Light weight dutch bike?

[Swandrake]

I'm bike shopping and hopelessly in love with the look of a dutch bike but everyone has warned me against buying one. I live in a very hilly region plus I'm a unfit cyclist, everyone is pointing me towards a hybrid but they look so plainsand utilitarian, they just don't spark joy. And the dutch bikes well they are just a thing of beauty. Anyone know of any clever people who design light weight Dutch bikes?
PS intend on using the bike for family cycles with DC 8 and 7 so I need something lightweight and easy to manoeuvre so I can keep pace with my two. Thanks!

I would recommend you try anything on some hills first. I live in a hilly place with two bike shops. One sells Bobbin bikes and I think they look gorgeous but I’ve genuinely never once seen a person actually riding one...

I'd recommend definitely trying a few different brands and styles in real life.

I love Dutch/vintage style bikes, but sadly I found they're best as road bikes. I had a new Bobbin and a vintage Dawes but unfortunately they were just no good for me. I only needed a bike to go out on family bike rides but I found the tyres too thin to cope with the chunky gravel they put on lots of cycle tracks and I needed more gears than they had. I've got a Giant hybrid now which is nowhere near as pretty but more practical.

If you can stretch your budget a bit more look at the gtech city ebike. The style you want with the motor to male the hills easier

I have a step through hybrid with good tyres for the tow paths etc and 21 gears. Also a nice wide saddle, handlebars quite high, a skirt guard off Etsy, fake flowers on the basket and I sweep along in dresses feeling like a queen

Just looked at the Bobbin website and they don't seem to be making their Bobbin 21 anymore. They have replaced it with the Bobbin 7 (ie 7 gears) and at 13kg it's a whole 2kg heavier. Strange!

Some retailers still have Brownie 21 available: www.moorelarge.co.uk/bobbin-brownie-21-speed-hybrid-bike-black.html

They are lovely bikes and robust enough for towpaths, crossing fields etc. The curved handle bars allow you to sit up straight so good if you get back ache on bikes where you lean over more.

I just bought a second hand bike. I don't like the way it looks at all, but when I'm riding it I don't look at it, and it sparks so much joy as I'm really enjoying it.

When you are riding it, you won't care what it looks like, if it does the job you need it to.

"they just don't spark joy"

I tell you what "sparks joy", it's not a bike that looks pretty when you're looking at it, it's a bike that's a pleasure to ride.

Try and test ride some bikes before you decide.

my bike is ugly as can be.
it's a cheap bike that I bought as I urgently needed one.
apart from the handles (which are in a fixed position for some cheap bikes) it's brilliant.

agree with pp. go with what feels right. with most bikes you could get a different handlebar (higher and handles at an angle)

I live in a hilly place and ride a pashley with 3 gears. I love it and regard the extra weight as part of my daily work out

My pashley sparks joy. Different people get pleasure in different ways

the angled handlebar makes a bike easier to store as well as it's narrower.

As many said already Dutch bicycles are pretty much by default and definition more utilitarian and therefore for durability than light weight sporting performance. Don't think there are many hills in the Netherlands!

I have a Vanmoof. It's a urban commuter on trend hipsterish vibe. They do electric assisted models too but maybe too avant-garde than the traditional look you are aiming to acquire.

Worth having a look as very well constructed and not as heavy as a regular Dutch bicycle.

Dutchy here. I live in a flat area in the UK and ride this beauty (nickname :"the tank"): www.workcycles.co.uk/home-products/handmade-city-bicycles/workcycles-fr8-universal-frame-as-city-bike It is superheavy but rides like you're sitting on a sofa.

However, I would recommend gazelle ebikes. Like this one: www.gazellebikes.com/en-gb/paris-c7plus-hmb#pim_itemgenderframe%5B%5D=low-step&pim_itemcolorcodeonergb%5B%5D=0%2C0%2C0 But it's still heavy and expensive. Yet, they still look the part, and will get you up the hills. In th eNetherlands we might not have many hills, but we have wind and I spent many hours slogging away on a singel-speed granny bike and woudl have wished for some good gears (or an e-bike).

I have a Hartington, which I love. It's an upright riding position. It looks very cool, too formebikes.co.uk/hybrid/hartington.html

Watching with interest, also looking for the holy grail light Dutch bike! :)

Oh look! Bobbin still have Brownie 21s available bobbinbikes.com/collections/delivered-fully-assembled-london/products/brownie-21-fully-assembled?variant=34929644994727