I posted my commuter bike pics on the commuting board - hope you don't mind sharing here (the only two boards i read).

I returned recently from Germany and the Czech Republic where I spent a week the city of Munich. I had no idea it was such a biking utopia! I haven't been to Amsterdam but was completely surprised at how many commuter bikes populated Munich and the level of cycling infrastructure to support it.

We visited some friends who live in Munich. They share a car but rarely use it. They get around the city mainly via the trams, subway, and their bikes. The commuter bikes are customized and suited for every person's need. We saw people carrying dogs in baskets, kids in front, guitars, and lots of other personal gear all via bike. If I rode around with a small dog in my bike I'd get stopped and cooed at to no end about how cute it is. There nobody blinks an eye.

And the level of "sharing the road" was jawdropping. I rarely heard horns blasting away, and while crossing a street on my rented bike the (duct taped on) light fell off. I stopped to get it while three BMWs were barreling down on me. All slowed until I got out of the way. Imagine that on a suburban superarterial here.

The SBahn is incredible too. The above ground city rail network goes about 20-40 miles outside the city to small villages, lakes, and almost every small town surrounding Munich. To be able to be in the city center, hop in a train and be in the country or small village station an hour later is wonderful. A perfect model of efficiency. Except they don't have Netflix.

bike pics here: http://www.futuregringo.com/index.php/2007/05/18/biking-in-munich/

pics of the subway Ubahn subway, Sbahn rail, and regional rail: http://www.futuregringo.com/index.php/2007/05/26/munich-rail-photos/

http://www.futuregringo.com/munich/bikelane4.JPG

http://www.futuregringo.com/munich/trainsinstationICE2.JPG

p.s. Did you know on escalators in and out of subways people actually follow the "walk left stand right" rule? German efficiency at it's finest.

I returned recently from Germany and the Czech Republic where I spent a week the city of Munich. I had no idea it was such a biking utopia! I haven't been to Amsterdam but was completely surprised at how many commuter bikes populated Munich and the level of cycling infrastructure to support it.
Doesn't surprise me at all. I lived 10 years in Germany. Munich's cycling environment is not unique for a German city. I bike commuted every day for 5 years while living near Heidelberg.

Thanks a lot for sharing. I'm always envious of these places where bikes are widely in use.

Doesn't surprise me at all. I lived 10 years in Germany. Munich's cycling environment is not unique for a German city. I bike commuted every day for 5 years while living near Heidelberg.

Yeah I though only Amsterdam was the only big bike capital. Germany's climate and topography seems suited perfectly for it.

Oh by the way I realize that "DUH" should probably follow my entire post of "Good car free experience in Europe". But being my first time there it was a neat experience.

p.s. How about a megathread on whether or not this constitutes car-free :)

http://www.futuregringo.com/munich/mopedcar1.JPG

Hey thats neat! I'd ride that in a minute

They have very nice and clean subways. New York City subways are horrid but the cars are clean and new. You can certainly be carfree in that city. I love their trams but you posted no pictures.

Can you take your bike to the villages on the S-bahn? That would be sweet on your day off!

Yes - certain SBahn cars are bike cars (marked by a picture of a bike on them). I only got out of town on the Sbahn once, but you could step off the train and be biking around the lakes and country roads within an hour of leaving the city center.

Oh Steve sorry you're right I didn't get any tram pictures. Once I learned a few tram routes I found them much easier for close trips instead of going deep down into the subway for 1-2 stops.

Yes - certain SBahn cars are bike cars (marked by a picture of a bike on them). I only got out of town on the Sbahn once, but you could step off the train and be biking around the lakes and country roads within an hour of leaving the city center.
Most S-bahns that I was familiar with are within a specific region and don't go to far from the city. The regular trains run by the Deutsche Bahn almost always take bikes at least on the regional trains for a small fee or for free. An explanation of local trains is found in English at http://www.bahn.de/p/view/international/englisch/trains/trains_local.shtml
If you can read Deutsch see: http://www.bahn.de/p/view/mobilitaet/fahrrad/bike/08rad_nahverkehr.shtml

I used to take my bike on trains from where I lived just south of Heidelberg on every weekend in the spring and summer to various Auto Frei Tag on the Schones Wochende passes for about $25 for all day. I went down to Constance (Konstanz) for biking around the lake to Lindau and Friedrichshafen. And ov er to Trier and up the Moselle towards Koblenz; or to Frankfurt for shopping or the zoo or Flea Market, or to Freiburg to visit my daughter going to the University. Bike and Bahn was a great combo in Germany.