Flying on a Dutchman
While at the first ever Stitch n Bitch (I managed to tear out half my stitches just as we were leaving but oh well), serendipity struck in the form of V, a fellow sewer in attendance. V is also a competitive cyclist and rides no less than a vintage racing bike. When I mentioned my bike woes she said immediately that I HAD to see her friend Theo at Mac Bikes. He knew his shiznit on bikes and would not steer me wrong. Mac Bikes on Marnixstraat, mind you, and not one of the heinous Mac Bikes that doles out frustration in the form of red bikes to Italian & Spanish tourists who clog up the streets riding like idiots... I digress.
Next day I trek over, walking my life-support bike in hand. Theo himself is in attendance. He spots the death spot immediately. I ask him if there's any hope of repair (what are hand-welders for if not this??) and he shakes his head. He then shows me the bikes they have, explaining they take 2nd hand bikes and fix them up with new bits and pieces. Good frames can always be saved. He himself has a pre-WWII bike, never been stolen (lock the back lock AND chain it to something good citizens), most everything original except the bits that wear out the most, evidently the bit that holds the pedals in, for example.
Admitting that I ain't afraid of no back-pedal breaks, he shows me two Batavius omafietsen. Batavius = rocks, it is a Dutch brand. He lets me take the one, then the other out for a test ride. The minute I get on the second one I have a big, dopey grin on my face. It's love at first pedal. She is a blue Flying Dutchman, evidently top of the line 35 years ago when she was first made. Theo points out the bits they've replaced, then proceeds to salvage all worth salvaging from my dead bike to transplant on the new one. It's a short list - just the saddle and the back light. In the meanwhile I pepper Theo with questions. Such is how I learn that fancy-lookin' bikes like Fietsfabriek en MOOF are crap, and that it's normal to sink 30-40 EUR in maintenance into your bike per year, and that quality is really in the construction and material of the frame.
Just to kill time he lets me take out one of the new-old models, a new bike constructed in the old way. Ooo, I was very tempted, but figured better start off with the one I picked since Theo has just transplanted my saddle bags over.
All this in an hour and for 170 EUR (I got 5 EUR off for BYOS- bring your own saddle). Bikes ain't cheap, but I feel good about the purchase and anyways I get a 1 month check up free if something goes wrong. Certainly cheaper than cars. I've had repair jobs on cars in the states that cost more than the new bike.