Cycling in the Netherlands : Your bicycle

Except in the far south, in Limburg, you don’t need a lot of gears, as Holland is as flat as a pancake. Fore the same reason you don’t need a state of the art lightweight. In fact any bicycle will do. A few gears may help you in case of a strong headwind. You can bring your own bicycle or rent or buy one.

Bring your own bicycle

By plane

It’s no problem to take your bicycle in a plane as checked luggage. We have been taking our bikes all over the world. Do ask when you book your ticket, because the regulations differ from airline to airline. Normally you can take a bicycle as part of your luggage allowance of 20 kilograms.
Just remove the pedals and turn the handlebars sideways.

Sometimes an airline wants you to pay extra. Then just try to find another one. Sometimes you are obliged to pack your bike in a box or bag. Remember that when you leave from Schiphol Airport a bicycle box is always necessary. You can buy them at the airport.

By train

It’s more complicated to take your bicycle in a train. Some people dismantle their bikes, put it in special boxes and take it as hand luggage. On trains that take cars it’s often possible to take your bicycle as well.

Rent a bicycle

There are hundreds of addresses to rent a bike in Holland. When you want to cycle just for a couple of days it’s the most convenient solution. A good place to rent a bike is the railway station. Ask at the railway station. or look for addresses on the site of the dutch railways. An extensive overview of addresses for renting a bike can be found on the Dutch tourist information website.

Buy a bicycle

When you have plans for a more extensive tour you may consider to buy your own bike. Why don’t you try the typical dutch “grandma-bicycle” and take it home as a souvenir. (Only consider this when you live in a flat country, as they don’t have any gears)
You can also buy a secondhand bicycle and sell it when you leave.

Spare parts

You don’t need to carry a lot of spare parts. You’ll find a bicycle repair shop in every village. There are more than 3200 bicycle shops. It will do when you are able to repair a flat tyre.