Dutch Bike Co Weblog

Now we get a lot of inquiries about the differences between the Azor (Dutch - made in Holland) and Velorbis (Danish - frames made in Germany, bike finished in Denmark) bikes. Let's start with the most common question — weight. How much do they weigh? Well, the Velorbis bikes are heavy and the Azor bikes heavier. If you need to know the exact weight, then I may suggest you are shopping for sportier bikes than we sell, or you are lifting your bike way too much, or you may have a latent Lycra addiction. Regardless of weight, they both roll quite nicely and with the eight speed you can get most anywhere in any city. On our bikes you will never be the fastest person on the road, though many times you may be the most stylish, relaxed and comfortable rider on the road. If you count your wealth as free time, you can afford the extra five minutes your comfy bike takes to get you and your groceries (how much do they weigh?) home. The substance (weight) of the bike is a major component of the ride comfort. Michael "Drunk and in Charge" in Brooklyn was sorting out the differences between the Velorbis Churchill baloon and the Azor Opa. I thought I'd share my response: "There are some distinct functional differences between the Velorbis and the Azor Opa, as well as some huge subjective differences in the way they ride and handle. They are two very different bikes that have a similar look. The Velorbis has 26" tires, a chrome moly frame and steep[er] frame angles, which translates into faster acceleration, quicker steering and overall a "springier" ride. The Velorbis rear rack is a light duty rack on which you will not be able to carry your friends (for very long) or (Alex's proverbial) 50 lb bag of dog food. Everything about the Velorbis is lighter and sportier (you are leaned forward a bit) and feels more like the performance of most of the bikes we are used to buying in the USA. The Azor Opa and all the Azor bikes are equipped with 28" tires, a high tensile steel (less springy than chrome moly) frame and relaxed frame angles. They are slow to accelerate, ride like a Cadillac (you are sitting absolutely upright) are extremely stable and can easily haul a boyfriend or girlfriend or dog food and beer on the burly welded steel rack. I love both bikes, because they are so different. One feels [more] like a sports car the other like a luxury car. The Velorbis (with balloon tires) inspires me to want to race people on skinny tired bikes and careen down stairwells. The Opa (or Transport) inspires me to want to cruise and slow my life down (why are all these people on other bikes bent over and in such a hurry?). The Scrap and the Churchill are exactly the same frames (geometry and components) save for cosmetics and tire options. The Azor Secret Service (because it is a bit lighter and sportier) bridges the gap between the Velorbis and other more burly Azor models. You are choosing between apples and oranges."

I'm excited to report that we are now the western retailer for the Danish Velorbis brand. We hope to have some (they are in transit) in the shop prior to the Seattle Bike Expo next week. We'll host a Saturday night event after the show to celebrate this and a few other things — all of which I'll get to in later posts. Why Danish Bikes at the Dutch Bike Co. Seattle? Well, there are many reasons, some fanciful, some technical. They are gorgeous bikes; they have many features (among them fat trolley track-eating tires) which we believe will make great city bikes in Seattle; they are finely finished and have chromemoly frames (built in Germany)... blah, blah, blah... I could go on endlessly, but nothing beats a ride. Since you can't ride one yet and neither can I, the best we can do is dream over some super pic's and reviews by our friends at Cycliciousness in Copenhagen, who, by the way, were early advocates of us carrying Velorbis. Thanks Mikael. Also, you can further fuel your imagination by heading to our Dutch Bike Co. Seattle bicycles index page and geek out on the obtuse product descriptions and 360 degree product views for the Churchill, the Victoria, the Churchill Balloon and the Scrap Deluxe.