I have lived in the Netherlands for 8 months, and I’ve already had 3 bikes. My first bike got stolen. My second bike was a grandma’s bike (actually my girlfriend’s grandma’s bike) and needed the back wheel replaced. Instead of repairing an old bike that was too small for me, I decided to start over and find a cheap and durable bike in Amsterdam. Three bikes later, I have learned all the in’s and out’s of buying a bike in the Netherlands.
There are a few things I wish I knew about buying a cheap bike in The Netherlands. This guide to buying a bike in Amsterdam will teach you about:
- Where to buy a bike in Amsterdam
- What bike locks to use in Amsterdam
- Engraving your bike to prevent it from getting stolen
- Leasing a bike with SwapFiets
Where to Buy a Bike in Amsterdam
Waterlooplein Market
This market is open Monday – Saturday from 9:30-18:00. There are around 10 bike dealers at the market every day. Each dealer has many bikes, so you have hundreds to choose from. They sell secondhand bikes that they fix up and sell to you for cheap. I think these bikes are usually ones that have been recovered by the Gemeente (abandoned bikes) and sold to the dealers for very cheap.
Bikes prices range anywhere from €60-€120 at this market. They have many types and models of bikes, and they have new bikes every day. Make sure you walk around and try at least 5 different bicycles. Some are a lot better than others, even though they may be the same price. The guys will always try to sell you the most expensive bikes or try to sell you add-ons. Make sure to stand your ground and get the best deal. I have found that they have a little bit of wiggle room on their prices, but not much 😉
IMPORTANT: If you tell the dealers that you don’t like something small about a bike (ex: uncomfortable seat, the bell doesn’t work, brakes are loose), they will replace it, or fix it before you buy it. They will let you hand pick a seat from another bike that they are trying to sell.
Bike Marketplace – Amsterdam
Bikes – Amsterdam Second hand Marketplace
What Bike Locks to use in Amsterdam
You may think one big heavy duty lock is enough to keep your bike safe in Amsterdam. Well, you’re wrong. You need two locks, and they need to be different types. Professional thieves can easily come by in a van, cut through one lock, and steal the bike. If you have two different lock types, they will need two different lock cutting kits. This usually takes too much time for them to bother trying to steal your bike.
The two types of locks you will need are a back wheel lock and any type of chain lock. The back wheel lock attaches to your back wheel and requires a key to unlock. It prevents the bike from being rolled while locked. The chain lock will be used to lock your front tire and frame to an unmoveable object. If you lock your bike with these two locks each time, it will be very hard (and not worth the time) for a thief to steal your bike.
Free Bike Engraving
The Amsterdam Gemeente offers free bike engraving to anyone with a bike and a valid ID. They offer this service every Wednesday and one Saturday per month. They take your bike, engrave your initials along with a serial number, and register it in a database. Then they slap a sticker on your bike. Theives will see this and be deterred from stealing your bike since it can now easily be returned to the owner if found. This entire engraving process takes about 5 minutes. This is a MUST DO to protect your bike from being stolen.
Where and when you can get your bike engraved
Buying a bike in the Netherlands is a necessity! If you follow this guide, you will only have to do it once!
Leasing a Bike with SwapFiets
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of maintaining your own bike and worrying about repairs, there is another option. SwapFiets is a bike leasing company where you to pay a monthly subscription fee (€16-€20/mo). They will give you a bike that is in great condition, and if anything is ever wrong with your bike, they will come to you and fix it, or they will give you a new bike. This is becoming very popular in Amsterdam and you can see the SwapFiets bikes everywhere you go. All of their bikes are marked with a hard-to-miss blue coloring around the front tire.
You can find more details and subscription prices here: https://swapfiets.nl/en/