Bikes in Amsterdam

Just arrived this evening and was struck my the variety of designs of bike here. I know there are lots of bikes and they tend to be town bikes but it is still an impressive array of styles considering this was a walk from the hotel to a bar and back again.

The ‘normal’ Dutch bike with proper sit up and beg proportions

20180726_200937 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

Similar but in modern colours

20180726_201001 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

Double top tube for what reason?

20180726_200216 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

This, for what reason

20180726_200204 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

Lots of cargo bikes carrying cargo, dogs, children and pretty much anything else

20180726_201429 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

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And this was the fourth tricycle I saw

20180726_220530 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

I would guess the white one is designed to support a child seat on the top tube, possibly integrated?

White one is a Van Moof,  integrated lock IIRC

https://www.vanmoof.com/en_gb/smart-bikes

All I can say is that you need to get out more.

We spotted this one whilst we were there.

its great isnt it. hardly any hassle and everyone just getting on as well. borderline utopia….

Wish our politicians got it.  Who’s up for Velocity?

https://competitions.malcolmreading.co.uk/cambridgeoxfordconnection/shortlist/tibbalds

its great isnt it. hardly any hassle and everyone just getting on as well. borderline utopia….

Not quite… bikes have just taken over as the thing to complain about instead of cars.

From observation, largely down to a small minority…but that’s always the case.

Had disc brakes been invented in those times?

Double top tube is for more rigidity i think . seem to remember seeing it on a few Very large frames over the years.

i have seen the double top on very large bikes but over here it is on loads of the bikes, almost regardless of size.

Most the bike designs seem very sturdy with lots of bracing bars and supports for panniers and child seats. They look like like must weight a ton but seem to fly around okay. I guess it is just a case of correct gearing, cranking them up to speed and then never braking whic h does seem to be the cycling style here.

…and what is it with blue front tyres? Load of bikes have normal black rear tyres but blue front tyres. Okay there are a variety of tyre colours around but so many blue front tyres. A fashion? A reason?

Anyone?

20180728_121312 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

its great isnt it. hardly any hassle and everyone just getting on as well. borderline utopia….

It really is fantastic. Makes you weep when you come back to cycling in the UK.

indeed. That and Copenhagen even more so. Plus the trains…    weeps.

I was impressed in Amsterdam seeing those cargo bikes being piloted by young lassies, carting usually a couple of kids, some shopping and flying over the canal bridges…

Both Amsterdam and Copenhagen also manage to put to bed the old excuse I hear all the time about not cycling in the UK “we don’t have the weather for it”

worth a look – Copenhagenize – http://www.copenhagenize.com

blue front tyres…

The blue front tyre is an identifier for a swapfiets bike, not sure of the origins of why blue and why the front tyre,  but it’s these guys here……

https://swapfiets.nl/en/

A couple more interesting ones. Wooden bikes are not new but in the UK tend to be niche and ridden by blokes with sculpted facial hair.

These were rental bikes and judging by the saddle, well used. His and Hers designs

20180729_130757 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180729_130753 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

And this was probably a rental but it made me smile because the Dad at the back was making no effort to even pretend to pedal while the little girls were straining away.

20180729_135554 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

You can add Helsinki to the list of cities with cycling infrastructure we can only dream of here, with far harsher conditions to boot.  It’s also got a state of the art metro system and trams.

I made a lot of use of the city bike rental scheme there and it has completely changed my perspective on cycling for just getting about.  Sitting upright, going slower, with luggage on the bike not your back, while wearing normal clothes.  What’s not to like?  I’m definitely going to get a dutch bike when my cycle to work election period opens up again.

Good to see this thread. 🙂

The classic British roadster (now aka “Dutch” bike), is an amazing bike.

It is the bike that changed the world.

The simple, tough, unbreakable heavyweight dreadnought is still doing sterling service in the undeveloped world over 130 years after it was invented almost unchanged from the originals.

It’s a bike you can cross the planet on and fix anywhere with crude implements.

WCA If you see any with X-frames I’d appreciate a few pics and info. Ta 🙂
.

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If you have one and like riding it hard there’s a FaceBook group just started Rod-brake roadster randonneurs

X-frames? On sit up and beg or what? Happy to takes pics but not sure what you mean. Google link if you have one please

Something like this. This one is a 1930s Raleigh, but I believe the Dutch built a version.

I’d like to get my hands on a frame to built a veteran style gravel bike. (X-frame kinder to the knackers than the high crossbar on a normal roadster)

Try looking on marktplaats.nl for second hand Dutch bikes.

Seen a few of them. I will try to snap one for you

A couple more interesting ones. Wooden bikes are not new…

Those wooden tyres can’t be very comfortable.

You can add Helsinki to the list of cities with cycling infrastructure we can only dream of here, with far harsher conditions to boot.

Disagree. Snow on the ground yes, but not so much gales and lashing rain.

Also Helsinki was mostly built after the war with modern urban planning which included wide roads and cycle paths.

We can make things better in the UK, there’s just no incentive for anyone to do anything about it.

Also Helsinki was mostly built after the war with modern urban planning which included wide roads and cycle paths.

We can make things better in the UK, there’s just no incentive for anyone to do anything about it.

Oddly, that doesn’t actually work.  We did the same (Milton Keynes, Stevenage, etc), all that achieved was to make the roads really good for cars too.  You actually need to make towns a bit shit (for cars) to make them attractive to bikes.

‘You actually need to make towns a bit shit (for cars) to make them attractive to bikes.’

Give bike lanes and cars priority and adopt presumed/strict liability – kinda like in holland….

that makes the towns shit for cars.

It would also make our shit cycle infrastructure USABLE utter madness that the self propelled vehicle has to stop at every road crossing.

* Lived in north holland for 6 months commuting too and from the office by bike and LOVED it , even in the depths of winter, couldnt be further from cycling in the uk.

obviously i should have read that post back … it should say give bikes priority not cars.

Im in holland at the moment and surprises me is how everyone can ride bikes in 30 degree heat without being big sweaty messes. Its incredible.

A) it’s flat

b) it’s not a race

I rode out to get a kebab* from my favourite van last week when it was 35C.  Keeping the pace easy and I reckon I sweat less (or at least get less damp from sweat) than I do walking.  Which seems correct when you think that cycling at that srt of pace is no more effort than walking, but you’ve got the benefit of a 10-12mph breeze.

The chilli sauce on the other hand had me sweating like a commuter racer who bought the hype of their breathable jacket.

*not an entirely necessary bit of info for this anecdote, but sets up the punchline, and is two to three miles of almost Dutch standard cycle path riding from my house.  Exactly the sort of journey that people really should be encouraged to do by bike.

No X bikes as we were out driving most of today but here’s a couple to show how heavily tubed these bikes are and designed to carry loads.

20180730_123015 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180730_123558 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

I love how crazy slack some of the Dutch bikes are.

Also, the junction skills! Last time I was in Amsterdam we just stopped and watched a busy bike crossroads – no hesitation, no stopping, just seemed to work like clockwork even with mopeds mixed in.

Also, the junction skills! Last time I was in Amsterdam we just stopped and watched a busy bike crossroads – no hesitation, no stopping, just seemed to work like clockwork even with mopeds mixed in.

It’s amazing and reminded me of starling murmurations!

Todays selection including X bikes

20180801_174243 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_150448 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_153920 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_153907 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_133253 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_132930 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_133038 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_122100 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_122053 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_122035 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

20180801_122029 by WCA![/url], on Flickr

In a similar vein, cyclists of Amsterdam from a few years back… https://www.transportation-planning.com/blog/cyclists-of-amsterdam