# Moving to the Netherlands - need advice from a local



## sodade (Jan 28, 2004)

I am leaving the mountain/road biking paradise of New Mexico and moving to the Netherlands. I know that I can't expect much from a flat country, but the ability to live in a place where it is feasible to get around to most places on a bike is a huge plus. 

I welcome any advice, perspectives, etc from a local. The main questions I have are:

1. Where would you recommend I live to have maximal access to trails, nature, and road biking fun? The wife is pretty set on Den Haag - any idea of riding near there? 

2. Assuming that it will be hard to live in riding distance of mtb trails, are there any places that I could get to by train? 

3. I've heard that there is a thcik network of bike paths there, but have been unable to find maps - any links? Also wondering if they are suitable for cranking out lonk road bike rides?

4. I've read that bike theft is a huge problem in amsterdam - I surely won't be living there, but are the other cities just as bad? I am assuming that I'll need to get a beater bike for city cruising, but am wondering about my spendy Ti road bike - will I be able to lock it up for a short period while I am in a coffeeshop without worrying that all the parts will get stripped in 10 mins?

I'm sure I have a million more questions, but these are the most pressing from a cycling perspective. Much thanks in advance for any help you can provide.


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

I think we have a bunch here from The Netherlands, along with my neighbor having just moved from The Netherlands. Let's see if you can get any hits.

If you're really into biking and elevations, there's always Winterberg/Willingen in Germany. It will leave you wanting nothing. Awesome place for elevations and exploration, and of course, FR.


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## cxfahrer (Jun 20, 2008)

My sister lives in Den Haag and I cant say that I saw there anything that was worth to take on with a mountainbike. 
If you zoom in Googleearth on Den Haag / Zoetermeer/Rotterdam You will understand. This is housing and tomato area for miles and miles. 
BTW Den Haag is not that beautyful it´s more like a rendered science-fiction movie to me (all houses look the same)... Delft is quite more the Dutch town You would expect. 
The Dutch dont make maps of their cycling paths because bicyles are the main transportation device in town and literally every road has a cycling path.
Road biking is quite popular there.
Bike theft is like in any town where there are drug addicts and gangs. It depends on what part of the town you are, like everywhere.
There sure are places where the Dutch MTbikers go. 
There is a boat going to Scotland from Amsterdam...


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## clemson (Jan 30, 2004)

http://www.singletracks.nl/

here´s an imba affilated clb in the netherlands...

don´t be aware..the netherlands are cycling country

coffeeshop :crazy: better take the city bike instead of the race b:thumbsup: ike


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## notaknob (Apr 6, 2004)

*what a difference...*



sodade said:


> I am leaving the mountain/road biking paradise of New Mexico and moving to the Netherlands. I know that I can't expect much from a flat country, but the ability to live in a place where it is feasible to get around to most places on a bike is a huge plus.
> snip questions


1. Near the Ardenes, aka the Belgium/Germany/Netherlands boarder. 
2. Everywhere. I've gone from Mannheim to NL and it was easy. Bringing a bike on local trains may not be a big problem outside the morning/evening hours but long distances would be trying as they are for peoples, not bikes. 
3. I've probably got something somewhere but I never went to NL to ride on roads. PM me and I'll go through my map crap and see if I can find something.
4. Yep. In any big cities in Europe you've got the potential for problems.

I was wondering where you went.


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## sodade (Jan 28, 2004)

notaknob said:


> I was wondering where you went.


Hey Bruce. I'm still around, just been head down a bit with crazy work stuff and trying to figure out this crazy ass move. Good to hear that you have some NL experience - I'll trade ya beers for any maps/info you got.

Know any responsible adult types (AKA, non-bandeleros  ) who want to rent a house in the middle of mountain bike paradise?


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## notaknob (Apr 6, 2004)

*Nobody'd you like...*



sodade said:


> Hey Bruce. I'm still around, just been head down a bit with crazy work stuff and trying to figure out this crazy ass move. Good to hear that you have some NL experience - I'll trade ya beers for any maps/info you got.
> 
> Know any responsible adult types (AKA, non-bandeleros  ) who want to rent a house in the middle of mountain bike paradise?


I think we might be organizing a field trip to your new location. Be sure to have a guest room available.


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## sodade (Jan 28, 2004)

notaknob said:


> I think we might be organizing a field trip to your new location. Be sure to have a guest room available.


:lol: Funny that you mention that, just about everyone I've told about this move wants to come there for "field trips." Something tells me that it is not because of the awesome trails there. Gee, I wonder what it is?


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## notaknob (Apr 6, 2004)

*you know it!*



 sodade said:


> :lol: Funny that you mention that, just about everyone I've told about this move wants to come there for "field trips." Something tells me that it is not because of the awesome trails there. Gee, I wonder what it is?


It's obvious. Beer, cheese and bikes.

Man I miss the markets.


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## eric (Jan 22, 2004)

Hola,

Regarding trails and such: most of the riding in the west of the country is on small marked routes which are just a bit too far apart from each other. From Den Haag there are about 4 routes in a 20 mile radius, all but one of them in semi-urban parks. The center of the country (from Utrecht on eastwards, about an hour's drive from Den Haag) has a lot more trails and general access to wooded areas. Same for the south.


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## chopperguth (Sep 26, 2003)

Check out the folks at Single Speed NL. They have forum and the cool part about the NL.. is most folks speak more than 1 language
They are a good goup guys that usually make quite a few trips to Germany for rides & MTB marathons.
http://www.singlespeed.nl/index.html

Good Luck!


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## partyboj (Dec 9, 2008)

I don't know if you already moved...
You can always check out http://www.mtbroutes.nl/index.php/kaart-nederland.
This websites shows you all the marked routes in the Netherlands.
You can also check out some forums:
www.mountainbike.nl or www.dirty-pages.nl (really it's about mountainbikes)

Enjoy!


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