Dutch Quirk #74: Become exhausted when cycling over a bridge

The Dutch are famously great bikers. That is, until there is even the slightest incline — then the Nederlanders struggle.

You’d think all that cycling would make the Dutch ascent-ready, but the lack of hills in the landscape means they get exhausted pretty easily. 

What is it?

Everyone bikes in the Netherlands; that’s just the way life has been for decades, if not centuries.

READ MORE | How the Netherlands became a cycling country

But the Dutch are not used to biking uphill, making them totally unprepared for any terrain that’s not smooth, flat, and horizontal.

You can expect the Dutchies to graciously float around the flat Dutch countryside, but they’ll be clumsily panting their way over each of the thousands of bridges in this watery land.

Why do they do it?

How exactly do the masters of cycling get stumped by a minor bump in the road?

Well, obviously, the extreme lack of hills in the Netherlands plays a role.

And by hills, we mean literally any inclination whatsoever. Dutchies find comfort in their pancake-like landscape, using it to their advantage in most aspects of life. 

READ MORE | 19 things the Dutch did to make cycling easy and attractive

But the general flatness of the Netherlands might have caused more harm than good. The Dutch are best friends with first gear and first gear only.

Also, let’s talk about the amount of cheese Dutchies consume. Some might say it’s calcium-fuelled pedal power, but maybe it’s just weighing — um, slowing — Dutch bikers down.

Why is it quirky? 

Biking in most other countries is just a healthy hobby. In the Netherlands, it’s a way of life that you can’t avoid.

People of all shapes and sizes have no choice but to bike, which means they also have to struggle over bridges, simply because the Netherlands is designed that way.

READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #2: Bike with an umbrella

Come rain or shine, Dutchies’ main mode of transport is their bike: it’s part of their casual, easygoing lifestyle.

What struck me the most when I moved here is how easy life feels. Everyone speaks English, everything is designed to be efficient and productive, and everything is either a bike ride or a train ride away.

Should you join in? 

You might find yourself struggling on the Dutch bridges, and don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

But it might be a nice fitness goal to aim for an exhaustion-free bike ride in the long term. 

What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!