Bikes in The Netherlands, about Dutch Bikes
Ranked #1,278 in Travel & Places, #51,419 overall
Yes, we really bike to school, work, grocery shopping etc.
[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.]
Bycicle rush hour
As the video notes: biking is very safe in the Netherlands, due to biking lanes and bike-friendly regulation, so don't be surprised at the lack of protective gear.

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 in the Netherlands
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
- The Philippe Stark town bicycle
- ... then stop off at one of the increasing number of outlets specializing in practical and stylish town bikes. One such retailer is anddutch.co.uk ? an online retailer launched to cater to the demand for ?Dutch-style? bicycles in Britain, ...
- A Bicycle Built For School
- The bicycle school bus (BCO in Dutch) is built by Tolkamp Metaalspecials. It fits eleven children and one adult and has eight sets of pedals for kids aged 4 to 12, a driver's seat and three more seats for those who just want to take in the sights.
- Gallery: Multivan Merida Biking Team launched in Mallorca
- North eastern Mallorca played host to the launch of the 2012 Multivan Merida Biking Team this weekend. An ever expanding annual event, a new location comfortably catered to over 300 assorted dealers, press and the wider Merida family.

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.
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?

Some Dutch woman on a bike
Bicycle tours in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany

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
My grandmother on an adult tricycle
Do they really call these trikes?

When I bike through Leiden with my grandmother, it's on this tricycle. As you can see, it doesn't fall over and we can sit side by side. You can imagine the look on people's faces when they see us. They're always amazed and we get a lot of comments from passers by too.
My grandmother loves riding the bike and it's usually my strength (or lack thereof) that limits the length of our ride. Unlike most people in her retirement home, for my grandmother age and infirmity are no reason to sit still...
I've put this picture here because it fits the topic of bikes in the Netherlands. However, this is a very uncommon bike. I don't think I'd ever seen one like this before I got to ride one with my grandmother.
Guestbook / Gastenbook
Anything I forgot? Ben ik iets vergeten te noemen?

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hotnewsandviews
Feb 4, 2012 @ 6:49 am | delete
- Most of girls are working in the Netherland. These girls use the skirts during the driving the bicycle. They do his work easily. Thanks for the shearing information.
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Maxene Kupperman-Guiñals
May 9, 2011 @ 7:10 am | delete
- Hello! I am interested in renting an adult tricycle when i am in Belgium (where we also ride bikes!). I have multiple sclerosis and cannot balance on a bike. do you know anyplace to buy an adult trike in either Netherlands or Belgium?
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schylger
May 1, 2011 @ 12:40 am | delete
- The fear of bike-theft is much less so in the Waddenislands, I can not talk about any other place though.
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Michaël Zweers
Jan 3, 2012 @ 12:23 pm | delete
- I live in Arnhem (Gelderland),
Believe me its bad. 2 bikes where stolen in 3 moth time. I had to buy a lock that's more expensive then my bike!
The first one that got stolen was parked and double locked in front of my home, and I saw the guy cycle of with my bike! Called the police but they could't really help. Plus its not really a priority for them.
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Praveen S
Feb 12, 2011 @ 2:26 am | delete
- It is a great article on the dutch biking culture. I came here to look for the what it has for a tourist. Could u please let tourists like me know whether its safe and other details. If you can point to some website or article i wud be thankful. :)
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