With this being my first dutch bike, I enter into a world of ultimate practicality, in what seems to be at the expense of weight and user-friendliness. There is nothing about this bike that is “quick release”: everything requires a lot of tools and some time to fix, at least when compared to a modern road bike.
Is this a 1960 bike? It’s hard to say. The Sachs Torpedo 3-speed internal gear rear hub is date coded “A”, meaning either 1958 or 1982 (they restarted in ’82 to use “A” again). Given how long these last, it could be either. The “stamp” front brake makes me think it’s older, but there’s a little serial number on the rear seat stay bridge that makes me think the frame is newer, simply because of the font/style.
Fortunately, no matter the age, the risk of something breaking on this bike is near zero: you’d have to be extremely unlucky for anything to fail, as robust and strong as everything is designed – this thing is built like a tank!
This bike is a beast, at least 20kg’s worth. Saying “there’s a lot to love” comes in two parts: first, it weighs a ton; but second, and more importantly, there’s so much functionality built in.
The practicality here is unrivaled. The features of this bike: integrated kickstand; super-strong HD rear rack; full fenders front and rear, including rear fender skirts; comfortable upright seating position, allowing good visibility; fully-enclosed drivetrain (no chain grease on your pants leg, and the rain and weather stays off the chain); the previously mentioned Sachs Torpedo 3-speed integrated rear hub; integrated rear wheel security lock; dynamo lights front and rear. There’s a very cool “stamp” brake on the front, with a simple but effective coaster brake for the rear.
The problem(s)? Two flat tyres. Spiders everywhere. Peeling paint. RUST. General neglect, being left outside on a balcony.
Fortunately, all can be addressed; and the spiders can be saved, relocated to my house plants, where they spin lovely little webs and catch nasty little flies. (I really appreciate my spiders, they do a fantastic job around the house. NEVER KILL A SPIDER!)
Where to start? The bottom bracket, rear integrated hub, shifter, and headset, all work perfectly. The front headlight works, so the dynamo works, but the rear light does not. The integrated security lock was stuck. The Sachs Torpedo IG hub appears to want to work. Pedals are good. Brakes all work. Nothing is stuck (seat post, stem). Everything is dirty, some bits are rusty, but nothing is eaten through or missing. Tear it down, break it apart, clean it up, and “make it right”.
Next thing I know, I’ve got a stripped frame, have mechanically removed all the rust from the rear rack, front and rear fenders and wheels, polished the bars, packed & greased the front wheel bearings, and rewired the dynamo and front and rear lights; I even got the integrated security lock for the rear wheel working. I’ve touched up all the gouges, nicks, and scratches on the frame, and am getting the fenders and rack ready for primer and paint!
This is such a cool bike. A roadworthy workhorse is exactly what this was designed to be, getting someone from A-to-B, hauling groceries or a laptop or kids (or all of the above depending on the day). Put panniers on it. Park it up outside a shop using the integrated kickstand and lock, do your shopping or whatever, and it will be there when you return. Don’t worry about getting your pants greasy, as the chain is fully enclosed; and the fenders & skirts will keep the rain off. If you forgot to bring lights, don’t worry, just flip the bottle dynamo on to the front tyre and once you start moving, the lights will come on.
This is a bike for the city, and would be the ideal commuter, for all seasons. I certainly won’t keep this one, so if you have any questions about it, contact me @ridelikeaturtle on X or @ridelikeaturtle on Instagram.
