Oma oma bo-boma bo-nana-fana-fo-foma, fee fie fo-moma, Oma!

[darkemeralds]

Well, boys and girls, I am now the proud owner of a Dutch Workcycles Omafiets. (Oma=Grandma, fiets=bicycle. It's a granny bike!)

When I bought Clyde, my Specialized Globe "Carmel" cruiser, back in August, people said things like, "When you upgrade..." and "Oh, I can't wait to see what kind of bike you decide on next!" and I said, "I ain't buyin' no more bikes! Clyde is my bike 4-evah!"

Ha ha ha ha.

Actually, I knew I'd upgrade eventually. I just thought I'd wait a whole year. So, why buy a new bike? And why now?

• Clyde was built for the buy-it-and-put-it-in-the-garage consumer*, so daily commuting has aged him about five years in six months.


• Clyde is not truly up to my weight--if I carry heavy groceries, his poor spokes are taxed.


• I really wanted better gearing. Clyde is pretty clunky that way.


• A step-through (aka "girl's") configuration in a 61 cm (big-tall-Dutchman) size? How could I not?**



• My commute several months of the year is in the dark, and I wanted the hub-dynamo lights that run off pedal power*** instead of having to change out batteries all the time.


• The more I've ridden, the more I've wanted to differentiate myself absolutely from more sportif riders. This was pretty obvious visually, but the Omafiets really seals the deal.


• I love the completely enclosed, low-maintenance chain. I was tired of the grease.


• I wanted a bike that's not a fix-it-yourselfer. I'm a take-it-to-the-shop type of person.

*This, apparently, is the fate of 80% of all bikes sold in the US. I was astonished. Don't ask me why.

**Assumptions about men, women and size are apparently different in the Netherlands than here

***The Clever Cycles guy said that with the lights on, the generator hub requires the same excess pedal power as if gaining six feet over a mile, or something like that. Not nothing, but no big deal if you're not hurrying.



I went and got her from Clever Cycles at lunchtime today, and rode her home tonight. She feels very civilized and dignified. I might have to name her Eleanor.

(Cross-posted to my personal DW and LJ.)

Comments

[temve]

Heh - the Omafiets seems to do a fine job as the ambassador of the European way of cycling. Yep, here it's the grannies just as much as the kids who ride bikes all the time, and heavy-duty comfy commuter bikes like this one are still quite normal, especially for city folks like me who choose not to own a car (although yikes at the price they charged you for this one... though I guess once you factor in import charges and shipping, that's what you arrive at).

I've been riding a slightly more modern-looking version on a similar commute for almost three years now - and yes, these things last. Congrats!

[darkemeralds]

It was definitely import duties (on top of European labor rates) that drove the price up. There's no American-made bike of that style, and my other choice in that general configuration was a made-in-China one at half the price. It was significantly less sturdy, and the bike shop guy, whose profit margin was probably similar on both bikes, steered me towards the Omafiets. It was a good decision. I'm extremely happy with it.