Biking upright, Dutch-style, is catching on

By JOSEPH TARTAKOFF
P-I REPORTER FROM Seattle PI

The bicycles at the Dutch Bike Co. near the 14th Avenue Northwest boat ramp in Ballard are anything but sporty -- and that's the point.

With model names such as Opa (Dutch for grandfather) and Oma (for grandmother), the bikes are heavy (weighing at least 40 pounds), slow and clunky (with locks, chain guards and mud flaps built in).

But, according to co-owners Stephan Schier and David Schmidt, the bikes are steadily gaining a following in the United States, thanks in part to their business, one of only a handful to carry them here. There's enough demand that the pair plan to open a second shop in Chicago later this year. read more