Sun Fritz and Skylar

The Fritz 5 and Skylar 5 have internal gear hubs and go for about $540.  The Fritz 8 and Skylar 8 have rear derailers and are around $480.  Photos courtesy of www.sun.bike

Miami-based Sun Bicycles offers the Fritz and Skylar as its "Dutch-inspired" models. They have upright handlebars, fenders, a rear carrier, and a bell "for a true Dutch experience."

Sun makes a wide variety of fun bikes, including cruisers, tandems, recumbents, and even unicycles.  They also offer a cargo bike that we've previously discussed.  They've apparently discontinued two solid models that we've featured here: the Cayne Uno and the Cayne Cykel.

The Fritz and Skylar are tig-welded steel bikes.  The Fritz 5 and Skylar 5 have Sturmey-Archer internal gear hubs and twist grip shifting.  The Fritz 8 and Skylar 8 have Shimano Acera 8-speed rear derailers.

Here are the specs for the Fritz 5:

Frame	High Tensile Steel w/Chromoly Main Triangle, TIG Welded
Fork	1' Hi Tensile Steel, Curved Legs, Double Eyelets
Headset	Steel, Caged Bearings, 22.2 x 30 x 27mm, Sealed, CP
Handlebar	Alloy, 610mm Wide x 66mm Rise x 25.4mm Clamp City Bar
Stem	Alloy, 22.2 x 180mm Quill x 80mm Ext. x 25.4mm Clamp, 30� Rise
Grips	Classic Style, 128mm L, 92mm R, Custom Stitching
Brake Lever	Alloy, 4-Finger Lever
Front Brake	Alloy, 61-78mm Reach, Dual Pivot, Nutted
Rear Brake	Alloy, 61-78mm Reach, Dual Pivot, Nutted
Rear Shifter	Sturmey-Archer TSC50 R5, 5-Spd Twist Shifter
Sprocket	Sturmey-Archer 18T 1/2" x 1/8" for RX Hub
Seat Clamp	Alloy, 28.6mm I.D., with Bolt, Silver
Seat Post	Alloy W/Integrated Clamp, 25.4 x 300mm, Silver
Saddle	Classic Style, Coil Spring with Chrome Rails
Crank Set	3-Piece Alloy, 170mm x 46T
Chainwheel	Steel, 46T x 1/2: x 1/8", (5-Bolt x 130mm BCD)
Bottom Bracket	Sealed Cartridge, 68 x 118mm
Chain	K.M.C. Z410, 1/2" x 1/8", 102 Links
Chain Guard	Steel, Painted
Pedals	Alloy, 9/16", Slip-Resistant Top, Blk
Front Hub	Alloy, 36H x 14G x 3/8" Bolt-On Axle
Rear Hub	Sturmey-Archer RX-RF5, 5-Spd Internal W/Freewheel, 36H x 14G
Rims	700c x 36H x 14G, Alloy, Double Wall, CNC
Front Wheel	700C x 36H x 14G, Alloy-Commuter, Bolt-On
Rear Wheel	700C x 36H x 14G, Alloy-Commuter, W/Sturmey-Archer RX-RF5spd
Spokes	14G Stainless Steel with CP Brass Nipples
Tires	700 x 35C, Black Wall
Kickstand	Alloy, Center Mount, Silver
Fender Set	Steel, F&R, W/Single Struts, Painted
Rear Rack	Custom Alloy
Accessory	Bell, Alloy, Chrome Plated
Weight	33 Lbs.
Weight Limit	250 Lbs.

Civia Twin City

Civia Twin City 7-speed. Credit: Civia

Civia Cycles' Twin City models range from $450 for a single speed to $800-1,000 for a 7-speed with an internal gear hub.

QBP (the Minnesota-based company that owns Civia, Surly, Salsa, and All-City, among other brands) has revamped Civia so that it now offers affordable steel bikes with racks, chainguards, fenders, wide tires, and internal gear hubs.  The biggest change at Civia is the new affordability.  

Civia previously stood out with its thoughtfully designed, lightweight all-purpose bikes such as the Loring and Hyland. While I'm sad to see the retirement of those high-end models (as well as Civia's really cool cycletruck, the Halsted) it's nice to see QBP's commitment to offering useful, affordable steel bikes.  QBP describes Civia as "devoted to creating bicycle designs for everyday living."  That's what we call "bikes for the rest of us."

Photo credit: Civia Cycles.

Here are specs for the Twin City 7-speed Step-Through:

Frame: 4130 CroMoly steel with hi-tensile top tubes and welded rack
Fork: CroMoly 1" steerer
Brakes: Tektro linear pull, BR-530
Chainguard: Civia Twin City for 38 tooth
Cog: Shimano 21T
Fenders: Civia alloy, 35mm max tire width
Handlebar: 24.5 diameter, 560 mm width
Hub (rear): 7-speed Nexus SG-7R50, 32H
Kickstand: 2-legged stand
Rack (front): Civia Market
Saddle: Civia sprung with steel rails
Shifter: Nexus Revo shifter
Tires: Kenda Kwest 700 x 35mm

Pashley Princess Sovereign

A Pashley Princess Sovereign comes with a wicker basket.  Courtesy: Pashley Cycles UK.

The Pashley Princess Sovereign retails for about 545 British pounds, which is roughly $867. In the U.S., however, expect the cost of this import to be over $1,000.  There are a growing number U.S. Pashley dealers, including Bicycle Space in Washington, D.C. 

A reader named Mary recently contacted us to ask about this bike because she saw one in her size on ebay.  In ebay parlance, that's a "find."  The Princess Sovereign is a lugged steel 5-speed (the Princess Classic is a 3-speed) that is basically the Rolls-Royce of bicycles.  Among other luxuries, it comes with a wicker basket, Brooks B66 sprung saddle, dynamo headlamp, chaincase and fenders, a rear rack, and prop stand.

Although we've discussed Pashley on Bikes For The Rest of Us, we've never discussed the Princess.  This bike, however, has been a hot topic on other blogs.  Here are a few to check out:

Lovely Bicycle!

Let's Go Ride A Bike

Bicycle! Bicycle!

Here are the specs per Pashley Cycles:

Frame sizes	17.5", 20" or 22.5"
Colour	Buckingham Black or Regency Green
Frame	Traditionally lugged and brazed
Fork	Tubular crown hand brazed
Gears	Sturmey Archer 5 speed hub gears
Wheels	26 inch with polished rims
Handlebar	Chrome plated raised bar
Brakes	Sturmey Archer hub brakes
Pedals	Alloy non-slip
Saddle	Antique brown Brooks B66s
Tyres	Schwalbe puncture resistant Marathon Plus with reflective sidewall.
Features	The Princess Sovereign features a traditional lugged frame and five speed hub gears with full chaincase, gold-lined mudguards, ding dong bell, hub driven dynamo headlamp, LED rear light, tubular alloy rear carrier, propstand, frame fit lock, skirt guards, leather sprung saddle and a wicker basket
Inside leg	17.5" frame suits 27.5" - 31.5" inside leg. 20" frame suits 30" - 34" inside leg. 22.5" frame suits 32.5" - 36.5" inside leg
Options	Leather accessory range
Terms and Conditions	Specifications and quoted prices may change without prior notice. Pashley Cycles terms of supply apply to all orders.

A Princess in Regency Green.  Courtesy Pashley Cycles UK.

Batavus Fryslan

Batavus Fryslan - Loop
by Flying Pigeon LA

Batavus produces many modern bike models with aluminum frames and components, but in North America, their classic Dutch style bikes have made the strongest impression. The Old Dutch model, which we previously mentioned, has striking good looks. But the coaster brake and single-speed set-up were not for everyone. In response to requests for a classic-looking bike with more versatility for hill American cities, Batavus designed the Fryslan, based on the Old Dutch frame, but upgraded with classic glossy black and gold paint, cream tires, roller brakes front and rear (operated by hand levers), and a 5-speed SRAM internal gear hub with a twist shifter. 

Like the Old Dutch, the Fryslan includes everything you would expect on a traditional European city bike: a solid galvanized steel frame, chromed steel swept-back handlebars, a vinyl chaincase and coatguard, steel rear luggage rack and kickstand, painted fenders, and a sprung saddle. It even has a rear wheel lock, a bell, and an elastic strap for the rear carrier. The gold details on the glossy black paint combine nicely with the cream tires and chrome handlebars. 

Surprisingly, the traditional-appearing lights are LEDs operated by batter, rather than by a dynamo. This is probably what most people expect in Canada and the USA, but its somewhat disappointing in this price range. The brakes and SRAM hub and twist-shifter are also modern and functional, but not as traditional appearing as the rod brakes on a Gazelle, or the drum brakes and thumb shifter on the Pashley. SRAMs 5-speed hubs have wide steps, similar to those on a 3-speed hub, which results in a total range from top to bottom which is similar to a Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub, and should be adequate for moderately hilly terrain.

Batavus Fryslan - Classic
By Rain City Bikes

Generally the Fryslan is priced at $950, compared to about $825 for the 3-speed Old Dutch. This is more than what you will pay for a modern-styled, aluminum, made-in-Taiwan bike with these components. However, it is several hundred dollars less than the price of a Gazelle or Pashley in this style. Batavus keeps the price lower by using cheaper components, and by partially welding the frame and fork, instead of using labor-intensive lugwork as on more expensive steel bikes. Lovely Bicycle has an detailed post about these aesthetic compromises on the Old Dutch (which shares the same frame).

The Old Dutch 1-speed or 3-speed, the Fryslan 5-speed, the Favoriet (3-speed with hand brakes), and the 1-2-Have (3 speed with coaster brake) can be seen in this catalog by Fourth Floor Distribution catalog, the most official source I've seen. But note that this year the Old Dutch is a 3-speed, and there is no photo of the Fryslan, only a sketch:

Specifications:

Josef at Flying Pigeon LA was kind enough for confirm the components, which changed a little from the catalog. Right now, the Fryslan step-thru is on sale for $850 at his shop.


Frame:  Galvanized High Tensile Steel

Fork:  Hi Ten Steel, unicrown [Sorry, Lovely Bicycle]

Rims:  28" Van Schothorst stainless steel, 635 mm

Tires:  Cheng Shin Traveller Puncture Resistant [Cream]

Spokes:  Stainless steel

Front hub:  Shimano hub for front roller brake

Rear hub:  SRAM Spectro P5 [5-speed internal gear hub, with coaster brake]

Shifter:  SRAM 5-speed twist shifter

Handlebar:  Chromed steel, Dutch-style

Stem:  Chromed steel

Grips: Batavus comfort

Front & rear Brake:  Shimano Front roller brake, rear coaster brake

Saddle:  Paddled plastic sprung saddle

Seat post:  Chromed steel

Chainguard:  Full vinyl and steel chaincase

Kickstand:  Single

Fenders:  Painted steel

Rack:  Painted steel rear luggage rack, 60 lbs capacity

Lights:  Battery powered LED headlight and taillight

Extras:  Rear wheel lock (Trelock RS420), Bell, vinyl coat guard / skirt guard

Colors:  Black with gold highlighting

Sizes:  Step-thru 50 cm (20") and 56 cm (22"); Classic 60 cm (24")
Weight: 19.2 kg (43 lbs)
Price: $950 ($850 on sale)

With addition of Brooks leather saddle
Photo by Adeline Adeline

Frame Geometry

The Fryslan has the same frame as the Old Dutch, which copies the classic Dutch omafiets and opafiets (grandma and grandpa bikes). The seat tube and head tube angles are both around 67 to 69 degrees, which puts the seat far back from the pedals and leads to very stable handeling. The handlebars very high and far back, facilitating a bolt-upright seating position The wheels are 28" tall (635 mm) and heavy steel, and the frame is also large, leading to a smooth and steady ride. Shorter riders may be put off by the 56 cm "small" frame, which is more of a "medium" size, but riders as short as 5'2" should fit the smaller step-thru frame. Tall riders over 6' will be happy with the imposing 60 cm classic frame.


These are bikes meant for riding moderate distances in the city, in all kinds of weather, where good visibility, comfort and stability are more important than weight, twitchy steering or rapid acceleration. They are quite the opposite of a modern (racing) road bike. 

Reviews

Los Angeles Cycle Chic compared the Gazelle Toer Populair vs the Batavus Fryslan

Cecily Walker bought and reviewed the Fryslan, and has nice photos too. She also wrote a second review 2 weeks later .

Please leave any other reviews in the comments, and I will add a link or post here.

Gazelle (Front) and Batavus (Rear)
By Cosmo at Los Angeles Cycle Chic

Someone at Fourth Floor Distribution, the North American distributor, needs to take better photos of these bikes. In the meantime, check out Josef's Flickr page for a few more shots.


This one is nice, but a simple drive-side studio photo would be great:

Batavus Fryslan Classic
Bespoke blog, Fourth Floor Distribution

Torker Graduate

The Graduate is low-key commuting bike that comes fully dressed with internal hub gears, drum brakes and fenders. The frame is steel and the ride is fairly upright as it should be on a commuting bike.

The internal hub gears (SA 5-speed) with drum brakes really stand out because they work well in wet weather and require almost no maintenance. You just don't see that combination with typical mass-market commuter bike. Drums require even less maintenance than disk brakes and don't call attention to themselves when the bike is locked up and lonely.

The best part about the Graduate is that it retails for less than $500 and can be ordered from almost any LBS via Seattle Bike Supply. You can read more about the Graduate here and here.

Specs:

Frame	Torker Tri Moly 130mm Rear Spacing
Fork	Hi-Ten 28.6mm
Headset	Steel 28.6mm Threadless
Frt Der	N/A
Rear Der	N/A
Shifter	Sturmey Archer 5sp Twist Grip
Crank	Alloy 42T W Guard
BB Set	Sealed Cartridge Square Taper
Cog	16T
Pedal	Nylon W Alloy Cage
Rim	Alex X 2100 Double Wall 36H
Hubs	Sturmey Archer Alloy 5sp Internal
Spoke	14 Gauge Stainless
Tire	Tioga Gritty Slicker 700 x 32
Bar	Alloy All Rounder
Stem	Forged Alloy
Saddle	Torker
Seat Post	Steel 27.2mm x 250mm
Brake	Alloy 70mm Internal Drum F & R
Brake Lever	Avid Speed Dial
Fenders	Plastic Full Coverage