Is Copenhagen a cycling paradise?
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,595
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 608 Post(s)
Liked 352 Times
in
225 Posts
I have been to Copenhagen twice and it is certainly a cycling paradise but not for the reasons you stated. Two things stand out for me, the infrastructure and the culture around cycling.
#5
Often on Fritz
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 536
Bikes: Franken-Fritz, Horse-Feathers, Junker
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
"Obeast" and "LazyAss" start duking it out.
Obeast is lady bait, and LazyAss likes hills!
Dis Gun Be Gud!
Obeast is lady bait, and LazyAss likes hills!
Dis Gun Be Gud!
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Groningen
Posts: 1,308
Bikes: Gazelle rod brakes, Batavus compact, Peugeot hybrid
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5998 Post(s)
Liked 956 Times
in
730 Posts
I guess with a 'cycling culture' like that you get two different groups: People who ride a bike and sport cyclists. The sport cyclists can use the infrastructure but it's not build for them, they can't use as they please and it's not their paradise.
#7
100% Certified Beast
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arctic (Near Russia)
Posts: 321
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 273 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
13 Posts
they have two way bike paths even for the roundabout and every tiny little street has these cement ramps so you can ride on pavement to get to where you need to be since there are also separate sidewalk for pedestrians and runners. I don´t think any US city is going to be this cycling friendly for years to come. Another thing I admire is the amount of near crap quality bikes being put to work by college students to senior citizens.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9,201
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1186 Post(s)
Liked 289 Times
in
177 Posts
I think of a Cycling paradise as a place I would go on vacation to cycle like Girona. I’ve never heard of anyone traveling to Copenhagen just to cycle. I’m sure if you’re there the infrastructure is great for commuting and having drivers being respectful of cyclists is wonderful but it’s gas from what I would consider a paradise.
#9
Banned.
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: France
Posts: 1,030
Bikes: Brompton, Time, Bianchi, Jan Janssen, Peugeot
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
Denmark also happens to be probably the most civilised country on the planet, and Copenhagen a wonderful place to visit, with or without bicycle.
#11
Banned
But I found along with any bike culture comes bike theft..
I stopped someone trying to strip my bike I had locked up to use a public toilet*. to go pee..
span of 5 ~ 10 minutes..
*across the street from the Tivoli Park in Copenhagen https://www.tivoli.dk/en/
I stopped someone trying to strip my bike I had locked up to use a public toilet*. to go pee..
span of 5 ~ 10 minutes..
*across the street from the Tivoli Park in Copenhagen https://www.tivoli.dk/en/
#12
Banned.
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: France
Posts: 1,030
Bikes: Brompton, Time, Bianchi, Jan Janssen, Peugeot
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
See what I mean, fietsbob? In the Netherlands your bike wouldn't have been there after 30 seconds, whereas the Danish thieves are endearingly amateur.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Traveling through time, will return last week.
Posts: 730
Bikes: Bare Rum Sword Knuckle Runner
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 278 Post(s)
Liked 122 Times
in
64 Posts
Yes Denmark for the most part is really flat. It can get windy at times but usually not that bad. I currently live in a hilly area and while conquering climbs is a great challenge I don't mind flat ground riding one bit. The high average speed and ease of commuting more than makes up for it.
There are lot of bike lanes in Copenhagen and traffic rules strongly favor cyclists and pedestrians. Bikes are everywhere, it's wild to see how many bikes are locked up near train stations and city squares. Most of the bikes don't look to be of much value and several are locked up with very little security. I've known of people who take bikes that weren't properly locked up, use them to ride around on and then just dump them. I didn't see anyone sawing away at locks to steal bikes but I'm sure it happens.
There are lot of bike lanes in Copenhagen and traffic rules strongly favor cyclists and pedestrians. Bikes are everywhere, it's wild to see how many bikes are locked up near train stations and city squares. Most of the bikes don't look to be of much value and several are locked up with very little security. I've known of people who take bikes that weren't properly locked up, use them to ride around on and then just dump them. I didn't see anyone sawing away at locks to steal bikes but I'm sure it happens.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Groningen
Posts: 1,308
Bikes: Gazelle rod brakes, Batavus compact, Peugeot hybrid
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5998 Post(s)
Liked 956 Times
in
730 Posts
If they had won the world cup and there were a half a million Danes getting Drunk on central square two female police officers would be enough to keep the order. Danes leave their babies in strollers outside stores and cafes, unattended.The surprising thing is that there's any bike theft at all.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,489
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1182 Post(s)
Liked 833 Times
in
435 Posts
If they had won the world cup and there were a half a million Danes getting Drunk on central square two female police officers would be enough to keep the order. Danes leave their babies in strollers outside stores and cafes, unattended.The surprising thing is that there's any bike t heft at all.
Copenhagen is a nice place to ride, but IMO there are no big cities that are a "cycling paradise". However, the rest of Denmark is pretty darn nice.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Groningen
Posts: 1,308
Bikes: Gazelle rod brakes, Batavus compact, Peugeot hybrid
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5998 Post(s)
Liked 956 Times
in
730 Posts
Copenhagen is a nice place to ride, but IMO there are no big cities that are a "cycling paradise". However, the rest of Denmark is pretty darn nice.
#19
Banned
but you realize why Vestas Denmark has a large industry in wind powered generator manufacturing
https://www.vestas.com/#!
https://www.vestas.com/#!
#20
Banned
It's going to be Hot inland, its then the onshore breeze thru the river valley gets strong..
#21
Senior Member
Whilst we have some lovely places in the country to cycle so many places are better equipped for cycling in city's than the UK it seems ... have done Amsterdam and Copenhagen and was in Spain this week and they're have many more dedicated cycling lanes ... Spain actually was one of the best.
Cycling in Amsterdam is great but the rules of the road really aren't clear ..... my daughter following me on a green for cyclist crossing light nearly got seriously taken out by a moped at speed coming down the cycle / moped lane on the road we were crossing ... it's actually quite confusing until you realise how it really works and easy to think you have complete right of way when you only have partial right of way.
Cycling in Amsterdam is great but the rules of the road really aren't clear ..... my daughter following me on a green for cyclist crossing light nearly got seriously taken out by a moped at speed coming down the cycle / moped lane on the road we were crossing ... it's actually quite confusing until you realise how it really works and easy to think you have complete right of way when you only have partial right of way.
#22
Senior Member
I'd say amsterdam is the paradise. you can also buy and smoke weed there legally, and that makes it about 100x better than copenhagen imo.
also berlin is a good place to ride bikes imo. when walking around/riding in amsterdam you have to assume everyone is stoned. because everyone is stoned. and most people are tourists.
also berlin is a good place to ride bikes imo. when walking around/riding in amsterdam you have to assume everyone is stoned. because everyone is stoned. and most people are tourists.
#23
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
The bike ride across the oceans is a buzzkill.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
#25
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
I can't drink.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.