Your bicycle
As Holland is as flat as a pancake you won't need a lot of gears. Fore the same reason you don't need a state of the art lightweight bicycle. 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. The regulations differ from airline to airline, so ask before booking. 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 you need to pay extra. 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 often necessary.
If that's the case you can buy them at the airport.
When you leave Schiphol by bicycle this map is very useful.
By train
It's more complicated to take your bicycle in a train from abroad. 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 option. A good
place to rent a bike is a railway station. Look for addresses in this Pdf
In Amsterdam you can rent a bicycle at:
- MacBike
- Rent a Bike (choose language at the site)
- Bike City
- Bike 4 you (discount for students)
- or try somtething special and rent a cargobike!
- also special: rent a tandem, partly recumbent and partly upright bike (Hase Pino); it's a great way to ride with children
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. Just be able to repair a flat tyre yourself.