Just back from 2 weeks interailing in Germany, the number of bikes in use is staggering. Lots of bikes obviously abandoned, sometimes a bit bashed around or missing wheels/parts etc, others just leant against a tree in parks or a fence. Seems such a shame that repairable bikes are left for an indeterminate period. I'm sure theft and vandalism are a problem everywhere including countries where cycling is more of a lifestyle thing than a hobby. Also there did not seem to be a mind set of just going for a tootle on the bike, it was full on getting somewhere, even the cargo bikes full of kids/shopping were not hanging about.
Germany
- Thread starter Plantymon
- Start date
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roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
We cycled East to West across Germany and felt the infrastructure and culture was wonderful.
Above - centre of Munster.
Even more impressive than the facilities within towns and cities was provision between towns. Every town was connected to all the adjacent ones with excellent, tarmacked, traffic free (or largely) cycleways. Often these were away from roads entirely, just through the countryside.
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Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Wirklich sehr gut!
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Those bikes left leaning against trees are used as community bikes. They are obviously abandoned and so someone picks it up and rides it into town and abandons it. So it goes on.
Everywhere I go on mainland europe you can see that bikes are used extensively for everyday travel. But it has never been the case in the UK.
Social cycling in Denmark, where I live is also very popular. A lot of charity rides take place. The popular one is from Denmark to Paris for the end of the TDF. Hundreds of cyclists take part and they have raised millions of kroner for childrens charities.
Everywhere I go on mainland europe you can see that bikes are used extensively for everyday travel. But it has never been the case in the UK.
Social cycling in Denmark, where I live is also very popular. A lot of charity rides take place. The popular one is from Denmark to Paris for the end of the TDF. Hundreds of cyclists take part and they have raised millions of kroner for childrens charities.
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That sounds like a great adventure, did you do a ride report? I'm new to this lark so still working my way through the forum.
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
Bristolian
Über Member
- Location
- Bristol, UK
Prior to the motor car becoming available to the masses, cycling was the everyday travel method of choice (or maybe necessity). But you are right that once Joe Public could afford a car the venerably bicycle became something for kids and enthusiasts.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
But not on mainland europe. In the Netherlands and Denmark there are more bikes than cars.
