Two weeks of treats and free bike-checks for cyclists going in and out of Groningen

Hot chocolate and bike safety- what’s not to love?

Translated by Thomas Ansell

Cyclists in the coming two weeks will be able to take advantage of free bike checks, competitions, and free warm drinks across various locations in the city of Groningen. Since November and December are traditionally the busiest months on the roads in the North, using a bike becomes an even easier way of beating queues and road-rage. In order to thank cyclists, and encourage more cyclists to keep cycling through the winter season, Groningen Bereikbaar is putting on a range of activities.

The events and activities will be held on Mondays and Thursdays, across a two-week period. The ANWB (Dutch society of travellers) will be completing the free bike-checks: they are one of the best-regarded organisations for this in the country.

Visitors to the Groningen Bereikbaar’s festive stations will be able to spin a prize-wheel, too. Prizes will be bike-themed, including tyre repair kits (a handy thing to have in any cyclists bag). Aside from this, hot drinks will be served, including the ultimate winter-warmer: ‘warme chocolademelk’.

Locations

All cyclists along the most popular routes in and out of the city are likely to come across the Groningen Bereikbaar stations.

Monday 25 November: between Haren and Groningen, at the point where the Helperzoom crosses with the Saaksumborg
Thursday 28 November: between Hoogkerk and Groningen, at the point where the Zuiderweg crosses the Peizerweg
Monday 2 December: along the bike path between Zuidhoorn/Aduard and Groningen, right by the P + R Reitdiep
Thursday 5 December along the cycle path in the direction of Bedum, at the beginning of the Groningerweg and Boterdiepbrug

Each day, the Groningen Bereikbaar team will be present between 16:00 and 18:00. On Thursday 5 December the intitative will be a little earlier due to Sinterklaas: between 15:30 and 17:30.

Busy months

November and December are the busiest months on the road, and are compounded by significant work on the railways. Groningen Bereikbaar’s mission is to get more people using alternative means of transport, for example by biking. Other options include (for example) driving to a Park + Ride station, using the OV-fiets bike sharing scheme; working from home, or beginning and ending at different times of day.