In order to test this out hikes were hired and ridden to a suitable location (away from the hire company) in order to try it out. With a coaster brake and dubious front v-brake it was an interesting experience just riding along, with the added excitement of Dutch people whizzing past and tram-lines to trap your wheels. All of these were successfully negotiated and a pleasant ride had around the Vondelpark. Incidentally it turns out my usual way of setting off on a bike is somehow not compatible with a coaster brake, so my progress was somewhat amateur considering my riding experience.
In the end it was possible to conclude that you can indeed bunnyhop a Dutch Bike, although you might not want to do it too often, or rely on it to get up a curb, they’re very much wheels-on-the-ground bikes.
During our cycling tour of the city we were able to do one of those things that people who ride road bikes seem to get very excited about; we were able to ride part of the Giro d’Italia route for this year. Admittedly it didn’t have the prestige of, say, one of the mountain passes but it’s still something lycra wearers get thrilled about.
As befits such a bike-orientated city, Amsterdam will host the first three stages of the 2010 Giro starting tomorrow. There’s a predictable level of excitement and bike-focussed organisation going on around it and it should prove to be an event not to miss. Although thanks to the lack of an extensive enough ash cloud to keep us there last weekend, we have, in fact, missed it.
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