Practical parts for upright bicycles

In many parts of the world it is difficult to buy a practical upright "Dutch" bicycle and utility cyclists are instead offered a choice of sport oriented mountain bikes and road bikes.

There are many advantages to a specially designed utility bicycle, and not all of these features can easily be retrofitted to a sport bicycle. However, many things can be reasonably easily changed.

Changing to North Road handlebars, and a taller, shorter stem make a huge difference to your position on the bike. You sit a bit more upright and can more easily see where you are going. You also need a wider, more comfortable saddle for the upright position. Cycling is no longer a race, but a comfortable means of transport.

Adding mudguards (fenders), chainguard and a coatguard keep you cleaner as you cycle.

A frame lock and a double stand make it possible to lock your bike and leave it standing upright when you walk away from it, while a front rack allows you to carry large amounts of cargo where you can see it and a steering damper makes a heavily loaded bike less likely to fall ove when parked.

Puncture resistant tyres make your bike much more reliable in everyday use, and dynamo lighting attached permanently to your bike is always ready to work without having to hope that your batteries are not flat.