# Barn Find Batavus Flying Dutchman



## Gimletbikes (Jun 12, 2022)

Looking for some ID help here. This Flying Dutchman is really nothing special, but I like it. It's a utilitarian Dutch ladies townie. It has been languishing in a friend's barn for years - it caught my eye years before i ever thought about refurbishing an old rusty bike. Things about it that I like are: it was free, deep blue/green color, stainless 28" rims, integral wheel lock, the rat trap rack, full chain case, the dynamo still works. I hope the rear hub is a 2-speed coaster, but I can't tell yet. I would like to pin down a year of mfg, but can't find a serial number anywhere. Any input appreciated!


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## juvela (Jun 12, 2022)

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the generic term for this sort of machine in The Netherlands is an "oma fiets" or "granny bike" in english

btw -

possible that the machine's Weinmann Symetric brake calipers may be late enough to carry a date marking on the backside of the caliper.  if present, it is in the form of a clockface symbol -





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the "IC" marking seen on the machine in a couple spots stands for Intercycle, an umbrella entitiy formed in 1970 following the Batavus acquisition of Magneet and the German Phoenix-Fongers conglomerate.

this paragraph from forum member non-fixie encapsulates the early decades of Batavus history -

"Batavus is “the other big Dutch brand”. The company history starts in 1904 with Andries Gaastra opening a shop in Heerenveen that sells clocks and sewing machines. In 1907 he starts importing German ‘Presto’ bicycles, followed by his own bicycle assembly under the brand name ‘Batavus’.
In 1917 he buys the Phoenix bicycle factory, sells the Phoenix brand, and keeps the factory for Batavus production. Until the end of WWII Batavus remains a rather small local operation, but Andries’ son Gerrit is a true entrepreneur and when he takes over the management of the company in the early fifties, he invests in two growing market segments: lightweight sports bicycles and mopeds."

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## Gimletbikes (Jun 12, 2022)

Good info! Thanks! I will get that brake off tomorrow!


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## juvela (Jun 12, 2022)

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wrt possible brake caliper date marking -

this is something which came in relatively late

do not know a specific year for its beginning

checked over at VB for the black label edition of the Symetric caliper and a launch date of "mid-1970's" is given

the pair of calipers employed to illustrate the listing do not carry the date marking










			VeloBase.com - Component: Weinmann AG Symetric [black label]
		


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other spots to check for possible date marking -

shell of rear hub

barrel of front hub

markings on wheel rim

portion of handlebar stem down inside steerer

handlebar end beneath handgrip

markings on steerer

markings on back side of crank arms

marking on cantle plate of saddle

markings on reflectors

one additional location Weinmann sometimes places a date marking is the portion of the brake lever proper which is inside the brake lever housing

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## Gimletbikes (Jun 13, 2022)

It has the right brakes, but no clockface. Stamped with '813' on both arms. So the fact that it is the weinmann symmetric comfirms that it could be as old as mid '70s, yeah? Will continue down the list. Haven't disassembled very much due to backlog of work.


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## Allrounderco (Jun 13, 2022)

Man, @juvela coming through again with the knowledge!

I really like this bike. I don't see to many of these here in the US, and have never seen one (for sale, or otherwise) here in the northeast. While there may not be much of an enthusiast following for Omafiets around here, they are still way cool. Looks like this one will clean up very nicely with an OA bath, as well. Stainless rims are a huge plus!


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## Bryan Akens (Jun 13, 2022)

I  would  guess  Your  bike  was  brought  here  by  a  Military  Family......returning  home  from  a   European  assignment.....


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## Gimletbikes (Jun 13, 2022)

Bryan Akens said:


> I  would  guess  Your  bike  was  brought  here  by  a  Military  Family......returning  home  from  a   European  assignment.....



Definitely possible. The official story (that won't really get to the root of anything) is that my friend, who happens to be the kid of Dutch immigrants, found it in the bushes at a friends house 20 years ago. His being Dutch doesnt do much for this story, except that it's probably why a bike lettered Flying Dutchman caught his eye. According to him the friend always had a way of coming into weird possessions  - he owned a local record store. The fellow gave it to him because he needed a bike. He kept it & rode it until they had a kid. It's been parked ever since. That kid just started college this year.


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## juvela (Jun 13, 2022)

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forgot to mention earlier -

the bicycle's wheel/tyre size will be indicative as to whether it is a domestic Nederland market product or one done for export...to the anglophone world for example

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## Gimletbikes (Jun 13, 2022)

Hmm. I did snag a photo of the stamping in the rim. The sidewalls of the tires are very crumbly - havent found any legible text yet


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## juvela (Jun 13, 2022)

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bead seat diameter 635mm

French wheel size equivalent 700B

not an export model done for the anglophone world...



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## juvela (Jun 17, 2022)

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minor dating note -

here is the image of a red label Symetric model brake caliper on a 1975 Raleigh Super Tourer model cycle which has been discussed on the forum

suggests that the black label version did not begin prior to 1976






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## Gimletbikes (Jun 17, 2022)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> minor dating note -
> 
> ...



Oh! Very interesting note. I intend to get this oma fiets up on my stand this weekend. I will look for more clues. Can't believe the seized bottom bracket is rolling freely now.


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## juvela (Jun 17, 2022)

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shall look forward to seeing what you discover when you disassemble the machine's chainset

at first glance one would assume some manner of a Thun pattern set however the shape of the black dustcap in this image is reminiscent of a Sugino product





the black plastic seal on the non-drive side of the bottom bracket shell may simply cover a conventional adjustable bearing cup and lockring

IIRC the black label visible on the propstand is one of the logos belonging to Intercycle

curious regarding the black rectangular item aft of the bottom bracket and forward of the mudguard

suspect it may be a battery for the lighting system designed to keep the lighting going when the cycle is stopped for a brief time

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returning to dating -

this image of the markings on front wheel rim shows a marking reading either "03" or "08"

should this refer to a date it would put the cycle later than would have guessed





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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

After disassembling the crankset i learned some disappointing news. The black seal between the nds crank arm and bottom bracket is.simply a split plastic dust cover. It slid off the sq. taper spindle atter removing the crank arm. The bottom bracket bearings were caked with goo and rust. After cleaning all that off is when the disappointment came: It's just  an axle on two SKF sealed bearings. They seem to be locked into the bottom bracket shell by some kind of hydraulic press that deforms the edge of the ahell, sealing the bearings in there, seemingly, forever. There is no threading inside the shell. No lock ring. Ugh.

Since they were seized, I pried off the outer bearing dust covers and sprayed in some PB Blaster to get things moving inside. I used some brake cleaner to wash it all out and filled it back up with Phil Wood bearing grease. It spins fairly well, now, but a bit gritty. 

I read in some discussion on bikeforums that the bearings can be knocked out with a hammer (thats the manner suggested by Batavus customer service) but getting new bearings in and getting them to stay in may be tough. I found the replacement bearing spec online, but I havent decided yet if that's worth trying. I'm leaning toward not worth it. Fwiw, the bikeforums discussion was from '00 and the bike being discussed was an '88 Batavus Winner.


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## juvela (Jun 18, 2022)

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images in these discussions may help other readers to follow along -





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						Problem with SKF bottom bracket - Bike Forums
					

Bicycle Mechanics - Problem with SKF bottom bracket - Hi all, I have a movement in the axial of the bottom bracket. It's an SKF and I think it's sort of sealed BB. I wanted to remove it so I cut the "cap" so it end to this. I don't know how to manage this kind of BB. I have a city bike, a...



					www.bikeforums.net
				








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						Batavus Winner + removing BB - Bike Forums
					

Classic & Vintage - Batavus Winner + removing BB - First of all a warm welcome to everybody - I've followed this forum for a while, but this is my first post. The Story Here comes the story: we got this bike for real cheap from a guy selling vintage / rusty / otherwise cheap bikes in some...



					www.bikeforums.net
				




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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

Yeah, that's what I found, too. That's definitely the situation down there. In other news, the front hub os kind of neat and has what may be some dates stamped on it


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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

MAILLARD 46 84 Made in France


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## juvela (Jun 18, 2022)

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in this manner of marking "46" refers to the week and "84" the year

(system also employed by Sachs and Huret beginning 1978)

"...only XXXVIII she be...just a young thing!..."   😃



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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

Better look at the rim stamping


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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

...and the rear hub


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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

This wheel lock is fascinating. Still works like a charm.


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## juvela (Jun 18, 2022)

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thanks for better view of rim marking

could indicate manufacture in march of 1985

front hub marking indicates manufacture in november of 1984

hub would have had to travel from the Maillard plant in Incheville, France to the Batavus facility in Nederland while rim locally manufactured

so cycle may be a 1985 model

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rear hub marking

"2.8" may be a gear ratio reference

"36" of course refers to drilling

"Schweinfurt" - this name evokes memories of the air war over Germany
there was a ball bearing plant there which the allies attacked at great loss of aircraft and life...

air crew comment: "...the flak was so thick it looked like you could get out and walk on it..."


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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

I really enjoy the period references - thanks for including them. I got a similar reference today - the bottom of the dynamo is marked W. Germany, so definitely puts this ass'y before 1989. Despite not finding _any_ other references to date of mfg, I'm liking your feeling of '84-'85.


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## juvela (Jun 18, 2022)

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there is yet the possibility you may discover additional date markings/codes as you explore further the cycle...

remember to check portion of saddle pillar down inside seat tube and portion of handlebar stem down inside steerer...then there is the steerer itself...

due to the long period in storage there is a good possibility that inner tubes may be the originals and may carry some marking



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## Gimletbikes (Jun 18, 2022)

100% disassembled today. All checked. No mfg markings. All bets were on the steer tube, but it is entirely unmarked. Mysterious & confounding, but, as you say, something may reveal itself as I continue to refurbish. It really is kind of settled in my mind. I realized, today, that the plastic headlight assembly that is hardwired to the dynamo absolutely reeks of mid-'80s tech.


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## juvela (Jun 18, 2022)

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there is that Intercycle logo once again

is the maker of the headlamp the same as the maker of the dynamo?

is that a working tail lamp which can be seen on the rear mudguard or is it a reflector only?


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"mid-eighties technology"  😸 

to an old coot like me "mid-eighties" is like "last week"

am most likely yet stranded back in the VII-ties 🤪


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## Gimletbikes (Jun 28, 2022)

The Oxalic Kool-Aid Acid test. The spring clamp was removed and treated separately. Torsion springs soaked in gear oil to rejuvenate.


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## juvela (Jul 7, 2022)

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thank you for this update

the cycle's pedal set appears to be Union Frondenberg (DE) model Nr. SP-689

current/more recent production appears to differ only in that the "T" cutout in the wraparound plate has been changed to a diamond shape

this model is also produced with brown and with white rubbers








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what is the conditon of the machine's headset; have you opened it up as yet?

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## Gimletbikes (Jul 7, 2022)

You don't know how timely this info is! I just finished rebuilding the left pedal (the one that was apparently buried in the soil for 10 years) and I was underwhelmed by the finished product. The right pedal is fine. Ready for service. Despite the corrosion on the left one, the bearings inside were still great, surprisingly, but the endcap and endplate were sapped of all integrity. I did get the rust off, and rebuilt the pedal. It's now functional, but quite ugly. Looks odd especially because the other pedal is just fine.

Also, I love the red rubber - I think I'll nab a set of those if I can find them.


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## Gimletbikes (Jul 7, 2022)

juvela said:


> what is the conditon of the machine's headset; have you opened it up as yet?
> 
> -----



The headset cups, threads & ball bearings are all fine and ready to go many more miles - thanks for asking. The one thing I have not yet dug into yet is the bearings, cups & cones of the wheelset. But since they roll fine, and all the other bearings in this machine are fine, I'm not too worried


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## Gimletbikes (Jul 7, 2022)

I put the bad endplate on the inside and it helped appearances


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## juvela (Jul 7, 2022)

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how diplomatic of you not to mention that the pedals are WECO rather than Union!  😉

verily, thar be a career awaiting thee in the foreign service...

if the forum gave out demerits for posting incorrect information this writer would have been banned years ago


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## Gimletbikes (Jul 7, 2022)

Hahaa! Well, I didn't know enough to say you were wrong. The dynamo is branded "Union" so I assumed it made sense that the pedals be Union too


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## juvela (Jul 8, 2022)

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😉 

dost thee envision to administer to frame a spa treatment in OA or Evaporust?

such will likely return to the lady's epidermis a good measure o' colour...

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pedalen -

here is a pair of the cycle's model fitted with white rubbers:





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## Gimletbikes (Jul 20, 2022)

My friend is restoring the wheel lock keychain. She's great with silver smithing and leather. She rejuvenated the chrome - the leather keychain is next. I can't wait to see it.


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## juvela (Jul 23, 2022)

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Wonderful to see you are having such good fun with this!

When you disassembled headset did you remove crown cap to see what crown looked lilke?

Have you investigated the availability of the plastic skirt guards?

Looking forward to the next update.   😉 


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## Gimletbikes (Jul 23, 2022)

The crown is in surprisingly _great_ shape after some heavy steel wooling & polishing.


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## juvela (Jul 23, 2022)

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wow!

the welded crown is likely a BOCAMA pattern but lack the stock number for it   😕

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"Robert Be Thine Uncle!"


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## non-fixie (Aug 14, 2022)

Late to the party, sorry about that. Wasn't paying proper attention.  🙄

I have been looking at a few Dutch market catalogues, and the 'Flying Dutchman' model name was used during the seventies, and was still in 1979 price list. It had disappeared 1983, wasn't available in 1985 and was back again in 1988. 

The 1988 version had drum brakes, a Sachs 3-speed hub and only came with 26" wheels for the ladies, by the look of it:





So my best guess for now is that it is either just pre-'83 of just post-'85.


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## non-fixie (Aug 14, 2022)

BTW, the standard ladies' frame was an _anglais_ model. This extra low stepthrough frame was an option, at least in the seventies. This is from the 1976 catalog:


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## juvela (Aug 14, 2022)

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thanks so much for this excellent information     @non-fixie     😉


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here in the states we do not oft see dynamo mounting bracket brazed to the inside of a blade -





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very fine work, look forward to the next update...  😃


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## Gimletbikes (Aug 14, 2022)

juvela said:


> -----
> "Robert Be Thine Uncle!"
> -----



I missed this when you posted it. But it really got me gigglin' today... My Australian friends say this "...and Bob's your uncle"

Thanks for the kind words and, yeah, I'm looking forward to getting back to this one


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## Gimletbikes (Aug 23, 2022)

Had to do some tight detail steel woolin' around that riveted on headbadge. Looks better. You're my boy, Blue!


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## Gimletbikes (Aug 24, 2022)

Hit the Soul food truck otw home for shrimp, okra & mountain dew. It fueled me for a marathon assembly session. No time for tidying up.


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## Gimletbikes (Aug 26, 2022)

More elbow grease applied in a liberal manner


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## Gimletbikes (Aug 27, 2022)

non-fixie said:


> Late to the party, sorry about that. Wasn't paying proper attention.  🙄
> 
> I have been looking at a few Dutch market catalogues, and the 'Flying Dutchman' model name was used during the seventies, and was still in 1979 price list. It had disappeared 1983, wasn't available in 1985 and was back again in 1988.
> 
> ...



Huh. @nonfixie what year is that catalog? That looks like all the right attributes


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## Greg M (Aug 27, 2022)

Tidy, scmidy, get ‘er done!


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## Gimletbikes (Aug 29, 2022)

I had to ride it as soon as I could - this is a streetlight photo, so it looks kinda weird. Only the front fender and some miscellaneous parts are left. Today's accomplishment was installing the chain & chaincase. It was pretty tricky. The lower chaincase is a bit deformed from years of sitting in the soil, so I will have to attempt to bring it back into shape with heat. It really rides smooth. The headtube angle is so slack - there's sooo much tire out front.


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## non-fixie (Aug 31, 2022)

Gimletbikes said:


> Huh. @nonfixie what year is that catalog? That looks like all the right attributes




That is from the 1988 Dutch sales brochure.


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 1, 2022)

Big day for the oma fiets - she's basically complete, today. I still need to rebuild the both hubs and make the chain case better, somehow. I got these nice photos while out on a wandering test ride today. In other news, I ordered the reproduction Flying Dutchman sticker set from Unlimited Colors in the Netherlands.


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## juvela (Sep 1, 2022)

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wonderful to see her all back together now

great you found the transfer set

could use a sandow or two to anchor to the eyelets on rack stays

are handgrips a match for what was on there OEM?

given any thought to dynamo selection - reckon it should match lamps

done any search for skirtguard?

what be the status of lock key resto?

all best - looking wonderful!  🥳


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 1, 2022)

juvela said:


> could use a sandow or two to anchor to the eyelets on rack stays
> 
> are handgrips a match for what was on there OEM?
> 
> ...



Re. Sandows - Voile straps! Suggest something more Dutch or period correct? Hard to beat voile straps, though

Yeah, the thin handgrips are original. You know, an odd fact about this bike is the handlebar and stem are fused together from factory? 

I've found a couple matching union dynamos on ebay, but sellers list them as 'untested'. Waiting for one that I can confirm works. 

Skirt guards ~ low priority. Alternatively, I do have a nice set of vintage black canvas briefcase panniers that may keep my skirt out of the spokes.

I should have the updated lock key chain very soon. That's going to be a really nice touch. 

Thanks for the feedback!


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## juvela (Sep 2, 2022)

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thank you for the reply 😉 

"You know, an odd fact about this bike is the handlebar and stem are fused together from factory?"

this is a fairly common design found across the products of all cycle producing nations

it is most frequently seen on juvenile models and on practical adult transportation models as opposed to sports models


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 2, 2022)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> thank you for the reply 😉
> 
> ...



Very practical, indeed. The chrome is flaking around the top nut. It bugs me. I may end up trading this out for a separate stem / handlebar combo. It's basically the same as a schwinn touring bar. Still pondering this detail. Need more saddle time to bond with it before making relationship decisions


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## non-fixie (Sep 2, 2022)

Excellent result! I had to go back and check the 'before' pics to confirm that it is really the same bike. Well done!


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## juvela (Sep 3, 2022)

non-fixie said:


> Excellent result! I had to go back and check the 'before' pics to confirm that it is really the same bike. Well done!




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yes, now that it is nearly completed Gimletbikes might wish to consider posting it to the "projects" forum

all of the excellent "as found" images and step-by-step ones would fit right in with the theme of that forum.  😃 🚴‍♂️


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 3, 2022)

non-fixie said:


> Excellent result! I had to go back and check the 'before' pics to confirm that it is really the same bike. Well done!



Thank you! Yeah, the first week was spent pulling soil & weeds and spiders out of the chain case


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 6, 2022)

I rebuilt the Sachs Torpedo coaster hub over the long weekend, at a casual pace, dealing w rusty parts as needed. That thing is a well designed piece of machinery. Very little wear inside despite the old grease being dried up to the consistency of a brownie. I put it back together without the chain guard and it was a joy to ride around.


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 16, 2022)

fresh in from the Netherlands - finally some fresh Dutch rubber for braking. Vereinigte Staaten von Amerikd - that's got a real ring to it


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Sep 21, 2022)

Opafiets says hello!


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 21, 2022)

Fritz Katzenjammer said:


> Opafiets says hello!
> 
> View attachment 1699128



Holy cow, Fritz! That's a beautiful steed! Wow, I'd love to take that one for a spin. Outstanding.


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Sep 21, 2022)

Gimletbikes said:


> Holy cow, Fritz! That's a beautiful steed! Wow, I'd love to take that one for a spin. Outstanding.



Don’t be fooled by the rod operated drum brakes, its not some restored museum queen. They still make them that way, I bought this big lump (50+ pounds) just last December.

seems some of the Dutch still value a well built “tool” bike.

the rest drive equally well made e-bikes, also made in Holland.


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 23, 2022)

The rod-operated drum brakes are an interesting set up that we don't see much in the US. They do appear with some frequency in the Danish and Dutch markets though. But the rod/drum set ups are popular in some European countries and certainly add variety if you collect commuter type bikes. I owned a Raleigh Dawn Tourist at one time that had rod/drum brakes and was a Danish market bike brought back here to the US. I recall a particularly foolish member of another bike-related forum who insisted I had created the rod/drum set up and it was not stock. After I showed him that in parts of Europe, yes this is stock and people seem to like the set up, rather than admitting he learned something, he actually went back and altered his part of the conversation to make it seem like he had never said what he said. Live and learn, I guess. The Danish market Raleigh I had also came with an extra long stem and a long seat post.


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 23, 2022)

Wow. I have never seen rod operated brakes in person. I am looking forward to having the chance. I now see that the rear is rod operated, too! Makes me think about airplane controls. Your bike is stunning. Curious: How is the bottom bracket threaded?


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 23, 2022)

If you're asking about the Raleigh - it's a standard Raleigh/TI bottom bracket that's threaded to take the drive/fixed cup and the non-drive/adjustable cup with cottered cranks. The frame dimensions and threadings are the same as a Raleigh Sports 3 speed.


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Sep 23, 2022)

That Raleigh is a really beautiful bike.

the rod operated drums on my Gazelle are also linked, so the brake levers are just one long piece and hauling on either end gets you all the drums have to offer... which isn’t much.

they were poorly balanced when I got the bike, I suspect the dealer wasn’t sure how to set them up as the linked brakes are rare even among Gazelles. Anyway, once I figured them out and got them balanced they were better, but still not great.

I think the advantage of the drums is they they are dead reliable, last forever on little maintenance and are pretty much weather proof.

I had to have them because they are so damn cool! I just love all those shiny little rods and bellcranks!


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## Gimletbikes (Sep 23, 2022)

Now, I'm officially on the lookout for one of THESE


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 23, 2022)

Rod and drum is a tough layout to find in a US market bike. If you can get someone to ship for a reasonable price, the Netherlands and Denmark are where I'd look first for one. I bought mine in pieces as a project from a seller in NY. Lots of work later, and I had the green bike shown above. Superbe Green is the color - really nice one. I eventually sold it in an auction where it fetched... $125. Needless to say, I thought it would be worth more than that! But it works out that way sometimes. These kinds of bikes generate some interest, but you don't get the feeding frenzy you get when big ticket balloon tire bikes come up, or boutique road bikes (or BMX or younameit).


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 27, 2022)

If you're near NY state, there is a rod and drum Gazelle for sale for $50


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Oct 9, 2022)

Mine has a 26” frame. With 28” wheels the ground is a long way down.

Its the second largest frame they manufacture, the big one, at 28”, has double top tubes.

I assume it sells well to the giraffe crowd.


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## Gimletbikes (Oct 9, 2022)

My Flying Dutchman decal set finally arrived from the Netherlands! I'm very excited about installing these. Unlimitedwebshop.nl surprised me by custom printing a set with _metallic gold_ ink in lieu of their standard yellow gold with no upcharge. Wow. I'm extremely happy with their quality.


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## Gimletbikes (Oct 21, 2022)

Man, they look better than I could have hoped. More complete photos to come


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## juvela (Oct 23, 2022)

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thanks very much for the update         😉 

with the transfers now done am thinking you must be very close to completion - be that correct?        

any news with the wheel lock restoration?

be careful, forum members with German, Danish, Dutch, Belgian, Swiss and Austrian machines which came from the factory with wheel locks may deluge you with requests for contact information on your friend who is helping with this... 😂


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## Gimletbikes (Oct 23, 2022)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> thanks very much for the update         😉
> 
> ...



From what I understand, we are one leather rivet away from seeing the finished restored keychain! I found an OEM Lepper seat on eBay, so waiting until that arrives for final photography. 

On a bonus note, i took my 18 yo son out on a neighborhood bike ride this evening. We have wonderful fall sweater weather in NC right now.  I rode a random cruiser and he rode the Batavus. I could tell he was thoroughly charmed by it. I noticed that after we parked the bikes, he took out his phone and snuck a snapshot of it.


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## non-fixie (Oct 25, 2022)

Gimletbikes said:


> ... he took out his phone and snuck a snapshot of it.




The acid test.  😀

I still remember the first time mrs non-fixie did that with a bike I'd built for her. And it wasn't the first bike. Not by a long shot ... 😒


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## juvela (Oct 25, 2022)

non-fixie said:


> The acid test.  😀
> 
> I still remember the first time mrs non-fixie did that with a bike I'd built for her. And it wasn't the first bike. Not by a long shot ... 😒




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...yes indeed, tell the forum about the Benotto...

i may not have eno' digits to tot up the iterations of that cycle!   🤯 


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## non-fixie (Oct 27, 2022)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> ...yes indeed, tell the forum about the Benotto...
> 
> ...




Alas, despite my numerous tries, the Benotto never reached that level of fame.

No, the first real bike portrait she ever made of her own bike was this one. (And damn proud I was of her when I saw the result. She had clearly been paying attention! 😀)


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## non-fixie (Oct 27, 2022)

Sorry, @Gimletbikes , didn't mean to hijack your thread.

Now, back to Batavus ..


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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Oct 27, 2022)

Dutch porn sites.

Dutchbikebits.com

your source for coat guards ( Gazelle calls them coat guards, so thats what I call them ) chain cases, dynamos, lights, fenders, weird ass tires with Dunlop/Woods valves... in white, and all manner of other strange Dutch stuff.

Bikestoremember.nl


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## Gimletbikes (Oct 27, 2022)

No offense taken! Its validating to hear that a secret snapshot of a bike we put dozens of hours into is like a badge of honor! Cheers


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## Gimletbikes (Oct 27, 2022)

Fritz Katzenjammer said:


> Dutch porn sites.
> 
> Dutchbikebits.com
> 
> ...



Wow! What a resource! Thanks for sharing


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## juvela (Oct 27, 2022)

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yes, but were you ever able to forgive her for bending the top tube?!?!    😹 



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## Fritz Katzenjammer (Oct 27, 2022)

Gimletbikes said:


> Wow! What a resource! Thanks for sharing



And worst pornsite of all...

Dutchworldbikes.com.

these guys take old Dutch bikes and “restore” them into nifty e-bikes, really really beautiful e-bikes

Like this 1964 Gazelle Sport Luxe...


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## juvela (Nov 29, 2022)

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the endless creativity of tinkerers...









						The Altenburger Synchron Bushing Experiment - Bike Forums
					

Classic & Vintage - The Altenburger Synchron Bushing Experiment - Some time ago, I came across a fascinating 2011 discussion with PDXaero , Dawes-man and gugie about installing brass bushings in Mafac centerpulls (yes, even before Jan Heine invented them) as a way to either overcome wear from...



					www.bikeforums.net
				





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