Amsterdam
 

I will be in Amsterdam for the first time on May 2, 3 and 4th. I'd like to ride bikes. Please tell me where the best rentals are and what are the best sites and places to see by bike.
Thanks!
Andi

Lots of companies - McBike at central trains station (believe that is name) is one of the largest and provides cycling route advice.

Please post a trip report when you return!

Keith

I would much prefer to rent form the other location near Leiseplein - you can head toward Vondelpark and the museum district where riding isn't as hairraising as between Centraal and Leidseplein, through the grachten, at least until you get used to the bike and the competing trams and the pedestrian tourists who step into your path...

http://www.macbike.nl/english/locati...idseplein.html

WK

Agree with Wally - that is where we rent bikes every time. Insurance is advised.
You must be fully alert for this activity, due to the constant stream of pedestrians, other bikers, cars and most importantly - TRAMS. They cannot stop on a dime and are very quiet when rolling.

I would caution against riding in Amsterdam itself - lots of aggressive bike traffic on bike paths, pedestrians to dodge, etc. - Vondel makes a nice putz but it's a park you can stroll around. Head out of town, perhaps take a train to Haarlem then rent a bike at the station there (out front) and stop by the tourist office (in front of station) buy a detailed map from them and get guidance and head for the nearby flower fields - can't think of a better cycling venue - on small paved roads and bike paths thru the flower fields. At any train station along the route you can hop on with your bike and return to Haarlem (need a fiets 'bike' ticket for the bike to take it on the train's fiets car)
From Amsterdam itself, central train station, take the free pedestrian/bike ferries across the port and then turn right and head for Holysloot - a cutesy little town - bike along the old Zuider Zee for a while - again get a good map at the VVV tourist office in front of central station or at McBike before setting off. But biking in Amsterdam, except in places like vondel park, can be a nightmare for the inexperience - also bike theft it rampant in amsterdam so you may be cautioned about leaving bikes anywhere in spite of having the best lock - risking losing your deposit from the rental shop.
A great ride is to take a train to Abcoude station (with bike since there are no rentals there) and then bike on bike paths thru farms to Breukelen, going along a major canal.
I led bike trips thru Holland for ten years and the Abcoude-Breukelen ride was a favorite of many. At Breukelen hop the train back to amsterdam.
Another great bike ride, more energetic would be to go to Gouda, about 45 mins by train, rent bike there at station and cycle the about 12 miles to the fantastic Kinderdijk windmill complex - bike paths go right thru this awesome grouping of old Dutch windmills, some of which are open to tour in this openair museum.
there are a 1000 great bike rides in Holland, but not in amsterdam itself in my opinion (except Vondel Park which is a good suggestion for a short putz).

Just noticed May 1-4 - well this is prime flower field time and you could bike from Haarlem to the Keukenhof mainly thru the pulchritudinous fields of flowers undulating for miles in the ever blowing breeze (Holland doesn't have many hills but biking into a wind is about as bad!) You could end up at the Leiden train station, though that may be a bit more of a poke than you want - in this case bike back two miles from Keukenhof to Hillegom station and train back to haarlem.

If you're just looking for bike rental for a half-day or day then I can recommend Mike's Bikes (www.mikesbikeamsterdam.com). They are based near Leidseplein.

We hired bikes from them for a few hours and cycled out of the city past a couple of windmills and to (I think but the spelling may be wrong) Ounderkerk-an-der-Amstel. On our return to the city we spent a bit of time cycling around there although the best cycling was out of the city.

Oudekerk on Amstel - yeh you go past the windmill on the Amstel and then south along canal (Amstel) to Oudekerk - if you want you can continue to Abcoude, another neat village - nice bike route - even leaving Amsterdam from Leidesplein isn't hard, just follow the Amstel red and white bike signs on the special bike paths that go thru a modern area of town to the windmill on the amstel and then south into the country.