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The 2013 Copenhagenize Index doesn't seem to think so. The report recently crowned Amsterdam the world's most bicycle friendly city. And with 149 other cities to contend with, the competition was pretty fierce.
It's not difficult to see why Amsterdam would be given this distinction. Despite the sheer saturation of bicycle traffic in and around the city center, cycling in Amsterdam still manages to be a laid-back and pleasurable affair.
Amsterdammers, out-of-towners, and even tourists enjoy cycling around the city en masse. And, once you've grasped the rules of the bicycle path, so to speak, cycling in Amsterdam proves to be quite an enjoyable experience (though perhaps not for pedestrians).
Amsterdam is one of three Dutch cities to make the top 20 on the list. Utrecht came in at a solid third place and Eindhoven took a comfortable 6th. France, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Ireland, Brazil, and Hungary also had cities in the top 20.
Though the Index professes that Amsterdam is one of the few places where urban cycling is enjoyable, they assert that "Amsterdam could benefit from some creative thinking and innovation to improve cycling conditions and increase the modal share even further," and go on to say, "We love cycling in Amsterdam but it would be more enjoyable if we didn't have to guess what the next stretch of cycle track will look like."
Agree or disagree (and, if you've never cycled in Amsterdam, now's as good a time as any), the Dutch certainly do love their bicycles and it shows. And the cycling culture is nothing if not alive and well in Amsterdam.
So, come on! Just hop on your bike and go.
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