By Bike in Amsterdam

By Bike

Bicycling is the most convenient way to see Amsterdam. There are bike lanes on all major streets, bike racks in key locations, and special bike parking indentations in the pavement. To rent a bicycle, you'll pay from EUR 8.50 per day, plus a deposit of about EUR 50 per bike, and need a passport or other identification. The more days you rent, the cheaper the price, and rates by the week are even more competitive. Bikes can be rented at outlets near railway stations or by contacting rental centers. MacBike -- the most popular rental firm in town -- has various rental points around the city center; Bike City is near the Anne Frank House; Damstraat Rent-a-Bike is near the Dam square.

Never leave your bike unlocked: there is a rapid turnover of stolen bikes no matter what quality or condition. Use a "D" lock, which can't be cut with the average thieves' tools, and lock your bike's frame to something that can't be shifted, such as a railing. Never buy a bicycle from someone on the street; it has probably just been stolen.

Nearly every Amsterdam resident has a bike; don't be surprised to see entire families cycling, from toddlers to octogenarians, with special seats for infants and bike baskets for dogs. As a cyclist, you'll notice that most fellow cyclers don't really observe the traffic signs and rules, nor do they stay in the bicycle lanes marked out for them, unless the road has particularly heavy traffic. However, as a result of accidents caused by aggressive cyclists, fines and other penalties are being rigorously imposed (you can also be fined for riding at night with no lights, and for drunken cycling). Cars that are turning across your path are supposed to stop for you, but it is wise to watch out. Another danger is getting your wheel stuck in tram rails; a nasty fall could result, especially since protective headgear is not legally required. Maps and route guides for Amsterdam and side trips are available at larger bookstores such as Scheltema on the Koningsplein and from the ANWB (Royal Dutch Touring Club) or the VVV (Netherlands Board of Tourism information offices), although bicycle tracks between towns are so well signposted that you do not have to rely on a map.

In this flat country, with its 19,000 km (10,000 mi) of fietspaden (bicycle paths) in and between cities, a bicycle is an ideal means of getting around. A fietspad might easily be mistaken for a pedestrian path. If you see a circular sign, with a bicycle ringed in blue, then only bikes can use the fietspad. If, however, there is also a bromfiets (moped) on the sign, then mopeds can use these paths. The youngsters riding them tend to drive exceptionally fast, so beware of the potential hazards of meandering across a seemingly quiet fietspad.

Bike Rentals

Bike City (Bloemgracht 70. 020/626-3721). Damstraat Rent-a-Bike (Damstraat 22. 020/625-5029). MacBike (Mr. Visserplein 2. 020/620-0985. Marnixstraat 220. 020/626-6964. Stationsplein 12. 020/624-8391).