I was editor and co-writer of a bike book published by the esteemed SNOR and designed by Studio Boot. Specially formulated as a crash course in surviving Dutch bike traffic, it features ‘Top 10 Rules!’, DOs & DON’Ts!’, ‘How to swear back at locals!’ and all the cultural weirdness around these most democratic of iron beasts. Become a neder-cyclist today!
Now available in the world’s best book and museum shops…
Welcome to the Netherlands, where the bikes outnumber the people and even the windmills need a bell. Whether you dream of gliding effortlessly through tulip fields or simply surviving your first rush-hour roundabout, this guide is your passport to pedal-powered freedom. Packed with tips, tricks, and general smartassery, Dutch Biking – Survival Guide For Beginners will help you dodge dodgy cyclists, master the art of dealing with “shark teeth”, and discover why the humble bicycle is the real king – and queen – of the road.
And yes, retaliate against any rude local cyclists by learning the phrase: “filthy porridge-slurping, tuberculous-suffering pancake of a cancer dog!”
Learn some amazing facts!
- Bikes were formulated initially as “iron horses that need no feeding”.
- Thanks to a bicycle’s mechanical nudity – the artist Saul Steinberg called it an “X-ray of itself” – bikes are very easy to maintain.
- “Bicycle bread” refers to raisin buns that are so skimpy on the raisins that you need a bike to ride between them.
- Half a million bikes are stolen every year in the Netherlands.
- Bicycles had starring roles with the emancipation of women, the mind games of hippie absurdists, and the photo opportunities of craven politicians.
- Making an “asshole-proof” bicycle is more complex than you might think.
Perfect gift idea!
Okay, it’s not the definitive book on biking in Amsterdam – that’s still City of Bikes: The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist by Pete Jordan. But this is still an entertaining and educational book. And the perfect gift idea!
Did I mention you can learn the phrase “filthy porridge-slurping, tuberculous-suffering pancake of a cancer dog!” in the local lingo?
Buy a copy today!
