The Azore Opa.
This will be a short post, as I’ve got some riding to do.
Delivered in just three days from the excellent Dutch Bike Chicago shop.
The Opa, by Azor, is a sturdy bike.
- Steel frame.
- Stainless steel components (this bike is meant to live outside, year round!)
- Dynamo-powered lights, front and rear.
- Brooks saddle.
- Built-in ring lock
- Heavy-duty “girlfriend” rack.
- Bike pump, splashguards, bungie are all very nice quality.
Surprising details:
- Small spring between the frame and the front wheel gently pulls the bike back to a forward direction after a turn. I’ve never seen anything like this before.
- Chain guard is some sort of treated fabric. I like that the chain is fully enclosed.
- Shimano 8-speed gear hub can change gears while standing still, unlike a derailleur that has to be rotating.
- This bike is absolutely silent, and is probably the smoothest ride I’ve ever had.
Yes, this is a very nice and very rugged bicycle, I’ve had an Opa for two years now, I even ride it in the winters and NO rust. I even bought the wife an Oma to keep her from riding mine. It does have some things that need to be done on a regular basis though, the brakes need to be lubricated with a special Shimano grease with a special applicator that is part of the grease tube. You can get the instructions and grease on line, the bike unfortunately does not come with these, it should for what it costs. Also I’m not too crazy about that Nexus rear hub, I use 5th gear most of the time. 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th feel good, but the other gears just seem to be harder to pedal. I’d much rather have a Sturmy-Archer rear end. If you opt for the removable front parcel rack ( I did and it’s a great addition ), be aware that you will have to do some modifications to the frame clamps as they are slightly too small for the frame tubing and you will also have to re-route the brake and shift cables. The bike should have also come with a seat cover, Brooks leather saddles are about the best you can get but they need to treated with neetsfoot oil prior to riding and tensioned once in a while. Don’t let them get wet and stay wet for any length of time, water and sun will ruin them. And that is it, this is one of the best bikes I’ve ever owned.
Well….I got hit by a minivan while riding on June 1st, 2010. I was riding my Opa, I had the green light, but I guess the driver just didn’t see me even though I rode right in front of him while he was stopped. He took off and hit the bike square on the side of the rear end, it physically spun me around but I didn’t fall down although I was facing the direction I just came from. I didn’t think he’d stop but he finally did and came back to see if I was still alive. The bike was un-harmed, I thought the wheel would be a pretzel but all it did was push the fender into the wheel, the fix was to just pull the brace out. No scrapes or dents….nothing. Now that is a sturdy bike. I did call the police and I’m sure all that he got was a slap on the wrist….and for almost running me over.
Wow Brian, that sounds like a lousy experience — but it’s good to know the Opa can stand up to that kind of abuse without crumpling. So many of the bikes I’ve had in the past seemed delicate in some area that its been a real eye-opener to ride a “bomb-proof” bicycle. 3,500 miles over the last year!