Thoughts on Lekker Amsterdam Bike?

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  shroomish on 15/08/2023 - 09:39

  belt, internal hub and disc brakes are the best set up. no grease, very low maintenance. your only decision to make is can you get the equivalent in a similar brand at a cheaper price. get the 8 speed hub for hills.

  • 

    bargaino on 15/08/2023 - 10:14

    +1

    The web page is a mess. … The 8-speed is listed at $1098, but only available in large (suit over 185cm tall) .

    3-speed is OK for an e-bike, or if you actually live in Amsterdam. But any small hills or winds and yes, you'll want the 8-speed.

• 

  non-core promise on 15/08/2023 - 09:41

  +5

  1)
  It's a belt drive bicycle, so you'll need to slightly adjust your habits when it comes to changing gears.

  In a chain bicycle, you typically want to apply a small amount of pressure to the pedals while changing gears. Too much pressure and you get those awful sounding that don't sound good for your bicycle long term. Too little (or sitting still at traffic lights) and it doesn't shift.

  In a belt bicycle, it is typically considered better to stop pedalling for half a second (i.e. have a moment where you're not pedalling at all), shift, then back on the power (sort of like a manual car). You can still shift while moving, it's just not a good idea. You'll hear awful sounds from the gear hub if you try.

  Obviously the benefit is that you can switch gears from high to low while stopped at a set of lights without having to lift your back wheel up and pedal like on a chain bicycle. Oh, and no oiling required.

  There is also no ticking noise when coasting (unlike a chain bicycle), so make sure you're more liberal with the bell dinging when approaching people. Some people are used to hearing the free wheel ticking of a chain bicycle to tell when a bicycle is approaching. They might get a fright if you silently zip pass them.

  You can also read up on the different grades of belts. The 2 most common are CDN and CDX. CDN is less durable than CDX.

  Most belt drive bicycles have CDN, only some have CDX. CDN bicycles are targeted towards commuters (i.e. for shorter trips in the city). CDX are targeted towards adventurers who use touring bicycles to go for long rides between cities.

  Fortunately, the Amsterdam does have CDX.

  2)
  The Amsterdam has a flat top tube, so bear in mind this tends to have an effect on standover height.

  It's only a concern if you have relatively short legs for your height. As an example, my body height is in the high 180s, but my standover height is only 82cm, which means if I get the 56cm frame for the Amsterdam (which has a standover height of 83cm), my gentleman bits are going to be in danger.

  For people like me, a bicycle with even a slight slope in the top tube would help accomodate taller people with shorter legs.

  3)
  Make sure to check out the attachment points on the back of the bicycle and scope out your planned child seat attachment before pulling the trigger.

  4)
  Although bicycle infrastructure is slowly getting better in Australia, it's ultimately still an anglo country with typical anglo views on cycling.

  I.e. expect to be yelled at (by anglo pedestrians) for cycling on the footpath, even if it's a wider one that's specifically marked as a cycleway, and for cycling on the road (again, by anglo drivers) for getting in everyone's way.

  And yes, I'm sorry for bringing race into this, but in most cases, the people who hate cyclists are almost exclusively anglos. Immigrants don't really mind unless you're recklessly speeding past and crash/almost crash into them.

  If you're in Sydney, the NSW government does have a long term plan for proper routes for commuting/actually going somewhere, not just recreation.

  https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/walking-and-bike…

  https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/document…

  It's still very early stages and light on detail. It could end up like one of those projects where there's an overambitious announcement by a minister, goes over budget or gets cancelled like in Utopia.

  5)
  Given how expensive the bicycle is, I wouldn't trust locking it up anywhere for any length of time. At most, I'd quickly chain it up somewhere to go to the bathroom. Bicycle theft just isn't considered a priority by the police and bicycles in general are seen as something for poor people who can't afford cars. It's better to focus more on preventing theft/vandalism in the first place.

  • 

    bargaino on 15/08/2023 - 10:24

    -5

    Australia, it's ultimately still an anglo country with typical anglo views on cycling.

    Save your racism, and sorry you live in Sydney. Out West, infrastructure is better than typical European cities, let alone 3rd world.

    I.e. expect to be yelled at (by anglo pedestrians) for cycling on the footpath

    Sydney is that bad? Where are you from?

  • 

    brotherfranciz on 15/08/2023 - 18:35

    +2

    I agree with everything you suggest, except the Anglo thing (for the record, I'm not Anglo heritage).

    The person's race really has no bearing on their attitude towards cyclists. If you think about it, all the Aussie cyclists on the world tour are Anglo heritage (the closest I can think of that doesn't quite fit this statement is Caleb Ewan who is mixed race of Korean mother and white Aussie father), also the biggest bicycle races are typically based in Europe, and the UCI is a very European-centric governing body.

    I think your perception is probably based on the fact that the majority of Australians are Anglo heritage to begin with, so chances are that you will likely encounter more of them.

    For me, I think the issue lies with newer car-centric societies e.g. USA and Australia, where they developed their cities around the car. The society comes to accept (or perhaps indoctrinated by car makers and petroleum companies…) the car as the main form of transport and it doesn't even register with them that the bicycle was invented first or that roads existed before the invention of the car. So their mindset is that roads are only for cars and everything else must get out of their way.

    • 

      non-core promise on 16/08/2023 - 12:47

      If you think about it, all the Aussie cyclists on the world tour are Anglo heritage

      I'm not talking about competition/recreational cyclists.

      I'm talking about the casual adult cyclist. Illegal to cycle on pedestrian only footpaths, extremely dangerous to share the road with cars.

      The fact that you've failed to properly differentiate between the two is a problem with anglo culture and something that is shared across many anglo countries. Most refuse to even acknowledge it as an actual problem.

      This is one thing I was thinking about, but didn't end up putting in my post.

      Anglo culture tends to view bicycles as either,

      • a toy that young children play with (so, relatively short distances, near their home, purely for recreation), or
      • a hardcore sport for adults (generally with their seatposts higher than their handlebars, very few accessories on their ultra expensive carbon fibre bicycles, so no kickstands, luggage racks, fenders, lights, dynamo hubs, etc). These people tend to be able to accelerate quickly to 50+ km/h, through a combination of being fit and having light bicycles.

      If you're an adult casual cyclist who wants to go somewhere (not just for fun), you're essentially treated like a gay person from older times. It's not illegal for you to exist, but nobody cares about you. You feel like an underground criminal even though you're not doing anything wrong.

      Because of this, bicycle infrastructure is either nonexistent (because if you can get to car speeds on non-major roads, why bother with dedicated infrastructure?), or if it does exist, it tends to be very restrictive and only goes in a circle in the same suburb.

      The bicycle paths that actually go somewhere are the exception, not the rule. Even then, you can tell where the council borders are by looking at where the path quality suddenly change or disappear entirely as you cross between pro cycling and not so pro cycling councils.

      A lot of bicycles that are sold in Australia are frequently marketed as "commuter friendly" when they aren't really. Bicycles that are actually commuter friendly have to advertise that they have kickstands, fenders, racks, dynamo hubs, etc, because they are the exception, not the default.

      It's the equivalent of driving a super/sports car everywhere and laughing at anyone who just wants a boring practical car that can carry some stuff or people.

      Case in point, the current standoff between the NSW government and the anti casual cyclist North Sydney council.

      https://www.google.com/search?q=north+sydney+council+cycling…

      Also, the 10km/h speed limit on Pyrmont Bridge.

      https://www.google.com/search?q=pyrmont+bridge+10kmph+speed+…

      So you can't cycle faster than 10km/h, but if you stop, pick up your bicycle and run faster than 10km/h, it's perfectly legal.

      And you still think there's no problem with anglo views on cycling?

• 

  slowcoach on 15/08/2023 - 09:59

  I test rode the Amsterdam+ and Amsterdam GT last week, and ordered the + model. Seemed well made. Quiet and smooth to ride. On the flat with no motor assistance the single-speed bike was fine. 6kg less should make it nicer.
  I'd agree with NG's comments re standover height, especially as you can't swing a leg over with a child seat on the back.

  • 

    bargaino on 15/08/2023 - 10:25

    OP is not looking for a e-Bike, in case anyone confused. Its very easy to not notice hills on an e-bike. Try doing your whole ride with the motor off!

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  sumyungguy on 15/08/2023 - 10:32

  There are e-bikes on the market that are light enough for a trunk rack. Considering you'll progress quite rapidly from child seat to Trail Gator, you won't regret power assistance.

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  Drakesy on 15/08/2023 - 10:32

  Great, robust reliable bikes. Used to sell these all the time when i worked at a bike shop. Admittedly it is the upper end of leisure/Dutch bicycles.

  Nothing wrong with them, only downside is they weigh a fair bit (13kg) (fine if you're not lifting them regularly) and changing the tyres can be a bit annoying.
  Had people leave these in the rain for years and they still worked.

• 

  shaybisc on 15/08/2023 - 10:38

  As far as I can tell without checking it out in person it seems like excellent value. I've been looking. I would get the 8 speed.

  I asked them if the rims are tubeless compatible and they're not, if you were thinking of going that way.

  It's been that price for ages. "Discount is changing on 22.08." I guess that means price rise.

• 

  Euphemistic on 15/08/2023 - 12:27

  Looks like a good bit of kit. Good specs. Go 8 speed if there’s hills in your area.

  I’d commute on one, but it looks a bit slow for my liking. Great for a leisurely commute, not great if you want to minimise commute times.

• 

  titanity on 15/08/2023 - 12:56

  I've been heavily considering this bike for a while, but I can't test ride it here in Adelaide and I've been trying to pick between the 50 cm and 56 cm sizes.
  I'm 174 cm tall with an inseam leg length of 78 cm, which size should I go for?

  • 

    non-core promise on 15/08/2023 - 13:08

    +1

    Unless, you have abnormally long arms, I'd go for the 50cm size.

    However, even then, I'd double check if your inseam is slightly over or under 78cm.

    You won't be able to mount anything tall on the back, because if you'll have to get on by swinging your leg over the back. If you try lifting your leg over the top tube (to avoid said tall thing) and then hop on, you may find yourself sitting on your gentleman bits on the top tube.

    The standover height of the 50cm size is listed as 78cm. I'd do more research before pulling the trigger.