Dutch Bike Co Weblog

YES WE HAVE MOVED.

 

While I might sit here and wax poetic about the urban energy that flows through our new neighborhood and how Wicker Park/Bucktown is like the heart that beats cool-as-hepcat life blood through the veins of this city I decided to skip all that and…wait a minute “Google” says we are still on Armitage?  Then never mind.  We never moved.  My mistake.  I like Lincoln Park too.

KIDDING.  Despite what Google would have you believe for the past few days, we have indeed moved our shop over to Wicker Park. Seriously, we are open for business in Wicker Park and we couldn’t be happier about it.  With all the good food, drink and entertainment in the new neighborhood it’s easy to overlook the best part of our new digs.  The bikes.  The bikes are everywhere.  Every conceivable style of bike with every conceivable style of rider.  It’s amazing.  And of course we are happy to tune-up, fix, adjust and help with all of them.

Our address is now 2010 W Pierce Ave, Chicago IL 60622.  Sorry for all the confusion.  If you have questions on where we are, how to get here or if you want to know why the theme song to the Might Morphin’ Power Rangers is a magnificent piece of music (please ask for Chris and reference “Power Rock” if you are calling about that), just give us a call at 773-697-7618.

I’ll admit it.  I’m a little jealous that Seattle gets a Snowpocalypse before Chicago does.  I take pride in my city’s brutal winters.  So now that Seattle has had its fun it’s finally Chicago’s turn to play in the snow.  And while Fritz may happily snip zip ties off his bike now that things are back to normal over there I’ve got three inches of snow on the ground and more on the way.  In a matter of days the plows will shove all the snow in the valuable lanes of pavement I like to ride in, and soon after that all that snow will be compacted into something far more slippery than snow.  So, sure, Seattle gets “battered” once or twice every year, but what about real winter? 

What about many sub zero days, lots of scorching cold winds, the possibility of frost bite, snow, ice, more snow, more ice, and the inevitable lake effect misery that is the reality for all us crazy Midwestern winter riders?  What good is a bike commute if every time I swerve to avoid a collapsed catch basin or perilous pot hole, I lose traction and end up a pile of painful person underneath my bike?   Anyone who has attempted to ride down the lakeshore path will know what it’s like to see the sheen of a vast expanse of ice ahead.  When I was younger and I rode my 1977 Trek TX550 through such conditions, I just barreled through and braced for what I knew was going to be a couple of very uncomfortable moments.  But that was back when I trusted my patellae wouldn’t shatter upon impact, before I had any sort of thoughts that some injuries are more than just annoying to walk away from and some pain is too great to ignore. 

Anyway, what do we do about the dangers of an entire winter of ice and snow?

The Answer is studded tires.

These are the Schwalbe Marathon Winters I like to use.  (and that’s Chris in the background)

These things are great.  Greater, I might argue, than the zip tie snow chains.  And I might argue this because, well, I’m a bit too classy to be uglifying my stately Dutch bike with silly little zip ties.  (Kudos to you, Fritz, for choosing such a bright and safe color for your snow chains.  Safety first!) Seriously though, if you plan on riding through an entire winter, the studs will save you just when you need saving.

Remember when Fritz boasted of his uncanny placement of the zip ties so that they bit into the ice while cornering?  That’s the whole idea behind the placement of the carbide studs in the Schwalbe Marathon Winters.  The studs are arranged so that when running at full pressure your tires will primarily be making contact with the road right in the middle, on the rubber.  When you start cornering, the studs will do their job.  Of course, when the roads do get totally nasty, and the ice and hard pack snow is everywhere, you might just want to lower the pressure and let the carbide studs do their thing all the time.  With the increases contact area of a soft tire, the studs give you way more traction. 

With 240 metal studs on 700cc tire I feel secure on my ride no matter what I roll over, I’ll keep my wheels underneath me.   They also have the Schwalbe standard reflective strip on the side wall which makes me feel not only bijster (very) European but also bijster visible. 

It’s true. You will sound like a swarm of bees when pedaling along dry clean pavement.  But the advantage when you need it is well worth the noise.  And when you arrive to work, or the bar, or back home again all in one piece, everyone will be very happy to see you.  

We’ve got the tires in stock now, and we’ll get just about any size you need.  Heck, I’ll even put them on free of charge.  That’s how much I care about your safety.

Just thought everyone might like to know what happens when Dutch Bike Chicago heads over to Dutch Bike Seattle. Watch until the end to see who forms the head.  Who is that guy?

It occurs to me that while we clearly know who Dave and Fritz are, and we have recently had the opportunity to “Meet Alex”, the fine readers of the Dutch Bike blog really don’t have any idea who Vince is.  And I think that’s crazy.  I mean, here we are bringing Dutch Bike to all the fine citizens of the greater Chicagoland Metropolitan area and we don’t even have a picture on our blog.  Madness, I tell you. Madness. 

 So let me begin with a little introduction.  Six years ago, I squeezed into my first set of Pearl Izumi bibs and cycling jersey and set out for a long bike ride.  That, more or less, took me to cycling adventures around the world, and a nomadic life of bikes, spandex, clipless pedals and highly offensive yet scientifically proven foods.  A year ago I woke up and after looking through a communal kitchen for a clean mug and eating another Cliff Bar breakfast, I decided it was back to Chicago for me.  So I packed my suitcase, shipped my bike back to my parent’s house and headed to the uncertainty of a life in one place.  

I used to dress like this every day.

Back in Chicago I discovered something funny.  My life no longer revolved around going really fast on a bike.  I needed to carry stuff, wear normal clothes and get around town in a less sweat inducing manner.  So my road bike became useless.  I had a mountain bike.  But something about Chicago, perhaps the paved roads, perhaps the bike lanes, or perhaps the fact that the only topography is formed by steel and glass structures told me a bike built for rugged terrain might be a bit pointless.

Somewhat serendipitously, as I meandered through the streets of Lincoln Park, I found Dutch Bike.  And as I ogled the fine bikes in the Chicago showroom I got to talking with Stephan and discovered that not only did I love the bikes, but I also loved the idea.  Everything sort of just made sense.  So I bought a Transport, started borrowing the Bakfiets and eventually landed a pretty sweet gig in the shop.

Now I look more like this.

Actually I look just like this.

Come on in to the shop and say hello.  

Padraic Swanton of Chicago's Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce sent Stephan these questions in anticipation of publishing a story about the Dutch Bike Co. in The Source summer 2010 edition.

LPCC:  How long has Dutch Bike Co. been in business? Personally, how long have you been working for them?

SS [StephanSchier]:  Dutch Bike Co was founded in Seattle by David Schmidt in the spring of 2007.  I became involved as a partner in October of 2007.  We decided during the Summer of 2008 to open a Chicago store and I moved to Chicago in September 2008.  We opened for business a few weeks later in the middle of October. I am now back in Seattle.

LPCC:  What sets you apart from your competition in Chicago or across the country?

SS:  Right from the start we decided we were going to become the Dutch bike experts – so we import ourselves, directly from Holland and focus on classic utility bikes – the bikes most typical to Amsterdam residents.  Many of us live an everyday bicycling lifestyle, so we understand the needs of families and individuals who might never consider themselves “cyclists” in the sporting sense of the word, but want to ride a bike.  We were the first to set up multiple locations (including warehousing bikes in NY) so that we could serve customers across the nation, and we have customers from coast to coast.  We specialized in shipping fully assembled bikes all over the USA – typically getting to our customers in less than a week.  We also have an online store at which people can purchase bikes and accessories.

Q: I need a bike.  What should I be looking for?

You should look for a bike that is comfortable and meets your goals and  needs.  Are you training or are you commuting; do you want to shop or carry children; will you ride in inclement weather or at night?  Answers to these questions will inform the types of bikes and accessories we would recommend.  From there it's a question of how much money would you like to spend.  We would always recommend buying the highest quality bike you can afford..  Our best WorkCycles bikes will last you a lifetime.

LPCC:  What’s the most common question clients ask you?

SS:  Because of our Dutch bikes' size and heft: “Aren't these hard to ride up hills?”  In Chicago (unlike Seattle) hills are not much of an issue, but our most popular WorkCycles all have the smoothest shifting, 8-speed internally geared hubs which will get most anyone (if they take their time) up most any hill.

LPCC:  Why Chicago?

SS:  Mayor Daley and the high level of cycling advocacy going on in Chicago was and continues to be a big attraction. The hundreds of miles existing bike lanes.  The flat topography and neighborhood oriented lifestyle create a perfect climate for incorporating cycling into our everyday lives.  In example, in Lincoln Park everything is within ten minutes by bike, from Trader Joes, to Whole Foods, to the gym, to the lake, to the post office and bank – there is little need for a car.

LPCC:  How has your company changed over the years? Have you seen changes in the LPCC or the Chicago community?

SS:  We grew quickly, took some early risks (coming to Chicago) and we've consolidated (closing our NY warehouse during the economic downturn) and now we are more cautiously moving our original shop to a new location in Seattle's historic Ballard Ave district which will include a cafe. Chicago continues to be an anchor.  We are happy to have survived a rough period in which it seemed there were far too many empty storefronts in our Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Q:  What are today’s trends in your business?  

SS:  Cycling fashions that look like everyday clothes.  More practical everyday bikes for non-”cyclists”, that come equipped with baskets, racks, fenders and chain guards.  Cargo bikes (which we love), electric assisted bikes and more specialized (and expensive and trendy) bikes for sports and recreation from cyclocross, to downhill, to bmx, to fixed-gear.  Cycling is more hip across a wide range of ages, occupations and lifestyles.  Visit progressive Portland Oregon for a day and you will see the signs of the revolution.

LPCC:   What do you look forward to most on a day-to-day basis?

SS:  In Chicago, a grinning new customer riding away on their new bike.  Seeing customers riding through the neighborhood taking their kids to school, shopping or going to work.  Knowing that a bike can greatly improve the quality of someones life.  In Seattle, I look forward to sunshine.

LPCC:  What’s one thing you’d like everyone to know about Dutch Bike Co. or yourself?

SS:  More than just being technical experts on Dutch and other bikes used for transportation and cargo, we  live with bikes as our primary means of transportation.  We love our bikes, but more importantly, we strive to love our city lives.  Our beautiful and practical Dutch bikes support our view of an urban American utopia, where public transportation, pedestrians and cycle-friendly neighborhoods are king.

Q:  Anything you’d like to add about your experience with the LPCC?

SS:  Thank you for being advocates for our business and those of our peers in the Lincoln Park community.

...So once again we spring-less Chicagoans have skipped right through from winter into summer, and as the temperatures jump from frigid to boiling, we find ourselves in season for beautiful weekends and wonderful bike rides.  As Memorial Day draws near, I look forward not only to channeling my inner Dade County fashion sense and releasing my vast assortment of white linen clothing onto the bike lanes and pathways of Chicago (not really), but also to the amazing event that is Bike the Drive.  

We want to see every Chicagoland Dutch Bike riding down Lake Shore Drive this Sunday.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve got an heirloom omafiets or a brand new Workcycles Transport.  If you ride like the Dutch, you should ride with us.  Is your bike less “Holland” and more “anywhere else?”  Don’t worry, we won’t discriminate.  Come ride with us too.  It’ll be fun.   If you are coming down from the North Side, up from the South Side, or in from the West Side, feel free to meet up at Dutch Bike Co. for some coffee and morning sundries.  I’ll be in the shop around 5:00am listening to some James Brown and getting properly caffeinated.  We’ll head out for the ride at 6:00am. We’ll cruise down to the ride start in Classic Dutch Style with a Bakfiets full of supplies.  So please join Will, the Brehmen brothers and myself for a great ride.  Just go to www.bikethedrive.org for all the information and registration.  Or come by the shop and pick up a coupon for discounted registration.

Need to rent a bike for Bike The Drive?  Give us a call at 312-265-0175 and we’ll set you up with special pricing for the big ride on Sunday.  Pick it up on Saturday night before we close up or come by on Sunday morning.  So let me know if you need a bike.  And call me if you want some more info on where to meet. 

Hope to see you there,

Vince

Dutch Bike Co.
651 W Armitage Ave
Chicago IL 60614

Chicago 1 Year Anniversary Celebration — Tonight

Join us at our Chicago shop for a Belgian beer tasting tonight, Saturday evening, 6-9 PM, with Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield of Vanberg & Dewulf, the Belgian beer experts and founders of Brewery Ommegang, the first Belgian style brewery in the USA. Also, join us during regular hours in the shop,  for a weekend of sales specials on bikes and accessories.

Hey, it's almost time. More bikes arrive this week. Did you know that Chicago has a 24 hr. Home Depot. Yup, you can buy hand tools and light bulbs at midnight. Sorry I don't have much time to blather on about how happy we are to be here, but here are some photos from my last days in Seattle and our new home in Chicago. Hope to see you sometime in the shop soon. Our hours will be 11 AM to 6 PM Saturday the 18th.

I returned last night from a whirlwind three day trip to Chicago.  My main mission was to secure the lease for our new shop.  Mission accomplished.  Thanks to our friend Alby Van Alyea and broker Diana Rendina for making it a fun and smooth process.  And a special thanks to our new landlord and his enthusiastic wife for taking a liking (from afar) to us.  We look forward to meeting the both of you soon. I'm not yet ready to reveal the neighborhood or the specific address, but I am willing to play twenty questions over the next few days.  So, if you want to play, just ask me yes or no question here in the blog.  I will answer in a timely manner.   The one who guesses the street and neighborhood will win a Dutch Bike Seattle T-shirt, illustrated by Ed Fotheringham (cartoonist/illustrator whose work can be seen in The New Yorker).  Friends and family are not eligible.  And no, Ed McMahon will not be coming to your door with an million dollar check from Publisher's Clearinghouse.

Last month I was interviewed by Crai Bower for a Forbes Traveler article entitled North America's Most Bike Friendly Cities where I had a chance to  hint at the need for a shift in the way we view bicycles - from sporting goods to transportation appliances.  I also had another chance to kiss Portland's ass as one of the great cycling cities.  I do love Portland, certainly as a cycling mecca and hope America's ass-kissing of Portland as a great cycling city will stir the envy of sport-cycling-centric Seattle (and other cities with elitist cycling egos) to invest more in cycling infrastructure for the everyday rider.  One of the other top cycling cities mentioned in the article is Chicago and from what I recently observed it's true.  There are seemingly more everyday people, in everyday clothes, riding ordinary bikes at casual velocities than in any other US city I have recently visited. Chicago is big and it's flat and there are a lot of old Schwinns piloted by the children of the original owners.  There are bike lanes along many of the main boulevards.  Mayor Daley is committed to making Chicago the best cycling city in the USA.  His plan calls for a 500 mile network of bikeways so no Chicagoan is more than on-half mile from a bikeway.  This may explain why our biggest and most fervent customer base is in Chicago. Chicago takes its working class viewpoint and applies it to cycling with superb effect.

Today we were featured on the front page of the Seattle Post Intelligencer's business section in the article Small Retail: A practical ride with the subtitle reading "Biking upright, Dutch-style, is catching on".  And, it is catching on.  This makes us happy.  More and more people locally are finding us and tickled that they need no special uniform, athletic qualifications or technical knowledge to operate our bikes.  They are meant to be ridden in the manner we used to ride and love bikes as children.  This explains the grins and exhuberance which usually accompany test rides.

For those of you who read the PI article, you already know we let the cat out of the bag.  Some of you may have already put two and two together.  For everyone else, I'd like to tell you, we are opening a second retail shop in Chicago sometime this fall.  Thanks to our fervent cutomers there, including the incomperable aLex, we already feel welcome.