I ran/rode my last errands, some Champagne and food for tonight’s party downtown. It was even colder than earlier this week and I noticed this slippery white stuff on the streets, which I vaguely remember seeing in yesteryears. Luckily, I had my camera on me to verify this with you.
Are these the characteristics of [...]
2008’s Last Moves
Pedalestrians
A quick post, a quick fix before popping in a DVD, going to bed and see the family tomorrow.
People doing their last minute shopping, what else on December 24, 4 in the afternoon. And by what other means of transportation than their bikes. Whether a pensioner, a family with kids, or whoever, it doesn’t matter. [...]
Cyclus Hiatus
Unless something extraordinary (or cute) happens, I’m taking a break from Amsterdamize until after New Year’s.
I leave you with a 2-for-1 post. First, a few pics of the cycle tour I embarked on with my dad yesterday. He showed me all the new parts of my hometown Houten, which is known for its groundbreaking urban [...]
The Untouchables
Anneke, commenting on David Hembrow’s blog, led me to the original music video of ‘Op Fietse‘ by Dutch band Skik, which is the song that, and rightly so, was used for one of the best Bike To Work promotional ads on Dutch TV.
Skik are from the rural province Drenthe and they sing in the local [...]
Utrecht Velo Moments
From Rotterdam we go to Utrecht, about 45 kilometers south of Amsterdam and smack in the middle of the Netherlands.
I was born not far from it, went to high school here and when I walked into the city for an appointment yesterday, I realized it really has been years since I last set foot [...]
Ride With Me
My bike, Mr Freight, needed some periodic maintenance yesterday, and today I picked it up and went on my way for a few appointments. It was quite warm (10 degrees Celcius), the sun was shining and I thanked the Mighty Teapot In Space / Flying Spaghetti Monster that I didn’t need to be stuck in [...]
So, 16 Years Later, What Gives?
Some anticipated but still very good news from the Dutch Bicycle Council (Fietsberaad):
Amsterdam: for the first time, more trips by bike than by car
“In Amsterdam the bicycle is the most widely used means of transportation. In the 2005-2007 period Amsterdammers averaged 0.87 trips per day by bicycle and 0.84 by car. For the first time [...]
The Joy Of Foggy Recollections
Borderline freezing, moist and no wind. That’s when a city blanketed in Boring Grey gets interesting…when blurred by fog. Certainly midway the morning, between rush hour and lunchtime.
Riding along the canals and in between it seems the ordinary sounds have a different ring to them. Suddenly I’m very aware of the rattling of the chain [...]
Two Dams, Different Strokes
I was in Rotterdam on business today. Only an hour train ride from Amsterdam but a very different city. For me it’s obvious why that is, but here’s the shortest explanation you’ll ever hear:
Rotterdam was strategically bombed to pieces by the Germans in the Second World War, and Amsterdam was not.
Rebuilding it practically coincided [...]
Vitamine D Stands For Derailleur
My despair was short lived. It simply was a beautiful day. Clear blue skies and freezing. Suffice to say, it helped. I must have covered about 30 km, minimum. Not that I ever keep track of that sort of thing, but just to give you a ball park figure for my afternoon, out and about. [...]
Moody Spokes
It’s been quite a week. ‘Work to live’ is the adagio, not? Mostly spent indoors. Faulty wires in my multi-tasking brain kept me from allocating time to ride and relax, taking a break. That, and the urban outdoors weren’t particularly inviting, as temperatures hover just above freezing, thus teasing me, annoying me, ultimately not giving [...]
Gus The Grunt
Reader Dave from Minneapolis introduces his new pride and joy: Gus The Grunt
My new, sturdy steed was delivered today, which was nice because I had to run some errands. I just snapped a couple of shots for you. One, of course, is of Gus the Grunt. And because he’s an industrial sort of guy, [...]
I’m An Addict
I hope all of you had a great weekend, that you are well rested and looking forward to more Amsterdamization [oh dear].
While shooting for the ‘Sinfonia Cyclissimo‘ video I particularly enjoyed the elevated view on people riding by. It offers me, your average spoiled Amsterdammer, a welcome alternative to the usual street and bike view [...]
Macro Economics…
…or just a no-brainer. Anyway, you can count on continuous positive cycling related news, when sites like this one start running these items. Or realize there’s always a flip side to a worldwide economic meltdown. Yin and Yang, if you will.
From iStockAnalyst (or check The Herald for a more detailed report): Cycling Switch ‘Will Give [...]
Amsterdam Through Strangers’ Eyes, Part 5
From Rachael Levy’s The Slow-Cooked Sentence blog comes the following cute and bicycle-related family story:
Kaleidoscope
One of the things that first enchanted me about my husband was his foreignness. When I met him he was a wild-haired art major who had transferred to a university filled with tobacco-chewing cowboys. While dating we shared a joint filled [...]
Boston Tea Party?
This is not the first story of its kind that I’ve read about. More and more professionals and individuals alike are breaking through the barriers, challenging the status quo, taking control of their own habitat. And that’s no small thing in Boston, as I’ve been told so many horror stories from people who’ve tried to [...]
Fresh Cycling Statistics From The Netherlands
Via Henry’s blog (I’m grateful he translated it):
Fresh Cycling Statistics From The Netherlands
These statistics about cycling just in from the Dutch RAI, “branch organization for mobility”…
There are 19.1 million two-wheelers in the Netherlands (and 16.4 million people). This includes 634,000 motorcycles and about 500,000 mopeds and scooters, thus about 18,000,000 bicycles. Of course could pretty [...]
Sinfonia Cyclissimo
I have shown you many different impressions of cycling in Amsterdam (oh, Paris and Copenhagen too, I’d almost forget) over the last six months. Some targeted at a certain topic, some for ambiance, and quite a few just to express myself.
This city is a place where people want to be, not just because they have [...]
Biking To Work In Melbourne
Some time ago I introduced you to my brother Michel in Melbourne, who’s started his own bicycle blog. This site had something to do with that, as it seems clear he misses Amsterdam’s cycling ambiguity, certainly when we talk about the possibilities for biking to work.
In late November he took pictures while doing just [...]
Pedal It, Maestro!
From Make:Blog, via Califaudio:
Neil Feather demonstrates his unusal pedal based instrument.
‘The Melocipede‘ is a bicycle-based roto-zither. It has 14 strings (strung hub to rim) and 8 (1.5v ) motors and 4 magnetic pickups. The pickups run through a mixer as the melocipede is pedaled in both directions and bouncing plucking etc.happens. It sounds alternately like [...]
At Last
This Bicycle TV post is my closure on a less than desirable week, taking a few fine and wholesome vitamines, getting this bike aficionado (read: addict) back on his feet. What those vitamines are? Oh, very simpel but effective antidotes, ‘au natural’ :)
Unlocking my bike
Getting on my bike
Riding around town all afternoon
Recording it
I give you [...]
Texas Hold’m
Last night I hosted a ride around town for visiting Texan Charles “Chuck” D. Chuck is a fixie rider by default, but he does appreciate the beauty of ‘normal cycling’. I know so from talking to him, but he demonstrated that particularly by unlocking his rental bike across from his hotel…which was a Sparta Pick [...]
No Escape
I stepped out and walked to my local flower shop across the street from my house. Quite the luxury for some, quite normal for the locals here (yes, lots of flower shops too).
At the risk of sounding redundant, no matter where you go in Amsterdam you WILL see people on bicycles every step of the [...]
Two-Wheeled Kismet
From China Daily comes a cute tale:
Couple court and tie the knot on bicycle wheels
A Chongqing man went to fetch his bride-to-be for their wedding day with more than a hundred cyclists riding along with them.
The teacher, whose net name is Huangniu Zhuli, said he fell in love with his wife at first sight.
When he [...]
Cyclists Forever
The holiday season is in full swing in Amsterdam. Sinterklaas and his Pieten are about to hit the roofs, shops are already (and traditionally) in limbo between marketing the kids’ favorite bearded Saint from Spain and Christmas, but who cares. The city looks great.
Not winter yet, but it’s lurking. You can tell, as with every [...]
David Goes Shopping
My bicycle blogging friend David Hembrow from Assen, in the east of the Netherlands, always contributes so much valuable information to online discussions about cycling safety and infrastructure. He’s also very keen in putting his money where his mouth is, aka showing people the real deal through many bike view videos.
I highlight his particular [...]
Bike To Work Book Sampler
I have written about this a few times, but there’s again another reason to do so. Authors Tim Grahl and Carlton Reid have just published a 50 page sampler of the 250 pages Bike To Work book, scheduled for release in December.
Mikael Colville-Andersen from Copenhagencyclechic & Copenhagenize, David Hembrow and yours truly contributed to Chapter [...]
Riding Role Models [Update]
Forget London’s mayor Boris Johnson for a second, or any other city adopting bicycle-friendly policies and let’s look at how Cycle Chic, aka ‘normalcy in cycling‘ is gaining momentum around the world, surging, if you will, particularly in places less bicycle-friendly than Amsterdam (as preaching to the choir quickly gets old). Sure, many ‘ordinary’ citizens [...]
Alley Squeeze
On a rainy like today, I figure one photo will do. Standing outside Cafe De Balie for a smoke, looking left. An alley I mostly disregard, never look at, at most park my bike in. This time an obvious spot in my city becomes something special. I like.
Taken with my Nokia N95
Dear Pedestrians
From vforvhatever, a Canadian student living in Amsterdam:
Dear Pedestrians,
Welcome to one of the coolest cities on the planet! I know that this is a very exciting time for you, being a tourist in Amsterdam. Wow! Good for you! There is so much to see, so much to do, so much to experience in general. I [...]
