Amsterdam is giving away thousands of free bikes: here’s who can get one

In an effort to encourage bike use, the municipality of Amsterdam is giving away 3250 refurbished bicycles to city residents and aid organisations.

What’s more, the refurbished fietsen are coming from the many bicycle depots around the city that are too full for capacity. Nifty, right?

Most of the bikes are being given to refugees and asylum seekers who’ve never had cycling experience, and Amsterdam plans to use the bikes to teach more children how to cycle, reports Mobilieit.nl.

Easy and affordable

Melanie van der Horst, Amsterdam’s traffic alderman, wants residents to move around the city easily. And what better way to do so than by bike?

Culture doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Nor is it eternal. Rather, it’s built around the infrastructure we build in cities. And it can change. Fast.

Case in point: immigrants like us who very quickly adapt to cycling in the Netherlands. First we shape our streets; then they shape us. pic.twitter.com/okpQTBFHhj

— Melissa & Chris Bruntlett (@modacitylife) May 13, 2024

The city previously ran a pilot programme distributing around 300 bikes, which was a big success. Now, the programme is running on a bigger scale.

READ MORE | How the Netherlands became a cycling country

Several foundations are distributing the bicycles, and new partners can still register for the bike giveaway.

A thrifty initiative

This initiative is also curbing another problem.

According to Het Parool, tens of thousands of unclaimed bicycles are filling bicycle depots way past capacity, where incorrectly parked and abandoned bikes are stored.

READ MORE | Everything you need to know about bike insurance in the Netherlands

Amsterdam has made room in the city budget to refurbish these old bicycles and get them to new owners in an effort to reduce the crowding of these depots.

What would you do with a free bicycle from the city? Tell us in the comments below!