Tripping over shared bikes in itself is not new. The idea for the very first shared bicycle plan ever came from Luud Schimmelpennink, industrial designer and member of the Provo movement. In 1967 he proposed to the Amsterdam city council to install 2000 white bicycles without a lock. It was intended to reduce massive bicycle theft and reduce air pollution.

en masse on shared bicycles

Although Schimmelpennink's plan was never implemented, white bicycles did pop up here and there in Amsterdam. Yet it remains difficult to choose bicycle sharing projects in the Netherlands on top of your own bicycle. Most of the cycling Dutch want their own bicycle and this will remain more attractive. This is mainly due to the ease of use and because it is cheaper.

The municipality of Amsterdam previously banned the shared bike. All shared bicycles rented in public space were taken off the street. During this period there was a proliferation of new businesses in the city that offered to share the bike. The concept should reduce the number of bicycles in the city, but it backfires, the then councilor concluded.

In addition to the green scooters, the red HTM bicycle, the orange shared bicycle, the yellow-blue OV bicycle, the yellow-green The Hague city bicycle, the orange Mobike and the Swapfiets with the blue front tire, you can also trip over an e-bike with a blue front tire. 

Also read: Uber chooses Rotterdam for the red shared bicycle brand Jump