thebaint

Here's my Batavus Professional:



And the link to its thread here on BF: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...6#post13581646

Elev12k

Recently I have been working on my 1968 Fongers-RIH project. Earlier this week I fitted clamp on Campagnolo shifters, guide, pump umbrella and Stronglight bottom bracket (2x 11 loose balls). With a couple more bits fitted it really starts to look like a bike now.



Most of the parts are donated by a small size RIH. Not all: the Stronglight Competition acier cranks and Titan post came from a crashed Germi.



The small size RIH was a couple years younger. Nuovo Record rear mech says Patent 71. Pretty much everything that came from this bike was from Campagnolo's Nuovo Record group, but the hubs are Normandy Luxe Competition examples. Nice hubs.

Many of the original parts of the red RIH couldn't be used anymore. After the bike was retired from racing it served as city bike and it had a tradiional Dutch bike cockpit fitted - to give an idea. Hence I decided to set pretty much everything from the small RIH over on the red one.

What to do: black cotton or blue cotton for the tape? The headbadge is in blue, but black would be nice too. Hmm...

s70rguy

Very elegant! One of these days you'll have to tell us where you get all those wonderful bikes ...

(and yes, I changed my avatar. Kim Jong Il kicked the bucket, so now its Kim Jong Un!)

pullup

Elegant is the right word for this Rih. What a nice deep red colour and I like the stronglight crank too.
I think black tape will be better suited.

Elev12k

I think through the same source you got many of your fine bikes from, Freek. Our largest classified site. You know, the 'M' word. Uhm... not that it really matters I mention Marktplaats, as compared to a couple years ago prices skyrocketed and there is much competition anyway.

I bought this red RIH from a kind gent in Haarlem. I have his address and will get in touch with him when I have the finished result ready. He will be surprised.

The donor RIH I purchased from the old Arie Simon shop in Zaandam. I encountered it there, when I tried to find out more on the Simon brand. The Germi was offered by a questionable person I would normally do no business with. He asked 50 euro for the kit. Frame is now a nice decoration item and several parts that came off it more than justified the amount spent.

Elev12k

I think the color was called 'flamboyant rood', but I am not sure. I could imagine it is correct, as the red is quite flamboyant indeed.

Thanks for your thoughts on the tape color. Perhaps with blue it would become a bit too flamboyant? Fortunately the blue of the Tressostar is not very vibrant, but still, if I want to go for classy, black is the only right choice.

Italuminium

Sweet build on that RIH! And I guess the trick to Marktplaats is to search in generic terms and buy stuff of people who don't know what they got... I found some nice bits for cheap by searching for "Campagnola"!

Elev12k

I've had some luck with poorly advertised bikes in the past: typos, blurry pics. Of course the amount of time put into the searching, investigating should not be underestimated, but still, it is always nice to find a gem and more importantly: a gem that you can afford. I experience however that where yesteryear you could lean back and follow the market and deals closely with patience, that nowadays you face fierce competition from other enthousiasts and traders. Moreover the people who offer stuff seem to be more aware of what they have or even think they have gold in their hands. Whether it is because they have many phonecalls or emails coming or because it has to do with a revaluation by our society of everything that represents old world quality is an interesting question.

s70rguy

We should start a new thread called: 'I am/was a flipper, these are my trade secrets'. To make it more interesting, add funny stories, and the knowledge you gained. Like when I bought a perfectly kept '80 Gazelle A-frame complete bike ('ah yes, we didnt use it much'), for 15 euros ('yes, thats really the price we'd like, its an old bike'). Its in the US now, the frame that is!
I remember vividly I spoke out to Lotek (Marty) harshly, because he had the gall to mention marktplaats on this forum. This was 2005 ... times have changed!

Edit: that Gazelle frame was crashed a couple of years ago in NY city, got an email asking for another one! Good memories ....

Elev12k

I wouldn't consider that a good memory. Similar happened with a 54cm Presto I sold. Couple months later I contacted the buyer to learn how the projects was going. He told me the bike was stolen from his balcony... Ouch, that hurts. Still hurts. Since than I be carefull with what I offer where and I adjusted my prices upwards.

Not really a trade story, but certainly a good score: below pic shows me being happy with my team Gonso Batavus cyclocross bike. It is a pic from right after collection. The bike was advertised in the 'BMX & Crossfiets' section. A not so logical choice and I think it was up for light years. When I spotted it I immediately made a phonecall and I were welcome. As you can see it was around the same time of the year as now. I had to cross half of the country, but my Swedish car was of course is fully capable to deal with the sometimes very slipery roads. Especially near destination, a roomy set up quarter with huge estates, it was more skating than riding. The man was a kind older gent. He told me a bit of his history with cycling and the bike. I showed my enthousiasm and I am sure he became very well aware that I knew where I was talking about. Still, at some point he asked me the question whether I was going for it. He were very excited when I said a) 'yes, of course!' and b) that I were willing to pay the full asking. The full 50 (fifty) euro asking!

I would have been willing to reach much deeper in my wallet, but of course I rather spend the money on the next addition to the fleet. You can imagine my happyness.


Me being happy with my just acquired Batavus in 2009

memphisgypsy

Just got this yesterday in Valencia Spain, posted in the forum and someone suggested I post here as well. I bought it for a beater since the market for used bikes here is outrageous, but I“m pretty curious as to what I have. Any of you dutch bike people have any idea about this thing: year, specific maker, quality, etc?

pullup

I think the number 55 on the downtube corresponds to the number of years Rih existed.
The brand is around since 1921 so your frame would have been build in 1976.
I just cleaned up and readjusted a frame for a friend that had 60 on it and indeed he claimed to have bought it in 1981.

The Amsterdam Rih shop is still open by the way and the same guy still builds frames.
https://www.rihsportamsterdam.nl/

But I think your bike is from Rih Cove in Limburg, they were allowed to use the Rih brand but actually had little to do with the original brand.

humanreisberg

I am still working on the decals (tricky, at last for me), but here is a small preview of Leo Duyndams Presto track bike:





Happy x-mas

Kilian

Elev12k

Very nice!

...& looking forward to the rest!

s70rguy

Kilian, I had my '72 Presto resprayed by a guy in Aalsmeer. He had the correct masks to paint the name Presto on downtube and seattube. PM me if you want to know more, but of course this has to be done before clearcoat.

humanreisberg

Hi s70rguy, i need to write 50 postings ore more to be able to send a PM. Can you write me a PM with your email address? This would be the only way to get in contact with you right now.

But i really would like to know more about it

Kilian

lotek 

Kilian,

You should be able to send PM's now.

Marty

humanreisberg

Hello Marty,

thank you very much

Kilian

s70rguy

1998 Gazelle Special

New addition, that will hopefully find a Thai owner soon.

Gazelle Special, probably 1998. Interesting because its made from Reynolds 531 Trapezi tubing, exclusively drawn for Gazelle. Oversized toptube, seattube and downtube getting much wider near the bb shell, 'snake bend' chainstays. Later models had staright front forks, also there was a version with I believe 853 Trapezi tubing.
A nice and clean bike, andd a well-made framee. One of those last attempts at hand made steel frames to have a place in the market.

paulkal

That is a nice Gazelle. What is trapezi?

Michael Angelo 

Gazelle Gold Line Racing. 2011 Campagnolo Athena 11 Group.

Italuminium

Fantastic gazelles, these last two.

non-fixie 

One can still get toeclips in 2011? Cool.

Michael Angelo 

No, those are from an earlier Athena Group, Pedals, seat post and headset. Everything else is 2011.

Elev12k

Years ago I got hands on a similar frame (part of a job lot). It was finished in TVM colors. On the toptube it said 'Hendrik' (Redant, perhaps). It was a very nice frame. That particular frame was welded however, what resulted in multiple questions when I offered it through eBay, as people assumed 531 can't be welded. Apparently 531 Trapezi can. It went to someone in the US (I believe west coast) who got a very good deal with it. I trew in period correct Vredestein tyres: 3 pair in 3 colors that came back in the paintscheme.