Yes, we really bike to school, work, grocery shopping etc.
There is no country in the world where biking is so normal as it is in The Netherlands - except China. This is a tribute to Dutch Bikes. Yes, we really do a lot of bicycling - and we've got the bikes to show for it.
[A reader told me the people of Denmark also do a lot of biking. I looked it up online, and they sure do. More about biking in Denmark. I'm not going to try and decide whether the Dutch or the Danish bike more - suffice to say that within Europe these are the two countries with most bike rides. It's probably not a coincidence that Denmark, like the Netherlands is very close to the ocean and has very few hills.]
Bike tracks ...
A Dutch girl on a bike
What does your bike need to survive the Netherlands?
Your bike absolutely needs the following - most of these will be standard fixtures on any Dutch Bike:- A bike lock, preferably two: one that locks the wheel to the frame. Another to lock your bike to something else - a tree, a lamppost or a fence for instance.
- a bike-bell. ask for a 'fietsbel' in your local bikeshop. This fixture is mandatory for Dutch bikes. (see the picture for an old-fashioned model)
- A headlight and a light in at the back of the bike. Again: mandatory (at night anyhow).
- Both wheels need to have side-reflection. Dutch bikes will have this as a matter of course
- Red reflector at the back of the bike
Bikes in storage - 'fietsenstalling' - on some busy location
Schools, train stations etc. have storage room like this
Bikes in jams - bike stals and bike flats
You have to look really well to see it - but this really is a picture of hundreds of bikes in one stall. and yes, that's a familiar scene on railway stations, near schools and on a smaller scale near shops.
Bicycling - A normal way to travel
One reason why bikes work in Holland is that our country is so flat. What we call hills would hardly be recognized as such in most other countries.
Bikes are also very practical in our old, crowded cities. And we have a lot of those. But you will also find Dutch people riding their bike in the country-side during weekends. You will find bikes in villages. You will find bikes just about everywhere you go in The Netherlands.
Try crossing the street in Amsterdam - you won't be able to, if you don't pay attention to the bikes.
Men going home from the office - on bikes
Dutch bikes abroad
- Dutch Bikes: Bicycles for Your Lifestyle | NBC Chicago
- An Oak Park man is hoping his fellow Americans enjoy his Dutch (bicycle) treat.
- Dutch Bikes: Bicycles for Your Lifestyle | NBC Chicago
- An Oak Park man fell in love with the biking culture in the Netherlands and brought some home with him. For the first time in North America, you can get a De Fietsfabriek and go green with your commu...
- AMSTERDAMIZE ยป The View From A Bicycle - Portland
- amsterdam amsterdamize bakfiets bicycle bicycles Bicycle TV bicycletv bicycle_culture bikes cc (in the) news city commute contribution copenhagenize cyclechic cycle chic cycling dutch dutch bikes Europe Friends history infrastructure ...
Kids & their parents on bikes
Kids on bikes
The Netherlands - where is it?
Bikes on Trains
But you can also buy a ticket for your bike and go with your bike on the train. Sometimes there are several bikes in the train - but usually the landing where you can put them is quite empty.
Clothes with bikes on them :)
White T-Shirt
Price: 17.79 
Take Public Transit Dark T-Shirt
Price: 28.99
Baby Biker Infant Creeper
Price: 14.99
Skirts and bikes
The answer is: yes, we do. It does take some skill though. When I'm in a skirt I will usually reserve one hand to keep it from blowing up. The other is enough to keep me going in the direction I want to.
Still, bikes could be one reason why Dutch women wear pants so much.
This woman is still wearing her high heals, her short skirt belonging to her work uniform - on her way home from work.
Nothing inappropriate about it :)
So you want to ride a Dutch Bike?
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Some Dutch woman on a bike
Bicycle tours in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany
Bicycle Touring Holland: With Excursions Into Neighboring Belgium And Germany
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 12/05/2008)
Just an ordinary day in the country: bicycling to a country bar-restaurant and back...
Bikes and thieves
Personally I have a bike-bag for another reason: it decreases the chances of my bike being stolen.
Everybody in The Netherlands needs a bike. But for poor people like students the cost can be a problem. Also - students live lives in which bikes can very easily be stolen. You know: bikes out on the town on a Friday-night.
So what happens is: these bikes go through a cycle.
1) stolen
2) person no longer has bike, needs one, can't afford a good one
3) buys one off a thief
In order to prevent a bike from getting in this cycle it makes sense to 'disguise' it. Make it look less good than it actually is, for instance. Many students paint their brand-new bikes so that it will be less conspicuous when they're out on the town.
Also - it bears repeating - every bike needs a lock, or two
Guestbook / Gastenbook
Anything I forgot? Ben ik iets vergeten te noemen?
surfsusan wrote...
Greetings from Denmark, yes I too bike every day. Also when I go shopping.
Posted August 23, 2008
Janet wrote
I am learning to ride to get ready for a bike tour in Holland in early 2009. A place full of bikers is a strange sight here in the USA where cars rule the road.
Posted August 21, 2008
beachbum_gabby wrote...
I use to bike I go to a mart and sometimes go for a mountain biking. Wish I could bike in your country. :)
Posted August 17, 2008
Joan4 wrote...
great lens! the pics are great and the information is clear. looks like biking is the way to go!
Posted July 30, 2008
cleansweeping wrote...
Nice reference! Wish we could bike everywhere where I live!
Posted July 28, 2008
More of my lenses
My web design business (page needs to be updated, but where's the time?)-
Katinka Hesselink - my other lenses
-
I'm a lensmaster, webdesigner an oldest child, an eternal student, a former teacher and single. Most of you know me here on Squidoo as lensmaster 'spirituality' - but I've also got a life outside my interests in spirituality (though perhaps that's n...
-
Little known facts about The Netherlands
-
Learn about working women in The Netherlands, our royalty, or relationship with water, some history and a lot more. Like: isn't your country called 'Holland'? Well sort of, I'll explain below... Isn't half the country below sea level? Well no, but th...
-
Leiden, university town in The Netherlands
-
Culture, shopping, poetry on the walls, European old town architecture, fairs and more. This lens shows you a bit of the history of Leiden, some pictures of the sights and a view into the local culture.
Thanks for all your support!
A big thank you to all of you who've supported my online work by:
- linking to any of my web projects
- voting on my lenses
- buying stuff from my lenses
- asking questions
- giving constructive feedback
- ... donating money :)
- and being generally supportive :) ;)
