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
Rapha Women’s 100km Ride
At AMS CC we like to celebrate all aspects of on the bike life in Amsterdam- from the old Dutch bike that clanks as it rides, to carting 3 kids, all the groceries and a puppy while making it home for dinner, to urban speed cyclist, and everyone in between. This past Sunday we met up with the women of the Rapha Club House Amsterdam who where headed out on their Women’s 100km ride through Amsterdam.
[Photos by Amsterdam Cycle Chic]
What started in 2013 as a small group of female riders in the UK, has grown exponentially ever year and expanded over 6 continents (Antartica has yet to report in). The best part of Rapha Women’s 100 is it’s not a competition; it’s about connecting a community of women cyclist around the world through a shared adventure and love of the road under two wheels.
According to Rapha’s website over 7,000 women across the globe joined in and rode together on Sunday the 23rd. More than 100 of those women were riding in Amsterdam!
[Photo courtesy of Maaike Steenwijk]
Unfortunately, my little Dutch bike wouldn’t have made it through 100km (yes, Im blaming the bike) so we only have photos of the beginning. Maaike Steenwijk followed the cyclist along the ride and was kind enough to loan us a couple of her photos. Thanks for letting us join the fun!
If you’d like to get involved next year or are looking for local cycling events, drop by the AmsterdamRapha Club House on Wolvenstraat 10 and be sure to check out A.S.C. Olympia – the oldest cycling association in the Netherlands.
Tot ziens Winter!
Amsterdammers are so very happy to see winter behind them. The days are now longer, brighter, and we can wear less clothing. That’s always a good thing!
At Amsterdam Cycle Chic, we are constantly taking photos and we end up blogging or gramming only a handful. So we thought we’d give you a purge of our winter collection. Enjoy!
Cycle Chic Spotlight: Breean from Bubae
I caught up with American Amsterdammer, Breean, on a typical February afternoon – rainy, cold, and generally miserable outside. But her energy and enthusiasm made up for it. She took me for a ride in her Johnny Loco cargo bike and we had a nice chat about everything from bikes to love, dancing, and yes, Gyrotonic.
Breean used to dance professionally in New York City; she was trained as a classic dancer and danced with a contemporary dance company. But then she fell in love with a handsome Dutchman (a doctor with curls, no less). She moved to Utrecht in 2011, and then Amsterdam in 2014. She’s a mom of 2 kids, an entrepreneur, and a busy, busy woman. Here’s a snipet of our conversation.
What do you like about living in Amsterdam?
Compared to New York, life seems so easy and much slower. I’m still very busy of course – with two kids, a clothing line, fitness instructor – but somehow there’s time for everything. And I still manage to spend plenty of time with my family and friends and just exploring this gorgeous city.
Do you ride this [cargo] bike every day?
For sure. This is my SUV. I love this bike. It’s falling apart, but I love it. I take my girls to school in the morning, and our new thing is stopping to get croissants and a latte (for me obviously) before the bell rings. They sit in here and eat their croissants and play with their fake cell phones. It’s ridiculous but I love it.
What do you like about cycling in Amsterdam?
In New York everyone is looking for a fight – and New Yorkers are known for their screaming matches. Why they like yelling, I have no idea. It doesn’t help anything. Here, people just mind their own business when they’re on the bike. If I accidentally bump their bike – which happened to me a lot at first – they just glance over and smile, or they don’t even do anything at all.
How long did it take you to ride like an Amsterdammer?
I’m glad I started out in Utrecht, where it’s a little calmer on the bike path. Amsterdam is totally different. It’s busy and stressful – there’s a lot of people on bikes here! At first it was terrifying. Every time I’d get on my bike I’d tell myself: Ok, just DON’T die. I wouldn’t look at buildings or anything else but the bike path. It took me probably a good two months to get confident. Now I absolutely love it. I can’t imagine any other way of life.
Ok, so tell me about this Gyrotonic stuff…
The Gyrotonic method was developed by an injured dancer who healed herself by developing this method. It’s an amazing combination of rhythmic, circular movements flowing with your breath. It’s a very adaptable exercise, so anyone can do it, but it’s more of an experience with your body. Come try it out at Full Circle Studio in Amsterdam!
And BuBae?
We’re a small little company with a big vision. At BuBae we design and produce girls’ clothing and give a percentage of the profits to organisations that empower women and girls who are less fortunate than we are. Our fabrics are designed by women from all over the world and then produced by women as well. We’re all about radiating beauty from within. Right now our current line is available on the website.
Thanks for the ride Breean!
How to bike in the rain
We don’t need much gear for cycling in the rain – maybe a poncho if you remember to grab it as you rush out the door. Sometimes I see rainpants. Or huge capes.
Umbrellas are pretty common too – again, if you remember it. This little girl has it figured out:
- get comfy in the cargo bike
- shield yourself from the rain with a bright and super cute umbrella
- relax and let mom do all the work
TGIF joy ride
Last night these two were speeding down the Weesperzijde – with smiles of course – definitely in a hurry to get to their destination, which likely had beers and bitterballen awaiting them. 😉
Need a new idea for a cheap date?
One of my favorite things to do is to ride next to my partner, hand in hand. I know, I know, so girly, romantic, and cheesy and blah blah blah – but come on! You know you like it to. These 2 couldn’t get enough of each other last night. Held hands for blocks and blocks…
Sometimes you don’t even need a destination when you’re in love and on a bike in Amsterdam. Let your ride be your date. See where the evening takes you.
Snuggle up for sunset
Grab your bike and your love and head out to your favorite vista for tonight’s sunset. It’s bound to be a good one.
Instamonth: April’s top 10 Instagram pictures
Check out Amsterdam Cycle Chic’s top 10 Instagram pics of April.
1. Carrying flowers on back carrier
2. Love on a bike
3. Turning to the right
4. Kings Day: Bikes in Vondelpark
5. Another windy morning
6. Bike crates are soooo cool!
7. Kings Day: Hipsters in the Vondelpark
8. Mums and Babies
9. Kings Day: Vondelpark Flea Market
10. Kings Day: Dinking
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.
Sunny days make me feel good
Finally the first real spring days! And what do you do? Ride to your local park and chill out. At the Sarphati Park, in De Pijp, you could barely see the grass. Bikes and people everywhere. Oh ya.
Does it make you smile?
Sometimes it’s cold. Hailing. Wet. Cloudy. And then sometimes we get lucky with nothing but sun. Yep, that makes us smile, smiles like these two. No gloves or hats even. That’s what being on your bike does — makes you smile.
Rainbow brights
It brought a smile to my face when I sidled up to this pretty colourful pair at the cash machine. Perfectly matched Mother and Daughter duo are ready to go shopping together!
..Punky Brewster eat your heart out!
By Mel
‘Bici’ love in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is becoming more and more a cycling city. We love it, and we love to be involved in events promoting cycling in the Argentine capital. This year we were part of the jury of a photography competition organised by I Bike ABC and Motivarte. The theme of the competition was “The bicyle in the urban lanscape” and the jury (consisting of our team member Aude, Mikael Colville-Andersen from Copenhagen Cycle Chic, Else Siemerink, founder of Buenos Aires Cycle Chic, Silvia Rottenberg from NIBA, and Jonas Papier from Photography School Motivarte) had a tough time choosing a winner. But they managed, and these are the winning pictures:
Camila Vazquez 1st prize
Mariela Soledad Araujo 2nd prize
Paula Gómez 3rd prize
Amsterdam Cycle Chic has worked before with I Bike ABC. In 2012 a selection of our pictures were printed in large sizes and shown around Buenos Aires to promote cycling.
Also it was former Amsterdam Cycle Chic team member Else, who was one of the driving forces behind I Bike ABC and who set up Buenos Aires Cycle Chic.
Keep up the Bici Love Buenos Aires!
I Bike ABC
I Bike ABC is an organisation in Buenos Aires that organises events to promote cycling in the Argentine capital. ABC stands for Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen. I Bike ABC is an inititiave of the Danish and Dutch embassies in Buenos Aires and NIBA (Netherlands Institute in Buenos Aires).
Cycle Bikers
These two super chic biker couple take a cruise through Dam Square. Biker jackets, ripped jeans, black tandem..let’s roll!
By Mel
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.
In search of the perfect pick-up line
What about:
“Hallo mooie dame, you’d look nice on the back of my bike.”
Or maybe:
“I really need a good rack for my bike, yours would be perfect.”
What do you think?
Instamonth: June’s top 10 Instagram pics
June, the month that the summer started, that the parks are everyone’s favourite places to be, and the month that the city turned orange because of the World Cup.
Check out Amsterdam Cycle Chic’s top 10 of June’s Instagram pics:
1. Daily life in Amsterdam; cycling together on one bike to work
2. Good morning Amsterdam, cycling along the Amstel river
3. Lady cycling on the skinny bridge
4. Dutch girl in orange wearing her bike chain as a belt
5. Cycling in the Vondelpark
6. Bridges are the Dutch hills
7. Cool hair!
8. A rose for your girlfriend?
9. Last phone call and then the weekend really starts
10. Cargo bike parking sign at the Beatrixpark
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.
3 ways to cycle together
This is what sunny Sunday afternoons are for: cycling together. And how do you cycle together? Ask any Amsterdammer and you’ll get a variety of options. Of course there’s the classic side-by-side cycle. Then there’s the other classic double: two people, one bike. Then there’s the more acrobatic version of doubling, standing on the back rack (popular among the youngsters).
What else? How else can you cycle together?
Sunday smiles
We all know that cycling makes us smile. Even in the winter cold, when you and a friend are side by side on bikes (maybe talking about last night’s escapades?) it’s like that chill running up your sleeves just disappears.
Or so we think, right?
-Meredith
Lovebird dialogue #17
Boy: Thank god the rain stopped!
Girl: Don’t you just loooove this Dutch weather?
Boy: Totally. But not as much as I love you, you cute little pumpkin!
Girl: [Laughs]
Boy: No, seriously, you look like a pumpkin with your orange pants!
A pink pants weekend!
Did you see the Pride parade on the canals this Saturday? Those boats were incredible! In between the fabulous drag shows, feathered boas, winged costumes, glitter and glam–some people managed to keep their pants on this weekend at Amsterdam Pride. And when they did, it was nothing but pink!
by Meredith
A lazy Sunday
When you get tired of riding your bike, what do you do? Looks like this gal picked up a cute guy boat and threw her bike aboard, away they went down the canals. How romantic!
by Meredith
Sunday Snuggle
Snowy days are perfect for snuggling up to your loved one. Even on a bike! ♥
by Meredith
Flirty Sunday
Flirt tip #17: Get a cute dog. And like a good-sized one (nothing against little dogs!). Put him in your bike basket. Roll up to cute blondes. Make them smile.
Now that’s a flirty Sunday.
by Meredith
Amsterdam Cycle Chic 