Gazelle Van Stael: bike preview | Martin Love

This new frame from the great Dutch bike builder is a winning combination of retro styling and modern technology

We'd all agree the Dutch know a thing or two about bikes. And few Dutch firms know more about bikes than Gazelle. The company was founded in 1892 and now employs 350 people at its factory in Dieren, producing 275,000 bicycles a year. Drawing on this heritage gives Gazelle the opportunity to produce frames like the Van Stael. It's an absolute cracker - the afternoon I test rode it it had just come back from a GQ fashion shoot. It was inspired by the Gazelle that raced in the 1915 Tour de France, and a century later, the design is back, blending nostalgic styling with modern components. It now also comes with full mudguards, low-maintenance hub gears, a chain guard and a very loud bell. And it's topped and tailed with v posh Brooks Cambium grips and saddle (gazellebikes.com).

Price: 549
Frame: steel
Saddle: Brooks
Gears: Shimano Nexus 3 or 7 speed