Cycling in Copenhagen

The Basics
Copenhagen is one of the most cycle friendly cities you will ever come across. If you live close to or within the city itself you’ll find it is often the quickest way into and out of the city. Cycle lanes are very common and you’ll find them on most streets. They are generally totally separate from the main road, often with a kerb to separate the lane; failing that a white line. You’ll find drivers are particularly courteous, giving way to cyclists at junctions and when on roundabouts. This is for the simple reason that cyclists have priority over cars on the road and insurance and laws are in favour of the cyclist in the unfortunate event of an accident. Don’t get complacent though, prepare to stop at junctions etc in case you’ve not been spotted.

Any bike you ride must also be fitted with working lights (front and rear) a bell and reflectors (front, white and rear, red). You can get fined for not having these things on your bike. It isn’t mandatory to wear a helmet.

If you’re not used to riding a bike in town back home things can look a little chaotic, but there are a few rules you should know to get you going:

Hand signals.
Turning left and right is straight forward, put your arm out in the direction you want to turn, perpendicular to the road. Keep your eye out for the Copenhagener casual approach to this, most will point diagonally to the floor rather than straight out from the shoulder.

The signal you may not be familiar with is the one for stop. Hold your hand up with your arm bent at the elbow – ‘L’ shaped. Use this, to avoid near misses, or more likely, getting shouted at by the locals. The Danes are not shy on giving advice on the rules!

Turning left
This is likely to be very different to back home. It is against the law to turn left in the road – i.e. cutting across the traffic. If you’re at a T-Junction pull over to the right and wait for a gap. At crossroads keep to the right and ride across the junction signalling to stop with your hand up, stop at the corner of the street you want to ride into and wait with the traffic on the right side for the green light. Then head off in your new direction.

Check out this video which will explain all with diagrams! Plus plenty of extras to keep you safe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H42KjIkO8SA

Traffic Lights and ‘shark teeth’
Cyclists are expected to obey traffic lights as you would when driving. You’ll even spot cycle lane dedicated lights too to help cycle traffic through busy intersections. You should always stop for red lights, even if it doesn’t seem necessary; you can be fined for not obeying the rules and the police do set up traps where they fine disobedient cyclists!

Watch out also for ‘shark teeth’ marked on the road or cycle lanes. These mean give way and you’re expected to stop where you see them.

You can also be fined for riding on pavements (sidewalks) and pedestrian crossings – dismount!

Where to buy a bike
As with most things in Denmark bikes can be expensive. Depending on the cycling you want to do you’ll find most bikes familiar to those you get back home, Mountain bikes, hybrid, commuter, Racer etc etc. But what may be new are the City bikes. These are the ‘retro’ looking things that most of the locals use to commute on. They’re designed to be low maintenance and easy to ride in normal clothes. Expect to see fully enclosed chains, baskets, rear racks, skirt guards etc – all designed to make it easy to ride a bike without having to get dressed up in lycra.

If you go for a city bike one thing you should look out for are ‘coaster brakes’ sometimes referred to as foot or pedal brakes. The tell-tale give away is that the bike will only have one brake lever on the handle bars. The brake works by pedalling backwards when you want to stop. If you get a bike with these fitted, then practice before you get into regular cycling. It takes a while before it becomes intuitive to use these when you need them, and it’s even easier to use them when you weren’t expecting to!

There are plenty of local bike shops around that sell bikes. Many of these will also sell decent second hand bikes for reasonable prices. Price wise you tend to get what you pay for (as long as you aren’t converting into your home currency!). Higher priced bikes will come with better quality components. Many bikes are left out in the street in all weather so the more expensive ones are designed to cope with that – expect to see internal gears (you’ll spot this by the really ‘fat’ rear hub at the centre of the back wheel), stainless steel spokes and wheel rims (shiny!), enclosed chains, and built in dynamo hubs (fat hub at the centre of the front wheel). All these features mean the bike is built to last in the Danish weather. They’re also heavy, so may not be what you want for longer distance commuting (10km plus).

Here are a few links to give you a feel for what’s out there – watch out for seasonal sales, where bikes are heavily discounted.

https://www.fribikeshop.dk/

http://www.jupitercykler.dk/

https://heino-cykler.dk/

https://schroeder-cykler.dk/

You can also get bikes in some of the bigger DIY and motoring stores. These are much cheaper than the ones you’ll find in the city stores, but they tend to have cheaper components that will rust quicker in the Danish climate. That said, if you have a place to keep it out of the rain, or you’re not planning to use it that often then they can be a good option:

https://www.harald-nyborg.dk/

https://www.thansen.dk/

https://www.biltema.dk/

https://www.johannesfog.dk/designhus/

Finally, you can buy second hand bikes through Facebook market place and DBA:

https://www.dba.dk/

‘Den Blå Avisen’ (the blue newspaper) is the closest Denmark has to e-bay. There are tons of second hand bikes on here that are worth a look. Check out Facebook pages for other ex-pats selling bikes when they move on – often great value, especially for kids bikes. But buyer beware, stolen bikes are on DBA and facebook. If you do buy from there then look for evidence of receipts for the original purchase and sellers that are prepare to tell you the ‘Frame number’ of the bike. The police (Politi) have an app you can use to check if the bike has been reported stolen. You can find this in the usual places by searching for Politi in the app store, and will give you peace of mind.

Maintenance
Look after your bike and it will look after you! If you are going to ride regularly it is well worth getting to know your bike a little better. There are tons of tutorials on youtube about bike maintenance and it’s worth looking at the ones that teach you how to adjust brakes and gears. Brake and gear cables stretch, so if you can’t change gear cleanly (its noisy, or just doesn’t move from one gear to the other), or you have to pull your brake levers further than normal to stop; there’s a good chance they need adjusting. It’s easier to do than you think and will save you a trip to the bike shop.

Learning to change an inner tube is also a good idea, especially if you have a ‘normal’ bike rather than a city bike – getting the wheel off and access to parts is easier. Being able to change a tube when you have a puncture can save you a long walk home or paying a bike shop.

If you go in for a city bike, then maintaining your bike is harder. Ironically all the features that reduce maintenance, internal gears, enclosed chains, roller brakes etc, make it harder to work on when you actually do need to fix something or adjust it. That said, they need less frequent maintenance anyway – roller brakes (an enclosed – hidden brake near the hub that use brake levers) need little maintenance, and chains on the better bikes are designed not to rust.

The main things that you’ll likely end up needing to deal with is punctures and, occasionally, replacing brake blocks if you don’t have coaster or roller brakes. Bike shops will fix punctures for around 200dkk, some of the local bike shops will fit a new tyre and tube for around 300dkk (dæk og slanger – there’s a shop on Østerborgade near Svanemøllen that does).

You can avoid your chances of getting punctures by fitting ‘puncture resistant’ tyres. These are fitted with an extra layer of material in the rubber to keep the worst of the road debris from getting through to the inner tube. Look out for Schwalbe tyres with ‘kevlar’ or smart guard features. Other brands have similar versions. You can also pick up budget tyres with the same features at Harald Nyborg and THansen (see links above). These are worth investing in if you want peace of mind.

All the bike shops will be able to do maintenance and servicing – look out for those with ‘Værksted’ (workshop) particularly. So if you aren’t confident to do it yourself you’ve plenty of options.

If you want to take the plunge and ‘DIY’ check out these on line stores for parts – much cheaper than the high street shops if you buy enough to offset the cost of postage.

https://www.cykelpartner.dk/hjul-daek-og-slanger_9795~c.html

https://cykelshoppen.dk

https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/

Harald Nyborg, THansen and Biltema all sell parts too, they are often cheap no-brand parts that do the job as opposed to discounted branded stuff that you’ll find in the online shops. Don’t be put off by that though, they’re fine.

''Arrggh, My tyre needs pumping up!''

If you are out and about and need to pump up a tyre – maybe a puncture when you’re nearly home and you just need enough to get you home, or you just need more air – then look out for ‘free air’. Petrol stations often have dedicated service areas for cycles with air hoses and water to wash the bike. Look out for air hoses outside bike shops too. Finally, most S-tog stations have built in foot pumps on the side of the advertising bill boards near their entrances!

Personally, I always carry a pump and basic tool set and inner tube in a small seat bag under my seat on my regular commuter.

Winter cycling
Cycling is an all-weather all-year travel option in Copenhagen. For many Danes it is their primary form of transport. You too can embrace this lifestyle with the right choice of clothes and the right attitude!

Cycle paths are extremely well maintained through the winter – often better than the road. They are swept to remove debris, gritted when icy and snowploughed when needed! This means that you don’t need to stop riding in the winter, but take a little more care in the rain and when the temperature really drops to avoid slipping. What you don’t need is studded tyres etc to cope with the change.

That said, after a couple of days of rain your chances of punctures goes up. It washes all the hidden sharp odds and ends out of the gutter. Puncture proof tyres are a good investment for Winter if not all year round.

In winter it is also a good idea to wash your bike down with fresh water every now and then. The road salt they use on bike lanes is really aggressive and your bike will quickly rust if it is exposed and you don’t wash it off (I’ve had my gears and bike chain rust over the weekend after riding home on salted roads in the working week!)

Locks & Safety
“If it isn’t locked, it’s half stolen” is an expression used by my Danish Colleagues. Despite the ‘trust’ culture here bikes are fair game if they aren’t locked. Don’t be fooled by the hundreds of bikes you see that aren’t ‘chained’ or D-Locked. Most bikes you see have a built in lock on the back wheel attached to the frame just below the rear seat. These are great, make it easy and convenient to lock your bike without carrying a heavy lock with you and means your bike is (reasonably) safe even when there isn’t something to lock it to. You can buy these in bike shops for around 100dkk for a cheap version and retro fit them to bikes if yours doesn’t have one. Many bikes for sale in Danish shops have them already fitted.

That said, if your bike is more expensive, or particularly fancy (carbon fibre, hipster fixie? Mid to high end mountain bike or racer?) then you’re wise to invest in a decent quality chain or D-Lock to use. Lock the bike to something; even a locked bike can be picked up and put in the back of a van if it is free standing. Watch out for quick release wheels and seats on expensive bikes – lock them to the frame of your bike if you can. Wheels and seats can be worth stealing in their own right.

My commuter bike isn’t worth stealing, but I always lock it to something – I don’t like long walks home…

Riding Etiquette
Simply put, using your hand signals and keeping to the right will get you moving with minimal fuss. You will also be expected to fit a bell to your bike (it’s a legal requirement, along with lights and reflectors) and you should use it to warn people if you need to overtake. Also look over your shoulder before you overtake so you don’t pull out in front of someone.

Loads more tips can be found here:

https://www.donkey.bike/denmark-cycling-rules/

Some of the basics to follow are: roadway. Never ride your bike against the traffic flow. sidewalks or on a pedestrian crossing. If there is no bike path, you must ride on the right side of the road, keeping to the right. walk alongside your bike, you must get off the bike lane. until the bus doors close. Bus passengers who cross the cycle path in    or out of the bus have priority, unless there is a bus island on the left of the bike path. pedals and at least one hand on the handlebars.
 * In Denmark, everyone must drive on the right-hand side of the
 * You are not allowed ride your bike in a pedestrian area, on
 * Similarly, bike paths are only for cycling, so if you want to
 * If a bus stops at a bus stop, you need to stop and wait
 * When riding your bike you must always have both feet on the
 * You are not allowed to talk on your phone while you cycle.

Bikes on the Train
One of the best things about Copenhagens cycling infrastructure is being able to take bikes on the trains. This can fundamentally change how you use your bike. Raining? No problem, get the train home most of the way. Tired out? Get to the nearest station and save your legs! Don’t like riding in circles? Go as far as you can one way and the train back. Limitless options – sort of.

Both the regional trains and S-Tog have special carriages for travelling with bikes and you’ll find ramps on the stairs as well as lifts at stations to make it easy to get your bike to the platform.

The platform has a bike symbol painted on the ground to show you where the carriage will stop to take the guess work out of getting the correct ‘Vogn’ (carriage). Look out for the green sign with a bike on the train door when getting on. To keep things moving at stations they use one door for taking the bike on and one for taking them off – green sign for on, red for off. On the S-Tog carriages you’ll find bike racks to put the bike in and drop down seats so you can sit next to or opposite your bike. They even have dedicated slots for Mountain bikes that will take wider tyres.

On the regional trains there doesn’t tend to be racks, but drop down seats with a retractable hook that you pull out and hook onto the frame of your bike to hold it in place.

You can also take bikes on the Metro system but this is only at certain times – check before you travel – I wouldn’t advise it at any time, the trains are small! Nørreport station also prohibits bikes on the platform at peak times (rush hour – 0700-0900 and 1530-1730) as it is a very busy station, so again check before you travel. The times for Nørreport are posted next to the entrance door to the cycle carriage, in case you forget!

Tickets – You don’t need a ticket on the S-Tog, but you do need one for the Metro and the regional trains. You can buy these on the platform and sometimes at 7-elevens in smaller stations.’

See here for more information:

https://www.dsb.dk/find-produkter-og-services/cykelbillet/

Where to practice riding
If you’re teaching your kids to ride a bike, or want to get them (and you!) familiar with riding on the right hand side of the road then head down to the trafiklegepladsen (traffic play-square) at Fælledparken. This is a street accurate mini road layout of cycle lanes, traffic lights, gas stations and zebra crossings aimed to get kids familiar with riding on the road. If you go in the week you can even borrow bikes for them to learn – both balance bikes and normal pedal bikes, free of charge in some cases (at the time of writing). There is also a formal school where they will teach kids to ride; It’s well worth a visit:

https://www.kk.dk/trafiklegepladsen

Riding with kids
Children seem to be born on a bike in Copenhagen, and it is normal to see primary aged children riding to school on the cycle lanes around the cities, but before they’re ready for that carrying children on bikes is a very normal thing to do. This is all perfectly legal as long as there is a proper child seat for them to go in. There are plenty of options, the most traditional being a bike seat over the rear luggage rack, but you will also see dedicated seats on the handle bars or on the cross bar between the seat and handlebars. If you go down this route, then seek proper advice from one of the local shops.

You will also see trailers attached to the rear of bikes two. These are handy if you need to carry two children or more stuff! Trailers often come up on DBA etc.

Whilst these are good options, if you are planning to carry older children (5 onwards), or more than one then the better option is a cargo bike. You will see cargo bikes everywhere in Copenhagen. They come in two types, either the traditional ‘box’ bike with three wheels, or the two wheeled version known as the ‘Long John’. If you go down this route then expect to pay around 4000dkk for a reasonable second hand cargo bike. The Danish brands are at least 10000dkk new.

You can even rent them if you want to see what they’re like, for example:

https://becopenhagen.dk/product/rent-a-family-cargo-bike-in-copenhagen/

The main brands to watch out for are:

Christiania (the most common and probably original) https://www.christianiacykler.dk/

Trio bike : https://triobike.com/en/

Nihola: http://www.nihola.com/products/family.html

Winther: https://www.wintherbikes.com/

Butchers and Bicycles: https://www.butchersandbicycles.com/

Johnny Loco: https://johnnyloco.com/

Larry vs Harry ‘Bullitt’: http://www.larryvsharry.com/

If you are serious about using a cargo bike as an option to get the kids to and from school then consider getting the e-bike versions of any of the bikes above. This is an electric motor that assists you as you pedal and completely transforms the utility of these bikes. The ease of pedalling with the motor fitted means they become a true replacement for a second car. They’re great without the motor but with two kids, bags and other odds and ends they get heavy. Ride one of these loaded into the typical Danish head wind and you’ll wish it had the electric motor!!

Buying one of these is an investment – and there isn’t room to go into details here, so ask parents you see who have them around the school for tips on what to look for and advice on where and what to buy.