They are environmentally friendly, easy to park and they also provide a good condition: bicycles. You see them regularly in the Netherlands, and there are always bikes parked at the entrance of Hellema. Many colleagues leave home early in the morning and cycle to work. Sometimes even before the sun rises. They feel the wind on their faces, put their feet on the pedals and go full speed ahead.
The advantages
Why do so many colleagues cycle? Some of the advantages at a glance:
- Cycling provides a major health benefit. You feel fitter.
- Cycling is sustainable. You don’t use any fuel. (other than a breakfast bar to get you going)
- Cost-saving. A bicycle is often cheaper than a car.
- The network of bicycle paths in the Netherlands is excellent. Cars and cyclists often drive on separate roads, and in cities, you can often reach your destination faster by bike than by car.
A number of Dutch cycling facts at a glance:
The largest covered bicycle parking space is located near the city of Utrecht and has room for 12,500 bicycles.
In the Netherlands there have been more bicycles than people for years. In 2020, for example, the Netherlands had 17.4 million people and around 23 million bicycles. 23 million! This means that each Netherlands (on average) owned 1.4 bikes.
Want to know more about our culture? Check out our history.
