Gazelle racefietsen | Vintagefiets

Gazelle racing bikes are a household name in the Netherlands, where numerous professional cycling teams have also ridden. Especially the top model, the Gazelle Champion Mondial, which was born in 1969 after the world title of Harm Ottenbros on a Gazelle bicycle and with which Hennie Kuiper, among others, became famous, has become a sought-after collector's item.

Hennie Kuiper with his Gazelle Champion Mondial in 1975

Short history of Gazelle bicycles

De geschiedenis van Gazelle fietsen gaat terug tot 1892 wanneer Willem Kölling een fiets uit Engeland importeert en hem verkoopt in zijn pas geopende rijwielhandel. Omdat de zaken goed lopen gaat hij een partnership aan met Rudolf Arentsen, een handelaar in kachels, haarden en ijzer.

Samen richtten zij de firma Kölling en Arentsen op en enkele jaren later, in 1902, kopen zij een bedrijfsterrein op in Dieren waar ze voortaan hun activiteiten zullen uitvoeren. Meteen wordt de merknaam Gazelle geïntroduceerd. In de loop der jaren rollen heel wat fietsen uit de fabriek en wordt het gamma zelfs uitgebreid met motorfietsen. In 1915 komen ook de 1ste Gazelle racefietsen op de markt: de Gazelle Tour De France en Gazelle wegrace n. 1.

Gazelle racing bicycle from 1915

The first sponsoring

From 1965, Gazelle started to make a serious commitment to the racing bicycle market. The first models are simply called Gazelle racing bikes and the frames are divided into racing bike frames or super racing bike frames. As components you can choose from Stronglight, Simplex, Campagnolo and even Zeus. Shimano is not yet available at that time.

Advertisement from 1965 for Gazelle racing bicycles

In 1965, sponsoring of a professional cycling team led by professional cyclist Piet Van Est was also started. The first sponsorship is still very modest and it is only when the cigar manufacturer Willem II joins as a co-sponsor that the first victories arive.

the 1969 world champion Harm Ottenbros in 1967 with Willem II – Gazelle – photo courtesy of Jack Claassen

In 1967 none other than Rik Van Looy was recruited, who remained there until the end of his career as a professional cyclist in 1970.

The sponsorship of professional cycling teams lasts until 1999, a period of more than 30 years in which many well-known riders pass by and many successes are achieved, including two world titles: in 1969 with Harm Ottenbros and in 1975 with Hennie Kuiper. It is in response to these titles that the Gazelle Champion Mondial is launched, the most successful Gazelle bicycle to date.

An overview of all teams that rode a Gazelle racing bike between 1965 and 1999 can be found at the following link of the website www.dewielersite.net

The most famous models

As mentioned above, the Gazelle Mondial Champion is the most popular model. This frame is available in many variations such as:

Gazelle Champion Mondial A-frame (meer info over dit model)
Gazelle Champion Mondial AA-frame
Gazelle Champion Mondial AB-frame
Gazelle Champion Mondial AA-Special
Gazelle Champion Mondial AA-Super
Gazelle Champion Mondial D-frame
Gazelle Champion Mondial Criterium
Gazelle Champion Mondial Special
Gazelle Champion Mondial Exception
Gazelle Champion Mondial Team
Gazelle Champion Mondial Team Plus

The frames could be purchased with Reynolds or Columbus tubing. There were also models for track racing, cyclocross, drafting and time trial.

Futuristic Gazelle time trial bike from 1983

A very interesting website where you can see all models in chronological order and also find a lot of brochures is www.gazellechampionmondial.nl. If you have a Gazelle yourself, you can also check from which period it originates.

Typsch voor een Gazelle racefiets is het logo in de vorm van een Gazelle dat gegraveerd is in de voorvork. Bij de eerste modellen komt dit niet voor. Ook het Gazelle vlindermannetje is typisch maar komt ook niet op alle frames voor. Zoals ook bij andere fietsproducenten gebruikelijk was, kregen de frames met de jaren andere details.