Littlehampton Dutch Bike Shop

The Old Dutch

Traditional elegance built for those who appreciate quality and luxury.

Opening Hours

Tuesday to Friday - 9.30am to 6pm
Saturday - 9.30am to 6pm

Closed Sunday and Mondays

Telephone 01903 730089
Email us at dutchcycles@aol.com

Please Note - we only retail new Batavus Dutch Bicycles. We do not sell secondhand Dutch Bikes.

Latest News from our Shop

New! Buy your Batavus Bicycle from your local Cycle Shop.

Buy your favourite Batavus Model from your favourite local bike shop. A new initiative to expand our growing network of UK shops stocking Batavus. If you haven't already got a local bike shop,we'll find a cycle shop local to you who will supply you with your new Batavus bicycle. See our Buy from your local Cycle Dealers' for details.

A NEW LOGO

We recently commissioned our local Elm Grove school to come up with a design for a logo for The Dutch Bike Shop. After some weeks trying to decide on one of the many designs they came up with, we finally agreed on one. This Logo will also be used on our letterhead, brochures and so on. In return for the schools excellent work, we've part-funded their outdoor space project. And the creator of the winning design gets a new Personal Bike valued at £350.

OUR NEW LOGO ABOVE CREATED BY HARRY AGED 7 AT ELM GROVE SCHOOL.

Surrounding art work by Bay Studios Littlehampton.

Our new logo will shortly be erected over the outside of our shop.

FLASH - LATEST NEWS
Owing to the popularity of Flash, we have now ordered a further batch of Gents Flash in size 57cm. Unfortunately size 53cm is now sold out completely. Those gents wanting a size 53cm frame should look at Entrada. We still have ladies/step-through frames available in most sizes, but these are also selling out quickly. So if you want a Flash, then please do order as soon as you can. Once Flash is gone, this excellent value-for-money package will not be repeated.

Flash Gents pictured below.

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT

This year again we teamed up with the staff at Arun District Council to raise money for MacMillan Cancer support for Bike Week. We donated the bike as a raffle prize - this year the bike being a gents Batavus Blockbuster. Thanks to all the staff at Arun for raising just shy of £600 for this very worthy cause.

Our Ethos is - Cycling should be fun!

We subscribe to a simple ethos when it comes to cycling that riding a bicycle should be fun and the bike you ride should be safe, practical, reliable and built to a very high standard by people who take enormous pride in the quality of bicycles they build.

And by far the greatest benefit of riding a Dutch bike is you can wear what you like and cycle your bike when you like.

With most models coming with fully enclosed chain guards, dress guards and mudguards there's no need for you to dress up in lycra. Wear what you like!

I rode the whole way from Land's End to John O Groats on a Dutch bike in October 2006 wearing jeans and a nice comfy sweater. When it rained I pulled on a rain jacket. So whenever I wanted to pop into a coffee shop or a pub for a quick pint, I didn't look like someone who'd lost my way from the local 10 mile charity run. With the sit-up riding position, I actually got to see all of the lovely sights along the way as opposed to be drooped over the handlebars looking at the ground.....

All our models give a nice sit-up-and ride position. Enjoy the views as you roll by and if riding with a partner enjoy some pleasant conversation as opposed to being stretched forward where the simple act of lifting your head becomes a painful chore.

Whatever bike you chose, we believe cycling should be all about fun. Enjoying the journey as much as you do reaching your destination.

A bicycle is a great form of transport and when you consider that a staggering 80% of all car journeys undertaken in the UK are for distances of less than 4 miles, it's easy to see that for the relatively small investment in a quality bicycle you could swap those expensive short journeys for a short bike ride.

In fact , Cycling England estimate that we only had a 12% increase in more people cycling the savings to the NHS would be a huge £55million pounds. Not to mention the positive eco-friendly spins off that come with cycling.

The Dutch as a nation cycle an incredible 16 billion miles every year! In Holland and throughout Europe the bicycle is seen as an important method of transport as well as a fun, healthy way to get around.

Cycling is all about fun and using a bike is a great way to get around. Our view is that a bicycle is a form of transport as well as a great way to spend your days' off exploring and touring. So accordingly, we've chosen to sell Dutch Bikes which really do offer you a great range of bikes to get more of out of your cycling.

When you buy a Batavus Dutch Bike you're buying a whole new way of life!

Batavus Bicycles are designed by people who actually ride bikes, as opposed to people who simply sell bikes for profit without ever really having to ride their own products.

Hand stitched leather hand grips by leading saddle maker San Marco is a standard feature on all Royal Class bikes give a truly luxury feel.

A Batavus Old Dutch pictured in Spain towing a child trailer. Thanks to Silvana for allowing us to use her picture.

Batavus Bicycles are renowned for their child-carrying ability. Picture above is the Batavus Blockbuster with Bobike Seats front and back. Please note this colour is no longer available

CHILD CARRIER!

If you're looking for a bicycle to carry children then we recommend the Personal Bike, which comes in a variety of gear options including 3 & 7 speeds. You can also choose an especially low step frame which is ideal for those who aren't too tall.

Choose either a front child carrier (as displayed below) or a combination of either front and rear, or rear on its own. In the picture below we're using a rear child seat which sits on the rear carrier and thus can easily be removed and swapped between different bikes.

The Personal Bike AT complete with front and rear child seats. Because the Personal Bike has 26" wheels it makes it easier to balance when riding with a full family load. The Personal Bike is also built to take weight and is a unisex model so mum and dad can share the riding.

The front windscreen and spray protection flaps keeps rain and wind off your child when riding.

We can supply all the parts to you either as a complete package or each item on its own.

Prices as follows: rear seat £39.99, Front seat £64.99 and optional front windscreen with spray/wind protection at £24.00.

An ideal child carrying solution.

Some common misconceptions about Dutch bikes!

1. All Dutch bicycles only come in single, 3 or 7 speeds.
2. All Dutch bicycles are only useful for riding on the flat
3. To save you money, some Dutch manufacturers will send you your bike in bits and you can finish the assembly.
4. All Dutch bikes are heavy and only suitable for shopping.

The reality is

1. Batavus have over 140 models of bike for you to choose from ranging from 3 speed traditional Dutch bikes to 24 speed lightweight touring or commuting bikes. We challenge you to find a similar cycle company in the uk who offers you the same choice of models and at the same competitive prices.

2. This is the most common myth - Holland is flat which is why they ride so much. The reason Holland is the country of the bicycle is for cultural reasons. Quite simply, the Dutch as a nation see the bicycle as a form of transport as opposed to either a sport or leisure past time. Yes, Holland is relatively flat, but that brings its own problems such as headwinds and so on. As I've said, Batavus build a huge range of bikes to suit all tastes and riding conditions.

3. At any one time there are a number of mostly online retailers offering you 'Dutch Bikes' at a fraction of the cost of one of our Old Dutches. All sorts of great claims are made by these sellers including the fact that the reason they are so cheap compared to us is a) they don't have a retail shop and b) they send you their bike in a box part-assembled for you to finish. First ofall if you're happy parting with your money from someone who you either never get to meet, or who operates from a PO Address with no shop front then you really are buying blind. However the most important thing to remember about our Batavus bicycles is that they are a factory built bike in Holland. We ship them from Batavus to us fully assembled as this is how they come off the production line. The benefit to you as a customer is you are getting your bike lovingly or carefully built, as opposed to simply flat-packed from a Far Eastern Workshop. All genuine Dutch bikes are factory built. Those that come flat-packed for you to assemble are not.

4. Batavus have an extensive range of cycles. We're often told by some people that our Entrada is heavy to lift compared with their existing bike. Their existing bike is usually a supermarket brand bike without hub gears, locks, lighst, carriers, mudguards, side stand, dress guards, fully enclosed chain guards and so on. Remove all of these extras and you'll more than likely find that our models are actually lighter. In any event our bikes are created and built to give you a super comfy ride and are not heavy to ride. If you'd like to endure having yourself shaken and stirred on a cheaper, perhaps lighter alternative then that's a matter for you.

Batavus have been successfully building and selling quality bicycles since 1904. The Dutch as a nation ride an incredible 16 billion miles a year.

You decide whose got it right when it comes to building comfortable , safe bicycles.

The Batavus Alamo pictured below is a super 24 speed Dutch bicycle which we challenge you to find a similar bike offering the same value for money and including all the extras light front high powered halogen lights, quick release wheels and so on.

We can mail order any of our bicycles or accessories anywhere in the UK. Just phone us with your order. You can also order online. However when it comes to our bicycles we would prefer if you bought your Batavus through your local bike shop. You can read more about how this scheme works by visiting the 'Buy from your local Bike Shop' page

We can also Mail Order your bike to Southern and Northern Ireland, however the costs of transporting your bike are relatively high.

WE have three phone lines to take your calls, however we still struggle! If you do find our lines engaged, we apologise in advance. During weekends our shop has on average anywhere between 100 to 150 visitors per day. Many of these are tourists who visit the shop while on holidays in the area. It all adds to the buzz and excitement!

Views from outside our shop

We're fortunate that our shop is located overlooking Littlehampton's beautiful harbour. There's always something going on, whether it be a ship coming in on a tide or visiting yachts or neighbouring lifeboats taking part in training exercises, whenever you come there's always something to see.

Neighbouring lifeboats visiting (above and below)

Littlehampton is famous for its safe, sandy beaches as pictured below. If you are coming a distance to visit us, you'll find lots of things to do for those who might not be interested in joining you on your Dutch bike Experience.

Old Dutch in Marine Blue also available in gloss black, red, purple and silver

Don't simply buy a Dutch Bike - Buy a Batavus!

New Model for our shop pictured below - BATAVUS BRIGHTON

The Brighton

The Brighton is a sister bicycle to the Sunshine sharing the same traditional features, including Coaster Brake, front wicker basket, elegant lines, hand stitched San Marco Leather grips, Front Dynamo with automatic light sensors front and rear so your lights will come on automatically when light fades.

Elegant lines give Brighton a truly luxury feel and appearance.

Rear Dress Guards fitted to stop road spray

San Marco Hand-stitched leather hand grips with traditional wicker style front basket and 7 speeds make this is an ideal all-round bike. Also available in an off white colour.

Picture above, Entrada 7 Speed Gent's Commute/Touring bike

All our bikes give a nice, comfy upright riding position as pictured above.

Entrada pictured above is also available in a Deluxe model, which includes front suspension and suspension seat post. Both models available in either step-through or step-over frames.

Typical Features of a Batavus Dutch Bike include:

Puncture resistant tyres, fully enclosed chain guards, splash/dress guards, side stand, front and rear lights, integral lock, front and rear mudguards, rear carrier, hub brakes, either roller brakes or drum brakes, which give you all-weather braking, quality strong frames, stainless steel bolts and nuts, top quality saddles from top saddle makers including San Marco and Selle Royal, Quality hub gears from either SRAM or Shimano.

When you buy a Batavus Bicycle, you buy Quality, reliability, comfort and wonderful bicycle lovingly made by people who take pride in their work.

ADAGIO NU VINCI ROYAL CLASS

The Adagio Nu Vinci royal Class pictured above won Holland's Bicycle of the Year Award for 2007. This beautiful bicycle has every imaginable luxury including: continuously variable hub, hand-stitched leather hand grips by San Marco, in-built cycle computer, easy-adjust handlebar system,front and rear lights - front hub dynamo will remain on when you stop pedaling. Rear battery lights (both lights have automatic light sensors and will come on when the weather/light fades)leather saddle bag, hydrofoam frame, automatic tyre pressure indicators warning of when to inflate your tyres...and lots more features that make riding this bike an absolute pleasure.

Don't be fooled by offers of cheap 'Dutch Bikes'

When it comes to choosing a Dutch bike, don't be tempted in by cheap prices. There's no such thing as a genuine Dutch bike form £220. Dutch bikes generally start in the £380 + price bracket and work upwards. Cheap, inferior copies are available for £99 upwards.

Problem with a cheap copy is you get a cheap bike with cheap components including gears, tyres and so on. So rather than enjoy stress-free cycling you're buying potential problems and your bike simply is not built to last. So all you're doing is adding to landfill and paying over the odds for your cycling.

For example, let's say your buy a Dutch bike for £500. Batavus offer you a 10 year warranty on your bike, which means your bike is costing you £50 per year. Indeed, most Batavus models will far exceed the manufacturer's warranty. We have customers who have enjoyed their Batavus bike for 25 years trouble free. Compare this to a cheap copy you buy for £220. Are you honestly going to get 10 years trouble free cycling? Most of these bikes end up in landfill after a matter of a couple of years of delivering miserable cycling for their owners. So in effect your cycling is costing you far more on the cheaper copy bike. Remember with a cheap bike you get cheap tyres, uncomfortable saddles and so on. When you add in the costs of replacing these, two new quality tyres will set you back £16 each, a saddle of similar standard to the ones Batavus supply with their bikes will cost you from £30 upwards. There's £60 additional spend just on making your bike more comfortable and reliable and you still haven't got the anywhere near the quality frame that Batavus build. Let alone enjoyed the sheer pleasure of a bike built by crafts people as opposed to something put together in a Far Eastern sweat shop.

And of course most cheap copy Dutch bikes are usually sent to you flat packed ready for you to waste the rest of your worthwhile life trying to assemble. And when you get the inevitable problems with your bike, the reply from the retailer will usually be that the reason you've got the problems you do with your bike is because you badly assembled it.

We know this all too well, as not a week goes by and we don't hear the same story from customers who've bought 'Dutch bikes' for the £200 mark (some paying even less) and being completely unhappy.

When it comes to buying a Dutch bike, think longterm. Buy a quality bicycle built to last!
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The Browser pictured above is all new for 2008 and can be found in our Traditional Section.

The Old Dutch
An authentic Dutch Bike
Available in a range of colours including: Gloss Black, Marine Blue, Red and Titan Blue and Purple (as in the above picture)

We also have available handcrafted Willow baskets for the front of your bicycles.

These baskets have been handmade in the UK, by Willow Basket makers using home-grown willow. They look superb on any bicycle and when you buy one of baskets your supporting a UK Crafts people. Baskets available for £29.99. They'll fit on any bike by using the two leather basket straps, which are supplied with each basket.

The size of the basket is such that it fits neatly on the handlebars. We don't recommend you carry lots of weight in a front basket as it can affect your steering. However a front basket is great for carrying those light items such as papers, handbags, and of course the fresh bread back on a Saturday morning.

New to our shop as these super Eco-friendly, Doorstop, Rope Balls, which are beautifully hand-crafted using Manila Rope, which is a high quality fibre. Picture above taken of one of the ropeballs on the wall outside our shop.

Each rope ball uses 8 metres of rope in it's construction, they are no added chemicals and bleach, a really striking eco-friendly door stopper made from natural renewable sources. Available at £34.99.

They look superb and give a coastal feeling to any home and are ideal to buy for a special, unique present. We love them and it's great to be able to add another UK, handcrafted product to our shop. We can mail order your rope ball to anywhere in the UK, total price including delivery is £39.99.

Luxury Canvas Panniers

Also new to our shop are these beautiful, luxury canvas Dutch Panniers which are water- repellent and come with leather straps. Capacity is 41 Litres. Available for only £97.

The Batavus Personal Delivery Bicycle

With front and rear carriers, centre stand and a front steering lock to make sure your front wheels don't fall around when the bike is laden on it's stand, this bike offers lots of possibilities. Customers who have purchased this bike from us have used it for a variety of purposes including cargo-carrying, shopping, courier bikes and even for camping trips. Available with a Nexus 3 speed Hub Gear with roller brakes front and rear for only £657.

carrier.

We hope that you enjoy your virtual visit to The Littlehampton Dutch Bike Shop and that you can come and visit us. If you can't we offer a full UK wide Mail Order Service. Phone or email us for a helpful, friendy service. Ask all the questions you need to and we'll be pleased to answer them for you.

If you can come and visit us at our seafront shop, then we'd be pleased to show you our extensive range and also allow you test ride the bikes.Y

Picture above, one of our 3 speed sit-up-and-beg Dutch Bikes having a break on beautiful Dartmoor during our 2006 'Lands End to John O Groats on a Dutch Bike', MacMillan Cancer Support fund raising cycle ride.

Entire distance ridden of 950 miles on a 3 speed Dutch bike completed in 14 days without any mechanical problems, punctures and ridden without any discomfort and ridden solo without any vehicle support.

How to Contact Us

If you've got a question or want to discuss the bicycle you're thinking of buying or to order your bike, panniers, baskets or anything else, then please do phone us on 01903 730089 during our normal shop opening hours.

Alternatively, you can email us at: DutchCycles@aol.com

Sunshine and The Old Dutch pictured at Littlehampton Beach on route to Shoreham-by-Sea to test out the newly opened Worthing to Brighton Cycle path. Our verdict on the route is that's is fantastic. After following the South Coast Cycle route to Worthing, and a quick coffee at Cafe Neros, we rode off-road all the way from Worthing to Shoreham-by-Sea, alongside the seafront. It's was absolutely brilliant route with beautiful sea views.

Picture above was taken on the Land's End to John O Groat's ride in October 06. It shows where a 3 speed bike can take you. Of course if you want a Dutch bike with lots more gears and gear choices we have a whole range to choose from.

Picture above arriving in John O Groats in the Sunshine. What a shame the 'signpost' isn't there. Apparently the sign is owned by the person or business who owns the photography franchise. So if you want your picture taken with the sign in the background it must by taken by him, or you're not at all. I thought about phoning the number and paying to get the photo taken, but the call for pint of Guinness was too great.

Sadly the John O Groat's Hotel was no longer open when I was there, however there is a super new hotel not too far from the original one where you can enjoy an excellent meal and the bar has over 150 different blends of whiskey. I tried only the one, tempted as I was to try more. However a young honeymooning couple who I got talking to over dinner went on a real spree and ended up tasting an impressive 10 whiskeys. Only problem was that neither of them looked too clever in the morning!

BLOCKSBUSTER

A fun, rugged, extremely comfortable bike.

If you want a cycle that will take you off the beaten track, but still retain all the powerful, comfy features of riding a Dutch bike, then you could look at Blockbuster pictured below.

The Blockbuster is a 3 speed Bike that comes in either a step-through (pictured above) or step-over frame and has extra wide tyres to allow you take to the roads less travelled.

Blockbuster is our best selling bicycle. You can read more about Blockbuster in The Trendy Section.

The Adagio Nu Vinci won the 'Bike Of The Year Award 2007' in Holland. This has already proved a huge here for us here in the UK with some customers telling us that this bicycle has literally changed their lives.

The Adagio Nu Vinci is the top of the range Batavus Nu Vinci Range and is available for £1317 including VAT, delivery from Holland and pre-delivery inspection.

This year Batavus have extended the range of Nu Vinci hub geared bicycle to include, The Personal Bike, The Overture, The Intermezzo and The Crescendo. So if you like the idea of the Nu Vinci hub, but your budget won't stretch to the Adagio then you now have lots more choice.

What's so good about the Nu Vinci hub?

Traditionally hub geared bicycles have either 3, 5 or 7 gears. The difference with the Nu Vinci hub is that instead of giving you a set number of hub gears, it is continually variable. So you have an infinite amount of gears to choose from. Every time you move the gear shifter even by the smallest amount you enjoy a new gear.

Obviously the only real way to experience the difference is for you to try it out for yourself. So please do come and try our demonstration model and see what a difference Nu Vinci can do for you.

Cycling magazine VELO VISION will be featuring a test of the Adagio in next month's edition of their magazine.

Picture taken at the end of my 14-day, Land's End to John O Groat's Bike ride on my 3 Speed Dutch Bike.

SOME FACTS FROM MY JOURNEY

Miles ridden 950

Time taken 14 days

Average speed 12.2 mph

Total pints of Guinness drank 34

Jobsworths met on the route - 1 - (the clerk at the train station at Thurso)

Near encounters with passing yobs - 2

Punctures - 0 -

Uncomfortable beds slept in - 8

Unpleasant B&B owners - 1 -

Longest miles ridden in one day - 98 -

Most cycle-friendly place - Scotland (with the exception of First Rail)

Favourite healthy drink (pictured below)

Most Terrible Cycle Path pictured below. Just imagine that someone actually planned this feat where not only does the cyclist have to negotiate those railings, but also lift or push one's bike up those steps.

I came across the above cycle path when riding from Land's End To John O Groats.

Thanks For Visiting us!

Paul, Brian and The Team at The Dutch Bike Shop.

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