Exactly what IS a Dutch Bike? We meant to stop in at the shop when we were there but never got aroundtuit.....

I found this website that has pictures of some: http://www.dutchbike.co.uk/

They look like old fashioned style bicycles to me.

Ah-- notice the skirt-shields on even the 'Gentlemen's' bikes-- er, the bikes with 'men's' frames. I can understand that in Scotland but Holland??!!?? I didn't know!!! 'Times, they are a-changin'. :–)

LOL Glen...
Over here we don't call them skirt-shield, we call them "jasbeschermers" (coat-shield). Maybe u now understand why both "bike-genders" have them... of course u can still fantasise...

TKS, Igor! Holland is so far ahead of the rest of the world (or far out!) that it set me to wondering. From my understanding of the frequency of rain there and bike use in all weather instead of our fair weather biking, I can understand a coat-shield on every bike. :–)

Real Dutch bikes are expensive and have been hard to find on Bonaire. The "Mercedes" of these bikes is Gazelle, produced in different models for over 100 years. Modern Gazelle bikes have up to seven gears in a triple planetary hub plus front and rear drum or disc brakes. The biggest selling Dutch bike today is Batavus, perhaps a little less sophisticated mechanically than Gazelle but also a little less expensive. Sparta is probably the third in sales. It has been bought by Batavus but is still made and sold as Sparta. Typical prices of the bikes in the Netherlands, including VAT, is around US$2,000 and up. Since they are mainly just old-fashioned "middleweight" bikes, that seems high. But they are extremely well made and normally expected to last 30 years or more. Hot Shot Bicycles on Kaya Grandi has sold and rented Dutch bikes for years. The last time I saw them they had Batavus. Take a look at their Web site, http://www.skyviews.com/bonaire/hotshot/ .

Except that HotShot no longer exists. They were bought out by RentoFun a year or two ago. Bike rentals now are available at De Frieweiler (sp?) and Discover Bonaire (Cycle Bonaire).

Jake