We are a real cycling country, almost everyone in our country has a bicycle in the garage. We now have more bicycles than residents in the Netherlands. Last December we had approximately 23 million bicycles in the Netherlands, which equates to approximately 1,4 bicycles per inhabitant. Cycling is healthy and for that reason many trips are made by bicycle and many people also cycle to work. This is not surprising with a total of 37.000 kilometers of bicycle paths in our country. Of course, all those bicycles will eventually come to the end of their existence. We have many orphaned bicycles in the Netherlands, these are bicycles that no longer have an owner, for example because the bicycle is an old wreck and has simply been left behind by the owner. What do you actually do with an old bike that is no longer worth repairing?
There are several solutions to get rid of your old bicycle. There are several municipalities in the Netherlands that collect old bicycles from people's homes for free. You can also take your old bicycle to the recycling center. If your old bike is still in reasonable condition, you can ask a bike shop if they want this bike, possibly for parts and if you want to buy a new bike yourself, you might get a discount. Give your old bike to the thrift shop or another charity, they might be able to fix it up and sell it. The ANWB has collection points for old children's bicycles, which are then refurbished and sent to children who do not have a bicycle because parents cannot afford it. You can also recycle your bicycle yourself and turn it into a flower rack or bicycle artwork, for example.
Also read: Every year 500 cyclists in Ghent in the emergency
