A Dutch Sparta Pickup transport bike, bought at Het Zwarte Fietsenplan. I love it to death already. More about this beauty later on, now I have to [slowly] ride into town and meet a friend at a terrace.
(Click on the image, it will take you to more pictures)
Share and Enjoy:
Share and Enjoy:
Just an Amsterdam native who won't take his city and its cycling extravaganza for granted anymore, thinking these posts might be clues to others, inspiration perhaps, if you will...
A Dutch Sparta Pickup transport bike, bought at Het Zwarte Fietsenplan. I love it to death already. More about this beauty later on, now I have to [slowly] ride into town and meet a friend at a terrace.
(Click on the image, it will take you to more pictures)
What happens after the 3 year insurance? In the US bikes are covered under our homeowners/renters policy, but in my case none of the bikes even meet the deductible and I have to pay extra for a special “sporting goods” rider.
after 3 years I could renew it with a deduction, off the list price, don’t know by how much, need to check. I cannot cover under homeowners/renters policy unless I always park it inside and I can prove it (closed off and lockable space). Figure in the theft statistics of Amsterdam, you’d be a fool not to do it. Relatively, it is quite an expensive premium, as not many insure their bike because they use crappy ones that will be replaced with another crappy 2 wheeled monster :). Those that do insure usually have a nice bike (like cargo bike) but can’t put it inside.
Disclosure, this is my very first time I have bike theft insurance in 15 years of living here. You can pretty much tell what my previous bikes looked like ;)
insurance for bikes!? unbeliveble! congrats for your new bike. We (who love bikes) are like kids with new toys when we get a new bike or a new accesory in the bike.
sure thing, Jose Maria, I do feel like a kid (even more). I have to admit this bike even makes me slow down, I enjoy it that much, the ride is the most comfortable I’ve ever experienced and that says a lot.
Tiago added these cyclelicious words on July 15, 2008 |Permalink
nice one, I just saw the same in Paris street, it’s real beautifull… congratulations !
thanks, Tiago! It gives me even greater pleasure to know that its style is appreciated in Paris too :)
Tami added these cyclelicious words on July 16, 2008 |Permalink
Did I do good here?
ha, thanks for the reference! I’m always happy to be used as the example of why it’s not impossible or difficult to move to Amsterdam. any by the way, now that I’ve followed that link I totally realize who you are, I’ve seen you comment in Mark’s blog before, watched the xolo videos, etc etc. the internet is a small place.
Tamara, the circle is certainly closing :) Yes, fan and friend of Mark almost since day 1 (of his podcast career) and been part of xolo, starting it up and seeing it go down, unfortunately.
Here’s to new beginnings!
Geoff added these cyclelicious words on July 17, 2008 |Permalink
Beautiful bike. Looks like you can haul quite a bit in there!
I was just in Amsterdam last week and ran across the Swarte Fietsplan store. they were unfortunately closed and tried to give me some information about exporting to the US, but due to logistics, I didn’t check that out.
hi Geoff, thanks for that! Yes, I can. I know it looks heavy but it’s not, all aluminium and sturdy :).
No export info, because they don’t. I know the guy at the Lijnbaansgracht shop, I’ll ask him about it. My idea is that it’s a local Amsterdam store, they service many established bike brands and build their own, low volume. So, it’s a matter of scale, as always, even the bigger brands (with European distribution and marketing) had to wait for many years to make it solvable. I don’t see Het Zwarte Fietsenplan venture into anything like that, unless they touch on a sweet spot somewhere abroad, going ‘exclusive’ or something. But again, I’ll ask anyway.
And good for you! I tell all people that, just take a bike, there’s no substitution. Certainly if it’s just for a few hours…efficiency! ;-)
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