bikes.

invisiblehand

Thanks for sharing.

invisiblehand

Shops and such wouldn't let a Brompton inside?

Winfried

Yes, it happens.

Then, either you don't go there, or you lock your B with a good, compact U lock.

badmother

Exactely. There are so many bikes in Denmark so there are strict rules you do not find other places. Like parks. I can totaly understand that riding in parks can be a problem but you are often not even allowed to walk a bike in such places, and there are heavy fines for doing so.

An example: approx 4 years ago we arrived copenhagen with 20" folders and took the train to Helsingør. We rode to the Kronborg castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronborg . Before entering the castle we decided to eat so we walked the bikes to a picnik area on the green lawn outside the castle. As we left to lock the bikes up in the always present bikestand a man that worked there told me we could not take the bikes into the park. He said "if the right peopel catch you you`ll be given a fine of approx £300,- He was polite and trying to help so I thanked him.

I was not happy to lock the bikes up and leave since we had the lugage on the bikes so we ended up going into the castle in terms, always one person watching the bikes.

You find this all over the place, wery strict rules and most peopel accepting the rules. There is no way it can work othervise, but if you are not used to the system you could be in for a suprise.

On that trip we went on to Denmarks Technical Museum. Not much problems there as far as I can remember. It had moved to a location in an almost industrial area since our first visit so a bit more relaxed.

Further down the coast we stopped at the Karen Blixten Museum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Blixen . Same thing. Strict rules for where to park. One person watched the bikes at all times.

Even further down the coast and entering Copenhagen same thing. A bike is a bike, no matter what name somebody gave it. Maybe if you bagged a B so nobody knows what it is but that is a lot of work and can be heavy.

This is actually the reason why I want to buy an Andersen Shopper. I can lock the bike and take the luggage with me in something that does not look bike related and hopefully find a place to store it or leave it in the ticket counter.

On my last tripp I spotted two tourists with the noses burryed in a city map stepping into the fast bikeline. Scary situation. Rules is important in such heavy traffic with high speed. Park where you should, walk where you should and ride where you should. Even riding too slow in the bikelane can be dangerous.

ttakata73

I see an unlocked Pedersen in your pics; that seems careless or do people just not want to steal such a cool bike?
Frankly I wish other cities were so bike-centric.
I live in Bangkok; now ranked the hottest city in the world.
Sure it is in the tropics, but the air pollution from all the cars, scooters, and old buses are contributors.

badmother

That black small thing on the left seatstay (just under the V brake) could be a lock. It looks much like a lock that they used to weld to the seatstays in the 80`s and maybe 90`s. If it is then it is locking the rear wheel to the frame.
Can you imagine running down the road with a Pedersen on your shoulder? I am sure they are so rare that every last one is acounted for so not easy to sell or ride a stolen one unless abroad. My bet is the owner was in the area.

We think we need cars becouse of the winter up here but frankly it is just about dressing the right way (and call a taxi if in serious problems) but it is in your part of the world during daytime that peopel really need some sort of solution. Lets hope it can be e-bikes instead of cars in the future. A bike at speed should be much cooler than a car that is heated up by the sun.

jur

Depends... high humidity, not so much cooling from the wind, although still better than being stationary in same weather. With cars, most ones in these parts come standard with air conditioning, unless you're driving something old.

Winfried

Bicycle commutes are mostly shorter than 5km, in which case a holder and a heavy-duty umbrella could do the trick.


No need to move 1,500kg of metal just to carry, on average, 120kg of human.

badmother

One more trip in March 2016 so I posted some more pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/778361...57666783327275

Orange bike I think had the Copenhagen wheel plus belt drive.

Black Pedersen with the type of frame lock I described last time.

Several times I was standing in one place just taking a picture, turning 90 degrees, taking next picture, turning 90 degrees for a new picture.. There are bikes and bikes and bikes...

Spotted fewer small wheeled bikes this times.

I am sorry but the snazy ladies on bikes are so fast so not easy to get a good picture. Also there is not so many of them in the shopping area.

No new Brompton bags in the 1905 shop at that time.

ThorUSA

great pics again
dunno about the orange bike. that copenhagen wheel is actually from the states, i offered them special spokes , but i do not know if theynactually are selling... the hub is Much much bigger, at least the version i know about. I think the hub is a automatic nuvinci style hub.. but again not sure

lock on thepeterson is standar in europe fro. abus or basta .. and others i am sure, i am wondering what the little black thing above the lock is for though ..lol

again thanks for the pics
thor

badmother

Thank you for commenting.

I agree with you that the Copenhagen wheel we know is bigger. I just assumed this is a new version since it was bigger than anything else I know. Also there was no cabels going to the hub. I looked up Nuvinci on Youtube and the hub i found there is much too small and has got two shifter cables.

I now did what i should have done in the shop, I asked. Looks like they are in a "chain" of shops. I sent an e-mail to them with a picture asking what it is. I guess I was like a child in a sweet shop, speachless..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqSfdWWHMZE

The black thingy on the Pedersen. Not sure what you ask about. There is a small plasticy thing with two screws on the seatstay. Not sure. I would guess it could be a broken thingy for a light but not at all sure. The bigger black box my guess would be a battery pack for lights but not at all sure. Now you gave me a good excuse for yet another Copenhagen trip- to hunt down the black Pedersen..

You could often find bikes locked with such a frame lock on Police auctions or at the dump. Peopel lost the lock and gave up the bike. I have opened quite a few withan angle grinder, you need to be careful not to cut spokes or frame.

edit: one more. I want one! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysiMBwtZ_r0

badmother

This one actually looks more like the hub in the shop, apart for the colour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co-n7njFmjQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haGIUnsX1sE

Winfried

Thanks for the pics. I'll be in CPH in May :-)

Instead of an IGH, isn't it the motor of a pedelec installed in the rear wheel?

Axa is another big brand.

That's something I don't get: Whether in the Netherlands, Cophenhagen or Berlin, they have a lot of bikes, but way too few bike racks to lock them… so people ride crappy bikes because they'll be stolen since they can't be locked down.

At the same time, there are still so many car parking spaces waiting to be turned into bike racks à la CycleHoop:


https://www.cyclehoop.com/products/bi...-cycle-stands/

I don't get it™.

badmother

I totally understand the question but it could be due to space or similar. I agree there is plenty space but once you put a rack like that (and it is filled up with bikes) it is like you placed a building there. Can you imagine the riot if it is later remowed? They need a certain amount of free space, imagine firetrucks and similar climbing over locked bikes..

Also I think peopel are lazy and not collecting damaged or forgotten bikes. I suspect that 1/5 of the bikes do not need to be locked where they are. You can see from the look if the bike (rusted, parts missing, rotten tyres and so on) and since I have been there at least four times in the last 6 months I can recognise dusty bikes still locked in the same place..

Peopel should contribute by collecting theyr old bikes and ride folders if they can.

I searched for Brompton in Copenhagen approx a year ago. Nothing apart from a shop far outside Copenhagen. Searched once more in january this year and it was suddenly several shops in town center. Only been to one of them so far. The other ones is on my list.

Interesting to see if the Copenhagen bike comunity is going to adapt to folders. They are used to big heavy bikes that are left outside. I guess it depends on where you ride. There is still a lot of cobblestone in Copenhagen and hitting such an area on a Bromptun without a sprung seat is not fun. I remember my seatpost slowly sliding down a few years back. I decided to use a Flyer on my B in Copenhagen in the future.

Winfried

I don't see the problem: On the sidewalk, the racks can be put at locations approved by fire departments so they aren't in the way; On the street, those spaces are currently used by cars, so replacing those with bike racks would make no difference.

IMHO, the crux of the problem, is that even in bike heaven such as Dutch cities, there's still some political opposition to really strip cities of useless private cars (since most trips are only a few kms/miles). There's a lot of infos on the following site: https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/

Simple: Do like in Japan, have authorities put a sticker on what looks like an abandoned bike (rusty chain, pizza wheel) giving a one month notice before it's removed.

It's also my experience in CPH, and cities in Germany and the Netherlands: People don't ride folders. The very few I saw were most likely tourists like me.
Considering the lack of storage space (witness the huge numbers of bikes simply laid against buildings), I don't understand why folders aren't more popular.



Get a Birdy or Dahon Jetstream :-) Or, more simply, smooth them down:
Copenhagenize.com - Bicycle Culture by Design: Bicycle-Friendly Cobblestones

badmother

Answer from the 1905 shop on the hub:

No it´s not the Copenhagen Wheel. The wheel is called Zeus and the bike brand Klaxon.


Med venlig hilsen/Kind regards

Andreas Otto
Butikschef/Shop manager