BATAVUS from 1953? Flying Dutchman?

[Bruno Loureiro]

Hello to all members, thank you for accepting me!
I am from Portugal, and that is the reason why I am writing in English.
I am the proud owner of a Batavus Herenfiets, which I ride everyday, to go to work (21Km a day) or just for fun during weekends. I am absolutely in love with my bicycle. Yet, the reason why I joined this forum is because I would like to know for sure how old my bicycle is.
To help the experts answering me, here go the main features;
>>Serial Number - 81782
>>Rear Hub - 3 Speed Sturmey Archer AB with Drum Brakes (for rod brakes)
>>Front Hub - Sturmey Archer with Drum Brakes (for rod brakes)
>>Gears - Sturmey Archer with Quadrant Shifter in the Top Tube.
>>Wheels - Schothorst 28" for 28x1x1/2 tires
>>Saddle - Brooks B66
>>Dynamo - Lucia bottle dynamo
>>Front Light - ? (I don't see any brand)
>>Rear Light - Spanninga NL (4)
>>Pedals - Union (slightly curved)
Now... I think the bike is from 1953, and once I was able to speak with Herbert Kuner from rijwiel.net and he told me to look on the hubs. The problem is, the rear hub has no numbers visible (I think I see the number 3 in the middle, the rest is erased by time...), but the front hub has the number 853 (August 1953?). Herbert Kuner also told me that the serial number 81782 matches is records for the year of 1953, or something between 1951 and 1955! He also told me that Batavus only used this 5 digit numbers shortly before WWII and shortly after WWII.
I contacted Batavus BV, and they told me my bike resembles the Flying Dutchman model, from that time. But still there are some differences between my bike and the bike that Batavus BV shown as an example. I have hundreds of pictures of my bike in case you want me to show some details. My theory is this Batavus I have has had an accident, and some parts were changed. The most obvious was the bottom bracket. I could tell you some very specific details of this bike, but I think I am already abusing with too much text! Can someone tell me for sure how old is my Batavus?

Finally... I am in the process of buying a Gazelle. I don't know much about the Gazelle because I have only seen it once and took it for a short ride. I remember the serial number 168xxxx (one million, six hundred and eighty thousand something...) and I believe that stands for 1962. Am I correct?

Thank You,
Bruno

[Bruno Loureiro]

Here is a couple of photos of my Batavus.
I'd like to hear from you

[Durabo88]

Hi,

Herbert is THE expert on Dutch bicycles and their history in general, so I assume his information is right. I don't know anything specific about Batavus. Batavus is a brand which isn't collected by many. I know none, so I don't have specific contacts of experts.

The bike is indeed not younger than the mid-fifties, according to the Sturmey Archer trigger shifter on the top tube.

This bike is undoubtly a luxury bike for that time. It has hand controlled brakes (only one coaster brake was most common here) and gears.

Regards, Y.

[maartenB]

Hi Bruno,
Nice bicycle. I guess all points in the direction: late 1953.

Your Gazelle 168 XXXXX is indeed 62-63.

Keep up the good work, there in portugal!

Maarten

[Bruno Loureiro]

Great!
I just wanted to be sure, but yes, everything points for 1953.
I find the bike beautiful, and somewhat fast... Faster than most old bikes I've tried.
I am not a collector myself, this really is my everyday ride... Therefore, I have made some modifications, mainly for the need of having a practical bike, but also for the need of solving some problems the occurred since I have it with me (March 2013).
Yet, I am convinced it is a unique model here in Portugal...
For that reason I will someday restore the bike, with new paint and chrome, and also with some work on the rear hub, which is not braking properly. Perhaps I will even put a new vinyl chaincase again, just to give it that distinctive dutch character
I am now becoming aware the Batavus bicycles of the early fifties are rare even the Netherlands.
The Gazelle from 1962/63 is not mine yet. A beautiful bike too... And I only hope the dealer doesn't sell it to anyone else before I finally get the extra money to purchase it without getting a divorce as well!
To put an end to this post I take the liberty of showing you how the bike looks right now. I have replaced the handlebar... the headlight is now a german "trommelscheinwerfer" that works on batteries, which is way more practical than the common dynamos, the pedals are Union replicas, since one of the originals was broken in a small accident, and the vinyl chaincase had to be removed, because of some problems I had with the screws
I hope you enjoy (I love it)!
Kind Regards,
Bruno

[Durabo88]

It's better to restore it without painting and chroming. It's only original once. In that way restored bicycles lose a lot of their value. So you put a lot of money in it and the value decreases, not a good investment. Better to use special polish for paint and chrome. Wax will keep it weatherproof and shiny.

If you want to give it a real Dutch appearence, you should fit crème/transparent tires. A vinyl ('lakdoek', means painted linnen) chain guard would look nicely aswell.

The brake is probably worn out or 'not dry' anymore, that means oil from the hub came on the asbestos brake pads. A car materials shop may be able to glue new ones on the brake shoes.

Regards, Y.

[Bruno Loureiro]

That is an excellent point of view, Durabo88.
The thing is, it seems that my bike was already painted before, by the previous owner. It also seems that originally it could be a maroon color, instead of black.
I say this because there are a few spots where the black paint is falling, and what I see below the paint is a layer of maroon (not rust)... Could it be the "primary" paint?? I don't know.
If the bike was originally maroon, it would give some credibility to the Batavus BV people, who told me this was most likely their Flying Dutchman model from the very beginning of the 50's. You see, they made several models in olive green and maroon. It also matches what Herbert Kuner told me about the bike relating to the year of construction, 1953.
Anyway I like the bike so much as it is right now, that restoring it, would be just a protection measure on my part.
It is clear that this bike has suffered more over one year in my hands, than it would have suffered over 5 years on the hands of the previous owner.
This is because I make roughly some 5000Km per year, on these very severe roads here in Portugal.
Also, while I am at work, the bike stays outside, exposed to this very humid weather, rain storms, and to the extremely hot summers we have here, for over 3 months.
But still, the way the bike looks, with all the rust on the handlebar and hubs, the irregular shine of the black paint... It's just beautiful.
So I guess that on what comes to restoring it, I am still very undecided.
Do you know of any special polish in particular, that could be easily applied to it??? Any method of doing this?? I really value your opinion.

Regards
Bruno