A Love Letter to My Bike

by Lily Sanders, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

One of the things I have loved the most about living in Amsterdam is cycling everywhere. I know that may sound slightly ridiculous, but cycling in Amsterdam is so much more than simply riding a bike. The default assumption is that everyone will cycle, whatever the occasion, going to uni, meeting at a café, heading to a restaurant or even a club! I find it so lovely that cycling is a communal activity here, and I feel this especially at AUC because we all live together in the dorms.

At the start of my exchange when we were constantly exploring the city and the weather was still glorious, I would meet everyone downstairs outside the dorms and we would cycle in a big group into the centre. I still remember the first time we did it, the cycle was so much harder than I expected. None of us really knew the way, and we took a few wrong turns, with beeping cars and bike bells drowning out our conversations as we tried to stick together and cycle on the right side of the road. When we finally arrived, I was panting and sweating. Now I can cycle into the centre in 20 minutes, I know the way by heart, and I’m not out of breath by the time I arrive! At the time the chaos of it all was pretty overwhelming, but looking back, it was the start of countless bike rides into the city with my friends that became such a big part of my year.

I wasn’t initially going to get a bike; it was only once I actually got here that I realised how much I needed one. Cycling has made me much fitter than I expected and another added benefit has been how much money I’ve saved on public transport. I’m not restricted to buses or walking, and because Amsterdam is actually quite compact, nowhere is more than about a 30-minute cycle away.

I know people cycle in the UK, but it’s nothing like what they do here. Biking is interwoven into every day life in Amsterdam, at least in my experience, it keeps you connected – to the city, to your friends and to yourself.

I’ll definitely miss cycling around Amsterdam, but don’t be surprised if you see me going up the bike lanes on Wilmslow Road next year!