<I always thought one should have experience with or be familiar with something before recommending it. If not then one should always preface their suggestions stating that they have no experience with it and do so at the beginning of their post otherwise it’s assumed you have knowledge that you don’t>

I posted far above just after I mentioned MacBike this: < I know nothing about MacBike's city tours but they've been doing them a long time -not out of business due to accidents - just listing as option. >

So I did what you recommended and again I give only as a option.

And they get great reviews on Trip Advisor!

.https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._Province.html

And there are several other tours I have never heard of except for Mike's Bicycle Tours, which like MacBike has been around a long time which for means something.

https://www.mikesbiketoursamsterdam.com/

https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-an...rsions/cycling

Note a picture of a group setting out on their bike tour of Amsterdam-mainly older women and not even using helmets!

They don't care. You sign a waiver like "terms and conditions" absolving them from all responsibility should something happen to you. I know that when I bike through Amsterdam I see lots of near misses and close passes happen with those groups and also with individuals who have hired bikes. Often these ride in groups of friends as well. And then, lots of tourists think the bike paths are for pedestrians. They just don't realize what it is if in a city people do over 50% of their trips within the city by bike. For instance, Israeli tourists, especially if they're from Tel Aviv, will ride on the pavement, even if there are bike paths. They just can't fathom that bikes have priority. In Amsterdam I ride an OV-fiets (Out of towner) and I'm not cut any slack either.

Honestly, PalenQ, you have no idea. You should go back, if only to experience first hand what Amsterdam is like now.

It's not about "danger". Other people in traffic keep those tourists safe. It's about making a nuisance of yourself, getting shouted at, repeatedly, and having a bad experience. People are in dangerous situations without even realizing they were seconds away from being hit by a car. Dutch streets are very forgiving. That's how they're designed. So you'll be safe. But it isn't my idea of fun on a bike. My idea is getting out of the city, to places you wouldn't be able to see without a bike.

For instance Cafe 't Sluisje and Nieuwendammerdijk


And so easy to do from the ferry. Wide, bi-directional bike paths, and traffic-calmed streets. And the gorgeous view from Durgerdam as a bonus. Amsterdam is very special that way.

I agree that Amsterdam is best discovered on foot and there are guided walks too but that bike trips are viable - Menachem- have you taken any of these bike tours? did the excellent rating on Trip Advisor stem from stuffing the ballot box?

Trip advisor ratings aren't worth that much.

Look, tourists on forums such as these, tripadvisor, what have you, "learn" that biking in Amsterdam is a thing. It is, but in an unimaginable way if you're not from the Netherlands. Tourists on those bike tours are oblivious to what is going on around them, traffic wise. By far the best biking is to be had just outside Amsterdam, as I pointed out.

I just happened to read today that there are 881,000 bikes in Amsterdam now, and the number is growing. You can use that as a point of reference (knowing how big Amsterdam is) and work out how much "fun"you think it would be to take a bike tour (or even cross the street).

Enjoy your ride, rkyacr!

In 2016 we had a lovely bike ride that started in the big scary city...where we found no mean Amsterdamians that were looking to kill tourists that got in their way. And guess what...it was a wonderful experience. We chose https://www.mikesbiketoursamsterdam.com/ and had a lady with spiky blond hair lead our tour. I think it's perfectly fine to want a tour guide along to tell you the history of what you're seeing. As for the peaceful canal ride...of course there was one...and it was the best part of the ride. We started in the city, rode into the countryside along a canal, saw a few windmills and then stopped at the guy's farm who makes wooden shoes and sells cheese - and hits on all the cute girls on the tour. I'm sure this is the typical route that most of the bike tours take. But it was a lot of fun and the highlight of the trip for my young children...ages 12 and 14

Rkyracr - I would recommend checking out Mike's and don't get scared about the fear mongering earlier in this thread. Obviously you're riding a bike in a city and have to use your head (which isn't helmeted by the way, which panicked my wife) but the tour guide found rather traffic free areas for much of the ride.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...447762912e.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eaee3786cd.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7e524867f7.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d71bb66a06.jpg

Riding without a helmet is absolutely rhe stupidest thing I can imagine. Any cycling company that does not provide helmets and insist on wearing them is extremely irresponsible.

Agree, historytraveler. Stupid dumb.

Yeah...I was surprised as well since we've always made a big deal out of helmets for our boys. Maybe it's better since 2016, but at that time we barely saw a single helmet in the entire city.

Wonder if menachem uses a helmet or not and if so why not - few Dutch seem to wear one by the pictures I've seen - in fact in this link I can find no one wearing a helmet - even a guy with a bike for three small kids in it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=amst...w=1280&bih=625

<Riding without a helmet is absolutely the stupidest thing I can imagine. Any cycling company that does not provide helmets and insist on wearing them is extremely irresponsible.

Agree, historytraveler. Stupid dumb.>

Your comments may also be dumb!

There have been serious studies that show NO net protective thing about helmets vs no helmets - helmets are largely ineffective for several reasons mentioned in this article: (and many other studies) - and several other studies.

https://bicyclesafe.com/helmets.html

There is no such thing as a quiet bike path along the canals.?

Last picture above shows just such a bike path.

That photo is not IN Amsterdam -- which is what menachem and others have been trying to get through to you. Riding 'for fun' IN Amsterdam is not recommended.

How does this photo compare?

https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/tra...es-people.html

Dutch people do not normally wear cycle helmets, unless they are wielrenners - sports cyclists.
Drivers are aware of cyclists, cyclists are aware of vehicles. A bike is an everyday means of transport, not something which requires anything more than a bike and some leg power.
If I were a cyclist (I'm not) I wouldn't wear a helmet here. Riding in the UK would be a different matter.

It has been shown that if cyclists all wear helmets drivers are less careful of them and they are less careful themselves, because both see them as having "protection".

I wonder if such tours even have helmets available as an option?

How does this photo compare?>

Well that is a bunch of bunk - tours do not go on busy bike paths and your idea that such a tour is tantamount to suicide is based on what? Have you ever ridden a bike in Amsterdam - no and you are just repeating what others here have said - a crime in your eyes at least you always say that to me. You know nothing about biking in Amsterdam but are just parroting others and posting photos that are totally irrelevant to the topic - yes a novice Amsterdam biker should not set out into city biking and end up on main bike lanes, etc. And read Wekiva's experience with such tours - completely debunks your fear-,mongering based on what others say and not your own experience. And maybe Rabbies has an Amsterdam bike tour?

Obviously that photo isn't downtown Amsterdam...but it's a part of MANY of the tours that start in Amsterdam. You're missing the forest for the trees...literally. The OP wants an Amsterdam tour that includes a scenic ride along a canal. There are plenty of tours that fit that EXACTLY.

Riding 'for fun' IN Amsterdam is not recommended.>

Have you ever ridden in Amsterdam - no I think and what is your recommendation based on - just parroting what others have said - that is concerning because we are talking of guided tours whose pictures look they travel in less hectic routes than the main bike paths in your photo - how the heck do you know these tours are so so dangerous as you hyperventilate about them - again based only on what others said and they have been proven wrong - according to Wekiva's experience - the most valuable input of the whole thread. Yet folks like janis continue to spout off things like: "Riding 'for fun' IN Amsterdam is not recommended." TripAdvisor has tons of good reviews on them. Please comment on things you know something about and quit fear-mongering something you know zilch about except perhaps seeing the bikes roar by on the major bike path which for a novice would be no fun and I agree!