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why not just get a real dutch bike for less than half the price?

ok, i admit, with the current exchange rate i guess its closer to half the price.

nice! hey, if you ordered one now, you'd have it for next summer (and the time to save!) I think this one is pretty too: http://www.ablackbike.com/

Have you looked at Electra Bikes? They're certainly not vintage but they ride much nicer than a vintage bike will.
http://www.electrabike.com

take a road trip to boston and check out Harris Cyclery in Newton. They're the experts. I suggest finding a vintage bike on craig's with nice bones, and taking it to these guys to hook you up with everything you need to make it ride the way you want. from there you can make it a labor of love and learning by doing the work yourself... or have them take care of it for you!

I'd also say build one up from some "nice bones," or if you aren't experienced with bikes, bring it to a shop. Harris Cyclery is by far the best in the NE. You'll end up with a more personalized bike to suit your specific needs, much faster, and undoubtedly for less money.

ANT does make amazing bikes, though, and for someone with lots of money to burn an no interest in putting a bike together, it'd be a great ride.

CalinFrance: because when you pay for the cost of shipping and the difficulty you will have in locating anyone who will import them--it isn't half the price anymore. As far as I know there is only one, maybe two, companies that import Dutch bikes to the US. It's a shame companies like Batavus haven't caught on that they could make a lot of money exporting, but perhaps it's not worth it to them.

Plus ANT bikes are handmade in the US. Which is never a bad thing.

The reason they are so expensive is because Mike from ANT makes each bike by hand. By himself. He does everything from start to finish, including cutting the tubes, tacking and welding the frame, and powdercoating and finishing the frame. It's very time consuming - you can't make a bike in a day or two. it's a craft. and independent framebuilders are not rich people - they charge that much for bikes because they have to to make ends meet.
My boyfriend also builds bike frames (geekhousebikes.com) and knows Mike from ANT. His waiting list for a bike is up to about six months now. Some framebuilders like Sasha White from Vanilla Cycles aren't even taking orders anymore because his waiting list was about 6 years.
These handbuilt bikes are more than just bikes. They are fine pieces of craftsmanship, their components are of higher quality and last far longer than your typical bike, and the time and effort that goes in to making the frames is a lifelong passion for these builders.

i really like the rack on the front mounted to the frame. can you get that for any bike, i usually only see them for the back.

I got my wife the carrie white lace bike basket from design house stockholm, and it looks great but i would say it's bracket is lacking. It is just 2 hooks that go through the basket and nothing under the bottom of it for support, this really limits the amount of stuff you can put in it on weight, but if i had a rack on the front of her bike like that, it could just sit there.

Oh I love ANT bikes. Their bikes are so lovely. I wish I had the cash for one. Rivendell (www.rivbike.com) also makes beautiful vintage styled bikes. People will drop some serious cash for a roadbike, or a vintage road frame, I don't see a problem with giving your money to a smaller company if you've got the cash. Plus I'm happy ANT is out there making pretty pretty bikes so at least I can look.

Kronan bikes have just hit the U.S. and also are worth a look. They run about $600 and seem to be extremely well built, comfortable, and include a back rack and also a bike pump. You can check them out at kronan.com. In NYC they are at the Tretorn shop down in SoHo if you want to see them for yourself.

Beautiful rides. Hope sooner comes than later for Sara Kate!

I was thisclose to getting an Electra Amsterdam in June but then there was a recall on them. I still haven't gotten a bike. I drool over these sometimes: http://www.dutchbikes.us/ particularly this one: http://www.dutchbikes.us/velorbis/victoria/index.asp I was also very interested in the Kronan, but I heard they aren't the best, and hard to repair. I also looked at http://www.jorgandolif.com/limited.html ...but, like I said, I still haven't found my bike.

but they all come with a question about what they will actually ride like.

I respectfully submit that you should just buy a relatively cheap bicycle in decent condition off of Craigslist and take it into a bikeshop to have a basic overhaul to ensure that it is a safe bike to ride. Then just ride it for one-year.

The best way to figure out your bike needs is to have a bike and use it. For instance, I now know that I need at least 8-speeds. No single speed or 3-speed vintage model for me!

Then $pla$h out later - or not - and you have some practical knowledge when you evaluate new bicycles. Or you may realize that you're perfectly happy with your cheap ride.

Mainstream bicycle manufacturers seem to have caught on that there is a new practical transport market for bicycles with vintage styling. Specialized has the GLOBE model, Giant has the TranSend model, Bianchi has the Milano models, and Breezer bikes have some great options too.

Any local bike shop that works with Seattle Bike Supply can order you a Batavus Old Dutch city bike for ~900 USD. I have one and I love it-- great styling and a smooth ride. They are very well made-- unlike the Electras they are steel and not made in China-- quality components that will greatly increase the life of your bicycle.

Wow, that's really expensive.

I love ANT bikes... so gorgeous, great to see some amazing quality makers doing things in the old English and Dutch styles. I'm also a fan of the build your own creation via Craigslist frames too, just did one for myself lately... BUT for yet another option, here's a dutch-inspired build... not sure how anyone feels about China-made bikes, but the history is interesting at least - http://www.flyingpigeonnyc.com/

yeah-for that amount of money I'd just buy a Vespa-give me a break...

You live in a huge metropolis and are seriously considering dropping that much cash on a bicycle? Are you high?

I second JenPDX's idea. If you are rich, and love to waste money, then go ahead and buy one. Buying one of these is essentially a waste of money. Its unnecessary at best.

Not to seem too crass, but what about the Chinese-built roadsters? Flying Pigeons are pretty good, and Yongjiu's are great.
http://www.guanxi-trading.com, for more information

I bought an ANT Bike a few years ago - I absolutely love it and Mike is the nicest guy! I'm sure you will be pleased. I regret not ordering his custom racks. They are amazing!

The price may seem very expensive, but not when you consider that it's a custom bike made to measure to fit you perfectly by a skilled artisan. I can't afford one myself (yet) either, but it's nice to know that something like this is out there. Also as the name ANT (Alternative Needs Transportation) suggests, his bikes are meant as an alternative means of transportation and I think if it can be used instead of a car for most of the same tasks, the price doesn't seem unreasonable at all.

One advice for Sara Kate though. If she does buy an ANT bike, be very careful about parking it on NY streets. Park it indoors whenever possible and get the toughest lock possible if you have to park it on the street.

I bought a custom ANT bike 3.5 years ago. It cost less than half the current going rate, and only took 5 months to make. The ride is incredibly smooth, and I've had very few maintenance issues. That said, you should always try out a lot of bikes before making this kind of investment. I wanted a bike for winter riding, and mine does the job well. However, it's really heavy and hard to carry up to my second floor deck. In retrospect, I would have ordered a lighter bicycle.

A decent used road bike will cost at least $470 in Boston, so spending $1100-2000 for your primary mode of transportation doesn't seem too ridiculous.

I'm confused about the price comments.

1/10th the price of a car
Will probably last at least twice as long as a car.
Can probably replace 60 % of your car trips
Handmade by non slave labor.

The price doesn't seem that bad to me