Product news: As one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in the Netherlands, Batavus can look back on more than 100 years of history. Even if you are proud of your own tradition, the current models show that you have arrived in the present.
Heerenveen is not necessarily the hub of the world. In the bicycle cosmos, however, the town of 50.000 inhabitants in Dutch Friesland plays a very important role. The commercial area in the south of the city is home to Batavus, among others. To this day, the bicycle manufacturer is the largest and most important company in the city, and at its peak in the 70s and 80s, a quarter of a million bicycles rolled off the production line every year - by the standards of the time, the company was definitely one of the big players on the European market .
Batavus: More than 100 years of history
Batavus was founded more than 100 years ago - in addition to bicycles, mopeds were also produced for a long time, which were a real bestseller throughout Europe and beyond. In the 80s and 90s they were also extremely active in the cycling world: not only did they have numerous racing bikes, crossers and even time trial bikes in their range, but they also supported various professional teams and the Dutch cycling association.
Let's turn the wheel of time and jump to the present: Batavus is still at home in Heerenveen today. The portfolio includes over 40 bicycle models; Competition bikes have now completely disappeared from the program and the focus is instead on urban areas. The fact that e-bikes make up more than half of the model range is logical for a number of reasons: the market for bikes with e-motors is still booming, and Batavus is clearly backing this card. In addition, the focus also makes sense from the company's history. After all, they were once one of the largest moped manufacturers and were one of the first bicycle manufacturers to venture into e-mobility in 1998, when they presented the E-go, the first e-bike with its own drive.
Despite all the innovation and change, Batavus is still proud of its own company history. For this reason, a company museum was opened in 2004 to mark the 100th anniversary, in which over 150 two-wheelers document the eventful history of the company.
Four guidelines
Four company guidelines are self-confidently formulated at Batavus, along which the portfolio is planned, production and assembly are structured and the individual models are equipped: quality, safety, comfort and environmental protection
Model overview
E-Bikes
As already mentioned, e-bikes at Batavus make up more than half of the entire portfolio - the program currently has a total of 21 different models. The selection is correspondingly large. This applies to the drive (Bosch, Yamaha and E-Go) as well as to the shape of the frame (trapezoidal, diamond and step-through bikes) and the shifting system (derailleur and hub gears). The Genova E-go comes for under €1.800 with the in-house E-Go drive, Nexus 7 hub gear and hydraulic disc brakes from Magura.
The X-posure E-go is a good deal more exotic: With a Dutch bike look, high-quality equipment and a robust front luggage rack, you are stylish on the road and still equipped for almost all eventualities of everyday life. At €1.649, it is also extremely affordable.
Other highlights
Even if the focus at Batavus is now on the topic of e-bikes, the classic bikes without an additional motor are by no means forgotten. This is shown by urban bikes like the Escala or the Quip. The latter is likely to attract a few curious looks on the go, especially thanks to its extremely unusual frame shape and is also extremely affordable at €699. And of course: As befits a Dutch manufacturer, the Classics line also includes a whole range of classic Dutch bikes.
