If you’re considering buying a Linus bike, I’ll share all of my thoughts regarding pros and cons of this Dutch city bike in this Linus Dutchi Review!

This summer, I was in the market to buy a new bike and a Linus Dutchi bike caught my eye in the neighborhood. I had been eyeing those classic Dutch city bikes for a while, but there were a few different brands that I’d seen out and about, and I needed to do some research to find the best Dutch style bike, or Cruiser style bike, (that also wouldn’t break the bank!).
I’ll go into the details of why I chose the Linus Dutchi bike (and the specific model I chose), Linus bike pros and cons, Linus bike accessories I LOVE, and how it has held up so far. Plus, how it rides while towing my toddlers in the bike trailer.
Here’s my Linus Bike Review- let’s dive into the details!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
Linus Bike Review: Linus Dutchi
What is a Dutch City Bike (or Cruiser Bike)?
It’s not a racing bike, it’s not a mountain bike, it’s not meant for intense trails, and it’s not a fat tire bike, it’s essentially their laid-back cousin who strolls through the neighborhood on a summer day without a care in the world. Think of it as the ideal bike to take to the farmer’s market, pick up a baguette, and leave with your bike basket full of flowers and a picnic lunch. Sounds nice, right? It is!
It is a European style bike, inspired by the classic Dutch city bike that you’d see all over Amsterdam, and all across Europe. The City Bike, or Cruiser Bike, as people often refer to them as, is your quintessential “everyday bike”. They’re designed with a comfortable, upright posture in mind, and an easy step-through, which makes getting on and off the bike a breeze.
And you often find these dutch city bikes with the most darling baskets. (By the way, the baskets are a must! I’ll share my favorites below.).
Dutch City Bike / Cruiser Bike Comparison
When starting my research, I came across 3 popular brands for these cruiser style bikes. Retrospec was the most affordable, and the other 2, Public and Linus, were roughly in the same ballpark cost-wise, depending on the model.
They’re all gorgeous bikes, and I initially thought I’d go with a Public bike because it was the first cruiser bike I had my eye on, but I relied on the pros at a very popular bike shop to fill me in on their thoughts regarding quality and customer reviews (real-life customer reviews and feedback, not just online).
Their vote for a top quality Dutch city bicycle, that is meant to last, was for the Linus Dutchi. I trusted their advice and went with the Linus Dutchi bicycle.
And if you want to read an in-depth review of my bike trailer, you can find that HERE!
Linus Bicycle Specifics: Linus Dutchi 3i
There were two specific models available in the bike shop: Linus Dutchi 3i and the Linus Dutchi 7i. The main difference between the Linus Dutchi 3i and the Linus Dutchi 7i is their speed gears. The Linus Dutchi 3i is a 3 speed gear bike, whereas the Linus Dutchi 7i is a 7 speed gear bike.
Is it better to have a 3 speed cruiser bike or a 7 speed cruiser bike? Well, that depends. It depends on your lifestyle and neighborhood. If you live in a hilly neighborhood like San Francisco, for example, then it might be worth the investment to get the 7 speed bike, the Dutchi 7i. But if your terrain is predictable and you don’t live in the most hilly neighborhood, then the 3 speed bike, the Dutchi 3i, should be sufficient.
In fact, the pro at the bike shop told me that more often than not, the average casual biker in our neighborhood (in a suburb of the North Shore of Chicago) will typically keep the gear in the same position. (He was right, I haven’t had to change gears at all. I mean, I could, just for fun, but the 1st gear has been absolutely sufficient! When I have changed gears to get a feel for it, the gear change is seamless, quiet and smooth, much better than my old bike that sounded like the chains were about to fall off every time I changed a gear!).
Another differences between the Linus Dutchi 3i and 7i is the cost. The price (at the time of me writing this post) of the Dutchi 3i is $769, whereas the Dutchi 7i is $899.
Is it a huge price difference? Not really. BUT, that $769 leans a bit closer to the $700 ballpark, and that $899 feels like a bigger jump, closer to $1,000, especially with tax, etc. It might still be worth the investment for you depending on how and where you’ll be using the bike. But if you don’t need the extra gears, my vote is to save with the Linus Dutchi 3i and splurge on the adorable Linus BASKETS!!
Lastly, another difference between the Linus Dutchi 3i and Linus Dutchi 7i is the color selection. The Linus Dutchi 3i bike has a huge color selection with both black tire options and classic cream colored bike tires. (I love the Dutchi bike colors, Marine, Sage, Cafe, and Cream! Check them out HERE.) Whereas the Linus Dutchi 7i has a more limited color selection, found HERE.
My specific linus model:
Linus Dutchi 3i in the color “Marine”
Front Basket: Rialto Basket
Rear Basket: Bolga Read Basket, color “Natural”
Linus Bike Pros & Cons
I’ll start with the CONS, because there honestly aren’t many, if at all. If anything, I think the Linus bike, as a classic Dutch city bike (or cruiser bike), might have qualities that take a slight “adjustment period”, but no real negatives.
What I mean by this is, if you’re used to a typical commuter bike / mountain bike / hybrid bike, etc. you’ll notice that the handle bar grips face a bit more toward you, vs. straight out to the sides. At first, you might wonder if it’ll feel different for the wrists, etc. but you get used to this very quickly (or you might not even notice!).
The reason the grips face toward the rider more than a typical commuter bicycle / mountain bike, etc. is to allow for the rider to have more of an upright posture. On the other style bikes, you’re leaning forward more with your back a bit arched. The Linus bike allows for an almost upright seated position where your hands are placed reached out in front of you (again, vs. reaching forward with an arched posture).
(The posture-support actually ends up being one of the biggest PROS for this style of cruiser bike!)
I’d give the seat comfort rating of the Linus bike a 7.5 out of 10. It’s firm and comfortable, but I’m also picky, so I wish the seat had just a bit more cushion to it. Again, you might not even notice it, and honestly I’d still put seat comfort in the PROS category, but I also think the company could make the seat a bit more cushioned.
Again, not really a con, but if you choose the cream colored tires (because they’re adorable), you can expect them to get a bit dirty, or at least more visibly dirty than black tires. However, unless you’re looking at them up close, you really can’t tell. I’m still happy with my cream colored tires.
Price might be a con IF you’re looking for a less expensive option. If you go with the Linus Dutchi 7i (7 gear option), and add a basket or 2, you’ll be spending over $1,000 once you factor in sales tax. If you’re planning on using the bike often, then I’d still say, even on a budget, having a quality bike like a Linus Dutchi is well worth the investment.
Now let’s jump into the PROS…
What You’ll Love About The Linus Dutchi Bike
- Bike Style: I think we need to start with the obvious… these bikes are so darn cute. They have this classic, elegant, European inspired style that is simply timeless. It’s the bike you’d envision parked on a pea gravel path in front of the most charming home in Europe, or in front of a coastal home in Cape Cod filled with hydrangeas in the front woven bike basket. This city bike is PRETTY.
- Quality and Functionality: The Linus bikes are top quality bikes. From using stainless steel hardware that is much more rust-resistant than chrome plated hardware, to double coats of paint, Linus bikes look and feel high-end. The Linus Dutchi features internal gears which require very little maintenance, are extremely reliable, and allows the rider to switch gears without pedaling. It also features sealed bearings in the front hub, which makes for a smoother ride and extends the life of the bike. This Linus bicycle also features thicker and stronger 13 Gauge stainless steel spokes on the rear wheel- making it a great choice for carrying extra weight with groceries or toddlers in tow.
- Safety: Linus bikes feature a reflective tire wall which greatly enhances the rider’s visibility at night. A quality build and design makes Linus bikes more reliable and less likely to have maintenance issues, resulting in a much safer ride.
- Posture Support: The Linus city bike is fantastic for posture support! If you’re more prone to back issues, and don’t care for leaning forward like on a typical bike, then I’d highly consider this bike for that reason alone. It’s so nice to bike through town with more of an upright riding position, and have zero back pain or tightness. (I’ve had herniated discs in the past, and the posture-support of this specific city bike model is a huge PRO for me.)
- Ease To Ride: A favorite feature of the Linus Dutchi bike is its low step-through frame. This allows for such an easy on-and-off process (which is really convenient when wearing a dress!). This city bike has such a smooth ride, making bike rides enjoyable and casual at the same time. I’ve kept our bike trailer attached to the bike each day, and even with the extra weight, it rides like a dream!
- Comfort: For the bike seat, the Dutchi features a comfortable leatherette saddle with springs. As I mentioned previously, I’d give the seat a 7.5 out of 10 for comfort, but I wouldn’t complain if Linus made the seats a tad more cushiony! The hand-stitched genuine leather grips are also very comfortable to hold, even on a very hot summer day. These leather grips naturally absorb sweat and will even soften over time!
- Kid-Friendly Options: I’ve attached our favorite bike trailer to my Linus bike and have used it to tow our toddlers each day to and from camp or to the park, and it’s honestly been my favorite purchase of the summer! Like I said, it’s been so easy to get on and off of the bike, pop the kids in the bike trailer, and head out and about throughout town, baskets filled with waters, snacks, towels, and more. Absolutely LOVE it!
- Versatility: This city bike is so versatile from going on neighborhood bike rides, to towing kids in a bike trailer, to numerous options for bike baskets that will allow you to pick up groceries, take trips to the farmers market, or even take your puppy out for a ride!
Favorite Bike Accessories
Linus Bike Baskets: I absolutely love, love, love my Linus bike baskets!
- Front Bike Basket: I bought the Rialto Basket which is a rattan bike basket featuring a braided crown, intricate weave pattern, and leather buckled straps. It’s thick, solid, high-quality, durable, large, deep, and GORGEOUS. I’m very impressed with the quality, and I’m so glad I went with this brand vs. buying a cheaper one on Amazon. I love the light natural color that goes with any color Linus bike offered!
- Rear Bike Basket: I bought the Bolga Rear Basket in the color “Natural”, and I honestly couldn’t be more obsessed with this basket. It’s pricier than the front basket, but it is SO versatile and WELL worth it. It easily clips onto the bike’s rear rack (already on the bike, not an extra accessory), and easily clips off. This bike basket has handles so you can fill it up with beach towels or a picnic lunch and pop it on and off as you please, and use it as a carrying bag/purse. It’s large, it’s deep, it’s BEAUTIFUL, and so versatile. BONUS: It’s made with thick and tough elephant grass, and hand made by artisans in West Africa. **If you love it as much as I do, you can even buy 2 to use on both sides of the rear rack- I very well might end up doing this too!
Linus Bike Review Takeaways
As I mentioned before, this bike has been my favorite purchase of the summer! As a mom of 6 kids, I can say the Linus Dutchi Bike (plus the must-have baskets!) is the quintessential “mom bike”, perfect for my lifestyle.
I love the Dutch city bike style, durability, functionality, and versatility of the Linus Dutchi- from towing kids in the bike trailer, to filling up our baskets with items from the farmers market, and so much more.
The bike ride is smooth, comfortable, and most importantly, enjoyable! If you’re considering a Dutch city bike or cruiser bike, then I’d highly recommend a Linus bike. (And of course, the bike baskets too!).
Sources:
Linus Dutchi 3i in the color “Marine”
Front Basket: Rialto Basket
Rear Basket: Bolga Read Basket, color “Natural”
Bike Trailer (**Read my in-depth review HERE!)
My daughters’ pink bike helmets
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