Republic Bikes

Republic's Plato Dutch Step-through available through Urban Outfitters. Photo courtesy of Urban Outfitters

Republic Bikes' Plato Dutch diamond and step-through 3-speeds are advertised for $499 at Urban Outfitters.  The singlespeeds are $399. They can also be ordered directly from Republic.

Republic Bikes jumped on the fixie/singlespeed bandwagon in the late 2000's.  Republic fixies were quickly derided by bike snobs as cheap and heavy.  They were, after all, made from tensile steel (*gasp*).  There were also grounds to mock Republic fixies based on the partnership between Republic and Urban Outfitters.  In 2009, the world's funniest bike snob commented:

You can certainly continue to enjoy something after it's received the Urban Outfitters treatment, though you can no longer tell yourself that the fact that you enjoy it makes you special.

Bike Snob was talking about fixies and hipsters, but the same sentiment can now be applied to "Dutch bikes" and the city dwellers who love them.  Yes, we know these are not *real* Dutch bikes.  But will Dutch bikes ever hold the same allure after receiving the "Urban Outfitters treatment"?

The Republic Bikes/Urban Outfitter "treatment" includes a web page where you "build your own bike," by which they mean you get to choose a color scheme.  I'm not going to make fun of this.  Urban Outfitters sells fashion, and "Dutch" bikes have long been considered a fashion accessory.

Republic has built a fleet of these "Dutch" bicycles for Google employees to cruise from building to building at the Googleplex campus in Mountain View, California.  These are useful bikes, even if they are tanks designed as fashion accessories.

Specifications

Total assembled weight: 40 lbs (18.14 kgs)

Frame: Custom lugged design in hi-ten steel. Adjustable alloy seat tube clamp. Front and rear pipe carrier racks included.

Forks: Crown Lugged, hi-ten steel.

Gearing (1-speed): 36T chainwheel, 18T freewheel

Gearing (3-speed): Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal hub, 36T chainwheel, 18T freewheel

Grips: Custom stitched comfort grips.

Saddle: Custom two-tone button saddle with Republic logo plate.

Chaincase: Fully covered PVC chain protector

Skirt: Clip-on PVC skirt nets attach to rear fender.

Wheels: Alloy 26 x 1.5". Nutted axles to both front and rear.

Tires: 26 x 2.25" custom hue balloon tires

Rear hub (1-speed): Coaster brake hub with 18T freewheel.

Rear hub (3-speed): Shimano Nexus 3-speed Coaster brake hub with 18T freewheel.

Front hub: Shimano Nexus roller brake.
Chainset: Steel 1/2 x 1/8 x 36T with 165mm Alloy cranks

Handlebars: Alloy, 600mm wide semi-raised.

Pedals: 9/16 PVC with reflectors.

Brakes: Rear coaster brake, front Shimano roller brake.

Seat post: Alloy 28.6mm x 400mm.

Center kickstand included.

Front, rear and wheel reflectors included.