A customer came to us in search of a solution to their dilemma - they wanted an electric-assist bike but they didn't fancy the look of anything they had seen on the market. In fact, they really liked the style of the Gazelle bikes we stock, in particular the Gazelle Toer Populair ST

What were we to do but convert this bike into an electric-assist steed? The pictures bear testament to the hard work of our "man on the ground" the "doyen of Dutch-styled velocipedes" Simon Legge. After much scratching of head and many frustrating twists & turns on how to accommodate the desire to go battery powered the final result is a thing of beauty. Challenges were faced & conquered, in particular how to convert the existing Gazelle front wheel, mudguard placement & wiring routing. One of the most elegant features of the finished product is the very tidy battery storage. Rather than attaching the battery to the usual down-tube position, it has instead been encased in a Brooks leather saddle bag & hung off the bike rack - perfection!

What about the cost I hear you say (or think)? Well, nothing like this comes cheap, the bike cost $2300.00 & the Daahub electric kit $1900.00. On top of this there was the custom wheel build using the original Gazelle bike's front wheel & project managers Simon, along with a sprinkling of our erstwhile mechanics' labour costs. Worth it? Some people will baulk at the cost or even idea of such a conversion, but I think the sight of the huge grin on our customers face, as they peddled off into the sunset will give you the answer to whether or not they thought it was worth it.