Inhabitat

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I find it unbelievable that they ask so much money for those bikes! With a bit of luck you can get a brand new one for $100,- here in the Netherlands….from $795,-…. unbelievable…

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*gasp* … between $795 and $1,295?? Sounds like a rip-off to me. Similarly-designed bikes cost approx. €200 here in the Netherlands. Beware: these types of lights and dynamos suck. Good (and slightly more expensive) Dutch bikes now all have dynamos and brakes built into the front wheel hub — much, much better.
FYI, I’m riding a “mama bike”, similar to this one (but a bit less fancy) at the moment. Cost me about €300, it’s super solid and my toddler loves the front seat.

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This made me laugh out loud! If people are crazy enough to buy into this, good for Jorg & Olif. Being born and bred Dutch I wish I’d come up with a money spinner like this!

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I’m all for sustainability but why not get yourself a second hand bike and cut out all the pollution that goes along with making a new bike and delivering it to other countries and save yourself a pretty penny at the same time? I don’t really think you’ll look ‘fashionable’ as the company would like to suggest. You’ll just look like a mug for paying that much money for it while you parade down the street (and I say ‘parade’ as you won’t be able to manoeuvre through traffic with those handlebars!)

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lovely photo but I too find them a little expensive. I have never blogged before and i find it rather peculiar that the first message i get is from someone that is trying to sell the bicycles that i myself sell. At least similar ones…. Mine are Batavus (the best ones) and they come in any colour you want, and for a more reasonable price. Check the website for the colours!…

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For me, this bike is about style over practicality.

As an experienced bike commuter here in Vancouver (where they’re retailing Jorg & Olif) I was very interested when I first saw these bikes and had to check them out first hand. Unfortunately, I think these bikes are completely useless for commuting in my city. I found these bikes to be incredibly heavy, and while they do have an internal shifting system they don’t have enough gears to compensate for the weight of the bike + rider + any cargo you might need for your commute. Never mind riding one of these up a hill, I’d hate to try and carry it up to my apartment (something I do with my current bike almost everyday). This is not the type of bike that’s going to help you kick the fossil fuels habit.This is the type of bike that sits in your garage until a sunny afternoon when you want to ride to the park or beach.

I’m with kat from london, try recycling a bicycle before you waste your money on this.

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What ever it takes to get Americans out of their cars. Maybe some of the thousands of Americans who drive everywere will be drawn to the hip euro bikes and reduce the amount they drive. If it takes a $1000 price tag and some slick advertising – more power to them. I really doubt the kind of people who are drawn to these bikes would ever consider a $200 Schwinn.

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The price for this ugly bike is ridiculous. I’m in agreement with the $200 old Scwinn. Heck even a brand new beach cruiser Scwinn at my neighborhood bike shop is only $220 or so. I don’t get it. Just buy a used bike. Seriously.

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@Cat: hey, I’m from Holland too and no way can you find a sturdy bike like that for less than $100 (what, 90 Euro’s??) unless they’re made in China! A good brand Dutch bike will set you back at least 400 Euro. It’s all in the material and build quality.

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Thanks Alan for injecting a dose of reason into this debate… While I’m not going to challenge the beauty of the cheap second-hand bike (the type of bike I’ve always owned), I wish more people would view their bikes like they view cars: a primary mode of transportation instead of occasional recreation gadget. When you look at it with this perspective, $700 for a well-made bike doesn’t seem at all unreasonable.

Now I just wish it made a little more sense (and was a little safer) to cycle in New York City. Why can’t we get nice safe bike lanes like European cities?

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Alan said that “This is a green design web-site and many of the comments are hostile because the bicycles are expensive.” Not true. Reread my original post. I’m not “offended by an expensive bicycle”. Is it an expensive bike? Yup. But not outrageously so in Vancouver. There are bikes made in Canada (at least the frames are made in Canada) for between$700-$2000. But as far as design goes, these Canadian bikes (Devinci’s) are much better for commuting. I happen to think that it is more environmentally friendly to re-use an older bike then buying a Jorg & Olif or a Devinci, and so that’s what I have. One that I use everyday, I might add.

If anything “offends” me its this; the Jorg & Olif bikes are in no way ‘”greener” than any other bike, so why are they featured on a web-site that proclaims that “green is good design - good design is green design”. Why not do a feature on Devini bicycles? Or Trek? Or Cannondale? All these manufacturers are making bicycles designed for commuting. I suspect its because of the style of the Jorg & Olif. I said that I don’t believe that the Jorg & Olif are good for commuting in my city and I stand by that. For me, this is about promoting conspicuous consumption, an idea that is definitely not green.

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Peter in Vancouver, thanks for your comments on conspicuous consumption. If green design is ever to have an impact on anything besides the rich consumer’s self satisfaction, then it needs to be affordable. These bikes contribute nothing to green design for the masses. I agree with all of the comments about the old, trusty schwinn being a great option for green transportation. Here in Portland, on any given morning you will see literally hundreds of 20 year old schwinns zipping across the bridges into downtown. As for the “cheap schwinn” comment, 20 year old schwinns are still on the road because they are quality, green transportation. You can find just about any model of used schwinn on the Portland craigslist for under $150 everyday. These bikes keep getting reused, resold and recycled. Sounds like a much better option than a brand new $1000 bike to me.

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The price range for J&O bikes ($895, $1095, $1395) is actually a very good price for a brand-new fully transportation-ready bicycle, especially as compared to a 20-year old Schwinn. The original purchase price of a new Schwinn in 1979, adjusted for 2006 dollars would be for example $746.24 for a mid-priced SUPER LE TOUR II (sport), or $2687.00 for a high-end PARAMOUNT P13-9 (road racer), or $468.58 for a low-end VARSITY (sport). So as you can see, a brand-new mid-priced 20-year old Schwinn should cost you amost exactly the same as the mid-range J&O bike, except that the J&O are hand-built bicycles with top-quality imported components. The only old Schwinns that match this description are the PARAMOUNTs, which of course sold for twice what J&O is asking. Sounds like a deal to me. Also, keep in mind that they have absolutely no competition, since to my knowledge nobody else is making a bike this well equiped domestically at this time.

You could go on buying your used 20-year-old bikes and save your money, yes, but if nobody was willing to pay for a quality bike in 1979, then what would you be riding now? What do you think you’re going to ride in 2027 ? A 20-year old wall-mart bike? No. A 40-year old Schwinn? No, probably not.

The complaints about the weight and the components also doesn’t make any sense. The better model has an internally geared 8-speed shimano hub, which has the same gear range as any mountain bike, except more reliable since it’s sealed from the elements, plus your chain will never fall of the cog, and no worries about bending the derailer. Sturmey-Archer has been making hubs like these since 1903 and they’ve proved a very reliable system over the years. Shimano hubs have an even better reputation.

The funnies comments are about the weight… please… If you want to loose 5 pounds just go out and ride the bike more often insead of driving the car around the corner…. problem solved! How much do you weigh? How much does your car weigh?

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re: pricing. I am in the USA, can I buy one directly from someone for $100?! ;-)

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I found a very lightly used Jorg&Olif in Portland w/8 speed hub for $700 and bought it last fall. I love it. It’s a great commuter for my purposes in NE and downtown Portland - including hills. It’s perfect for hauling my 2 year old with the addition of a Dutch kid seat - the center stand is key for loading an unloading a child without the bike tipping over… With the addition of Dutch panniers, that can, thanks to a large built-in grommet, actually be locked to the bike, it’s very useful for errands and grocery shopping, too. The wheel lock is fantastically quick and easy to use compared to a typical U-lock. It has required no maintenance in the last 6 months and continues to ride silent and rattle-free. Lights are built in and since it has a generator I am never caught in the dark w/o lights or with dead/dying batteries on my blinky. It is far more comfortable to ride compared to my other “high end” road and touring style bikes. Actually I don’t ride my other “nicer” American made bikes anymore in the city - they seem silly and overbuilt and too sporty. With the J&O I ride in my normal clothes and shoes, formal or casual, since I don’t ever have to worry about getting grease on them… The bike doesn’t suffer from being left out in the rain like my American made bikes do. Speaking of rain, I always have good brakes on wet northwest days thanks to the internal drum brakes. On top of all this, the bike is understated and elegant to look at and you don’t feel like a complete tool riding it to a party in your Sunday best. I look at other available “commuter” bikes and am pained by the mish-mash of componentry, gaudy decals and poorly constucted frames and components. I plan on having and regularly using this bike for the rest of my life, so I’m not worried about the $700. Sure I could have bought 4-5 used Schwinns for that, but I grew up riding old yard-sale Schwinns and I’d opt for a reliable gear hub and versatility of the Dutch “platform” anyday given how I use bikes.

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I must say the J&O is a sexy piece of metal.
Ive been looking to buy a European roadster, Electra makes a nice one for around $550. http://www.electrabike.com/06_new/flash_index.html
Anybody know of other manufacturers that make Euro roadsters?
Here are a few links that I have found-

http://www.pashley.co.uk/index.php
http://usa.batavus.com/
http://www.sogreni.dk/Products.php

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what about the newcomer raincity bikes? i’ve visited both J+O and raincity and i’d like to know if anyone could shed any light on which is a better buy. same price, same look, different company… any difference?

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I ordered a J&O during their March sale. I got a large 8-speed Oma. Base price was $995. With duties, shipping, LBS assembly, replacement Brooks saddle, and large wicker basket, the whole thing came to about $1350. Not bad!

I test-drove the Electra Amsterdam. It certainly looked nice, but was, IMHO, somewhat overpriced. $550 for a
Chinese-built 3-speed bicycle with coaster brakes is just too much money. And it doesn’t come with all the cool Dutch bike accessories: no lights, built-in lock, etc.

For all the naysayers on this blog: how many of you have actually seen a Dutch bike in person? These bicycles are nothing like you’d see in a typical shop in North America. They are heavy, beautifully-built bicycles. Riding one of these is the bicycle equivalent of driving an old Mercedes. Really.

I would not use the J&O as my commuter bike. I do a combined bike and bus commute. It’s too big and heavy to fit on the RTD bus racks, here in Denver. But the J&O seems great for cruising around town.

Check J&O’s web site to see when they might be having a sale again. I think March prices were something like $595 for the single speed, $795 for the 3-speed, and $995 for the 8-speed. If you live in a town that has anything resembling hills, you will be much happier with the 8-speed.

If a J&O is out of your price range, even with the sales prices, I recommend looking into a Schwinn cruiser. The Electra Amsterdam would be a nice option if it were ~$300 - $350.

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I love the dutch bikes because you can sit up straight instead of bending over, and that helps avoid neck pain, plus you can watch where you’re riding. I hear they come with seven gears now which is good enough in frisco. I’m already using a seven-speed in san fran and it’s sufficient for getting up most hills. I hope to buy ione in holland soon.

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I am seriously considering a Jorg and Olif bicycle purchase. This will be my first. I am car-free. I am 5′4 ish and am wondering if people could advise me on the sizing. Is the medium Opa at 57 cm too large for me? I have a 29″ inseam. Thanks and I appreciate any advice.

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After quite a bit of research, I got the Electra Amsterdam (Classic) a few months ago and absolutely love it. It singlehandedly got me back on a bike after 25 years. I couldn’t stomach most of the bikes in my local bike shop. The Electra is smooth and fun to ride, the gears work out fine for my errands and commuting around Washington DC. Of course I’m not trying for speed and have nothing to compare it to. And it’s probably not ideal for long weekend jaunts. But being able to wear normal clothes was a must (fenders, covered chain, etc), and I really like the upright riding position for comfort and seeing better. To me, this bike really gets it right. And it does turn heads, people can’t believe it was only $550. The quality/feel is quite good, though the rear wheel skirt thing does rattle a bit on certain bumps. Otherwise it’s tight and quiet, with nice details like the leather handgrips.

The J&O look really nice and assuming they are as well made as people say, would seem to be worth the price. Just a bit more than I wanted to pay, so the Electra made more sense. I don’t really understand the hostility. Some don’t mind a 20-year-old rehabbed bike, others prefer a premium/new product. So?

I hope bikes like these help redefine the whole US bicycle culture (which to me sometimes seems grim and defensive, with good reason sometimes of course, considering our built environment…). The main point should be getting vastly more people onto bikes. These kinds of bikes might help do that, I know it did for me.

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A lot of people are comparing prices without knowing what the different bikes’ specs are. You can definately find one of these bikes for $300-$500 in the states with a little searching. BUT, this will be 1 or 3 speed only and with backpedal breakes (awkward and inconvenient for smooth city riding I think). The higher priced models usually are better made and also have much nicer components. The Azor bike, from what I’ve learned, is actually top quality even in Holland. The Oma Lux model which has 8 speeds (smooth shimano gears) and front and rear hand brakes sells for probably $900-$1000 in Amsterdam. Here you cannot find it for under $1472.00 new. Not too bad of a mark-up considering shipping costs and business expenses for these US importers (the Dutch Bike Co.Portland/Seattle).

I looked in to getting the Spectra “Amsterdam” ($500 Dutch inspired american bike) re-worked to have hand brakes and more gears and it is not possible. Even if it were it would bring the cost up to probably $1000 anyway so might as well get the original dutch bile that is hand built to last a lifetime.

As far as the Dutch people and others who are laughing at us stupid Americans wasting our money on these bikes, I love you guys but you obviously don’t understand that the cheaper bikes you speak of are not available to us in this country. I know because I have spent hours upon hours researching on the internet and I have even called the UK and Germany (the Ebay seller) importers. The only way is to go there and buy one and bring it back with you or have a friend who lives there do it.

Bottom line the azor 8 speed for $1400+ is absolutely the only of its kind available in the US (or Canada as far as I can tell). Living in hilly Seattle and not being an avid rider, the 8 speed is an absolute must and I think switching from car to this bike is definitely a step (pedal) in the right direction!

FYI: I don’t have one because I can’t afford it:(

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As the designated importer for N. America I can say that these bicycles are NOT Azor bikes, Azor hand-builds their bikes. Please don’t confuse a real Dutch Bike with an imitation. The materials used and the build quality are noticeably higher with the real thing.

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I’d have to agree with Iris and disagree with Dan. If you go to Azor’s dutch website http://www.azor.nl you can see they have links to distributors worldwide. If you click “Canada” under the red and white maple flag, you are directed to Jorg & Olif. That the price is reasonable can be easily inferred from the Euro prices for the Azor originals. As for the quality, as far as I know, Azor is one notch higher than Batavus (and pricier too).

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For those of you shocked by the price and making suggestions about used bikes, etc. Many of you don’t live in the U.S. Let me tell you, finding bikes like these here in the U.S. is next to impossible. And it’s all about the bike geometry, slack seat & head tube angles, high stems. Yes, you can find old Schwinns, etc., but many of them have much tighter geometry than these bikes. Old Raleigh’s come closest, but these, like the Schwinns are being snapped up by collectors and re-sellers. So the old saw about getting and old used one isn’t the panacea you think it is.

The J & O’s, Azor, Batavus, & Pashleys are all styles of bikes that haven’t been available new in the U.S. for decades. Raleigh, the most familiar to Americans, doesn’t distribute their similarly styled bikes in the U.S., though they do in Denmark.

As for the price, I don’t know about the J & Os, but looking at the Azors I can see why. Having attempted to modify an American market bike to replicate these bikes (before I even knew about them), I can tell you, the price is all about the components & craftsmanship. Lugged steel frames, internally geared & dynamo & brake hubs all cost a pretty penny, I’ve built up what was ostensibly a cruiser into something close to an Azor GT, and it cost well over $1000 in the end.

These are the bikes you buy once, and they last you the rest of your life. Without going to the bike shop for “tuning” in the spring.

And for you Americans scoffing, read this: http://clevercycles.com/?p=193

Then think about your numb hands and sore necks. Imagine basing your handlebar choice on how many hand positions you can have (because your hands go numb if you don’t move ‘em around occasionally).

Just for the record, I’m not a bicycle-racing-wannabe-weight-weenie. I would never consider wearing lycra for commuting to work, and I don’t worry about air resistance.

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To Dan

I have confirmation from Jorg and Olif that there original series of bicycles ARE made by Azor.

You may want to contact them and confirm, after all you are the “designated importer for N. America”.

Cheers
Dave

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Interesting comment Amelia. But on to this whole price issue: it’s not that much money for a quality bicycle. I do agree with the comment about the external dynamo. AXA HR is perhaps the best of the externals and they crap out eventually. I priced similar models (high end Batavus, and Speiche) in Germany in July ‘08 and when you do the EUR/$ crunch - works out to be about the same - plus you get parts that are “revolutionary” to the bone-headed American bicycle market.. like…. Intergrated Dyno-hubs and disc brake combo’s, the ability to sit up straight like a human and not like some troll - as you do with conventional American “commuter” bikes. These classic Holland bikes are in my opinion so fricken comfortable and easy to use. Batavus even makes them with intergrated rear wheel locking units (standard in many European bicycles) PLUS a long pull-out locking cable that nests inside the frame when not being used. Revolutionary. Imagine NOT having to carry a heavy lock with you everywhere you go? Velorbis (http://www.velorbis.com/) is also a superb bike manufacturer out of Germany and shops like the Dutch Bike Co. in Seattle and The Dutch Bicycle Company in Cambridge, MA sell them (http://www.dutchbikes.us/) Velorbis is an amazing bike. The 8 speed delivery cycle is perhaps THE ultimate in-the-city cycle. The run up to just under $2k each. I think the important thing to remember is that these bikes have primarily two demographic sets: people with expendable income who are into quality, and urbanites who choose to forego the CAR option and want a sturdy, quality cycle with old-world charm. Sure you could get that Schwinn or Raleigh - but it ain’t gonna feel the same and not as comfortable.