Riding in Amsterdam or anywhere else in the netherlands

[carbon_PL]

Hello Everybody,

Excuse me for writing in english, but my dutch is non existent.

I am Carbon and I am a Bike-a-holic.

My company is sending me to Amsterdam for 3 to 4 months staring mid April.
Because "summertime - bike = ", I want to bring my bike along for the trip. I have a few questions first:

- Is there any off road riding around amsterdam?
- Where is the good single track? (I am willing to drive there)
( i found www.mtbroutes.nl, but the descriptions in dutch don't tell me anyting, please point me in the right directions (which areas are good and why?))
- Are there any marathons events this summer (60-80km)?
- Any local bikes clubs that meet regularly?
- Which bike to bring? Titus RacerX or Giant XTC?
- Any other local info that a dumb foreigner should know?

Also, if anybody is interested in biking or marathon racing in Poland, i would be glad to help.

[Gène]

Hi.

I think there are on a few or even no off-road tracks around amsterdam. But perhaps you could buy some thick slicks to do some urban XC for some week training? I would suggest you bring your hardtail if you want the stay around Amsterdam. If you plan to go out for some weekend trips, you should bring your fully.

There are some options for the weekend. You could go to the Veluwe, there are some off road tracks, but don't go off track. There's also the possibility to go south, Brabant or Limburg. Or Brabant in Belgium. There are a lot of tracks around that area, and not to difficult.

If you want to participate in a marathon I can recommend you to go to the Belgium Ardennes. It's three till four hour drive from Amsterdam, and the terrain is rough with a lot of technical trails. If search on the web for ebbt.be you'll find some marathons in May and June. You can also try marathonbiking.nl for other events.

Enjoy your stay!

[carbon_PL]

Thanks Gène

Mid-week urban XC will definately take place

I am more then willing to do weekend trips, so I will look into the areas you've mentioned, especially the ardennes.
The L'Ardennes Trophy (ebbt.be) is perfect, and looks like a new must try challenge.

Also, I assume there are plenty bike shops in Amsterdam, but what are the good ones?

[eiri]

No Amsterdam is not really a MTB heaven. North of Amsterdam, in 'T Twiske, there are two prepared tacks, but together they are only about 6 km in length. A little further, you can go to the dunes, Castricum and Schoorl, where you have some nice, but over-organized tracks. And about 30 km in "Het Gooi" you have some forest where you can bike.

I live in Amsterdam, and in summer I train a little during the week in the evening in 't Twiske, but most weekends I travel to Germany (Eifel/Hunsrück) for the real biking.

For marathons, you have to go to Belgium or Germany.

There are a view MTB shops in Amsterdam, but they are not very good and arrogant.

Presto
Kaptein
Lohman
Tromm

Best of them, I think, is about 20 km above Amsterdam: Piet de Wit

There is a new Giant shop in Amsterdam, but I don't have experience with this shop.

Perhaps we can meet when you are in Amsterdam, so we could drive some tracks together. Drop me a message if you are interested.

[carbon_PL]

It seems that all mountainbiker flee the nertherlands for weekend riding

Also, i've read that bikes in NL must me equited with lights, is this true? And mostly importantly is this enforced?

[eiri]

There are parts in The Netherlands where you can bike in the woods, but not very close to Amsterdam. In the south you have got a few hills, but I have never been there. This is about 2 hours traveling from Amsterdam. Half an hour extra and you are in Belgium.

You are not allowed to ride in the dark without a light. You can get a fine for this. You don't have to be equiped with this. You have to be equiped with a bicycle bell, but I have never been fined for this.

[luv 2 ride]

Near the German border there is a big forest called Montferland and everybody called it Mountainbike Heaven,the place where you can find it is called Beek( gelderland),it has routes specialy for mountainbikes and have all you need for biking the whole day ,you only need a pass that you can buy there for 5 euro that gives you a year prommission to bike there,its verry nice place and maybe with the Veluwe the biggest forrest in Holland.Have fun this summer and hope you enjoy your stay here ....

[wictor]

Dzien dobry.

I would also suggest the areas around Nunspeet (which isn't too much of a drive from Amsterdan), the forest near Nijmegen/Groesbeek, and the forest east of Utrecht (Utrechtste Heuvelrug). That last one has a strict 'MTBing on marked trails only' policy, but there are quite a number of routes and they can be connected. Should be max. 1 hour drive from Amsterdam.

I'd hook up with locals (probably through the forum here) as a lot of the really fun spots aren't too easy to find.

Have a good stay!

[carbon_PL]

I'd hook up with locals (probably through the forum here) as a lot of the really fun spots aren't too easy to find.

Have a good stay!

Will do, just gotta get here first

Thanks

[nut-case]

It seems that all mountainbiker flee the nertherlands for weekend riding

Also, i've read that bikes in NL must me equited with lights, is this true? And mostly importantly is this enforced?

if you ride in the day you don't have to have lights.

in the dark however no lights are illegal but evry one of at least almost evryne rides with no lights on the bike the chance of getting a fine is verry little to (once evry 2 or 3 years fir me)

[BOSS]

Do you own a GPS???

dusssssssss©

[carbon_PL]

Do you own a GPS???

dusssssssss©

yes

[BOSS]

Lucky you!

Take a look at this website for tracks in the area about 35 km's above Amsterdam.
They all start from Bergen/Schoorl.

Schoorl, the number 1 track in Holland

Noordhollands duinen between Bergen/Schoorl & Wijk aan Zee. It's allowed to bike off road from sunrise until 10:30AM. Various tracks from 43 to 107km. Some of them incluud the Schoorl course.

Allthough your Dutch is not good you must be able to download the tracks, click the links & view the maps.

Questions??? Let me know.

dussssssss©

[cyberhawk]

It seems that all mountainbiker flee the nertherlands for weekend riding

Also, i've read that bikes in NL must me equited with lights, is this true? And mostly importantly is this enforced?

if you ride in the day you don't have to have lights.

in the dark however no lights are illegal but evry one of at least almost evryne rides with no lights on the bike the chance of getting a fine is verry little to (once evry 2 or 3 years fir me)

dude you belgian.. well almost.. if you ride in the center of holland big city's you will def. get fined..
lights are a must if you want no troubles with the police.. they can be a pain in the ass.. .! ye be warned