Vintage velos

Margot McGovern road-tests four retro-styled steeds for women.

 

If you think, as I do, that your journey should be every bit as glamorous as your destination, then you can’t be cruising around on just any bike, and you certainly can’t arrive at your destination with sweat smeared make-up and chain grease on your leg. No, bike riding for you is about heads turning as you glide past, wheels whispering along sun-dappled paths and leisurely Sunday trundles to picnics, art openings and brunches at trendy cafes. For that you need a bike that’s both practical and do-a-double-take gorgeous.

In recent years, cycle chic bikes with retro flair have become immensely popular, and, with a bewildering number of models available, finding your perfect sartorial match can be overwhelming. The four bikes tested here were chosen to give an overview of some key styles—step-through, Dutch town bike and mixte—at a range of price points.

A chic bike should add a touch of glam to every ride, but, like a good pair of shoes, a bike you’re going to be happy riding every day needs to be comfortable and practical as well as gorgeous. All the bikes featured here are fitted with a kickstand, and most also come with full-length mudguards, chain guards and rear racks as standard to save you from muddy hems, grease stains and a sweaty back (where they don’t come as standard, you can request to have them added for a slightly higher cost). They can also be customised with a range of classy accessories, such as leather saddles, grips, handlebar bags, baskets, bells and panniers. The bikes tested here feature relaxed, upright geometry, forgiving saddles and sweptback handlebars that make for a riding position as comfy as grandma’s armchair over short distances. This position also keeps your head up, giving you a clear view and making it easy to look around. These bikes are also incredibly easy to ride, with dipped top tubes for dignified mounting and dismounting, grip and handlebar-mounted shifters for simple gear changes and fat tyres that won’t get caught in tram tracks. For these reasons, these are ideal for new and less confident riders as well as the sartorially savvy.

However, when shopping for a stylish steed, it’s important not to be blinded by beauty. There are plenty of bikes out there that look gorgeous, but aren’t practical to ride. The trick is to find a bike that combines vintage charm with today’s technology. These bikes do tend to be on the heavy side, but some much more so than others. While gram saving isn’t as important when cruising to the local café as it is on SCODY 3 Peaks Challenge, a heifter steed can still turn your ride into a slog. I’ve known a number of women who’ve decided to get back into riding, bought a bike online based on looks alone, then given it up after a few rides when a combination of weight and poor quality/inappropriate gearing made them feel like a sweaty, huffing wildebeest on wheels rather than the elegant swan they’d been imagining. Excessive weight also presents a problem for apartment dwellers needing to store their bike upstairs. Vintage-style bikes also tend to be larger with most featuring 28 inch (700c) wheels. Just be aware that larger wheels mean a higher centre of gravity and may feel slightly less stable – and in all cases, I’d strongly recommend doing a test-ride before you buy.

 

Tokyobike Bisou

$770 

Function 40/40

Quality 38/40

Price 8/10

Appearance 10/10

96% A perfect blend of style and practicality

By the end of my first ride, the TokyoBike Bisou had me smitten. Cruising along bike paths and bustling inner-Melbourne streets on subsequent trundles, the relationship became a full-blown love affair, so much so that I bought a Bisou for keeps when I returned the test model to the store. The Bisou is elegant without being flouncy, with its clean lines and a unique frame design drawing the eye without looking like a plea for attention.

Unlike many of the cycle chic rides out there that feature a one-size-fits-all frame, the Bisou is available in three sizes (450/500/550mm) for a more precise fit. It’s also a compact little thing, especially when lined up next to the other bikes featured here. Its smaller 26 inch/650C wheels lower your centre of gravity for added stability, accelerate quickly – perfect for stop-start urban riding – and are ideal for nipping through inner-city laneways, while the chromoly steel frame makes for a beautiful springy ride. I really appreciated the Shimano seven-speed group set on hillier rides, and the SRAM grip shift makes it easy to switch gears. The handlebars are swept back for comfort, and the geometry is upright enough for you to invoke the ethereal barely-break-a-sweat-no-matter-how-far-I-go look, while still allowing you to get a little power in your pedal stroke. The inclusion of drink bottle lugs also indicates that this is a bike designed to be ridden, as well as look good. This is a bike I’d happily take on longer 20-30km rides as well as my commute and neighbourhood rambles. While many bikes are only available in three or four colours, the Bisou comes in a choice of ten, ensuring there’s something to suit every taste.

My only small criticism of the Bisou is the price. At $770, it’s less affordable than most, and at that price doesn’t include the mudguards and rack that come as standard on some other models. However, for me the quality of the components and the lighter, zippier ride it offers more than justified the extra cost.

tokyobike.com.au

Lekker Sportief

$598 (Front rack $50)

Function 37/40

Quality 38/40

Price 7/10

Appearance 10/10

92% A classic, quality bike with a touch of European elegance

For me, the Lekker Sportief was the real beauty of the bunch—classic Dutch design in a choice of four dreamy pastels, with delicate lugs, subtle branding and a big ol’ fashioned bell. It was so beautiful, in fact, that I was stopped in the street by a passerby keen to take a photograph of the bike. But the Lekker isn’t just a looker. It was also the most comfortable of all the bikes tested, and, the ride was so smooth it almost appeared to glide rather than roll. This was surprising, as it’s not a light bike. However, I scarcely noticed the weight, even when riding uphill. The three-speed Sturmey Archer internally-geared hub makes for easy maintenance and is more than adequate for handling the small ups and downs of inner Melbourne where I tested it, though it’s not quite as user-friendly as the grip shifts on some of the other bikes tested. The handlebars are tall and swept back, though not so much as to be uncomfortable or affect the steering. The low swoop of the frame makes for easy and dignified mounting and dismounting in any outfit and the rear rack, full length mudguards and chain guard are a practical touch. Being painted to match the frame, they appear a natural part of the bike rather than an afterthought, though I worry that the paint may quickly get scratched from use.

The frame is only available in one size (46cm), and for me, being 168cm, this was a perfect fit, though it may not be appropriate for unusually tall or petite riders.

Although the retro look and feel of the Sportief will never go out of style, I felt the rear coaster brake could afford to be updated to match the front Tektro caliper brake, if only because it takes some getting used to. However, overall this is a beautifully thought out and practical bike for a real glamour girl. And for those who want an extra touch of sophistication, the Sportief can be upgraded with leather saddle, grips and handlebar bag, as well as a range of front racks and baskets.

lekkerbikes.com.au

 

Reid Ladies Vintage Deluxe 3-Speed

$369 

Function 35/40

Quality 34/40

Price 10/10

Appearance 7/10

86% A thrifty ride with flair

Over the last few years Reid Cycles have taken the Australian bike market by storm with their growing range of bikes at incredibly low prices. Their vintage ladies bikes have proved particularly popular and they have a new model, the Ladies Vintage Deluxe 3-Speed, out just in time for Christmas. The Vintage Deluxe is a Dutch classic reimagined for the thrifty-minded and combines classic style with current technology. What it lacks in fancy lugs and other small luxuries (its grips are rubber rather than mock or genuine leather and, on close inspection, the cream tyres are a shade too yellow for true vintage chic), it more than makes up for in practical features. For a start, this is one of the few cycle chic rides on the market that boasts an aluminium frame. Yes, steel offers that springy feel of a true classic, but aluminium is significantly lighter, which is a real plus when you’ve only got a few gears. It also, rather unusually, features V-brakes (more commonly found on MTB and hybrid bikes) rather than calipers, providing excellent stopping power and rubber-gripped levers.

With its high stem and handlebars, this is the tallest of all the bikes tested, and I have to admit, at first glance I was concerned that this might be more bike than I could handle. However, for a steed of its size, the steering is remarkably responsive and it rolls with the zip and grace of a much smaller bike. In fact, the only time I noticed its heft was in its quickness to gather speed when swooping down hills. The grip shift for the Shimano Nexus three-speed internal hub worked simply and smoothly, the gears changing with no more than a subtle click. However, with a 20-tooth sprocket and 38-tooth chain ring, the gear ratios were a little too low for my liking, with the tallest feeling a bit spinny, even on the flat.

For me the height and shallow angle of the stem combined with the severe sweepback of the handlebars brought my hands a little too close to my body. However, the Reid is significantly cheaper than its competition, and for the price, the quality is extremely good.

reidcycles.com.au

Papillionaire Mixte

$499

Function 35/40

Quality 36/40

Price 7/10

Appearance 9/10

87% A timeless, sturdy classic

While I’m a self-confessed aesthete, I’m not a particularly girly girl, which is perhaps why I’ve always been intrigued by the mixte with its sweep of hard lines. Offered with a choice of navy, cream, olive or sea green frame with cream or gumwall tyres, the Papillionaire mixte is a sartorial delight. Like the Bisou, this is a unisex bike and suit the stylish gent as well as the fashionistas.

The riding position is comfortably upright, while still allowing you to get some power moving through your legs. The handlebars are wide and only slightly swept back, which makes for stable, confident steering. The chromoly steel frame offers a springy if slightly weighty ride and the Tektro dual-pivot caliper brakes also work efficiently, although it’s worth noting that on the single speed version, the rear brake is swapped for a coaster brake.

The Papillionaire mixte is available as an eight-, three- or singlespeed. I tested the three-speed model, and while the Shimano Nexus internal hub is low maintenance, I found the gears were a little too far apart and none were exactly what I wanted. For me, the middle gear was too spinny on the flat and the top gear just slightly too tall. Perhaps, for this reason, I felt the weight of the Papillionaire more so than the other bikes, and if I were buying this bike, I’d consider spending the extra $150 and upgrading to the eight-speed model.

Like the Lekker and the Reid, the Papillionaire comes with full-length mudguards and chain guard, painted to match the frame, and a matching rear rack can also be added for an extra $15.

papillionaire.com.au

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