Renting a bike

[Von Goat Weed]

I see price when up almost everywhere
Frederic's is now 60 euros a week
Dam rentabike is 63 a week
Star bikes seems to be the only one that either didn't update the prices or web page
Question do starbikes rent bags for the bikes?

[treetop]

I see price when up almost everywhere
Frederic's is now 60 euros a week
Dam rentabike is 63 a week
Star bikes seems to be the only one that either didn't update the prices or web page
Question do starbikes rent bags for the bikes?

They do basket bikes but they cost a bit more. In any case IMHO it is better to pay more for a 3 speed with real brakes and a basket. That is considering the activities undertaken during your visit.

[Padge247]

You can buy a bike for 60 euros ! Ok it will probably not have working breaks and there is a strong possibility (depending where bought) it is stolen (not trying to encourage buying stolen bikes), but just for comparison, that seems crazy (Ok, the bike you rent will be in much better condition, and probably be a much, much better bike) !

[Colino]

Starbikes is the cheapest I found in amsterdam, the staff is great and really helpful. Bikes are nice too. http://www.starbikesrental.com/rates.html

[elasticband]

The guy at star bikes is a really cool guy,knows bikes very well. very friendly family run business. rented a tandem from here for my Birthday last year and it was great fun and fairly priced.

You can buy a junkie bike from 15-25euro, these can be in great condition as they are just stolen that day normally. The feeling is not nice says SWIM.

You can buy a second hand bike from waterloo froom 50-100 euro, test them first as most have little things wrong with them and always try and barter the price down.

100-150e can normally get you a pretty well reconditioned second hand bike with a receipt from a reputable second hand dealer.

new bikes are not my thing.

[Padge247]

Shop near Utopia that sells reconditioned bikes for 60-100e I think, depending on how much work he had to do to them.

Warehouse near Dappermarkt that has bikes from 50e-150e (all second hand I think)

Then ofc Waterlooplein, though quite a few of these look stolen, or maybe I am reading too much into the hasty black paint jobs alot of the bikes seem to have.......

[elasticband]

they pretty much are stolen in one way or another.

What the shops and waterloo guys do is they goto the large big auctions and buy several "lots" of bikes, anything from 20 - 100 per lot. They will pick out the good ones, strip things for parts, fix what they can and sell it. Anyway all the bikes auctioned have been lifted from the streets for one reason or another, all of them belonged to someone generally. The black thing is to disguise from the original owner, be that stolen by a junkie or lifted by the fiets police.


The government has monetary incentive to lift and auction bikes.

The problem is, where the bikes are collected and held is almost inaccessible by tram or bus, so without a car or bike(then you have 2 bikes to cycle miles home) it is almost impossible to get there to try and find your bike.

The next problem is finding your bike once there, the place is massive, there is organisation so i have been told but it is not very helpful.

this results in people not collecting their bikes and just getting a new one.

[Von Goat Weed]

I was thinking of buying one ,but the thing is we need a bike the second we get in dam
I've pack my bike bags so we going for starbikes !!!

[Smith2]

Having experienced the dubious pleasures of Dutch bike construction – I think Calvinism comes into it – I'm thinking of taking my own on the Dutch Flyer next time. Does anyone know (paging spidergawd!) whether the price one pays at this end with the cycle supplement covers the Dutch railways, or does one have to buy a special (€6, I think) supplement from a machine?

[Uncle Ron]

Having experienced the dubious pleasures of Dutch bike construction – I think Calvinism comes into it – I'm thinking of taking my own on the Dutch Flyer next time. Does anyone know (paging spidergawd!) whether the price one pays at this end with the cycle supplement covers the Dutch railways, or does one have to buy a special (€6, I think) supplement from a machine?

Calvinism? Classic... nice.
Although I can't speak to trains from the UK, KLM will treat a bicycle the same as a checked piece of luggage, meaning no extra charge, if withing the limit.
One can either pay KLM between 25-50 Euros (I forget the exact amount) for a box at the airport (if they have in stock), or do as I did...
...I went to a local bicycle shop and asked if I could have some used packaging. I told them what I was intending to do, and they squared me away, for free.
I did buy the dude a six pack of beer for his efforts, which he shared with me... nice. Total cost of bringing a bike with me to Amsterdam via air... free.
Happy Biking...
...

[Von Goat Weed]

From where I am klm charges me 100$ one way for my bike and that's without the box ( extra) 30$ and coming back it's about 80-90euros !!

[Lamont]

Another vote for StarBikes here, those guys are awesome...