Rolling Orange: Bikes Built for Life

Rolling Orange Bikes in Cobble Hill specializes in real Dutch city bikes, imported from The Netherlands. Yes, they’re a sturdier bicycle meant to be ridden while sitting upright, and many include cargo options for toting groceries, laundry, children or pets in comfort and style. The Dutch approach though, is as much a mind set as a set of design principles–the motto in the window at Rolling Orange reads, “If you love life, why are your rushing through it?” They believe that bike riding should be a daily pleasure, a functional balm for a harried urban life that gets you from point A to point B reliably and comfortably. At Rolling Orange they will take the time to find the perfect bike solution that fits your life–it’s imperative with bicycles built to last for years and years. Here are a few of their holiday suggestions, from bikes to bike accessories, an amazing rain cape and a snug, all-season helmet.

: The Brooklyn Eendracht is available in step through (as pictured) and step over models.

: The Bakfiets.nl cargo bike comes with an optional electric assist–a gentle tailwind for uphill stretches.

: Brooks leather grips are good looking and durable.

: The Brooks B67 saddle is designed for an upright position, perfect for Dutch bikes.

: The Bern winter helmet comes with a removable liner to keep you warm in cold months and cool in the summer.

: Cleverhoods rain capes come in four different colors and patterns.

The Brooklyn Eendracht
This three-speed city bike is a real Dutch bike, with a frame design that has been in use for more than a century, hand-built in The Netherlands and available as a step through (as pictured) or step over frame. When ladies started to ride bicycles around the 1900s step through frames emerged as a solution that made room for their impressive dresses. Today step throughs are still ideal for riding in a dress, and they’re perfect for pedaling around Brooklyn in comfort and style, no matter what you’re wearing. $599 basic, $649 with rear rack

Cleverhood Rain Capes
These are not your standard rain ponchos. Designed in Providence, R.I., Cleverhood capes keep riders dry on rainy days, and are specially seamed with reflective tape to make them more visible at night. Available in electric houndstooth (reflective thread forms a grid pattern at night), glen plaid, yellow, blue or chocolate brown. Ideal for a fashion forward four-season rider. $239

Brooks Saddles and Hand Grips
Ask any cyclist, Brooks saddles are built for life. They’ve been made in the UK for more than 100 years, and their quality is unparalleled. Rolling Orange carries the B67 ($133), an ideal saddle for a Dutch bike set-up, where the handlebars are higher than the seat. Thanks to softer leather the Brooks 67 saddles are comfortable from day one. The Brooks B17 saddle ($128), the modern version of a seat that was featured as early as the Brooks 1898 catalogue, is built for sports touring, trekking and other longer rides. And, to go with your saddle, Brooks Plump Leather Grips ($87-97) are made from stacked leather washers cut from saddle top scraps.

Bern Winter Helmet
A hat-clad head never quite fits into a bike helmet the way you want it to. This winter helmet from Bern comes with a toasty liner and ear flaps that take the place of a hat. It can also be used for skiing and snowboarding, and the liner is removable for summer wear. $99

Bakfiets.nl with Electric Assist
If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam then you’ll remember the amazing variety of bikes there, including cargo bikes full of groceries, laundry, pets and children. The Bakfiets.nl is one of the most popular models in The Netherlands, and it may just revolutionize the way you get around Brooklyn. It comes with an electric assist to help get you up that final hill on the Prospect Park loop, and has a very low center of gravity for ease with heavy loads. And, there are two, three-point seat belts in the cargo carrier, for safe riding. $3,975

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