If you are visiting the Netherlands and find yourself in Amsterdam, then you MUST and I repeat you MUST ride bikes. It’s truly the best way to get around the city plus it’s so much fun! Now let me give a little disclaimer here, riding a bike is a workout this is not a causal stroll through the park! If you burn all your calories bike riding, the other ones don’t count right?! 

If you decide to bike ride these five tips will help keep you safe and have a fun experience! 

One of the most important things is to educate yourself ahead of time. Just like when you drive in another country and you learn the rules of the road, same idea applies to biking. If you see an upside-down triangle that means you need to yield to traffic. The zebra stripes mean you yield to pedestrians. 

If you are unsure follow what the other bikers are doing if they seem like a local. It’s really easy to spot a local from the tourist. They are the ones in a hurry and that aren’t gazing all over the place. 

My first bike had that weird black knob with tons of gears that I was supposed to apparently do something with. Alas I had no clue, so I rode it as is. In Amsterdam the terrain is flat meaning you don’t need the gears. I would say 99% of them don’t even have them. They will not have hand breaks, most of them are pedal breaks. 

This was a big one, I have never seen people use hand signals so much! It really does help with how many bikers there are, and the roads can get narrow in certain places. Other places however have roads dedicated to just the bikers which is so unique. 

It can rain pretty frequently in Amsterdam and if you are out riding your bike layers are helpful! If you can have a raincoat or something water resistant to throw on top. 

Or really anything that impairs your reflexes. The last thing you want is to be biking and fall into traffic and get flattened like a bug. Not a fun way to end your vacation!

Most importantly have fun but be cautious and courteous of others. Keep these five tips for riding bikes in Amsterdam in mind to have a successful first ride! Don’t underestimate the workout you are signing up for and if it’s too much just pull over and enjoy the views of the city…safely of course! 

Drop a comment below if you would go bike riding while visiting Amsterdam!