Some essential information
Bikes in Amsterdam are getting stronger and more powerful. You'll find the classic city bikes, the " mama and oma fiets ", but also a growing number of racing bikes. Customize your bike as much as possible. Flowers, stickers, bright colors... the rule is that there are no rules, only originality! Secondly, back-pedal braking (to brake, you pedal backwards), which seems normal here but is an incongruity for French tourists, is less and less common in rental companies. Men's bikes with very high central stems are also less and less in vogue. Last but not least, you should always invest in a heavy, sturdy lock in addition to the one built into the frame to protect the rear wheel. In recent years, electric bikes and fat bikes with their thick tires have become increasingly popular, sometimes creating a certain terror on cycle paths.
The number-one danger for the novice tourist in Amsterdam is comical and makes you smile: the confident tourist piteously jams the wheel in the streetcar tracks. This beginner's mistake is a rite of passage for many people. Be warned: streetcar tracks can be crossed sideways.
A brief history of the domination of the bicycle
Did you know that the intense presence of bicycles is due to municipal regulations? These prohibit the sale of edible products (and therefore the opening of supermarkets) outside inhabited areas. In this case, there are no hypermarkets in the suburbs, so there's no need to use the car for daily shopping. As a result, city centers are doing rather well (and for Amsterdam, that's an understatement)! In Amsterdam, however, the 1960s almost gave free rein to a disastrous scenario. In 1962, David Jokinen, an American traffic expert, presented a plan to turn Amsterdam into a motor city with major thoroughfares. The plan, financed by the car lobby, was (fortunately!) opposed by the city's inhabitants. The capital really escaped the worst.
Cycling in Amsterdam in a few figures
513 kilometers of dedicated cycle paths in the capital.
900 kilometers, the average distance biked each year by Amsterdam residents.
2016, the year the city elected its first bicycle mayor.
10,920, the number of reported bicycle thefts in 2023. The actual number is much higher, however, as only 30% are reported. A total of 85,190 reports of bicycle or e-bike theft were filed in the Netherlands.
6,000, the number of bicycle wrecks recovered from canals each year.
2,500, the number of bicycles in the famous floating bicycle garage opposite Amsterdam Central Station.
160, the number of bikes the municipality removes (by sawing off the lock) every day, because they're badly parked. It will cost you a new lock, a €22.50 fine and a trip to Amsterdam harbor, where the badly parked bikes are collected.
9,000, the number of bicycles parked near Centraal Station on a weekday.
2023, the year of opening of the two fabulous and impressive bike garages at Centraal Station.
Dutch children and bicycles
The image impresses many tourists: very young children, alone and without helmets, navigating the twists and turns of the city's bicycle traffic. From an early age, the children are placed in a seat on their parent's handlebars. A comprehensive cycling and highway code test validates the skills of Dutch pupils before they enter secondary school.
During your stay, you'll probably wonder why cyclists, even children, don't wear helmets. Amsterdam is a rebellious city, and helmets have never been compulsory. In fact, there are few serious accidents, and when there are, they are often the result of excessive risk-taking. If you see someone wearing a helmet, it's probably a tourist or an expat!
The law at the service of bicycles
Under Dutch law, the motorist must contribute 50% of the costs of any accident involving a bicycle, even if he or she is not at fault. This probably goes a long way towards explaining Amsterdam's king-of-cyclists feel.
A recent law prohibits the use of telephones on bicycles. It is forbidden to have a phone in your hand, on pain of a €95 fine (€47.50 for cyclists under 16). Hands-free kits are therefore being used more and more, but in practice there are few controls... So watch out for slaloms intended for publication on social networks.
The news has delighted all cyclists in Amsterdam and beyond: for some years now, scooters have been banned from Amsterdam's cycle lanes and have had to use the roads. This has already led to a significant drop in accidents. However, here too, controls are rare, so there's still a lot of abuse going on..
The ABC's of cycling in Amsterdam
To visit Amsterdam without renting a bike would be to really miss out. The first warning, however, is that you should only rent a bike if you know how to ride it well, if not perfectly. Amsterdam is not the right Dutch city to get your hand - or foot, as it happens!
For a first-time cyclist, the ideal route is along one of the historic canals, ideally the Herengracht to the Gouden Bocht. From Centraal Station, take the (free) ferry to either the NDSM or the Noord district. Here, you can explore the more modern districts. Continue to Noorderpark, home to the world's most beautiful public swimming pool (decided at the Piscine Global trade show in 2016). Stop off at Vondelpark for a picnic on the grass, weather permitting.
To pedal like a Batave, it's important to remember that, while bicycles can be fun and useful, they are first and foremost a means of transport, not a source of pleasure. Mingle with the flow and don't ride in groups across the width of the road. Tourism has been booming in the capital for several years now, and its inhabitants are less and less appreciative of the exhibitionist cyclist, even less so when he or she is noisy. Don't forget that cycling is an integral part of Amstellodammers' daily lives, and it's even more painful to see it taking part in the "Disneyization" of their beloved capital.
