It’s a 3-day weekend in the Netherlands and the forecast promises plenty of sunshine. A great way to enjoy the great weather and beautiful Dutch landscape is on a bike. For the Dutch, cycling is more than recreation; it’s a way of life. There are an estimated 15 million Dutch people riding 12 million bikes over 10,000 miles of bicycle lanes. Before you strap get started, here’s a primer for cycling in Holland.
Rental: Bikes can be rented at most of the major train stations throughout the country. The typical Dutch bike isn’t a Lance Armstrong Tour-de-France special, but an “omafiets” or granny bike. And although these large, one-gear bikes may not be very flashy, they are perfect for traveling across the flat Dutch terrain. Once you’ve secured your bike, pick up a map of the bike paths from the tourist office and start your adventure. For those wanting a more structured tour, bicycling sightseeing tours are often available.
Road Rules: As with any mode of transportation, cyclists must follow the rules of the road. An intricate system of bike pathways exists, with specially designated bike lanes, rules, road signs and even bicycle traffic lights, to ensure safety for bikes. Use hand signals when making a turn, keep left when passing other cyclists and ring your bell to signal your approach.
Bike Bandits: When you’ve reached your destination and are ready to park your bike, you will find bike stands everywhere. When you park your bike, don’t forget to lock it. Bike theft is prevalent in the Netherlands and Amsterdam is the bike theft capital of the world. Most bikes come with a built-in lock on the back wheel. Combine that with a U-Lock attached to the bike frame and something solid and increase the likelihood of your bike being there when you return.
Now that you’ve got a bike, a map of the bike paths and a U-lock you’re ready to go. Watch out for pedestrians, cars, other bikes and trams. Happy pedaling.
For more information please check these links:
http://www.amsterdam.info/transport/bike-rentals
http://www.tulipcycling.com
http://www.ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers
http://www.holland.com/global/
Comments
I want to go on a Dutch bike tour!
Just a tiny correction on the data: there are over 18 million (registered) bikes in the Netherlands (16.5 million people, of this total, the national modal share is 30%, in major cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht and Groningen between 40 and 60%). So more bikes than people (easier to remember :)).
For more info, search 'statistics' on amsterdamize dot com. (as I can't post direct links here - why?)
Amsterdamize,
Thanks for the updated info. I'll definitely take a look at the website you recommended. As for posting direct links here, I'll have to further investigate why you can't and get back to you.
Tasha,
You should definitely go on a bike tour. Make plans for next spring so that you can enjoy the beautiful tulip fields.
Recently,I recently purchased directional turn signals for my bike and the 1st day I used them they saved my life at an intersection where a truck was making a right turn.
It's a no brainer. I purchased mine at www.safetybikesignals.com
Why aren't more riders using them. I don't get it. Do you?
Hi Richard,
I'm glad to hear that you're safe. I don't have directional turn signals for my bike. But I always use hand signals before making a turn.
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