Pashley 101

I get a lot of questions about my Pashley from readers, so here is a bunch of information on the Pashley Princess Sovereign.

First of all, that black bike that you see in the photos? Yes, that's the Pashley.

Can you get them in Edmonton, AB? Yes! At redbike. Their link is on the sidebar over there so feel free to give them a call or a visit:) 4th floor distribution brings them into the country from overseas (they're located in Toronto), but 4th floor distribution also distributes to retailers across the country. In Vancouver you can get one at Rain City Bikes, and in Toronto you should go to Curbside Cycle.

People always tell me they want a Pashley, and I often direct them to the Batavus Old Dutch. I ride a Pashley because I am quite petite (5'0) and my legs are short (I'm longer in the torso). The wheel diameter on the Pashley is 26" and the bike frame I ride is 17.5" so it's correctly proportioned for me. If I were a few inches taller, say 5'4, I'd probably be riding a Batavus. The Batavus Old Dutch has a 28" wheel diameter and it rolls along like a dream! It's too tall for me though, and after a lifetime of riding my brother's old cast off bikes I'm not interested in riding a bike where I have to hop on and off every time I start and stop. If you're looking for a beautiful bike? See if you like the Batavus. It's also less expensive so you get a lot of bike for your buck.

Back to the Pashley. I took the basket off mine because it doesn't hold as much as I want. There is also this front cargo bit that the basket sits on... I took that off too because it wasn't really doing anything except squeaking and rubbing every time I turned the handlebars. I replaced the basket with another wicker one (one of my readers, lovely bicycle, suggests that my basket might be from basil, and I think she might be right).

Things I love about a bike like the Pashley (these are things that are also available on other brands of bikes. I'm not saying these things are exclusive to Pashley):

She looks great.

Drum breaks (so there isn't that annoying squeaking of rubber rubbing the wheel when breaking). Also, these are sort of weather proof.

She is made of steel. This absorbs impact and feels super solid to ride. My aluminum framed bike is lighter, but I feel every tiny bump on the road.

The Princess Sovereign (as opposed to the Princess Classic) comes with all the accessories like a great bell, a basket, lights, rear carrier, and a skirt guard. The Princess Classic has all the important bike bits too, and you can always go around finding the extra accessories you want.

The lights! Super bright and great for being visible at night. The headlight is powered by the oscillation of the front wheel. The harder you pedal, the brighter it gets!




Upright riding position. Not a necessity for wearing more tailored items, skirts, dresses, etc... but it certainly does help. I get a lot of comments from readers who ride bikes with a horizontal top tube (mountain bike, road bike). They lament that they can't wear heels while biking or wear dresses like I do because their bike isn't the same. A low swoop top tube helps, but it isn't a must. I've ridden in dresses in heels on my road bike before, and that bike has those crazy egg-beater pedals too!






Rear rack. It's the kind that has the spring loaded clamp that can keep your cargo down. Many rear racks are just a plank and you have to use your own chords to lash stuff down. It's not a big deal, but I like the clamp thing. Keeps my precious cargo in place!

Enclosed chain guard. Never have to velcro my pant leg because there's no fear of my beloved wide legs getting caught in my chain. It also prevents sand and crap from dirtying my chain. Less maintenance.

Steel fenders. This is the thing I hated about my Amsterdam and it's what sent me shopping for a beefier bike. The fenders on the Amsterdam are aluminum and they would rattle persistently. Edmonton has a lot of pot holes because of all the snow and thaw each season. Despite the bike place using lock tight on all of Amsterdam's nuts and bolts the fenders continued to make the most awful clanking every second of every ride. Unbearable! Then one day I discovered that Amsterdam's rear fender had actually cracked and had split right in half. So the bike store was great and ordered me a new one, but Amsterdam the company took its sweet sweet time and I was basically without a fender for the entire summer. Of course the bike worked, but it looked hideous. And fenders are all about enabling you to cycle through rain! No rear fender means you've got that mud splattered all over your back. No thanks. Pashley has steel fenders so they're super solid, and if a fender is rubbing against the wheel or something like that, they can be massaged and coaxed into their desired position without snapping in half.

Basket & Rear Rack. Excellent cargo options. You can actually go do real-life things like bring food to a friend's place, go get groceries, shop for shoes, take a pile of books to school... you name it! To me this is preferable to hauling all of my life's cargo on my back in some ugly and uncomfortable knapsack or anything similar that leaves my back sweaty.

Brooks saddle. Enough said.

People often ask me if the bike is heavy. Sure, it's heavier than my 1-speed road bike and the Amsterdam, but it's fantastic. It's more expensive, but that's because it's built in the UK, not in some mega-factory in China. Batavus, by the way, is about the greenest bike you can ride if you factor in its construction and the company's practices.

The thing I tell people who are concerned about Pashley's weight is for them to question what qualities they're looking for in a bicycle. Lighter doesn't always mean better. Sometimes BETTER is is better. The Pashley is heavier, but it's an heirloom bike. With proper care that bike is going to be something my grandkids can probably ride. It has 5 gears so if I'm riding a hill or want to go faster or slower, I can just gear up or down to accommodate. I've never had a problem with hills... it takes me a while, but I just go into first gear and employ some yoga-like breathing techniques, imagine how my butt is getting firmer, and climb that hill. Pashley makes me strong. I don't want that comment to be mistaken with the Pashley being labourious to ride. She's easy to ride because she is so well made, the effort you put in works with you, not against you.

Also, Edmonton doesn't have TONS of hills. It only has some. I'm not sure if I would ride a Pashley if I lived in San Fancisco. I would have to be REALLY strong for that.

Anyway, if you're somebody who really prizes weight above other things, then Pashley might not be for you. However, you can be like me and have a light bike for the rides when you want a light bike, and a Pashley for other times. Also, consider what you're looking for when purchasing a bike. If you don't love your bike (no matter how light), you won't want to ride it.




So there's my 2 cents about the Pashley, hope it's helpful to anyone who is out shopping!

P.S. In the comments section I was asked how far I ride Pashley. Approximately around 9-10 km one-way when I'm out and about for an afternoon? I live really central. Ran into a friend who also rides a Pashley and she says she does 25-30 km one way, so double that if you're thinking round trip. I never have to ride more than 30-40 mins one way, wherever I'm going, and it's totally fine. I never feel tired or anything...