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CYCLING FOR ALL ABILITIES Whilst most Danes are seemingly ‘born on a bike’, embracing the cycling culture can often be a challenge for new residents and visitors to Denmark. This month Keri Bloomfield explores some solutions.
PHOTOGRAPHS KERI BLOOMFIELD / ISTOCK PHOTO
TEXT KERI BLOOMFIELD
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I FIND IT a real treat every time someone visits our little family in Denmark. And this year we’ve been fortunate to have three sets of friends and family visit. Although with each visit comes a self-imposed pressure to ensure our visitors have the ‘best’ time experiencing the ‘real’ Denmark. Digging that little bit deeper to ensure they can live like a Dane, if only for a short time (Viking hats optional). Normally at the top of my ‘how to live like a Dane’ list is cycling. However, this was more challenging to achieve this year with our guests, as several of them were unable to cycle. So, I had to get creative and find some alternative ways for them to safely experience the cycling culture in Denmark. If you’re also a little unsure of cycling (or unable to cycle) then here are some options you may wish to consider for either yourself, or your next set of visitors.
AGE IS NO OBSTACLE You may already know about ‘Cycling Without Age’ - a movement started in 2012 in Copenhagen and now in 38 countries around the world. They have a team of volunteer ‘pilots’ who take the elderly and less-abled out on cycling trips in specially designed bikes (trishaws). Their dream is to give the elderly “the right to wind in their hair, the right to experience the city and nature close up from the bicycle”. In doing this, they have found a unique and very special solution to the problem of limited mobility faced by many as they age. But what you may not know, is that you too can experience one of these rides. The tours are booked through Airbnb with 100% of the cost going to Cycling Without Age (a non-profit organisation). You could even get lucky and share the ride with an authentic elderly Copenhagener. More details at cyclingwithoutage.org.
TOURS & TAXIS This was the option I choose for our visitors - a cykeltaxa (cycle taxi). Operating just like a normal taxi company, they can arrange tours or simply just take you from A to B. Benjamin was our guide, and he took our guests in his Rickshaw while we were allowed to follow along behind
on our own bikes. Extremely professional and flexible, it worked well for us. My only regret was that we didn’t have more time to explore a bit wider outside of the central city so that our guests could get an idea of my everyday commuting experience. If you’re in Copenhagen, you can book your taxi here: cykeltaxa.dk. Just make sure you give them at least 30 minutes notice. For other parts of Denmark, try googling ‘cykel taxa’. If your guests are a bit more agile and adventurous, then a great option is to join Andreas on his Cargobike tour of Copenhagen. Andreas explores not only the city, but also the secret (or rather science) of happiness. Most of his bikes have electric assist making it an easy pedal for one of you, while the other gets to ride in the cargo box. The tour is a generous three hours which gives you just the right amount of time to see the real Copenhagen. Bookable via Airbnb, it’s a lot of fun.
SELF-TOURS If you’re feeling a bit more athletic and
IF YOU'RE FEELING A BIT MORE ATHLETIC AND AMBITIOUS, THEN YOU COULD HIRE YOUR OWN CARGO BIKE. OCTOBER 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM
ambitious, then you could hire your own Cargo Bike. Although be warned, without a motor, it can be a strenuous ride. So, you may wish to choose your cargo (passenger) wisely. Copenhagen Bicycles in Nyhavn has just added a new addition to their rental fleet, affectionately known as ‘A Couch on wheels’ designed by Arne Jacobsen. It’s also one of the designs that many of the ‘Cycling without Age’ groups use. So, if you’ve got the legs and stamina, then it’s perfect for your elderly, or mobility reduced guests. Alternatively, you can also head to Baisikeli who have