Amsterdam and Cycling - WOW

il_principe
il_principe Posts: 9,155
edited December 2007 in The bottom bracket
Just got back from a great weekend in Amsterdam with the girlfriend. Now I knew they were big on cycling over there but I had no idea to what extent. It is a phenomenal sight, at least as many bikes as people. Cars, bikes and peds all seem to exist in perfect harmony, and I hardly saw any RLJ'ers at all, let alone any arguments, beeping etc. Cycling in to work this morning was quite depressing in comparison! London has a long long way to go and I fear the English mentality is so rooted to the car that we will never get near Amsterdam in terms of cycle usage. Still it was a real pleasure to see and I fervently hope that the money being ploughed into London cycling is spent wisely and effectively.

Comments

  • NFMC
    NFMC Posts: 232
    Got to agree. Copenhagen was much the same.

    It just seems perfectly 'normal'. Even in the bitterest winters, they still tootle around on bikes.

    Funny thing was...I only saw very functional bikes. There didn't appear to be any 'posh' bikes at all. I wonder if they keep them for weekend country rides?
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Same in Amsterdam, all very non-posh but perfect for the task.
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    jashburnham wrote:
    London has a long long way to go and I fear the English mentality is so rooted to the car that we will never get near Amsterdam in terms of cycle usage.

    I'll be first to cheer when the UK gets it's first multi storey bike park a la Amsterdam 8)
  • ChrisLS
    ChrisLS Posts: 2,749
    ...in the Second World War the Nazis took away the bikes of the people of Amsterdam...it was like taking away their freedom...

    (when Holland played Germany a few years ago at football, some of the Dutch fans wore T shirts that read, "give us back our bikes")
    ...all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    NFMC wrote:
    Got to agree. Copenhagen was much the same.

    It just seems perfectly 'normal'. Even in the bitterest winters, they still tootle around on bikes.

    Funny thing was...I only saw very functional bikes. There didn't appear to be any 'posh' bikes at all. I wonder if they keep them for weekend country rides?

    -25degrees C on a drop bar bike is not fun.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    APIII wrote:
    jashburnham wrote:
    London has a long long way to go and I fear the English mentality is so rooted to the car that we will never get near Amsterdam in terms of cycle usage.

    I'll be first to cheer when the UK gets it's first multi storey bike park a la Amsterdam 8)

    I stayed in a hotel that looked out onto a multi storey bike park in Amsterdam. I was amazed when I first saw it! (almost as amazed as when I saw urinals openly in the street!)
  • popette
    popette Posts: 2,089
    hammerite wrote:
    APIII wrote:
    jashburnham wrote:
    London has a long long way to go and I fear the English mentality is so rooted to the car that we will never get near Amsterdam in terms of cycle usage.

    I'll be first to cheer when the UK gets it's first multi storey bike park a la Amsterdam 8)

    I stayed in a hotel that looked out onto a multi storey bike park in Amsterdam. I was amazed when I first saw it! (almost as amazed as when I saw urinals openly in the street!)

    Yes, there's lots of amazing stuff to be seen in Amsterdam :D . Jealous actually - a weekend there with Mr P is just what I need. It must be cold there right now though - I went around christmas about 10 years ago and was crying with the cold.
    http://www.2010etape.blogspot.com
  • ChrisLS
    ChrisLS Posts: 2,749
    ...there's lots of things to warm you up in Amsterdam...and I don't mean just the cycling... :):o:o :oops:
    ...all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    hammerite wrote:
    (almost as amazed as when I saw urinals openly in the street!)

    Now that is one thing I have seen in the UK. Well, in certain parts of the West End anyway...
    Wouldn't fancy it in this weather though.
  • ivancarlos
    ivancarlos Posts: 1,034
    nicklouse wrote:
    -25degrees C on a drop bar bike is not fun.

    Is it fun on any kind of bike?
    I have pain!
  • sing_for_absolution
    sing_for_absolution Posts: 1,908
    APIII wrote:
    hammerite wrote:
    (almost as amazed as when I saw urinals openly in the street!)

    Now that is one thing I have seen in the UK. Well, in certain parts of the West End anyway...
    Wouldn't fancy it in this weather though.

    They had those in Green Park during the Tour this year as well!
  • spasypaddy
    spasypaddy Posts: 5,180
    sing_for_absolution wrote:
    APIII wrote:
    hammerite wrote:
    (almost as amazed as when I saw urinals openly in the street!)

    Now that is one thing I have seen in the UK. Well, in certain parts of the West End anyway...
    Wouldn't fancy it in this weather though.

    They had those in Green Park during the Tour this year as well!
    theres one in headingley (leeds) every weekend without fail!
    BMC TM01 - FCN 0
    Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
    Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
    Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
    Premier (CX) - FCN 6
    Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
  • duckiciao
    duckiciao Posts: 96
    nicklouse wrote:
    NFMC wrote:
    Got to agree. Copenhagen was much the same.

    It just seems perfectly 'normal'. Even in the bitterest winters, they still tootle around on bikes.

    Funny thing was...I only saw very functional bikes. There didn't appear to be any 'posh' bikes at all. I wonder if they keep them for weekend country rides?

    -25degrees C on a drop bar bike is not fun.

    I would think -25 on a straight bike is no fun either...
  • Graham Webb
    Graham Webb Posts: 33
    jashburnham wrote:
    Just got back from a great weekend in Amsterdam with the girlfriend. Now I knew they were big on cycling over there but I had no idea to what extent. It is a phenomenal sight, at least as many bikes as people. Cars, bikes and peds all seem to exist in perfect harmony, and I hardly saw any RLJ'ers at all, let alone any arguments, beeping etc. Cycling in to work this morning was quite depressing in comparison! London has a long long way to go and I fear the English mentality is so rooted to the car that we will never get near Amsterdam in terms of cycle usage. Still it was a real pleasure to see and I fervently hope that the money being ploughed into London cycling is spent wisely and effectively.

    My first move abroad in 1967 was to Hilversum in the Netherlands (Holland is a province in the Netherlands) that is a stones throw from Amsterdam. I lived in with a Dutch family and they had a fleet of cars and vans, yet if they went out in the evening, all dressed up, they all used their sit-up bikes and left the cars at home!

    I've now lived in Belgium for 40 years and they to have a cycling culture, same as the Dutch. Though I must say the Dutch cycle paths are the best in the world.

    I always find it funny that at sea, the weakest, sailing boats have absolute right of way over all other vessels. In aviation the same, the weakest, gliders, have right of way over all other aircraft. Yet on the roads the weakest, kids, pedestrians & cyclists, are fair game to all motorized vehicles!!! :cry:
    http://crazyaboutbelgium.co.uk/blogs/webb.htm
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Graham Webb wrote:
    I always find it funny that at sea, the weakest, sailing boats have absolute right of way over all other vessels. In aviation the same, the weakest, gliders, have right of way over all other aircraft. Yet on the roads the weakest, kids, pedestrians & cyclists, are fair game to all motorized vehicles!!! :cry:

    They let any idiot drive!
    I like bikes...

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  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    APIII wrote:
    hammerite wrote:
    (almost as amazed as when I saw urinals openly in the street!)

    Now that is one thing I have seen in the UK. Well, in certain parts of the West End anyway...
    Wouldn't fancy it in this weather though.

    I've seen them in the UK too now, but this was about 5 years ago. I'd never seen them anywhere else!

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