Gazelle - Tour Populair - High Step

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Gazelle created the Tour way back in the 1950's. The war was over and it was time to rebuild the nation. Just like here in the UK, the humble bicycle was a real social equaliser, allowing the bootstrapped to travel to work under their own steam during the week and to fill their lungs with clean, country air on the weekend.  It would be another decade before the Provo movement would begin to lobby for pedestrians and cyclists to take precedence over motor cars in their towns and cities, two decades before the Stop de Kindermoord campaign would successfully overturn Dutch planning policy. Indeed, you could say that the Tour has been there to experience each significant post-war change in Dutch cycling culture. 

However it's not a nostalgia piece. The Tour is proof that when it comes to urban cycling, simple is best. Many of those 'advancements' in bicycle design that have trickled down from the peloton are absent from the Tour, because though they might give you a racing edge, they often bring an unwelcome maintenance burden. Carbon that can't take the knocks? No thanks. Cables that stretch over time? Nah. Derailleurs and a chain exposed to the elements? Who are you kidding? Bub gears all the way.

The result is a well-designed steel tubing frame complete with robust steel luggage carrier and kickstand. The rod-operated drum brakes are extremely reliable. And the Sturmey Archer 3-speed internal hub gear has stood the test of time. Much like the Tour itself. It is finished with a pre-aged Brooks saddle for comfort. It's a timeless bike, as perfect for city life today as it was last century.