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I'm Dutch, but think we tend to underestimate the impact of the flatness of our country, and the size of other countries especially the States. I've cycled on m

I'm Dutch, but think we tend to underestimate the impact of the flatness of our country, and the size of other countries especially the States. I've cycled on my normal 7-gear bicycle (and that might be considered fancy) from Newcastle to Carlisle. Which is quite flat. I had to walk so much up hill as it was utterly impossible to climb 40 meters. In the Netherlands quite a lot of people do live in a 50 km radius of their workplace. And 50 km would be a distance you'll travel by train or car. A daily comute of more then one hour in the Netherlands might be considered 'quite a while' but I guess this is different in the USA.

mercer 9y ago
Furthermore, there's always a supermarket/atm/mall/kindergarten/school within walking/biking distance (I think this might even be government-mandated for at least new construction projects).
jdietrich 9y ago
The three-speed hub gears that are typical in the Netherlands are practically unknown over here in the UK. Even the cheapest bicycles will have a 27-speed triple setup with an extremely low bottom gear. Mountain bikes completely took over the market in the 1990s, with a lasting legacy for almost all styles of bicycle. A couple of cities are extremely challenging for cyclists (most notably Bristol) and we do have a few genuinely idiotic roads [1] but the hills aren't a huge obstacle for most cyclists on most routes. As long as you're cognisant of the need to slow down and pace yourself, the gearing does all the work for you. A moderately steep hill is no harder than a flat road when you're in a suitable gear, it's just slower. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEgjKpFqIJ0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEgjKpFqIJ0
- revelation 9y ago
  That's not because the UK are so extremely hilly and adverse mountainous terrain (it's not) but because in car centric countries, shitty bike shaped objects sold in shops like WalMart dominate the market and what sells best to that audience that doesn't really actually use a bicycle? Cool looking mountain bikes with useless shocks and all the bells and whistles.
  - jdietrich 9y ago
    The mountain bike boom gave us the hybrid, which is an extremely useful bicycle - an upright bicycle with a rigid frame, wide-range gearing, efficient low-pressure slick tyres, plenty of clearance for mudguards and pannier rack bosses. It's a much more useful style of bicycle than the boom-era ten speed. The bike-shaped object is still around, but we now have a generation of much more savvy bike buyers.
ocschwar 9y ago
I live in Boston, which is one of the most bikefriendly cities in the US, along with Portland, OR and Davis, CA. All three are pretty darn hilly, and that's not considered a problem. When I visited Amsterdam, I was at times challenged by sudden headwinds, and found them more of a problem than the hills I climb in Boston (which, after all, are never a surprise.)
- lucidguppy 9y ago
  A modest electric hub motor should help on the hills.

mercer 9y ago

Furthermore, there's always a supermarket/atm/mall/kindergarten/school within walking/biking distance (I think this might even be government-mandated for at least new construction projects).

jdietrich 9y ago

The three-speed hub gears that are typical in the Netherlands are practically unknown over here in the UK. Even the cheapest bicycles will have a 27-speed triple setup with an extremely low bottom gear. Mountain bikes completely took over the market in the 1990s, with a lasting legacy for almost all styles of bicycle. A couple of cities are extremely challenging for cyclists (most notably Bristol) and we do have a few genuinely idiotic roads [1] but the hills aren't a huge obstacle for most cyclists on most routes. As long as you're cognisant of the need to slow down and pace yourself, the gearing does all the work for you. A moderately steep hill is no harder than a flat road when you're in a suitable gear, it's just slower. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEgjKpFqIJ0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEgjKpFqIJ0

revelation 9y ago
That's not because the UK are so extremely hilly and adverse mountainous terrain (it's not) but because in car centric countries, shitty bike shaped objects sold in shops like WalMart dominate the market and what sells best to that audience that doesn't really actually use a bicycle? Cool looking mountain bikes with useless shocks and all the bells and whistles.
- jdietrich 9y ago
  The mountain bike boom gave us the hybrid, which is an extremely useful bicycle - an upright bicycle with a rigid frame, wide-range gearing, efficient low-pressure slick tyres, plenty of clearance for mudguards and pannier rack bosses. It's a much more useful style of bicycle than the boom-era ten speed. The bike-shaped object is still around, but we now have a generation of much more savvy bike buyers.

ocschwar 9y ago

I live in Boston, which is one of the most bikefriendly cities in the US, along with Portland, OR and Davis, CA. All three are pretty darn hilly, and that's not considered a problem. When I visited Amsterdam, I was at times challenged by sudden headwinds, and found them more of a problem than the hills I climb in Boston (which, after all, are never a surprise.)

lucidguppy 9y ago
A modest electric hub motor should help on the hills.