I got a call at work yesterday, buddy said he had a "weird old bike" for me if I wanted to come take a look at it...
How could I say no?
At first glance I dismissed it as just some random road bike... but indeed, there were some things that were just plain "weird" so I said thanks and threw it in the back of my friend's van, waved and trooped on back to work before the boss noticed not one, but two of his slacker employees had gone AWOL lol
Later when I had a bit more time I started takin' a closer look at this odd ol' bike, and the closer I looked - the odder it got. Turns out the "Made in Rotterdam" headbadge was a good reason to set aside my road bike bias, it appears to be a 1960's Dutch utility bike, built like a tank despite it's light appearance. It can't be any later than 1968 as that's when Stokvis closed shop...
Scouring the internet, I've turned up very little, mostly passing references regarding Dutch bikes in general, like this;
"Dutch city bikes are premium market, no question. But you have to consider
these bicycles' intended purpose, maintenance and longevity. They aren't
recreational toys that sit in a garage 350 days of the year. They're
intended to be used daily as practical transportation instead of an
automobile. With their completely protected drivetrain they need almost no
maintenance for years on end, and are so sturdily built that they last for
at least the lifespan of the rider. Are they worth 3 times the average
bicycle? Arguably, yes."
...and really, that's about all I've found other than the R.S.Stokvis company also imported motorized bikes like the Solex & that it was "A manufacturer of typical Dutch utility bikes, Stokvis was based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The name translates as stick fish." So if anyone knows anything about this ol' bike I'd be overjoyed if you would enlighten me! Here's a few pics, the bike is in fine running condition other than needing air in the tires & one missing fastener (coaster brake arm). It's actually in far better shape than it appears as I've not even cleaned the barn dust off... yet. Heck - the lights (original) even work
Headbadge (sadly, it's a sticker), fully lugged frame, odd bike lock w/pop-out key (click to view);
...and taillight (note the cargo clips on axle), mysterious "Type Two", rear fender sticker "Rugby Sports", wiring inside the Dtube & exits crank (serial 607665), soft cover chain guard... which is in pretty poor shape;
How could I say no?
At first glance I dismissed it as just some random road bike... but indeed, there were some things that were just plain "weird" so I said thanks and threw it in the back of my friend's van, waved and trooped on back to work before the boss noticed not one, but two of his slacker employees had gone AWOL lol
Later when I had a bit more time I started takin' a closer look at this odd ol' bike, and the closer I looked - the odder it got. Turns out the "Made in Rotterdam" headbadge was a good reason to set aside my road bike bias, it appears to be a 1960's Dutch utility bike, built like a tank despite it's light appearance. It can't be any later than 1968 as that's when Stokvis closed shop...
Scouring the internet, I've turned up very little, mostly passing references regarding Dutch bikes in general, like this;
"Dutch city bikes are premium market, no question. But you have to consider
these bicycles' intended purpose, maintenance and longevity. They aren't
recreational toys that sit in a garage 350 days of the year. They're
intended to be used daily as practical transportation instead of an
automobile. With their completely protected drivetrain they need almost no
maintenance for years on end, and are so sturdily built that they last for
at least the lifespan of the rider. Are they worth 3 times the average
bicycle? Arguably, yes."
...and really, that's about all I've found other than the R.S.Stokvis company also imported motorized bikes like the Solex & that it was "A manufacturer of typical Dutch utility bikes, Stokvis was based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The name translates as stick fish." So if anyone knows anything about this ol' bike I'd be overjoyed if you would enlighten me! Here's a few pics, the bike is in fine running condition other than needing air in the tires & one missing fastener (coaster brake arm). It's actually in far better shape than it appears as I've not even cleaned the barn dust off... yet. Heck - the lights (original) even work
Headbadge (sadly, it's a sticker), fully lugged frame, odd bike lock w/pop-out key (click to view);
...and taillight (note the cargo clips on axle), mysterious "Type Two", rear fender sticker "Rugby Sports", wiring inside the Dtube & exits crank (serial 607665), soft cover chain guard... which is in pretty poor shape;
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