Not2Lucky

I have this bike I bought in Holland in '02. I rode it for 3 years when I was there (I put about 2,000 km on it), and in a moment of nostalgia, I told the shipping company to bring it back to me in Pennsylvania where I live. Unfortunately, here in PA they have hills, so a 3-speed planetary gear bike, does not really have the benefits here then it did there.... so it has been sitting for most of the last 5 years, so I want to decide do I sell this classic bike and make a bundle, or put this piece of trash out to the curb.... I love this bike, we have gone though think and thin, but, I need to figure out if it is worth it to someone else, my 11 year old and I now go mountain biking, and we do not have room in the garage for so many bikes. SO here are the particulars:

- Gazelle 3 - speed, "POPULAR" don't know what year, it was used when I bought it for 100 euros in 2002. It has a built in lock on the rear wheel (the European type, where the key says in as long as the bike is locked.
- Some people would call this an OPAFIETS (grandaddy-bike)
- It has a (aftermarket I think) generator that powers the front and rear lights (you get a ticket in Amsterdam if you do not ride with lights)
- It has a leather seat (Says "Lenner"?)
- it has a "rod break lever", so both the front and rear breaks are applied at the same time (with one hand)... sort of like ABS i thought, but then my Dutch friend, said, no is it so you can hold something with one hand and still stop.
- it has a leather/plastic cover around the chain.
- Steel tubes (heavy, but sturdy)
- It has a DRUM rear break (really!)
....now the clincher... the seat is 43" above the ground. I am 6'8" and it was only a SMALL problem for me, but it is what it is.

Attached are some pics.... let you know what you think I can get for it (or any ideas for selling)

Not2Lucky

Oh... Yes they are big tires, and the inner tubes are the European valve, anf they are about 27" dia. They are large, but I could by them on the shelf in all the bike stores in Holland, I think I have a spare tube in my box somewhere

sauze

Very cool bike, unfortuantely I'm hardly an expert on these old dutch bikes but it's far from trash. The double top tube and all the extras can only help value but the huge size may be a draw back. I'm guessing someone with more knowledge than I will chime in.

HercRider

I would put it on your local Craigs List. As for price - it depends on where you sell it - a Gazelle similar to that was sold on the San Francisco CL for less than $200, but the seller didn't specifiy "Dutch Bike" in the ad; if he had put in "Rod Brake Gazelle Dutch Bike" in the title, I'll bet he would have gotten more offers at a higher price (saw one go for $375 about 5 months ago). It also has drum brakes, I believe - that is enough of a difference that it would probably stand out.

My additional advice is to do a search like "dutch bike site:craigslist.org/bik", which will show every ad for a Dutch bike on CL (for the most part) and get some ideas of price and what parts to tout (larger size/drum brakes/rod brakes/Dutch/coat protector/integrated lock). Also, look at a website for a store like "my dutch bike" in SF; what they discuss as being great will probably help sell your bike.

vintagebicycle

Nice bike, where about in PA are you?

What is the stand over height of the frame?

The tires are probably 28 x 1 1/2" or 700C, depending on the year.
Bikes from Holland had a lot of British influence.
Gazelle is an old brand, its been around for decades both here and in Europe.
There was also a British bike brand Gazelle in the 50's or 60's, they may well be one in the same.

zukahn1 

Just say it the guy bike are a litle to good.

ijsbrand

't Is a Dutch Gazelle. But one of those types that has been made for decades without changes. So one from the fifties can look remarkably the same as one from the 1980s.

The saddle is a Lepper saddle -- one of those brand names that suddenly gets a different meaning in another language.

paulkal

The British Gazelle was not the same, but a cheaper Raleigh brand. Gazelle is still the biggest bicycle grand in Holland.
This one is probably from the 1980's because of the decals. The higher end models at that time had the rod brakes, like yours.
The generator is a newer replacement.

slowleak

I've got an early 50's Gazelle from England which has a very similar headbadge, while that bike is indeed much newer, my guess was that the Gazelle brand was somehow related. I know Raleigh used the acquired Gazelle brand for their early Holland built bikes, I have a few old headbadges here from those years, but even so those badges are nearly the same as the older Made in England badges. Could Gazelle of Holland in the later years been a continuation of the original production under Holland management in the same factory building the same type of bikes after the demise of Raleigh?

I also remember having both a Raleigh Grand Prix road bike with a Made in Holland decal, as well as a Gazelle bike with a Gazelle headbadge, that was basically the exact same bike, same color, same components, only a different saddle and decals. The Gazelle made in Holland headbadge was basically the same as the earlier Made in England bikes I had but with Holland in place if England on the badge.

Not2Lucky

I am in Allentown, PA. However it seems like putting it in my office in Hoboken NJ, and trying to sell it in NYC craig's list might be the best plan.
Standhight over the frame is 39" (I have a 36" paint leg, and I barely make it)

Not2Lucky

When I was in Holland, the cops would pull you over if your bike did not have a light on it (and it was turned on after dusk)