I finally made it. I took my self in to the city and bought me a brand new bicycle.

I have been searching high and low on internet after a bicycle that fills my demands and wishes. I found a few ones that really caught my eye. Both in design, style and usage of material. My demands was:

1. Old style, roadster
2. Modern
3. A Brooks saddle

In Sweden there you cant find classical “roadsters”, only everything else. Now I wanted a gentleman bicycle. Preferably with rod handles for the breaks. Now there is actually English roadsters today, they are good looking but now 100%. Small details that disturbs the overall appearance of the bicycle. But in Holland, there you can find really great bicycles. I found the brand Gazelle and the “Toer Populair” model. Old style with new technology. But to find one here in the middle of nowhere. Impossible. Import? Well then the price would equal to a small car. Then I found a shop in Berlin called Hollandrad that sells the Dutch bicycles. I contacted them if they export their bicycles. Sadly I never got a reply.

I did some more search, then I found the Finish bicycle Pelago “Bristol” from Helsinki. That model looked just right. Clean, simple but yet classical.
So I went to the retailer Gamla Stans Cykel and bought a Pelago “Bristol” with 3 gears. When selecting a geared version, they mount a hand break for the front wheel. Now, that is the only 2 things I dont like with the bike. I think that the hand break handle should be on the right hand side. But there is the gear shifter, that is made of plastic, a sad story. I am thinking of getting an old shifter in metal and re-mount the hand break. Then there is the issue of a light. The bicycle is modern, why not a modern light. There is LED light that is really vintage looking (but with an modern twist).
The I looked at it and thought “less is more”. The bicycle is so clean in its lines now that I must git it a great bit of thinking about lights and other stuff.

When at the retailer, I asked to get a different saddle. I wanted the Brooks B135 saddle, for the comfort. Also for nostalgia. My grandfather used to have a double spring saddle (I still have it).

But when riding the bicycle home, it struck me. It is a great, really great made bicycle! Works like a charm! Now after a few weeks, I haven’t changed my mind. I will write more about the “dream bicycle” one day, if you like to that is? A great bicycle, all black, shiny and silent.

Here is she is.