Hi all, it’s been a while (except for you who follow me on Twitter), things have been silent on here while I was working on the new Amsterdamize platform, getting it all ready for 2012, for a new adventure. As things go, that will take a wee bit more time. So bear with me :).

I also have to put it on hold because I’m in the middle of packing, as I’ll be heading for Melbourne on Sunday and it won’t surprise you when I say I’m really looking forward to it. 2011 granted me plenty of exciting endeavors, taking me to New York, Copenhagen, Reykjavik and on a few continental trips.

The (Un)5Boro Crew, New York

Copenhagen Posse

Iconic Iceland

Brussels Suits

Dutch Cycling Embassy launch, Brussels

Bike buddies, Brussels

But Australia is the icing on the cake. It will be the first time in my life. It had to happen at some point, as my older brother has been living there for years now.

It will be a 30 hour journey with a few layovers. First London, but time won’t allow me to go search for Little Britain on wheels.

Not to worry, I sense I will in the foreseeable future.

Then Singapore. Again, the window of opportunity is too small to be able to explore.

Touchdown in Melbourne. From the airport I’ll be transported directly to the mountains a few hours from the city, where I’ll spend a relaxing week with my family & experience New Year’s Eve in the wilderness. Right after that the second leg kicks off: returning to Melbourne, meeting up and riding with my bike friends in Melbourne and elsewhere.

Also, on Jan 4th at 5:05pm local Melbourne time I’ll be on Radio New Zealand, the national public service radio station. I’ll be interviewed about Dutch bike culture in general & New Zealands’ efforts. From the preparations for it, I can tell you this could be interesting. So if you have time, do tune in (on the website) and let me know what you think.

I leave behind a wet, windy & dark Amsterdam, diving right into a pool of summer fun. I know what you’re thinking: “There’s a helmet law there! Waddaya gonna do?” Maybe this outfit would be a tad too warm & inconvenient to pull off, but I like the idea. I’m sure I can think of something to circumvent the issue…

So, I hope y’all have a wonderful xmas, a NYE blast and I also hope to see you back here in 2012. BikePLANET-wise, it’s only just begun.

This evening I bumped into this magnificent video, ‘Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS‘:

Time lapse sequences of photographs taken by the crew of expeditions 28 & 29 onboard the International Space Station from August to October, 2011, who to my knowledge shot these pictures at an altitude of around 350 km.

Meanwhile on the surface: sometimes I feel like I’m hovering in this urban space of ours, zooming in on the little things that we, more often than not, pass by on a regular basis, without noticing.

Like this scene: a mom trying to put her gloves on with her teeth, while riding home with her child.

She figured she could manage the last stretch by rubbing her hand over her upper leg.

She couldn’t, so she finished the job the way she started.

Life’s little observations. Precious.

In September BikeSnobNYC wrote about his family trip to this ol’ continent, cycling around Amsterdam on Henry Cutler’s Workcycles bakfiets & observing London’s day-glow extravaganza on top of a Boris Bike. Go on, read that first, it’s a good laugh.

In his post he succinctly & humorously describes the differences between his own American/NYC bicycle culture and that of ours (and the UK/London’s accordingly). It neatly amplifies and supports the ‘cultural’ context I elaborated on in my previous post ‘Bicycle Cultures Are Man-Made‘:

WARNING: Do not attempt international travel. Leaving the United States may provoke thought and result in reflection, dissatisfaction with the quality of your social services, and acute Arby’s withdrawal. The US Department of State shall not be held responsible for your imprisonment or death at the hands of a godless socialist foreign power. If you must visit another country, be sure to wear latex gloves at all times to avoid foreign currency-borne illness. Have a great trip!

“With that out of the way, I spent the bulk of my time in two (2) non-American cities, one of which was Amsterdam. When one thinks of Amsterdam, one thinks of the heady aroma of “Wednesday weed” wafting out of the coffee shops, the even headier aroma of human genitalia wafting out of the red light district, and of course the notorious feral cats that have taken to the canals over the centuries and evolved into strange flesh-eating otter-like creatures that have been known to bite off at the wrist the hands of unsuspecting tourists. But let’s leave all that aside for the moment and look at that other hallmark of “the big A,” which is bikes.”

“Simply put, in Amsterdam people ride bikes to go places. More than this, though, they ride bikes to go places without making any sort of fuss about it.”

“…and to say that riding around a city where cycling is a completely normal mode of transportation is to understate how pleasant it is to be someplace where you can simply get on a bike with your family without giving a shit.”

“Ironically, while I was in Amsterdam a bit of a kerfuffle arose on Bikeportland about how Fred Armisen of “Portlandia” is too much of a “woosie” to ride in the most cycling-friendly city in America. In particular, he’s afraid of the streetcar tracks:

“Armisen is young and healthy. If he’s too afraid to bike in the Pearl, what does that say about our city?”

“To me it says that the city of Portland should remove an entire mode of public transportation to make it easier for someone who probably hasn’t been on a bicycle since he was 9 to move there and ridicule them. I wonder if anything will ever be enough for the people of Portland–who, were they to be liberated from their hated streetcar tracks, would probably find some other cycling injustice to rail against, such as the high cost of Stumptown coffee or an overabundance of low-hanging tree branches. It seems to me that focussing on streetcar tracks as an obstacle to cycling is like saying the problem with living in Antarctica is that there aren’t enough Whole Foods. Anyway, Amsterdam is completely covered in tram tracks and it doesn’t seem to pose much of a problem.”

BikeSnobNYC…I mean Eben Weiss, has inadvertently entertained us with the notion how perception creates a certain reality. Many people with an equal interest for history and culture, aka the framework that entails describing and dissecting bike ‘cultures’, would agree with me when I say that it stems from a unprecedented decline in everyday cycling, fading from the public consciousness, shoved aside by prosperity, suburbanization and motorized transport, leaving one single vertical market for the sport cycling industry and ample growth of a zealous Health & Safety complex in a hostile urban traffic environment.

However, at the same time his post bridges that cultural gap, one step of many, taking us back to that place, to the perception that so many people around the world have forgotten about: cycling is a perfectly normal activity. Thus creating a ‘new’ paradigm for ‘perception creates reality’. Oh, the irony :).

I know I’m working on it and, naturally, in an unfazed and nonplussed kinda way, I’m very pleased to see that many more are and that it’s gaining ground & momentum around the world.

‘3 + 1′

‘Errands’ & ‘Out Of The Wind’

‘A To B’

‘That’ll Do’ & ‘Grace’

‘Unfazed’

‘Solitude’ & ‘Urban Fabric’

‘Someone Needs To Pedal’

‘Top Of The World’

‘Run, Darling, Run’, ‘Hop’ & ‘Anticipation‘

‘Lining Up’ & ‘Shuffle’

‘In One Go’

The European Cyclists Federation launched their new website earlier this month and for this occasion I did a guest post, which of course also belongs on Amsterdamize. Here it goes (with a few [add-ons]):

I was asked by the ECF to tell you a little bit more about Dutch bicycle ʻcultureʼ and Amsterdam in particular. And it starts right there: I use quotation marks for ʻcultureʼ, because thereʼs a big difference in how the Dutch understand this word and how itʼs defined and used abroad. To have understanding about the differences and commonalities there needs to be context, and this is an important context to start off with.

Outside the Netherlands (particularly in the English-speaking world) ʻbicycle cultureʼ is generally defined by its minority status: within the whole transportation & lifestyle spectrum, urban cycling forms very much a ʻsub-cultureʼ, eager to become mainstream. Either marginalized by society or just not overly prioritized on a policy level, there everyday cycling is far cry from ʻcycling is for everyoneʼ.

Cycling is so much part of everyday life in the Netherlands that not many Dutch people give it a second thought, let alone recognize the ʻcultureʼ part of it. Itʼs that normal. As normal as water from the tap. Itʼs just there and we use it. And yes, the Dutch take it for granted. Which can be tricky with regards to advocacy, but on a whole itʼs a very positive thing.

Following the popular discourse: Amsterdam is unlike any other city. In the same way any other city is not Amsterdam, but unique in itself. The same applies to the whole country. Allow me to explain.

Amsterdam has the reputation of being the Bicycle Capital of the World. Rightly so. In the world of everyday cycling there is no other place like it. Yes, Copenhagen is up there as well, but weʼll let wonks and data miners worry about the numbers. Whatʼs more telling is that the Netherlands on a whole have hundreds of ʻCopenhagensʼ. Cycling in the Netherlands is ubiquitous.

A population of just 16.7 million souls, owning close to 20 million bicycles. Virtually every Dutch person cycles, to a greater or lesser extent, be they young or old, rich or poor.

A few samples: 27% of all movements in the Netherlands are by bicycle. 80% of all Dutch cycle at least once a week. The average age for a child to cycle to school (or otherwise) independently is 8 years (which has the Dutch worried, as that used to be 6 years). On average, the Dutch make 14 million cycle trips a day, each covering 3,5 km on average. Per year, the Dutch travel well over 200 billion km by bike and the average distance pedaled per person is still rising. During rush hour, there are more people going from a to b (for all purposes) by bicycle than by car. Since 2007 the number of bike trips in Amsterdam is greater than the number of car trips. Amsterdam has a bike modal share of over 50% 60% in the downtown area, 38% in the greater city. The city of Groningen (the actual Cycle Capital of the Netherlands) has a modal split of over 60%. 40% of Dutch train commuters get to the station by bicycle. Train stations have a total of 200.000 bike parking racks. This is far from enough, as current and rising demand (over 10% each year) actually require a minimum of 400.000 racks.

Contrast these few samples with other places and most people will conclude (and actually have) they are unimaginable, ʻout of this worldʼ and, I hear and read this a lot: it would be unattainable, impossible to replicate. Hereʼs the kicker: nothing could be farther from the truth.

There are a few very persistent myths circling the globe about cycling in Amsterdam, and the Netherlands in general:

- the Dutch have, for some undefined reason, always cycled. Also known as: ʻcycling is in their blood/DNA’;
- the Dutch cycle so much because the city/country is flat as a pancake;
- itʼs a small country, everything is close by;
- the Netherlands have a moderate climate;
- car drivers are all well-behaved.

I could go on. Of course itʼs a very well-established human condition: the need to find excuses why some (the minority) do or have something the others (the majority) donʼt. Itʼs persuasive and powerful, persistent to a degree that it doesnʼt just dominate the general public discourse, many bicycle advocates and organizations abroad often donʼt allow themselves to look beyond these myths. This of course stems from being unfamiliar with the essence of Dutch bicycle policies, the many differences in social attitudes towards everyday cycling and the reluctance to divert from familiar paths, while feeling trapped within the status quo of car-centric policies and spending, resulting in bicycle-unfriendly infrastructure (to put it mildly).

By the logic of the aforementioned myths, we actually wouldnʼt be talking about the ʻuniquenessʼ of Dutch ʻbicycle cultureʼ, we would instead have seen hundreds, if not thousands of Amsterdams and Groningens emerge around the world by now. But we havenʼt. Instead, we often hear ʻBut this is not Amsterdamʼ.

When the majority of people feels itʼs unsafe to cycle, they wonʼt. Only the brave will. [The Dutch experienced that from WW2 to well into the 1970's]

As proprietor of the website Amsterdamize and acting as a Bicycle Ambassador on the global stage with the emerging interest for cycling, I try to show the essence of cycling in the Netherlands by recording this urban cycle life as it reveals itself to me on a daily basis [,relate that to existing and new policies & putting it in context of cycling in the rest of the world]. Nothing more, nothing less. I attempted to do the same when I wrote and produced the promotional film for the Dutch Cycling Embassy putting the Dutch success in a much-needed historical context.

Yes, the Dutch have been in that place where many cities and countries find themselves now. At the expense of too many lives lost and a degrading quality of urban life, they came to terms with outdated and one-sided urban/road design, citizens rose up and decided a different way was needed, putting people and livable cities first. Through trial and error, sustained efforts and a long-term vision the Dutch managed to reverse a downward trend and put bicycles back on the map & make them a viable part of our lives again. Fast, convenient, comfortable and safe.

My point: each city has its own particular history regarding design, architecture and social contract, but in essence humans behave the same way the world over. When you facilitate a particular mode of transportation and make it safe and convenient, people will use it. This was the case for automobiles and this is certainly the case for bicycles.

The bottom line: there are more similarities than differences between the Netherlands and the rest of the world when it comes to everyday cycling. Thereʼs more than meets the eye, too, you just have to have an open mind.

Bicycle cultures are man-made. Itʼs a choice. Cycling should be for everyone, not just the brave and few.

Going around Amsterdam it’s not particularly hard to capture people on bikes. They are everywhere. They take it very much for granted (a point I’ve often made, but meant as a positive one, what I call ‘the endpoint of building a bicycle ‘culture’, its nirvana) and I often have to take my time explaining my efforts to my fellow (and often puzzled) Dutchies when the subject comes up.

‘Time’ is the operative word here. If you take your time a little bit in Amsterdam, stop to smell the roses, if you will, you can witness all kinds of everyday, yet very entertaining scenes. The devil is in the details. Case in point: after crossing a junction to make good use of the beautiful fall light, I parked my bike and as soon as I looked up I hit the jackpot.

A woman, nicely dressed for a chilly but warm enough autumn Saturday, her broken left arm in a sling, stopping at the light. It was clear she had been doing her shopping rounds around town, accompanied by her Jack Russell. ‘Jack’ was clearly loved and pretty excited as she rolled to a stop, leaning on the edge of the front crate. She laughed at him and said: “Easy, boy, be patient. Yeah, be patient!” The best guess then is that Jack just likes to move. Quick observers of this scene would just think he wanted to get out or that he’d be very close to leaping out. Not the case. He just wanted her to get going already.

The streetcar..I mean the tram beside her was already accelerating, so she double-checked for green and off they went again.

Time was the operative word. It all transpired in less than 30 seconds. The best 30 seconds of the day.

Update: Xander of Toronto Cycle Style quoted it eloquently on Flickr:

Stop dog stop the light is red
go dog go it’s green ahead.

Dr. Suess

Meet Reuben. A young professional, climbing the ladder of the film industry. I met him after he was referred to me, hiring him to help us out with the ‘Cycling For Everyone‘ production.

For this shoot I had lend him my OV-Fiets card (transit bike share scheme). There was not enough room left in the production van, so he had to travel by train. This weekend he came by to return it.

We talked about how well the film had been received by the embassy’s target audience, which he was pleased to hear, of course.

This was also a good opportunity to take a closer look at his bike. A Batavus. As you can see, not of the transport-type that people usually associate this well-known Dutch brand with. Bottom line, the Dutch bicycle industry has a rich history when it comes to road bikes and Batavus was and still is no stranger to it.

His Champion is a beauty. Nice proportions, quality steel & it sure looks nice in white. It’s from the early 80’s. Reuben was able to buy it via the Dutch equivalent of eBay for practically nothing.

I told him about my plans to get into track racing on the Velodrome in Amsterdam, which includes getting a similar bike for the fun of it, getting me to the track & facilitating other enjoyable moments.

Yes, you read that right. There’s more to Dutch cycling than meets the eye :).

I had first coined it The Bicycle Video Of The Century, but that was just my enthusiasm running wild. It doesn’t matter. What it is: it’s a gift from my best friend & creative genius Gabemac, a gift to me and all of you who follow and support Amsterdamize.

Gabemac traveled to Burning Man and he came back with so much more than this video. Actually, he said: “Dude, this video doesn’t really tell the whole story of Burning Man, it represents maybe 1% of what I experienced there. At some point I just had to put the camera away, it didn’t do it justice.”

I believe him. But this 1% sure as hell gives a fine impression of what the 99% entails. Enjoy!

I’m so going to Burning Man in 2012 and I’m bringing my bike.

Sometimes a cycle life gets in the way of …, well, you know, actual bike blogging. So, long overdue, but here it goes. Before I arrived in New York at the end of April I anticipated riding with my #bikeNYC friends & possibly joining well over 30.000 other individuals from around NYC & the US on the Five Boro Bike Tour. Best of all, combining the two.

As you’ve read here, the first part never fails, including the part where online friends become the offline equivalent. Cycling just unites that way, easy.

So here it is, part two of my #bikeNYC adventures in 2011.

May 1st, the day after the New Amsterdam Bike Show (which will be part three). Sunshine galore. Ignoring my jetlag, I cycled from my hotel in Soho to 6th Avenue/W Houston St & observed the 5Boro crowd cycling from down- to uptown. Quite a sight and good fun, as the film will show.

Half an hour later I met up with Ronald (Dutch expat, Research Associate at The Street Plans Collaborative) , Carina (Danish expat, freelance video reporter), Liz (Pilates instructor & advocate for Livable Streets), Noah (Mr NYC Cycle Chic), Steve (bicycle advocate/lawyer) & Noel (Asoc. Director of Engagement Technologies for the World Economic Forum) right across the street.

This was me for the day (not unlike on any other day at home):

And my hosts for the day:

Liz & Noah

Steve playing around with his 5Boro vest & Carina was ready to roll.

So we did. Setting out for our self-proclaimed ‘Un-5Boro’, circumventing a few things we couldn’t be bothered with and perhaps just join the Five Boro Tour at some point. Yes, naughty us, crashing the party ;).

Grab yourself a beer/glass of wine/a cocktail, sit back, relax and ride with us for the next 52 minutes, if you will. Roll the tape:

I know, right? Quite an awesome day, despite getting stuck on the BQE for 2,5 hours. Oh, the irony :).

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures I took along the way:

Can you say ‘I Am Legend’ & BikePeaceNYC, you look fab? ;)

You can always count on the NYPD…

Me, hard at work going up Queensboro Bridge…

Arriving at the waterfront in Queens.

Stuck on the BQE, but smiling.

You’ll always find a few Dutch around.

In a massive bicycle gridlock it’s easy to get acquainted with the nearby residents.

Stand out much? Nah..

The United Nations On Wheels #bikeNYC rat pack!

Last pit stop before Verrazano.

Noel didn’t want to freeze his toes off on Verrazano Bridge..and I figured you’d not often catch him in this position.

As I mentioned in the film, the NYPD, in this case a very bad-tempered cop, yelled us off our bikes. Steve tried arguing with him, but to no avail (and no surprise), he wouldn’t budge. Through some banter, Noel found out the cop was not on the payroll of the City of New York, which was odd, but it could easily explain his mobster-like behaviour. Anyway, it was quite entertaining.

Steve lent me his bike helmet (historic moment, I tell ya) saying he’d done 5Boro before and wanted me to finish it (thanks again for the sacrifice, Steve!). Noah & Liz also said goodbye, as they were not ‘packing gear’. Finally, Noel happened to have an extra 5Boro vest, so we were on our way, up and over the bridge, to the finish line on the other side on Staten Island.

Noel and I rode right on, towards the ferry.

But not before stopping for some brew.

Where you, predictably, bump into like-minded/familiar people.

Police started wrapping up their long day…

We caught the Staten Island ferry back to Manhattan…

Which allows beers AND drinking on board. Perfect. After all, you don’t have a utility bike with basket and panniers for nothing, aight? PS: Noel had the Heineken, I had the local flavor, in true UN-style :).

Riding along the East River…

Noel heading back to Brooklyn and me to Soho, thinking: “Wow. Just wow.” Yes, epic.

We escaped reality, tasted ‘what could be’. We Were All Legends.

Thank you, #bikeNYC. With love, from #bikeAMS.

You remember Rose from my video posts ‘Rose Loves #bikeAMS TV’ & ‘Fishing To Catch A Bicycle’.

Last Monday was her birthday. She came round to show me what she had treated herself to…

As you know her best:

Naturally, this happy occasion deserved another Bicycle TV video:

Again, happy birthday, Rose! xox

I arrived at the Workcycles shop today to have a tire changed on Lauren’s bike and I entered an all too familiar scene: two of the mechanics decorating one of the rental cargo bikes. The customer’s name is Marnix & he was pressed for time, as his sister Brechtje was going to get married to Jeroen on the other side of town…and he was in charge of arranging the bride & groom’s ride before & after the ceremony. So the guys helped speed up the process of making that procession even more stylish and festive. Have a look.

You have to know that this is quite a common, aka traditional thing in Amsterdam & the Netherlands to do. Hell, I’ve seen 30 pedicabs for wedding guests parked outside a church at one point. My summer’s favorite picture is of the soon-to-be-married couple below, which I took in Vondelpark. Also a Workcycles rental cargo bike, but the bigger flatbed one.

I’m sure Brechtje & Jeroen’s wedding photos will turn out great. Life on two, or in this case, three wheels is bliss. Marnix, I know you’ll be reading this, you’ll have to let me know in the comment section whether you made it on time :).

Meet my good friend Rose. A free spirit, a talented artist & a lover of Amsterdam. Today I helped her out at one of the locations that displays her art. After finishing up we hopped on our bikes and rode back into the center. An off the cuff, yet perfect moment to get her on the record: Rose loves #bikeAMS TV. Enjoy.

Random bits and pieces from the month of August that I caught along my cycle ways that are worth posting. Top photo: after over 6 months of nudging my Swedish-Egyptian expat neighbors, they finally acted upon it and got themselves two 2nd hand, practical bikes. With crate. For their French bull terrier Baby.

The rain, oh the rain. The summer of 2011 went down as the wettest on record since 1906. Harsher winters, spring turns out to be our summer (yet again) and summers turn to fall. Nothing to see, moving on.

‘Never A Bike Bridge Too Far’.

Two friends making things tidy for the ride.

Putting my GoPro camera to good use while testing the Brik Brut bicycle (more on that in October), for the obligatory ride down the bicycle parking garage at Central Station.

‘Strolling In The Red Light District’ & ‘Mr Fr8 Got A Brand New Crate’

‘Canal View’

‘A Bike Is A Terrible Thing To Waste‘

‘A View From The Cycle Path’. “Sorry I’m late…the bridge was open.” A very valid excuse in Amsterdam.

On Nieuwmarkt. Tom of Workcycles polishing my Fr8 (first time since I’d bought it) for a special photo shoot. Roos of ‘Ride With Me NYC‘ fame assisting.

Friends joining us for drinks.

Pannier action: ‘Unloading’ & ‘Loaded Up’.

‘Parting Ways’

‘Stack’

‘Bird’

Fire Department Ordinance: ‘Don’t Park Your Bike Here. Parked Bikes Will Be Removed.’

‘Meeting Point’ & “Who’s Going Side Saddle, You Or Me?”

Stay tuned for August posts with a more themed approach.

On August 18th I had a meeting in Utrecht. As usual, I got there by train and I had brought my bike. Stepping outside Utrecht Central Station and riding towards the center is always a joy, despite the ongoing road works & the obstruction by the building sites.

This video spans about 10 minutes of recording around the tip end of the morning rush hour. When I say ‘rush hour’ & ‘Utrecht’, you immediately think of Mark Wagenbuur’s famous videos. He’s done plenty of them, rain/snow or shine. This is no different. Just my drop in the media bucket of covering Dutch people on bikes. Going from A to B, conveniently.

[Update] Can’t believe I forgot to mention this. ‘Speaking of the devil’, Mark coincidentally happens to be IN this video, turning right on the bike path intersection after the first light, with the yellow/blue plastic bag hanging from his handlebar, 26 sec into the video. :)

PS: Utrecht has a bicycle modal share of 35% of all trips. Recently the city council voted on a new investments to raise that nr to 55% and reducing car use by 50% by 2025. This is no hogwash or PR spin. They really put their money where their mouths are. Why wouldn’t they…funding of bicycle infrastructure & provisions has a real return on investment. It’s an economic decision above anything else, with far-reaching positive effects, building a livable city.

Humid, warm. Buzzy, dusk. People gathering. Men in frogs and high heels. Limelight, glory. Performance and just play. A jury & drinks. Laughs.

Yes, a gay evening. Joyful & carefree. Also car-free. Naturally. Just ask Jeroen…I mean Julie.

It has cleared up a bit in Amsterdam and the rest of the country, two weeks of what seemed like never-ending downpour was clearly enough for most. People moaned, sighed and bitched like there was no tomorrow. But whaddayagonnado? Shit happens. At the same time we completely and conveniently forget about the absolutely gorgeous months of April and May (record droughts). Alright, alright, it’s supposed to be summer in July, not feel like the end of November.

Anyhoo, tomorrow I’ll be getting on a plane (gasp) to Copenhagen, on business. Last time I paid the Danish Blues a visit it was for leisure and I took the (slow) train, as I had to bring my bike along. It was cool. I serenaded ladies in red, competed in a slow bicycle race (and let my opponent, who was coming of age, win, of course) and drank way too many expensive beers. Emphasis on ‘expensive’, not ‘too many beers’.

Referred to by the aforementioned, herring-eating individual I was invited by Wonderful Copenhagen to cover the UCI BMX World Championships in my role as an inquisitive journalist, who expect me to insightfully peel off the layers of one of the sportiest of ’street bicycle cultures’. Naturally, I’ll try not to disappoint them.

Accredited by the UCI, yes m’am, there’s a first for everything. You see, there will be all sorts of street events going on all over town, all evolving around our two-wheeled (if not more) friend, the arts, the urban life, etc. I’ll be all over it, trust me. Lauren is joining me, so she can see for herself how cheap Amsterdam really is for shopping. ;)

My lack of BMX-cred doesn’t mean I won’t attempt to sneakily attach my GoPro camera to the BMX of one of the Dutch contestants, because I will. Or whoever will indulge me. Either that, or they’ll most likely rip off my press card and toss me in the Søerne to go look for bikes there.

As you might know or have been able to assess, I have NO knowledge whatsoever of who’s what in the BMX universe. Doesn’t mean I don’t admire these rascals. It will be intriguing to dive back into this semi-sub-bike-culture which I left behind at the age of 10. Oh, the memories.

I leave you with photos..I mean postcards, as many often tell me I live in one. From a, as you by now have guessed, VERY wet Sunday in July.

I’m charging 3 cameras as I type this, cross your fingers it will be a dry weekend in Copenhagen.

That, or I just might convert and ask this fine craftsman and fellow Dutchie if I can join him on his maiden voyage…when the moment is right. And only if I can bring Lauren, of course.

Croix De Beaucaillou.

Wanna GAGA?

Tourists will ride their rental bikes, no matter what. In style.

‘Double Dutch’ – summer contradictions.

In NYC I hooked up with professional photographer Dmitry Gudkov of BikeNYC Portraits fame. As it often goes, we found out about each other’s existence through the interwebs, given our mutual interest for people on bicycles, bike culture & photography. Subsequently, it was an even bigger pleasure meeting him in real life.

It took some time for me to do this post, but now it’s even more relevant, as Dmitry’s efforts were put in the lime light as a feature on the Flickr blog this week. Greatly deserved & no small thing, when you consider Flickr has millions and millions of photographs to choose from.

From the middle of Soho we rode towards the Hudson shore, where Dmitry was keen on finding a nice spot to take my #bikeNYC Portrait, as he’d insisted on via Twitter ;).

He lead us to Pier 54, in front of the High Line.

Dmitry started his art direction, I positioned myself behind my Workcycles Omafiets (which Julie from Adeline Adeline was so nice to let me borrow for the weekend), fiddled with my bag for #bikeAMS exposure, and this was the result:

Dmitry still owes me the picture of me lifting my Omafiets over my head, in true hipster style…you know, just to bust another myth about Dutch bikes ;).

We continued our ride on the Hudson Greenway and a few minutes later I spotted something familiar up ahead on the bike path: a black Dutch granny bike, a long haired woman riding it, in normal clothes, without a ‘magic mushroom’.

To Dmitry: “Look, I think that’s a Dutch girl.” “Yeah?” I immediately shift into gear: “Let’s catch up, go go go!”

I passed her, turned around and said: “You MUST be Dutch!” “Huh?” She had music on, so took out her earplugs. “Sorry?” “You MUST be Dutch!” Haha, no, I’m Danish!” “Ohhhh, so close!”

There was nothing left for her to do than stop and have a chat with us. We introduced ourselves and the reason for chasing after her. It turned out her name was Carina Jensen, a Danish expat living and working as a video journalist in NYC. Coincidently, she was hired to cover the New Amsterdam Bike Show that would take place the next day.

Dmitry wasted no time and asked if he could take her bicycle portrait. Of course he could. And of course I captured that process.

Dmitry could appreciate the humor of it a few days later:

His #bikeNYC Portrait catch:

Together we rode back into town, chatting up a storm.

Just so you know what all that stalking looks like, here’s another ‘behind the lens’ moment, me photographing alongside Carina & then spotting Dmitry taking a picture of me…and shooting that. ;)

A perfect start of my NYC weekend, a great time with new-found friends. We went our separate ways, into the city jungle, with the knowledge that we would see each other again the following days. My cliffhanger for the upcoming posts…

On occasion I get asked to explain the side saddle hop, because to quite a few people it looks complicated & the Dutch make it look so easy. Or my guests want to try riding along on the back of my bike & but they’ll settle for getting on while stationary. So here it is, an instructional video, the anatomy, if you will, of the genuine Dutch side saddle hop. A three-act. Perfection in motion.

No pressure, of course. Practice makes perfect, that’s all :).

UPDATE: Ricardo Javier sent me the following video of him and his girlfriend cycling around Amsterdam (it starts in the same area as where I shot my video), it includes some very nice side saddle action too. Thanks, Ricardo!

PS: riding side saddle is illegal in many countries, including Germany and Denmark. That’s also the case in Australia (unsurprisingly), but little birds told me that some Ozzies continue to break this law and that they call it ‘dinking’. Winners.

Now, this is a funny concept. Commuter jeans? How come so many Dutch and millions upon millions of people of other nationalities have been getting about on their bikes without them up until now?

I guess as a symptom this is a good thing, bicycles are going mainstream and everybody wants a piece of the cake, not in the least Levi’s

Just to be sure, remember, your closet is already full of perfectly fine ‘bicycle specific clothes’. Put on your favourite jeans (or [insert here]), jump on your bike, and enjoy your day.

With love, from the Bicycle City, Álvaro.

Work is done. It’s a warm & sunny evening. Taking it easy. Grab a bag with picnic goodies and flick it in a basket. Stop along the way to pick up some tasty burgers & find that sweet spot in the sun. That’s what Lauren and I did not too long ago.

* It’s been pouring this last week, so it’s only fitting that I’d edit and post this today, to keep our spirits up :).

My friend Suze paid me a visit this afternoon to catch up on things. As is usually the case, we sat at my window and watched the world go by, which is always interesting in the Red Light District. No exception today. Among other things, we witnessed a parked bicycle getting blown into the canal by the wind.

A few hours earlier one of the renovators next door, who’s been our temporary neighbor for some time now, had been hoisting materials up to the 3rd floor (video) (as it’s often done in Amsterdam, known for its steep stairs), so I figured I could use the hook at the end of that rope to get the bicycle out.

Suze said we should so do it, which was the last nudge I needed (on a rainy day), but in the end it didn’t work out exactly that way…but either way, just watch what happened.

I recently stated that bicycles are the most social means of transportation. Some would say I’m merely preaching to the choir, others might quip “Yeah, sure, maybe in your world, over here it’s war/we’re not even allowed to ride two-abreast/we don’t have time for that sort of thing”.

I understand all that, but putting that aside for a second, I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s really the case. I witness it every day, the socialization factor is X. Yes, Social Factor X marks this mode. This social mobility is vertical, horizontal and diagonal. It enhances city life, personal experiences & generally puts the observer in a very good mood. A win-win.

Using a bike for practical purposes is no different than, aka part of, just going about life, really, so just this fact alone allows every aspect of life to continue, albeit on two wheels (or more).

Amsterdamize was established to not talk the talk so much, but show it, so here we go. First up, a man moving his painting by bike. Again, Dutch people carrying stuff on their bike is as ordinary as…well, name anything.

Then he slows down and gets off his bike. At first I thought he had arrived at his destination. But no, he dismounted because he saw a friend and decided to catch up with him, walking along.

Others bumping into a friend and catching up…

Which brings us to the classic ’sharing the ride with your offspring’…

Equal to walking, it also allows you to catch up with the state of affairs on the fly…

And it helps speed up the shopping together process…despite a few inclines here and there…

You’re also more likely to have some heartwarming interaction with street photographers…

Finishing lunch while making the handicapped more able…

Strengthening the father-daughter relationship…

Checking up on your daughter and friends, swimming in the Amstel River…

Finally, when you’re a kid, there’s no reason not to continue fooling around with your best buddy…

Well, the following ain’t half bad, either :)…

A new day, a new video camera, new opportunities. The early evening light was exquisite, so I just headed out, doodling about. 25 minutes of footage brought back to a little under 13. It was a beautiful maiden voyage for my little HD friend & it passed the test…no, it aced it. For those interested: I shot it at 720p & 60 frames/sec*.

Here you go, ‘Veraneando En Amsterdam’, or: enjoying summer in Amsterdam. Enjoy the ride*.

* I wanted to export it to HD 1080p, but it turned out to big. The same applied to the 720p version, too big for Vimeo. I had to choose between cutting it up yet again or leaving it at a lower resolution. I chose the latter.

** Over the years I’ve noticed (to put it lightly) that when people watch a video like this, they often comment: “But what about when it’s raining or snowing? Surely, people won’t cycle that much then?” Sure they do, because it’s convenient. Here’s an old video of mine shot in December 2008, ‘Sinfonia Cyclissimo‘. Or watch Mark Wagenbuur’s videos, winter & http://amsterdamize.com/?p=2432

Statistics don’t sell cycling, cycling does. People have to see and feel it for themselves to really understand the significance of putting cycling at the forefront of rethinking our urban mobility. The most powerful means second to that are the visual arts: photos and videos. My modus operandi.

I have more than plenty of photos to show, the video part has been falling behind this year. That’s going to change. I ordered a GoPro camera. I recognized the power of this camera when I saw Paul Martin, part of the Australian Cycling Dutch Style group which I joined a few times on their study tour around the Netherlands a little while ago, put that camera to good use. It’s awesome.

Many visitors I host, have either followed Amsterdamize or have read up on cycling in the Netherlands otherwise, also going through tons of pictures and videos. Either they still couldn’t believe it, or were expecting the ultimate cycling Walhalla. Yet, all of them, really all of them realized upon arrival that nothing beats experiencing the reality on the ground. Steven Vance from Chicago, for instance, was only half-joking when he uttered I was cherry-picking the best cycling moments with my camera…until he rode here himself.

Alas, enough of the babbling. I positioned myself on the bridge over the Prinsengracht, leading towards one of the arterial bike routes in downtown Amsterdam, Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.

That street is a one-way street for cars (not a through-way, but mostly used by people who live there or delivery vans), which can rarely (and won’t) overtake people on bicycles (as it’s a Bicycle Street) and a two-way street for people on bikes (and mopeds unfortunately) & a narrow sidewalk on each side. At that time on that Saturday it was not particularly busy, not like during the week when on average 25.000 people travel up and down this stretch on a daily basis. It’s a fast, thus popular connection between the Museum quarter in the south and the downtown area, en route to Central Station.

The video already received a first comment on Vimeo:

That is what the motor vehicle to bike ratio should be in every city…ideally.

I know, that’s why I’m still living here :). Enjoy. If you have any questions, write it in the comment section.

Just a few summer images from the Bicycle Capital. A stack of postcards, if you will.