3 ms·

I don't know if you've been to Holland, but it's flat. It's flat everywhere. Their steepest hill is a joke, it was less steep than the hill I lived on as a kid

I don't know if you've been to Holland, but it's flat. It's flat everywhere. Their steepest hill is a joke, it was less steep than the hill I lived on as a kid in the UK, which in UK terms was a pretty standard hill. That's why everyone cycles. And that's why Amsterdam squeezed it in because they knew they were going to be used. I cannot stress how much of a difference it makes everywhere being flat.

monknomo 11y ago
LA is pretty flipping flat. IDK if it is Holland flat, but except for the edges of the bowl it's contained in, it's a pancake.
_delirium 11y ago
When I lived in LA, I didn't find topography to be a major issue, though it does depend on where in LA you live. There are mountains around, but huge swathes of flat, heavily populated area. For example the whole 30-mile ride from Hollywood south to Long Beach has minimal elevation change. The main obstacle to biking in that area is that it's not safe due to the street design. The image that sticks in my mind when I think of LA is a flat, wide, road that goes completely straight for many miles. Something like https://goo.gl/maps/DRjBP https://goo.gl/maps/DRjBP or https://goo.gl/maps/30hg3 https://goo.gl/maps/30hg3.
nathancahill 11y ago
In LA, it's not the flatness, it's the distance that makes having a car necessary. Everywhere is _miles_ away from everywhere else. I haven't been to Amsterdam so I can't comment on that, but the first two sections of this excellent article[0] touch on that. [0] https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/city-by-city/los-angeles-plays-itself/ https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/city-by-city/los-angeles...
- mattmanser 11y ago
  To be honest, miles on a bike is not much difference from miles in a car. Average speed is like 10 mph, without any of the traffic jams.
  - tommoor 11y ago
    2 miles maybe, not 10 or 20 though... plus the searing heat ;)
mdavidn 11y ago
Most of LA is incredibly flat. One of the most striking vistas of the city is at Griffith Observatory. From that vantage point, Normandie Ave stretches in a straight line from the base of Griffith Park all the way to the horizon. http://media0.trover.com/T/4f3d11615dc4e65d9000005c/fixedw_large_4x.jpg http://media0.trover.com/T/4f3d11615dc4e65d9000005c/fixedw_l...

monknomo 11y ago

LA is pretty flipping flat. IDK if it is Holland flat, but except for the edges of the bowl it's contained in, it's a pancake.

_delirium 11y ago

When I lived in LA, I didn't find topography to be a major issue, though it does depend on where in LA you live. There are mountains around, but huge swathes of flat, heavily populated area. For example the whole 30-mile ride from Hollywood south to Long Beach has minimal elevation change. The main obstacle to biking in that area is that it's not safe due to the street design. The image that sticks in my mind when I think of LA is a flat, wide, road that goes completely straight for many miles. Something like https://goo.gl/maps/DRjBP https://goo.gl/maps/DRjBP or https://goo.gl/maps/30hg3 https://goo.gl/maps/30hg3.

nathancahill 11y ago

In LA, it's not the flatness, it's the distance that makes having a car necessary. Everywhere is _miles_ away from everywhere else. I haven't been to Amsterdam so I can't comment on that, but the first two sections of this excellent article[0] touch on that. [0] https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/city-by-city/los-angeles-plays-itself/ https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/city-by-city/los-angeles...

mattmanser 11y ago
To be honest, miles on a bike is not much difference from miles in a car. Average speed is like 10 mph, without any of the traffic jams.
- tommoor 11y ago
  2 miles maybe, not 10 or 20 though... plus the searing heat ;)

mdavidn 11y ago

Most of LA is incredibly flat. One of the most striking vistas of the city is at Griffith Observatory. From that vantage point, Normandie Ave stretches in a straight line from the base of Griffith Park all the way to the horizon. http://media0.trover.com/T/4f3d11615dc4e65d9000005c/fixedw_large_4x.jpg http://media0.trover.com/T/4f3d11615dc4e65d9000005c/fixedw_l...