Originally Posted by
CarFreeFam4
A Kona Africabike that might fit what you're looking for. I don't know what MSRP is, I paid $329 for mine.
I was considering a Kona Africa Bike for a while-until the frame was "upgraded" to Aluminum in the recent ones. Now I pass.
Originally Posted by
bragi
Dutch bikes are beautiful but ultimately impractical in many cases. Seattle has a LBS that sells Dutch bikes, and when I went shopping for a new bike, I checked one out. I found it to be very cool, but too heavy even by my standards, too difficult to ride up hills, too slow, and far too expensive for such a poorly performing bike. A good touring bike costs less, performs the same function, and provides a better riding experience in much more varied terrain.
Apparently, a lot of other people have reached the same conclusion. The Dutch bike shop is still there, but they've converted over half of their space into a coffee bar, and that's the only part that seems to be doing any business.
I agree as the United States and Canada has a wide range in terrain environments. My old Dutch/German bike was actually a touring bike made for the similar hilly terrain found in Germany, Austria, and other countries like these. Since I bought it in the 1970s, it would have been considered "heavy" by today's standards. My present Raleigh Twenty is also considered very heavy by the same standards. As for buying these "expensive" bikes, I make a point of it as I ride the European way, plus I don't mind dismounting the bike and pushing up a steep hill-the bike is usually loaded down with groceries, hardware store supplies, etc. & I am spared not lugging these same packages directly on my own person. Bikes are utility vehicles in my world as they are in The Netherlands & similar countries. I use them for getting myself and my belongings around period. I never use "sport" in the same sentence describing any type of bike or using one here or anywhere on my Website series. Therefore, I buy the best product I can afford or locate just like I would in a house or car.
In the United States (and Canada too I think), Bike use is still recreational in nature-a glorified toy-and for the most part, there is no secure place to park them. So the disposable bike (far east made & cheap) is the way to go. Plus times are still hard (I don't believe the news anymore about the "improving" economy) and people are still not buying expensive anything right now-including genuine Dutch City bikes. Perhaps that is why your local Dutch bike shop had to add the coffee bar since that is still cheap and affordable even for an unemployed or underemployed person, not megabucks bikes or their accessories.
Originally Posted by
JayButros
I love the Dutch and their uber-casual lifestyle.
These bikes wouldn't work in Richmond though, it's has too many long climbs.
Unless I'm missing something about these cycles?
Isn't The Netherlands basically flat?
I don't remember any hills in Amsterdam for some reason.
I live surrounded by hills. I never let heavy steel bikes stop me from going up or down them 99% of the time!