Comments on: Electra Amsterdam Bikes

By: The best exercise (or diet, or whatever). « ΚΑFΕΝΕΙΟ

The best exercise (or diet, or whatever). « ΚΑFΕΝΕΙΟ — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:38:13 +0000

[...] discovered the truth of this oldie with my new Electra Amsterdam bicycle, of which I have written before. I ride this bike everywhere….to the store, the post office, [...]

By: Electra Amsterdam - First ride « ΚΑFΕΝΕΙΟ

Electra Amsterdam - First ride « ΚΑFΕΝΕΙΟ — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:47:45 +0000

[...] to a balmy 4 degrees Celsius (39 F). I couldn’t take it anymore – the sight of our two new Electra Amsterdam bikes sitting in the laundry room (the outside basement “coffin” door is still deeply covered [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:00:15 +0000

My daughter misses it already. She did her M.Phil in Classical Archaeology at Leiden U. Leiden is a beautiful town. The transportation systems in Holland are incredible. The train goes into the airport and gets you anywhere you want to go very quickly. Of course, we have to keep things in perspective: The Netherlands is app. 1/30 the size of just the Province of Quebec!! It costs a lot more to have a great transportation system in a place that big and with only half the population!

By: J.H. de Raat

J.H. de Raat — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:24:59 +0000

There are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands. Bicycle paths criss-cross the entire country. Yes, cyclists tend to be focused on just going ahead, but here the Eleventh Commandment is, “Mind your own business and leave everyone else the Hell alone.” But another side of of this is that anyone who needs help and asks for it gets it. We figure that we’re all in this together. It’s a good place to live.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:08:08 +0000

Now if only they had the same attitude to pedestrians!!

By: Your Cousin George

Your Cousin George — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:35:49 +0000

Actually, I’ve noticed quite a rise in the number of bikers in T-Niki (from zero to about 15 over the past decade) but, ya, the country is simply not designed for them. However, motorized drivers aren’t particularly rude to bikes. I think, perhaps, because they figure that someone with the balls to drive one in Greek rush hour is not a person to be trifled with.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:20:05 +0000

George:

You’re right. I remember dodging the bike riders…and often, them dodging me…as I wandered into the bike path, my North American sensibilities not yet attuned to the bike presence on what seemed to me, sidewalks.

Nevertheless, what they do with bikes is mightily impressive…they are undeterred by the climate, and while we have snow 4 months of the year, they have incredible wind most of the time (hence the windmills) and frequent rain. I’m committed to using the new bikes for most daily local tasks..at least from May to November!!

Can you imagine biking in Greece? The cacophony of cursing from irate Greek drivers would be deafening. Not to mention all the dead cyclists lying by the roadside!

By: Your Cousin George

Your Cousin George — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:36:05 +0000

I’m a huge fan of Holland for many reasons (In fact, I’m going to see Stella in Rotterdam tomorrow) and I agree that the hushed quality of bike traffic really enhances the Dutch urban experience, especially compared to the aggressive cacophony of a Greek city. However, I must say that there’s something rather off-putting about the casual arrogance of Dutch bikers. They look straight ahead, never slow down, and couldn’t care less whether you’ll get out of the way or not. I’m guessing it’s because they feel they’re performing a virtuous double-whammy — exercising while saving the planet — and are therefore entitled to deference by mere pedestrians.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:40:10 +0000

Three-speed bikes in Holland??? My daughter says that would be only for the “rich”…most bikes are fixed gear and weigh about 50 lbs. You’re right about the noise, now that I think back it was pretty quiet. Food sucks though (except for the Indonesian)!

By: That good old stride piano « Later On

That good old stride piano « Later On — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:53:14 +0000

[...] Netherlands, of course, is the great biking nation—and Steve of Kafeneio has a good post about how he found a Dutch bicycle that’s made in the California. And why not? If there are [...]