Dutch Help
 

Hi Guys

I recently acquired a dutch gazelle which has me a bit baffled. It is rusty and some of the parts[ headbadge/rims/chainguard/headlight/fenders ] look older to me 50s/60s, but then some of them like the seat/the back reflector/the reflector on the back wheel ] all look newer. The woman said it was "vintage" but she also didnt know what a drop out was :)

I searched for a serial and couldnt find it. i have another dutch bike i had posted in the "dutch invasion" thread which i also dont know much about, i am hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

MANY MANY thanks!!! ... .and i got it for $40 so i figured that was pretty good :)

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yeah, that one looks rusty, but still rideable. These bikes were made to the same basic pattern for a long time, but my guess it's made somewhere in the late sixties or early seventies. The saddle is definitely a replacement (treat yourself to a fine sprung Brooks, or better yet, Lepper). The reflectors are probably later additions when the law on reflectors changed.

BTW, the odd top tube indicate that this was a boys' model: the idea was that by making the effective seat hight a little lower with that kink you could buy this bike for your teenage son before he had his growth spurt, so you don't have to buy him bigger bikes all the time. Thrifty Dutch solution that's just unthinkable in todays' disposable consumer culture.

Thanks very much Italuminium. I noticed that some other older bikes i have seen floating around will have that bent tube as well. I think 50s schwinns?? i thought it was a style thing! :)

i am definitely going to get this up and running.

any idea where the serial is on the bike?