Fiets Blog Award 2017
We are excited to be recognized by Amsterdam Diary as a contender for the
2017 Fiets Blog Award!
If you have a moment give us a vote and while you’re there check out some of the other great bike blogs they are featuring.
https://amsterdamdiary.com/nl/awards/fiets-blogs-award-2017/
Our 2017 Best Nine via Instagram
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!
4 reasons we love Copenhagen
I always love a trip to the other cycling capital of the world – Copenhagen. While leading a urban cycling study tour, I was able to spend 10 days in the city, exploring many new streets, restaurants, and bike bridges. But there’s never enough time, right?
I noticed many differences between the Dutch and Danish bike culture. For example, the Danes, it seems, tend to take care of their bikes – I don’t think I ever saw one rusty old bike with barely any air in the tires. The bikes in Copenhagen are clean, shiny, and well-maintained. The Danes also ride much faster than the Dutch. Biking in this city means business – a serious trek from A to B. No messing around and no chit chat. There were even signs all over the city saying “Keep to the right and look over your shoulder if you want to overtake.” Wow! Yes, sir. Nevertheless, it’s still great fun to cycle in this city. Here’s our top 4 reasons we love Copenhagen.
1) The city is a magnet for gorgeous people. Seriously, gorgeous people. With impeccable style. People-watching is taken to a whole new level here. Anywhere you go, at any time of day, people take care to look effortlessly stunning. It’s like, “Oh this rag? I just woke up and grabbed the first thing I could. It’s nothing, really.”
2)
2)Food is incredible. The Danes know how to eat well. Every meal I had was designed with such care and attention to detail. Fresh fish, heirloom vegetables, perfect sauces, poached asparagus – all was delicious. Favourite restaurants included: Vespa, Madklubben, Marv og Ben, any vendor at the Torvehallerne or Copenhagen Street Food, and Nose to Tail. 
3) It always seems to be sunny. Every day was beautiful with blue skies and warm weather. People were swimming in the harbour and sunbathing in parks. Glorious!
4) Danish details. I love biking in this city for all the little details, like angled trash cans and foot rests for cyclists. The lovely Cycle Snake bridge that seamlessly flows through the urban fabric. How nice and civilised! They don’t call it Danish Design for nothing.
Get your self-driving bike today only!
Google Netherlands has finally released it’s much-talked-about self-driving bicycle. “It’s the best invention since the bicycle itself,” says the director of the Dutch bicycle advocacy group, the Fietserbond.
Check it out for yourself:
Poncho giveaway!
Get ready for the rainy season (here that’s every season) with a bike poncho! Thanks to The People’s Poncho for working with us on this giveaway.
This poncho has it all: slick waterproof shell, sheltering hood with drawstrings, snap clasps at the sleeves, and even handle bar grips to prevent flying away with the wind and rain! There’s a little waterproof zipped pouch for valuables. And the piping is even reflective. Retailing for €75 – but worth every penny.
The only thing you need to do is comment below telling us your favourite thing about biking in the rain.
Comment by Thursday, we’ll announce the winner on Friday!
small print: only open to UK/EU addresses – sorry!
Cycle Chic Spotlight: B&B owners Wieger and Anne Marie
Wieger and Anne Marie love to go out for dinner, visit art galleries, and look for nice boutique hotels or B&B’s for their next city trip. So why not turn their passion into their work? That’s what they did, they started their own B&B in a typical Amsterdam house in the popular neighbourhood De Pijp. It is called Ollies Bed and Breakfast. The breakfast is lovely, they have cool photography in the rooms and they made their own mini-guide of the city so that their guests can enjoy Amsterdam as much as they do.
Food and Art
Wieger and Anne Marie love art. The museum district is only a 5 minute walk from their B&B. Wieger: “The Rijksmuseum is really a must see, both for the art and for the cool designed building. It is amazingly done.” Anne Marie: “But we actually prefer to visit art galleries and especially photography galleries. In weekends we love to walk around de Spiegelkwartier. We always pay a visit to Jaski Art Gallery and the Yellow Korner.” The Spiegelkwartier has been the heart of the art and antiques trade for the past 80 years with over 70 specialised art and antique dealers.
Their other hobby is to go out for dinner. Anne Marie: “We love restaurant Sent just across the street. It is a small and lovely place where they cook with a Green Egg. But we have so many other favourites like Vis aan de Schelde [Close to RAI. “Michelin-star quality food, and a very relaxed atmosphere”], Toscanini in the Jordaan [a very popular Italian place, so make sure to make a reservation], ‘French-bistro-style’ restaurant Rijsel in a side street of the Amstel, fine dining at Fyra just off Vijzelgracht and Bar Americano [along the Amstel, where you can eat Italian food and stay till late at night for drinks at the bar].”
What to do in Amsterdam
Wieger calls himself an Amsterdamophile: “Amsterdam is the best city to live in. The size is perfect, everything is walking distance. And after living here for almost fifteen years, I still enjoy the beauty of the city.” Anne Marie: “There is always something nice to do in Amsterdam; concerts, expositions, new pop-up stores opening and there are many festivals. I am not that much into electronic music festivals but I love food and art festivals like De Rollende Keukens in the Westerpark, the Food Soul Festival and the Affordable Art Fair in Amsterdam-Noord. For shopping I recommend the 9 Straatjes and the Pijp. Just a few minutes’ walk from our B&B you have the Gerard Doustraat. Since a few years a lot of nice stores have opened there. It is becoming very trendy.”
Bikes and Boats
“The best way to see Amsterdam is by bike or boat”, says Wieger. “My favourite cycling spots are the Vondelpark, the old canals and the cycle path under the Rijksmuseum.” Anne Marie: “On sunny days we take a boat, bring some food and drinks, friends and nice music and sail through the canals.” They would both recommend tourists to rent a bike and go through the city like locals do. Wieger: “I think it is recommendable for tourists to plan their cycling trip a bit before they start cycling. Cycling can be quite hectic. But there are nice routes and neighbourhoods like the Jordaan are great to discover by bike.”
Photo: Anne Marie and Wieger celebrating Queens Day on a boat in the Amsterdam canals
Ollie’s Bed and Breakfast
Ollie’s Bed and Breakfast has got three rooms. Anne Marie and Wieger live on the first and second floor and the rooms are on the third and fourth floor of a typical ‘de Pijp’ building with steep stairs in a cosy street. “Working together is going really well. We have a good division of tasks but we also work a lot together,” says Anne Marie. Wieger: “We have the same taste of style and paid a lot of attention to detail when furbishing the room. We would love to have guests over who share our taste for interior design and our love for photography.”
Winter wonder blur
I caught these Amsterdammers going though the Rijksmuseum bike path, enjoying today’s sunny chill and riding fast through the tunnel. So many people out and about on their bikes today. Babies, bakfiets, lovers, and friends — I love that no matter the weather, we keep on peddling.
Sunny Saturdays
Summer is in full swing in Amsterdam and everybody is getting to their cafe dates, festivals, beaches and museums by bike. The mornings are getting cooler but the afternoons the weather make for perfect cycling…so get out and enjoy the summer sunshine!
By Mel
Barcelona cycle chic
Last weekend we went for a city-trip to Barcelona.. Of course we decided to rent a bike to (re)discover the city. And of course we went to the shop of our Cycle chic mates: Pedal bike rental
Here is Steven, owner and also parent of a little Eddy (..Merckx !). His wife is running Barcelona Cycle Chic, have a look!
We got great bikes, see mine here below. This day the wind was so strong that we did not even have to pedal from ‘Poblenou’ to ‘Poble sec’ (for the ones who know Bcn!)
Biking is getting more and more popular in Barcelona which also adds to the quantity of cycle chisters..
And also to the creation of original bikes, like the lucky bike:
Or customized bikes like this one for “Amadeu”, the dog! Who’s the boss?!!!
by Aude
Sevilla Cycle Chic
I am just back from a long weekend in Sevilla with my family. It was really good to see them all! The city is beautiful, as was the weather: 30 degrees! Great way to extend the summer.. There were many cycle chicsters like those young Spanish people or my sister/mother:
The infrastructure is cycle and eldery friendly (see the road sign here above!)
Next to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Cathedral and the Alcázar palace , we biked to the CAAC (Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo). This museum, build in an ancient monastery, is a very inspiring place that’s worth the detour..
by Aude
Not only locals or ‘cycle chic families’ rent bikes or use the Sevici to get around, here you have a group of Italian friends, enjoying Sevilla by bike.
Bike sharing squared
If you really like sharing, you do not only take a bike from a bike-sharing scheme, but you also share that bike with someone else. That is bike-sharing squared!
This summer I was in Nice again and we saw quite a few people sharing the Vélo bleu bikes.
The sign of the Vélo bleu scheme is spot on; a bicycle with wings and the tagline Bougez en tout liberté (moving in complete freedom). I love it that it underlines the freedom that cycling gives you!
Want to see more pictures of cycling in Nice? Check out the blogpost I wrote last year: Greetings from Nice
Three in a row
by Aude
Cycling with 2 of your best friends and feeling the road is yours, this is the right way to enjoy the summer!
How to cycle like a Queen (or King!)
Yesterday was a whirlwind of parties all over the city and what was the best way to get there? By bike of course. How did you flaunt your flair on your bike? Here are six ways some Amsterdammers showed their orange pride.
1. With a hat
2. With a traveling party
3. Tagging along with a friend (and ‘flag’ your cheeks!)
4. Bike together and scarf your orange
5. Adorn yourself in a King’s robe
6. Proudly fly your flag!
by Meredith
White bikes and Dutch nature
‘God created the world, and the Dutch created the Netherlands’, that’s what people sometimes say about our country. And indeed, it is quite difficult to find parts of the Netherlands untouched by men. But, this weekend I enjoyed the beauty of Dutch nature in national park ‘De Hoge Veluwe’. The natural beauty was amazing. The play between rain and sun caused dramatic skies, deers and hares walked through the forests and the wide heather sometimes made me think of the African savanna. But, the Dutch couldn’t help touching also this part of nature. A family built a museum in the park with famous pieces of Van Gogh, Picasso and Mondriaan. And through the park a network of cycle lanes was created to cycle around on the free white bikes that are all around the park. The Dutch just can’t help it; they ‘have’ to touch nature to make every part of the country bicycle friendly…
The free white bikes
A bicycle friendly natural park
African images
Which way to go?
Family cycling
Joni on a white bike
Well ahead of his family
Sunshine in the forest
Groningen Cycle Chic
This weekend we went to the beautiful city of Groningen. Groningen is in the north of the Netherlands. It has an old and famous university, a cool modern art museum ‘the Groninger Museum‘ an old city centre and as every Dutch city; it is full of bikes and everybody of all ages cycles.
Bike at Groningen University
Family cycling
Cheesy cargo bike
Art by Yin Xiuzehn in Groninger Museum
Groningen University
Bicycle parking
Love bike
Bike parking in Groningen courtyard
bikes in window
Learning to cycle / statue in Groningen
Cycle Chic Conference 2012 – Budapest
This year’s Cycle Chic Conference in Budapest was legendary! The Cycle Chic Republic was united in the Hungarian capital. So it was a weekend full of bike events, chatting about cycling, photographing, tweeting and instagramming with bloggers from o.a. Vienna, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vitoria (Brazil) and Budapest.
Cycle Chic bloggers
Hungary Cycle Chic host: Áron on his Dutch bike
Hungary Cycle Chic organised the conference and found many sponsors to make our stay even more enjoyable and the cycling events even cooler. The main event for us was definitely the Bicycle fashion show, in which normal people walked the catwalk with their bikes, dressed up in their best clothes. It was so nice that we decided to dedicate a whole blogpost to it, that will follow later this week.
Budapest is working hard on improving their cycling infrastructure. The very successful Critical Mass meetings have certainly left their mark. And now organisations like Hungary Cycle Chic and the Hungarian Cyclist Club are taking bicycle activism over to make the city more bicycle friendly. But as you can see on the pictures; Budapest has bicycle infrastructure and cyclists, and was quite a comfortable city to cycle around. So let’s hope the amount of cyclists, cycle lanes and bicycle traffic lights will only improve!
Budapest bike lane
Budapest cyclists
Budapest Cyclist
Budapest Cyclists
Bikes on boat on Danube
Bicycle traffic light
Budapest bicycle infrastructure
Bike repair at Danube
Budapest in bike light
Thanks Cycle Chic Hungary
Thanks to the Hungarian Cyclist Club, the European Mobility Week and the Center for Budapest Transport for sponsoring the cycling events. Thanks Csepel Bikes for lending us our very comfortable and cool bikes! And thanks Anker’t for being such a cool bar and for sponsoring the afterparty after the fashion show.
BIKASIA
It is now a year ago that I (Aude) travelled through Asia with my husband for more than 4 months! At the time, I was already taking pictures of bicycles for the blog of our friend Philip: Dutch in Dublin.
BIKASIA is a compilation of images showing that bikes are very popular all over Asia: from India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia to China! But the best thing is that they are all cycling chic!
Bikes and windmills
We see tourists walking through the Red Light District, queuing for the Anne Frank house and sitting in ‘coffeeshops’. But what we, ‘Amsterdammers’ don’t see is that a lot of them also leave the city to discover its surroundings and see a bit more of the Netherlands. One of the places they like to visit is the Zaanse Schans. And, by accident, I was there too on one of my cycle tours on a lazy sunny Sunday. And what I saw were windmills, many windmills, and bikes!
Cycling Berlin style!
Milou, one of the Amsterdam Cycle Chic team members, moved to Berlin a few months ago. So Else and Joni of Amsterdam Cycle Chic decided to visit her there.
Joni, Milou and Else
We loved it! And in between enjoying one of the many terraces, parks and museums, we spotted cyclists, quite a lot of cyclists, and many of them in cool Berlin style!
Check out these elegant ladies on their pink bicycles…
and the many other cyclists!
Cycling Berlin style
Listen to the music!
Mum and daughter
Dutchie on his racing bike
Escapade à pAris
The cycle chic team has been travelling a lot in Europa during the summer. Lately Aude and her sister were invited by their mum to go to pAris! Of course they rented a velib’ to move around. And they met many locals on a velib’ too. Here you can see a girl on high heels…
Guys chatting on Pompidou square…
Some youngsters heading for a party…
Cycling is getting more and more popular here so many people have their own 2 wheels. Look at these:
Frenchy on a race bike…
Dude on lady’s bike…
Girl on a city bike with basket…
The trio Aude-sister-mum have been cycling through the whole of pAris. They came to see the exhibition “Panorama” from Gerhard Richter on the top floor of centre Pompidou. Dedicated to modern and contemporary art, le centre Pompidou is a place you can’t miss if you are interested in art. This painting called “le vélo” is from Alain Séchas, it is part of the permanent collection of the Museum.
Amsterdam North
Today, the weather was so beautiful that we decided to take our bikes up to the North of Amsterdam. Half an hour cycling takes you away, right into the heart of the real idyllic Dutch countryside where water is everywhere. So all kinds of solutions have been created to cross over, like for example this “floating platform”.
We were not the only ones with this idea today: we met those 2 friendly Amsterdammers while crossing the river. Thanks for posing girls!
by Aude
Greetings from Nice
As the summer in Amsterdam is more rainy than sunny, the Cycle Chic team members pack their bags and go to sunnier places. Joni went to the south of France; Nice in the Côte d’Azur, to enjoy the sun, lie on the beach and do some sightseeing. Needless to say, she took a bike to cycle through the city, testing Nice’s cycling infrastructure and checking out Nice’s cycling culture. And as you might expect from the chique Côte d’Azur, Nice is quite Cycle Chic!
From Nice with love
Cycle path with velo bleu bikes
Cycling Côte d’Azur style
by bike to the beach
Tourist bike tour
electric car and bike sharing
Chocolate gift from Zurich
My boyfriend was on a business trip to Zurich. Instead of bringing home chocolates, he brought me this picture as his gift.
Sunday shopping
by Aude
Long week-end is for some people the perfect moment to go away and for others just the perfect time to stay in town. This girl just arrived, she is looking for her bike keys, she is about to enter in her favorite shop (yes, most shops are opened in Amsterdam on sundays!)
Amsterdam Cycle Chic 