More than 125 years ago, the Gazelle Tour Populair ($1299) won the hearts of the Dutch. Like a pair of Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats or a colorful scarf tied in a French knot, the Gazelle still makes a statement.
This is me writing from the heart after nearly two years of riding this beauty whose ancestral lineage propelled the Netherlands to epicenter of bike culture.
What I Love
Old world charm with a modern sensibility. Its black glossy paint, white tires, fully-encased chain guard, upright riding geometry and gently-sloping cross-bars give it a very classic and timeless look. If you look at pictures of bikes from the early 1900’s the Gazelle Tour Populair really doesn’t look that much different. Expect to be complemented by strangers on the “restoration”, as if the Gazelle had been a vintage wreck thrown up on Craigslist for $20.
A Gazelle Tour Populair visits the MN Air National Guard 133rd Air Lift Wing
The ride. The Gazelle Tour Populair is not a fast bike. It features a relaxed seating position that is made for urban commuting and leisure riding. The 65° seat angle geometry takes pressure off the upper back to promote good posture and reduce soreness. A stylish Brooks leather saddle comes standard to complete its unrivalled seating comfort and if you don’t have a pair of bike chamois, don’t worry. You don’t really need them. The brakes and gears are smooth and the springs under the saddle do a phenomenal job absorbing cracks, ruts and rough bike path.
Low maintenance. All of the Gazelle’s mechanical parts are enclosed and protected from the elements. Here’s where I’ll be candid. I’ve had this bike for two years as a summer bike for around town and commuting to work. I have yet to have any mechanical malfunction. Gazelle states on their website that it’s low-maintenance and I agree with them. I haven’t even had a flat and I’ve never needed to adjust the roller brakes or gears.
AXA security lock. This comes standard and works by securing and immobilizing the rear wheel. Signposts or bike racks aren’t technically needed. I can park it outside a coffeeshop or store while I’m inside. If anyone wanted to steal it, they would have to carry it—all 85 pounds of it– while running.
A brush with greatness: A Sirrus SR-22 meets a Gazelle Tour Populair
The bell. How I love the bell! It’s not a sweet urban “ding! ding! ding!” It’s a healthy, deep, penetrating “CLANNNNNNGGGGGG! CLANNNNNNGGGGGG! ” Ringing the bell transports me straight back to 1905.
All the extras. Full fenders with mudguards, a skirt guard, big clanging bell, leather Brooks saddle with matching leather grips, rear rack with “rattrap” and a kickstand. It’s also handmade in the Netherlands. It’s strong steel frame and rear luggage carrier make it an errand-running machine.
What I am Willing to Deal with Because I Love it
Heavy. The Gazelle Tour Populair is 50.5 lbs of Dutch Cycling Love. My Pivot Les Fat, which is my heaviest bike, weighs in at 24 lbs.
Riding up hills must be done in the seated position. The graceful demeanor, relaxed riding position and handlebars as elegant as a swan’s neck make riding on flat streets and bike paths a joyous occasion. But hills? Ooof. Hills must be climbed in the seated position, in the lowest gear, because the geometry doesn’t allow the rider to stand up on the pedals.
No quick-release axle. The day I finally get a flat will require time, muscle, a wrench and probably the owner’s manual.
Sharp turns are a lottery. The long, sloping, wide handlebars that are fantastic for comfort tended to contact my thighs on sharp turns.
Final Thoughts
The bikes on the market today are many. There are fat bikes and e-bikes. Racing bikes that weigh 7lbs. Mountain bikes with technology that compensate for every type of trail.
A pro and her ride
Whatever happened to riding a bike simply for the sheer joy?
I visit the Netherlands nearly every year. With each visit I make it a point to get in a ride along the canals and the cobblestone streets because I want to experience the simple joy of leisure riding. I’m not in a hurry, I’m not in a race. I’m riding in the moment. My current cache of bikes are road bikes and mountain bikes, all designed to go fast, don’t allow that luxury. I guess it’s a bit like owning a Ferrari and never exceeding 25 mph.
The Gazelle Tour Populair forces me to slow down and ride in the moment. To experience the sights and sounds around me.
It’s arguably the most relevant and practical every-day bike on the market. In my opinion, it’s the perfect solution for the urban cyclist who wants an easy pace to commute work, run local errands or have a unique brew-cruiser that will turn heads.
