Originally Posted by
Citoyen du Monde
You will have noted that I qualified my statement of Norway being a cycling backwater at the time of the building of the original poster's bike. (Mind you, so was the USA.) This was definitely the case in the 60's and early 70's (except for the odd exception) In the late 70's, cycling became a bit more accepted, but as a whole Norway was still trailing other countries. If I am not mistaken, DBS belongs to the same group as Bianchi (Toni Grimaldi's company based in Sweden) and has been for many years and this could have been the reason for the Italian frames for top of the line bikes.
Grimaldi never did anything for DBS. Jonas Øglænd started producing bikes in 1868. They also made Tempo mopeds and motorcycles. They made their mark on Europe with those "badly built gas pipe bikes". Exported them all over Europe. I would love to have a 5 speed to cruise on. I am willing to bet there are a higher percentage DBS bikes surviving than most of their peers.
BTW, I have never heard an American sneer at Schwinn.
As for Norway being a backwater for cycling in the 60's and 70's, I have 2 words, Knut Knudsen. Also, Norwegians moved by bicycle, moped and bus in the post war years. Imports were limited and few Norwegians even owned a car.