Love me, love my bike.
Couples who cycle together are more likely to stay together: we have absolutely no proof to back this bold claim up, but we like to think it might be true. It’s Valentine’s Day (in case you didn’t know) so we at Amsterdam Cycle Chic thought it would be the perfect time to celebrate our love for cycling.
Today’s date has provided a great excuse for the Amsterdam Cycle Chic team to reveal what we love most about cycling. We’ve also dug through the archives to bring you some of our favorite ‘loved up’ shots. Over the years we’ve snapped many special moments on the city’s streets, capturing everything from newlyweds to stolen kisses.
Lily: My favorite cycling moment in Amsterdam… summer evenings, cycling home during twilight, with a warm breeze as the last bit of sunset drifts away. When cycling home along the canals after a fun night with friends, you get to see the city in a totally different vibe than during the rest of the year. It’s a magical moment. (Bonus: if no jacket is required!)
From the archives: stolen kisses
From the archives: bicycle made for two
Merida: I love the childlike freedom of cycling. You can go anywhere, make your own route, race the trams (even if they don’t know it), and I love the rattle of my bike when I hit a bump. When I cycle with my boyfriend, it’s less of an “aww look how cute we are, romantically cycling through the city” and more of a “what’s the best method to get to where we are going as quickly as possible?”
We asked our readers to send in their ‘love’ inspired pictures. With thanks (from top to bottom) to @mademoiselleultra, @mattiamaina and @mylenemackay
Klara: Cycling is an essential part of my daily routine. It’s the best way to clear your mind and when you’re gliding along the city streets, you feel truly free. I love pedaling along side by side with my friends, stopping on corners to catch up on the gossip before you go your separate ways. You can’t beat it.
Margarita: I love cycling because it’s cheap, it’s easy, it’s invigorating and it lets me explore and see more of the city than I otherwise would. I can go anywhere! I love being among other people who are cycling. Getting more people out of cars and onto bikes gives local policy and decision-makers leverage to keep improving our streets.
From the archives: get married….hop on your bike.
Meredith: I love cycling in Amsterdam because it makes me feel so independent – I can come and go as I please, feel the fresh air (or rain!) on my face, and stop at my favorite shop at a moment’s notice. At the same time, cycling in Amsterdam makes me feel part of the community. In the rush hour swarm with hundreds of others on their bike ride to work, we pedal together, everyone giving each other energy, challenge, and speed. Of course I love to ride with friends, my husband, and my daughter (who just learned how to ride) – but in the end, I really love to ride with the swarm.
Want to share your cycling pictures with us? We always love to see them. You can reach us on Instagram & Facebook @amsterdamcyclechic and Twitter @AMSCyclechic.
From the archives: we love seeing flowers and balloons on bikes. Where are they heading, who are they for?
Winter Wonderland of Bikes
It’s that frosty time of year again and Amsterdam has been hit with more than a generous dusting of snow! From Friday to Monday, winter’s magic descended upon the city and disrupted travel across the country. Up and onwards, Amsterdammers cycled on, showing that neither rain nor wind nor snow will keep us off our bikes!
New team member Margarita!
Margarita is a transportation planner and cycling advocate who has headed the blog Palm Beach Cycle Chic for a number of years all the way from West Palm Beach, Florida so naturally she was a great fit. Welcome to the team!
How did you end up in Amsterdam?
I’ve been to Amsterdam a couple of times before and fell in absolute love with the city and its various cultures, including of course the cycling obsession. I saw a great learning opportunity so I finally made the big jump across the pond to get a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Amsterdam focusing on bicycle mobility. Loving every minute of it.
What’s the big difference between Amsterdam and South Florida when it comes to cycling?
For one thing, cycling is still mostly seen as either a fringe subculture activity or as purely sport. It’s pretty popular for roadies and recreation, but abysmal for developing cycling as a utilitarian transportation mode. Florida continuously ranks the absolute worst in the U.S. for pedestrian and cyclist casualties, owing to decades of intense growth, land-use development policies favoring suburban lifestyles, lack of leadership, and a natural dependency on automobiles for mobility that’s hard to break because of all the above. Though it’s as flat as the Netherlands, almost all cities in Florida (especially South Florida) are night-and-day compared to Amsterdam. There are a lot of advocacy groups now and interested politicians who are interested in encouraging cycling and are devoted to developing the infrastructure changes needed to make it safer. I worked for a small city where I got to see this firsthand and pushed it through, so I’m excited to see the progress!
Were there any surprises when you started cycling in Amsterdam?
I am absolutely blown away by what people can carry on a bike here. Additionally, I am always amazed by the renegade-nature of the cyclists here, going every-which-way in direct defiance of traffic controls. Cycling is so efficient here as a transportation system that it naturally dominates. Reading about the history of Amsterdam cyclists, I definitely have an appreciation for it. The laws here also protect the most vulnerable users, which also owes to the cycling culture developing here the way it has. I hope that will start to develop in the States as well.
Tell us about your bike.
I bought this bike in Amsterdam last year, actually, and took it back to Florida with me. I’ve always loved Dutch bikes and since they are fairly rare back home, they always spur dialogue from curious people. I’m fairly short, so I wanted a smaller frame bike than the larger one I already had. So of course I brought it back to Amsterdam with me. It’s like it went on holiday to Florida for a year! I outfitted it with a front rack and some rear panniers I got for cheap so I can carry loads of stuff! I wrapped some cute battery-operated lights around the frame for pizazz and slapped some stickers on the rear fender so I can find it in the seas of parked bikes. I have 2 seat covers simultaneously on it because I don’t want a wet butt. It’s also got a wobbly front rim that nobody but me notices, but that’s part of its charm.
Cycle Chic Spotlight: New Team Member Mérida
Where are you from and why did you move to Amsterdam?
Im originally from the East Coast of the US and my family lives in the middle-of-no-where Mexico. For the past 5 years I was living and working in Baltimore, MD at Under Armour as an Apparel Concept Designer. This January I relocated to the European HQ in Amsterdam and have no plans of looking back. I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of the world and I can finally say ‘I’m home’.
What do you love about cycling in Amsterdam?
This is going to sound so cliche but literally, everyday I see or experience something that makes me smile, I truly can’t get enough of this city. I love the intimacy that cycling gives; you’re at life level with everything and as you whizz by you get just enough of a glimpse to see into someone’s story- Or just enough to create a new one in your head.
I also love seeing the city’s style up close. I’m constant in awe of the women who are flying past me in the morning rocking 5″ heels, meanwhile I have to concentrate to keep my boots on the pedals. Amsterdam is so effortlessly chic and cycling never seems to get in the way of someones outfit; just enhances it.
What is your bike like?
She’s just a classic, used, back pedal bike. It says “Roady” in some peeling off letters on the frame but I’m not a brand name kind of girl, I chose this one for the color. I love adding little bits of pop; I was secretly thrilled when my original bell, just a plain silver one died because that meant I got to buy this new minty fresh one! I just found this new bike paint that promises a “no drip, no professional needed” coating, so who knows what color or colors she’ll be by the end of the year.
Is there anything you don’t like about your new no-car life?
Aside from the fear of my wheel involuntary flying off while I’m cycling at great speeds; I haven’t figured out the best cupcake transport system yet. I love to decorate and share cupcakes co-workers and friends, but the Amsterdam roads are not so forgiving. So in the mean time I’ve started the #BikeNowFrostLater movement. If anyone has any possible op de fiets solutions- please send them my way!
Why did you want to join the Amsterdam Cycle Chic team?
I love how engrained biking is in the city, from toddlers learning on the balance bikes- to the guy doing wheelies under the Rijks Museum Tunnel, everyone is equal when in the bike lanes. And there is something so magical about the morning commuter rush, like a flock of swallows, each an independent being but the flow never falters. I want the opportunity to share those moments with the rest of the world.
From a professional standpoint part of my job is sending street recaps of things I’m seeing in Amsterdam and other travels back to our US based design teams. I’m already cycling about admiring the city’s finest and freshest, sneaking photos of anything that catches my eye. I’m known for leaving a friend mid sentence to chase someone/ something down the street snapping away, trying not to crash my own bike.
Welcome Mérida!
Pictures of Mérida by Lily.
Flowers & Fiets
Aalsmeer Flower Festival Bike Tour
June 17-18, 2017
We lucked out for our first Aalsmeer Flower Festival bike ride and the weather was stunning. With 6 large event stops, the self guided tour wound through the charming city and unless you got as lost as many times as we did, was 26km in total.
Each venue offered a unique experience, ranging from, making your own flower jewelry, listening to live music under a lily covered cabana, to joining a bouquet building workshop at the International Floral Design School. There truly was a little something for everyone, including a pancake truck if you got peckish (I did mention it was 26km right?).
If you missed the festival this year, I highly recommend taking a day trip to bike through Aalsmeer. The neighborhoods are quiet and beautiful, flanked by fields and greenhouses.
Aalsmeer can be reached by bike from Amsterdam with a nice ride through Amsterdam Bos or you can hop on the train, just remember your bike needs a ticket too!
Keep a look out for next year’s event which will be June 16th-17th, 2018.
Along the way you were greeted by other bloemen enthused bikers denoted by the floral chain that was given at the start of your ride.
One of the ten new Art Boxes (utility lockers) hand painted by local artist, scattered throughout the tour.
For other great day trips by bike be sure to check here and here.
(Do you have favorite summer day trips? Tell us in the comments and we’ll add it to the list!)
Follow the Flowers
Little brings me more joy while riding along the cobbled streets of Amsterdam than seeing other cyclists with flowers nestled between their handlebars or in their saddlebags. These bloom-laden riders carry an act of love, kindness, congratulations, an apology, or a welcome home. I find myself imagining that their cycle journey will end with a huge smile and hug from the recipient, be it a special someone or a longtime friend.
Seeing the flowers that are carried by bike creates a rippling effect of this act of kindness. They are a visible reminder of the caring and compassion present in the city. They bring joy to other riders and remind us to continue our journey in love.
By Sheila
Back to School
The beginning of September signals the end of the holidays and a return to school. In Amsterdam that means a return of kids on their bikes traveling to and from school. In fact, in the Netherlands the percentage of primary and secondary school children that walk or ride their bike to school is staggering at around 75 percent. Is it a coincidence that Dutch children were ranked the happiest in the world by UNICEF? Take a look at the scenes of children riding to and from school and you decide.
Some of the contributing factors that lead to this beautiful scene of children on bikes are the national Dutch cycling culture, the fact that most children live close to their schools, and the dedicated bicycle infrastructure.
When kids bike to school they show up more awake and alert, ready to learn. They are more aware of their surroundings and where they live. In secondary school, the bike gives them a sense of independence and autonomy where they can control their path. I often bask in the independence that young teenagers experience riding around with their friends after school, often behind a group of young girls giggling along, hockey sticks in hand on their way to practice.
By Sheila.
Cycle Chic Spotlight: Team Member Sheila
Where are you from and why did you move to Amsterdam?
I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area in California and I first came to Amsterdam as part of a sustainable bicycle transportation course during my undergraduate studies and immediately fell in love. I vowed to come back and returned in 2014 to pursue my master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Amsterdam.
Tell me about your bike.
A traditional second-hand omafiets whose brand has been lost under shoddy paint jobs, it is the third bike that I have had in the two years that I have lived here. I love the comforting noises my rattily Amsterdam bike makes, the way she mutters with the down-stroke of my pedal, and how her gentle clatter alerts other before I overtake them. I love riding around at night and gently closing my eyes for a minute to find myself amidst an orchestra of bikes clambering over the cobblestones.
My bike is my lifeline, my freedom. She has met and bore witness to friends, colleagues, and lovers who have made awkward small talk or laughed so hard they made us swerve as they have driven next to us or sat on her back rack.
What do you love about cycling in Amsterdam?
Riding ignites and stimulates all of my senses. It is my time during the day when I am free; free to think about my last meeting or construct a dinner recipe for when I arrive home, or I am free to think about nothing at all and simply enjoy the momentary feeling of weightlessness you experience as I come down over a canal bridge.
Why did you want to be a blogger for Amsterdam Cycle Chic?
As arguably the best place to bike in the world, I want to share the absolute wonders that everyday cycling can do for people and for a city. As a place that has prioritized active transportation, creating a human-centered city that promotes healthy and happy lifestyles, I want to share and promote this and Amsterdam Cycle Chic seemed like the perfect medium to do so.
Keeping an Eye on London
Summer holidays means getting to travel to different cities and explore the cycling culture outside of Amsterdam. On a recent trip to London, I got the chance to observe what it is like to cycle in Europe’s largest city and test out their bicycle share system, Santander Cycles.
What struck me about the cyclists in London is that many take the utmost pride in their bicycles. While there may be fewer cyclists in London, those who ride do so in the uttermost style atop impeccable, shiny bikes with beautiful leather accessories. These cyclists make me hopeful that someday soon we will see masses of everyday cyclists swarming the streets of London.
Another exciting observation was that new developments in the city seem to be catering to and in turn witnessing a surge in all kinds of cyclists. While parts of the cycling infrastructure felt disjointed and disconnected, there were some shining sparks of hope that tempted cyclists to ride in true style. This was apparent during my ride around the new developments in East London. From families to hipsters bikes abound.
While there was a general lack of lack of Dutch style bikes, I was overjoyed to spot a bakfiets and a woman with all of her shopping reminding me of home.
By Sheila.
Movers and shakers
We all love seeing what others can fit and balance on their bikes… umbrellas, pets, babies, shopping. And there there are times where your breath is taken away. The Dutch certainly know the fine art of ‘getting the job done’. Movers?!! Pffft! On your bike! He’s clearly happy with his achievement!
By Mel
Ring Ring… bike delivery!
Saw this lovely burst of colour whizzing by, delivering a parcel, and I just had to stop him! He spent the day riding through snow, sleet, rain and finally some sunshine. Didn’t seem to phase him 🙂
…Go DHL!
By Mel
Gameboy
Just when you think your weary legs can’t cycle anymore … you spot what we like to call a ‘Chic’er’ – a super chic cyclist with some fashion on board! Gameboy backpack + faux fur coat + pink gloves and grooving to tunes, en route to somewhere fabulous for sure. Arriving with style people!
By Mel
Northside vibes
So many people are talking about the North. You can find it just across the small stretch of water, accessible in only a couple of minutes by the ferry of your choice! All for free of course.
Go take a bike around this weekend if you’re in town!
By Mel
It’s Christmas time!
There are Christmas trees buzzing around the city every day, being wheeled, placed and decorated in homes, all over Amsterdam!
This handsome fellow has made his catch, and making the journey look easy! … 12 sleeps to go!
Image by Hannah Staley
Turquoise delight!
It’s officially the cold, grey, rainy season here in the ‘Dam, so it’s a breath of fresh air to see some colour around. This girl is rocking some turquoise locks, and has a cool bike to match! Even her backpack is smiling 🙂
By Mel.
Public transport
You may have seen some of these guys and girls around town, collecting tourists or saving a soggy rain-soaked biker. They are the bike taxis and are also part of our Amsterdam street scene! They must be super fit, from riding all day collecting passengers – and must thankful we have no hills and tiny bridges. Seems like a more eco-friendly choice when it comes to public transport.
Dappermarkt night
Holiday lights warm up the streets of Oost! Even on a rainy night, these folks are flying along Javastraat on their way home from work, heading out with friends or just running errands.
By Sarah
Colour-coordinated
The Dutch have a great sense of style. They love matching their outfits. This cyclist goes one step further, and matches his bike, bag, clothing and shoes. He’s ‘on board’ with a lot more than that ferry!
The things they carry
I love seeing the range of items Amsterdammers transport on their bikes. A coffee maker, a gas can, even a table… these folks make it look easy! Something to aspire to.
By Sarah
Cycle Chicstagram October
Check out Amsterdam Cycle Chic’s top 10 Instagram pics of October.
1. Iris on her new bike
2. Colder mornings
3. Doggy morning run
4. Speedy super daddy
5. Lambike ;-P
6. OMG, that is sooo Dutch
7. On the ferry
8. Waiting for a friend
9. Cycling with his daughter’s back pack
10. Deux par deux
Instamonth
Are you already following us on Instagram? You should, if you want to learn more about Amsterdam’s cycling culture and enjoy the diversity of cyclists and bikes in Amsterdam’s streets. Every month we will post the most liked Instagram shots here on our blog.
Parkside riding
It is the most beautiful time to ride at the moment… fresh breeze and a little sunshine. Get out on your bike, and head to your favourite park. Like ours, Vondel Park.
By Mel
Fall racer
This cyclist is super matchy-matchy, in his double yellow in fall! It’s also a great colour for staying visible on the streets of Amsterdam, on those gloomy days.
By Mel
Due date?
I have to say I prefer much more to cycle than to walk..
No worries, I will drive myself to the hospital!
I scheduled this post, so who knows, maybe my baby boy is already born by the time you read me?!
Special thanks Meredith for this family photoshoot!
BY AUDE
Ambidexterity
When I moved here, I was just hoping to stay on my bike and ride in a straight line. Time sure brings confidence!
By Mel.
Amsterdam Cycle Chic 