My New 8-Speed Dutch Bike
My Gazelle Tour “Populair” absolutely rocks.
I got an 8-speed Dutch bike recently to replace my single-speed version. And man, I love it. I loved the single-speed version, too, but any kind of hill was a pain. With a great basic design and a few small improvements, my new model is a beast.
About Dutch Bikes
Dutch bikes are made to go places and do stuff. So you “dress for the destination”, instead of dressing in special clothes just for the ride. You use it for transportation with a modicum of activity, rather than sweat-inducing exercise. In short, it’s made for “pedaling”, rather than “cycling”.
For more on that subject, see my previous article: Upright, Slow Speed, Zero-Sweat Cycling. That article explains why I was so enamored with my single-speed Dutch bike. In this one I talk (and brag a bit) about my fancy new 8-speed version.
Note: This article contains Amazon affiliate links.
Why They’re Important
Before we talk about my bike, though, let’s talk about why you want one.
To put it simply, great things happen when you start using a bike as a utility (or commuting) vehicle:
- For society, it means one less car on the road, so there is less traffic and less noise.