(Photos © Jonathan Maus)

Thanks to good folks at Seattle Bike Supply, for the past several months I’ve been the lucky caretaker of a Batavus “Old Dutch”. I hoped the Portland sales rep who loaned it to me would have forgotten about it, but unfortunately, last Friday it was time to give it back.
It’s a […]

I usually don’t share product news, but you know I have a weak spot for all things Dutch.
Here’s an exclusive look at Vancouver BC-based Jorg&Olif’s brand new “Scout” (it’s not set for full public release until August 10th):

The Scout from Jorg&Olif (Retail: $495-$595)

The press release says the Scout “lets you navigate the […]

Clever Cycles is now open.View gallery(File photo)

It’s been almost ten months since I first mentioned bakfiets on this site. Back in August, I spotted one on NE Broadway and I was blown away by the simple, elegant utility of it.
That story sparked a lot of interest and it was clear Portland was ready for […]

[File photo]

Northeast Portland native Jamie Nichols “totally flipped” when he saw his first Dutch bakfiets cargo bike. He sees them as the perfect way to replace the family car for short neighborhood trips and even sees them as an answer for what he calls “a looming fuel crisis”.

That’s why for the past two years, […]

Well I had my doubts whether or not it would ever happen, but after some ads popped up recently it was just a matter of time…
And now it’s official, the Batavus “Old Dutch” bikes have landed in America.

Nothing compares to the elegant simplicity of an authentic, working-class Dutch city bike.The Batavus “Old Dutch”. MSRP […]

Scott Mizee aboard a bakfiets.File photo

The Oregonian’s inPortland secion has a nice story today that will give a big boost to Portland’s awareness of and interest in bakfietsen (Dutch for “box bikes”).
The story focuses on how great the bikes are for kids and families, and even mentions a woman who uses one as a way […]

Can you spot the bakfiets?Photo: Clever Cycles on Flickr

Clever Cycles, Portland’s soon-to-be-opening retail shop that will carry bakfiets cargo bikes and “a complete line of resoundingly practical biking gear” is showing signs of life at their location on SE 9th Ave., just south of Hawthorne Blvd.
Part of a Dutch bike invasion sweeping North America, this […]

I first brought you the news about original, Dutch Batavus bikes potentially coming to the U.S. market back in October. I had received spy photos of them from my correspondents at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas.

An ad from The Bicycle Paper.

Since then I’ve been following up with Tim Rutledge at their U.S. […]

[Clever Cycles’ Todd Fahrner in San Jose.]

Cleverchimp founder and Clever Cycles co-owner Todd Fahrner is here at the Handmade Bicycle Show and he just gave me an update on his plans to open up a new bike shop in Portland.
Todd and his partners in the business (his wife Martina Fahrner and Rachel and Dean […]

[Scan of BTA’s Alice Awards party invitation.]

Portland is ga-ga for Amsterdam these days. Within days of bringing you the news of Portland’s first shipment of Dutch Bakfietsen, now comes the BTA’s Alice Awards party invitations.
The iconic Dutch windmill is prominent on the front of the invite (see above), and inside the BTA explains why […]

[Bakfietsen. They’re here.]Photo: Clever Cycles

Todd and Dean of Clever Cycles must be giddy with excitement. Their much-anticipated first shipment of Bakfietsen (Dutch for “box bikes”) have arrived!
Soon, Portland will be crawling with these cool bikes and people will embrace the function, fashion and utility that many families in Amsterdam have already discovered.
It was […]

[A truck full of Dutch cargobikes bound for Portland!]

Todd “Cleverchimp” Fahrner and Dean “Bakfiets” Mullin have just returned from a top secret European foray where they did some business networking and researched the inside dope on city and cargo bikes.
They’re gaining steam for their Clever Cycles business and they’re anxiously awaiting their first big shipment […]

All photos by Jonathan Maus, unless otherwise noted.

When I first saw the Electra Amsterdam in an ad in Bicycling Magazine I was stunned. Not just by the bike’s drop-dead gorgeous looks, but because of what the bike signified to the U.S. bike industry and American cycling in general.
U.S. companies have long offered various city […]

[Former Mayor Bud Clark andCongressman Earl Blumenauerat 2006 Alice Awards.]

The BTA is busily working on plans for their big Alice B. Toeclips Awards party and auction. Last year, the formal event — which is the BTA’s big annual fundraiser — packed the Oregon Convention with a who’s-who of Portland’s bike scene.
This year’s event will […]

[Overloaded? No such thing!]

What do I love most about Portland’s bike community? That’s impossible to answer, but very high on the list would have to be bike moves.
Last night, amid dark and drizzly skies, a cheery group of people showed up to help Ernie Wisner move from his place near SE Belmont and […]

[Photo: Ethan Jewett/Stickeen Photography]

The long-awaited, Dutch-inspired Electra Amsterdams have hit U.S. bike shops, and it just so happens there’s one in my basement right now ;-).
Unfortunately I have to give it back after the weekend so stay tuned for a review on Monday…
UPDATE: Read my review and see more photos of the Electra Amsterdam.

[The Ace Hotel is coming and they’re bringing Dutch bikes with them.]

The Ace Hotel — Seattle’s “leading design hotel” — is set to open in Portland on January 30th of next year.
I confirmed today with jorg&olif CEO Rob MacDonald that he is partnering up with the hotel to have a standing fleet of 6-10 Dutch […]