Holland / Netherlands

cheapest eurolines buses probably victoria station london to central station amsterdam
ferry from uk to rotterdam / hague then train to the dam

i want to ride over to amsterdam in easter, camp and live on the cheap for about a month. i like simple living but it also allows me to spend more money on smoking a chong load of bud.

i was palnning to eurostar it to paris and go from there but i spose i could do it cheaper via ferry and ride from calais. that would mean id have to spend some time in dover though, and that place is a proper depressing dive of a town.

If you book way ahead the cheapest option will be Eurostar to Amsterdam.

I got a ticket via plane for 39 quid a month ago.

I live in Amsterdam, would mind showing people around when my bike is back together!
Fixed scene here is getting bigger, but it just aint very close i guess, there are some
nice bikes wich ofcourse include my own rih hahaa.

Wouldnt mind that is lol, sorry for the double post, cant find the edit button

wich ofcourse include my own rih hahaa.

What's it look like? Only Fixed RIH I've seen in town is one with very very small straight bars. Think it was white/cream colour. Is that yours?

Nah mate, i got one of the biggest he build, its 63cm, a red one, if seen about 5-6 rih (track)
here in the city and a few conversions. Mine looked like (will update once i finised it):

What do you ride?

Very nice! Haven't seen you about, would have remembered that bike for sure.

I ride this on the daily commute...

And this for around town pub/brown bar bike...

Both now SingleSpeed as my knees can't be doing with this Fixed gear for anywhere but on the Track.

Shout If you see me about.

Nice bikes aswell! Shame u cant ride fixed anymore, your not the only one
with the knee problem around tho (not my, a friend).
Iil shout!

The region round Assen is one of the best in Holland for cycle routes and bike friendliness. There's a Brit in Assen called David Hembrow that runs/organises bike tours...Dutch style - upright and freewheeling...

Lots of ways of getting to Amsterdam/Netherlands by train and quite cheap if you book in advance...pick out the bits from this guys site.
If you're into the alternative delights of the Amsterdam cafe scene, remember some of them including the most famous ones are scheduled to get closed down by new regulations, so get there soon....

+1 to Assen and David Hembrow. I live in Assen and this area is indeed absolutely perfect for cycling, both 'Dutch style' and racing/mountain biking/fixed/single speed, whatever. And David is a great guy to show you around the area.

I'm moving to Rotterdam pretty soon from Australia, just wondering if anyone has ridden from rotterdam to amsterdam on a fixed gear? how is the ride, are there any steep sections? also does anyone know how long it would take?

ive been looking around and it seems you can get a ferry from Harwich in essex to holland. 9:00 english- 16:40 holland. the distances to essex and from the otherside of the ferry journey seem reasonable.

I'm moving to Rotterdam pretty soon from Australia, just wondering if anyone has ridden from rotterdam to amsterdam on a fixed gear? how is the ride, are there any steep sections? also does anyone know how long it would take?
holland is only 70miles across and is pancake flat.

holland is only 70miles across and is pancake flat.

cheers mate, just the thing i was hoping to hear

I'm moving to Rotterdam pretty soon from Australia, just wondering if anyone has ridden from rotterdam to amsterdam on a fixed gear? how is the ride, are there any steep sections? also does anyone know how long it would take?

I have (not fixed, but loaded). There are no hills. I was shocked.. Melbourne is hillier than London, hillier than The Netherlands and Belgium and a lot of Germany. It's only when you start hitting the Ardennes, the Alps, the Pyrennes.. that it gets bumpy :)

70k, near the coast, most people could do this in their sleep..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=rotterdam&daddr=amsterdam&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=51.52137,-0.321886&sspn=0.152527,0.30899&ie=UTF8&z=10

@jf30,
It's real flat, no need to worry about that. I've rode amsterdam-rotterdam fixed,
well actually Amstelveen-rotterdam since i live there. Its about 60km, took me
about 2 hours. There wasn't any wind at that time and i know my way.

EDIT, btw check www.rotterdamfixedgear.com , nice guys

I live in rotterdam and on friday nights we can be found on 'plein 1940' where we practice tricks and stuff

cheers mate, just the thing i was hoping to hear

It's a small country, but not THAT small, so not '70 miles across'.

East to west (middle): about 110 miles
North to south: about 212 miles

Yes, it's flat, but never underestimate the winds ;)

Amsterdam - Rotterdam would take about 2.5 to 3 hours.

The question I want answered, is:

Which shops sell fixed gear bikes, or which manufacturers are making fixed gear bikes in the Netherlands at the moment?

The question I want answered, is:

Which shops sell fixed gear bikes, or which manufacturers are making fixed gear bikes in the Netherlands at the moment?

1) 290sqm sells fixed conversions to the hipsters
2) Lohmans sell track bikes & very nice expensive bits to upgrade them with
3) Stevens sells their own track bike
4) RIH is the only manufacturer that I know that makes fixed bikes
5) Singlespeed Central sell fixed stuff, mainly for off road

Done in list form, just for you ;)

1) 290sqm sells fixed conversions to the hipsters
2) Lohmans sell track bikes & very nice expensive bits to upgrade them with
3) Stevens sells their own track bike
4) RIH is the only manufacturer that I know that makes fixed bikes
5) Singlespeed Central sell fixed stuff, mainly for off road

Done in list form, just for you ;)

Thats really disappointing, and almost unbelievable. The Netherlands is the greatest of european cycling nations (population-wise), yet Its the UK and Italy that have the much stronger frame-making institutions (though many are a cottage industry).

I was hoping to re-visit Rotterdam, and have a look around for track frame makers. Sadly, its not many.

I really wonder why this is..........

Balk rijwielen in nieuw vennep

they make the track bikes you can rent in the velodrome