7 Peculiar Things About Bikes in Holland

One of the first words you’ll probably learn when you live in the Netherlands is fiets. On top of that, chances are high that if you read this article, you own your own fiets already. That is why it could be interesting to discover some new things about bikes in Holland. Een fiets is an important vehicle for understanding more about Dutch culture (pun intended).

1. The word fiets is a mystery

The English word bike is easy to explain. Bike is just a shorter version of bicycle, literally two cycles, or two wheels. Bicicleta in Spanish has the same idea, and the German word Fahrrad literally means gowheel. Vélo in French probably has to do with vélocité, velocity, because if you bike, you’ll go much faster….

When you look at fiets, there is nothing to discover. The funny thing is that it is close to iets (nothing) and niets (nothing). Luckily, the word by itself is easy to remember, and probably it is one of the first words that you’ll learn.

2. Fiets appears in many expressions all the time

Dutch people use fiets all the time in their expressions when they talk. They may say for example: waarom fiets je door het gesprek? Why do you bike through the conversation? The idea is, of course, that the other person has a disturbing effect by saying the wrong things or simply by interrupting.

Read Also: A Guide to Buying a Bicycle in the Netherlands

Op die fiets, on that bike is also something you may hear… It means: oh… that way…. You mean this; that is how you want to do it.

And one of my favourites is: wat heb ik nu aan mijn fiets hangen? What do I have hanging on my bike? What is hanging on my bike? It is a very decent Dutch way of saying, “What the f* is going on?”

3. It might be better to learn on a new bike.

One peculiar expression is that you must learn things on an old bike… It may seem logical that if you have to learn how to bike, you like to try to use an old bike first. But… pay attention…. This is not just about being on a bike… It is all about sex!

Op een ouwe fiets, moet je het leren, on an old bike is how you must learn it, is a typical sentence that certainly older people may like. The idea is that if you like to explore your sexuality as a young person, it is better to start with someone who has more experience. That way, it will be more educational and probably far more satisfying.

An interesting thing is that all of a sudden, many older teachers could be freely available to a new generation. If you are older than 18, then sure, you may like this idea of an old bike, but… remember you can choose freely. If you like, you can also go for a recent bike

4. A special relation with Germany

A bike has always been very important in the lives of many Dutch people. It is an important aspect of living and organizing your life. In the forties of the last century, the Netherlands was occupied by Germany, and they started to confiscate bikes because metal was needed for warfare.

It seems that Dutch people still feel traumatized by it. Ik wil mijn fiets terug!, I want my bike back! It is something that Dutch people like to yell at Germans. However, if you are German, then please don’t worry too much! Nowadays, it is just a weird expression of Dutch humour.

You’ll notice that if Dutch people shout ik wil mijn fiets terug! They laugh a lot and say they do not expect you to give them a bike. It is, therefore, important that you do not give Dutch people a bike because you do not want to condition them the wrong way. If one day Dutch people discover that it could stand for gratis fiets, then you’ll hear it 24 hours per day.

5. De fiets is een statussymbool

Believe it or not, de fiets is also een statussymbool. Why? You may wonder… Why would een fiets be more impressive than a big car of a huge castle?

The reason is simple… if you have een fiets, you can show how ‘normal’ you are. It means that you are not arrogant but modest and genuine. That is why even the Dutch King and Queen will appear with a bike once in a while in different photos.

Having a bike could also suggest that you save the planet. Instead of polluting the world, you contribute to sustainability, and it is also healthy because you need to put in some physical effort. Here is a weird thing… if you have a bike, then no one will be impressed of course, but… it seems that the higher your social status is, the more you can use it as een statussymbool!

6. Never forget these two things – or three things

If you buy a bike, make sure you always invest in two more things… The first thing that you need is een slot, a lock! It can happen many times – certainly if you live in a bigger city – that you pay more for your locks than your actual bike. Here is one weird thing that once happened to me: my lock was stolen! Never leave the keys in your lock; make sure that you lock your lock!

Also, make sure that you use light in the dark. Nowadays, you can buy many portable lights in Dutch supermarkets and other stores because you can be almost certain that your light will work. If you use a traditional light, then many times a technical problem can happen, certainly with the wires and when the police catch you without a light, then it can cost you some decent money, €60 and… if you also use your mobile phone at the same time, it will be €200 in total ☹

7. And the biggest thief of bikes is…

One of the sad things that all of a sudden can become part of your life is that someone steals your bike. The good news is that many potential thieves probably have a new focus now: empty bottles. Bringing a huge bag to a Dutch supermarket seems easier than stealing a bike. However, there is still one big fietsendief (bike thief) active, and chances are high that it is something you trust… local government.

Local government, like de Gemeente (municipality), removes many bikes each day. Although removing is technically different from stealing, the consequence is that you cannot find your bike anymore.

The local government may take your bike away if they think it is obstructing or could inconvenience other people. They do warn you, however, telling you that you can only place your bike in ‘official’ locations. Sometimes, they hang a label with the message uw fiets wordt verwijderd, your bike will be removed.

If you see the message that your bike will be removed, please take it seriously… Many bikes have disappeared this way.

When you are ready to go one step further, check out the Dutch Brainwash. This masterclass is a tried-and-true program that has the power to revolutionize your Dutch. Aside from tripling your vocabularyAlbert Both

Talencoach / Dutch Flow Now