Berlin...I'd live there in a minute!!

[Gez73]

My good lady and I have just returned from a City break in Berlin. Lovely weather and went to the Sweden game on Tuesday, but more importantly they have the best commuting culture I could even imagine. There are bike parking spaces everywhere and most of them contain bikes most of the time. Very few lycra clad riders and of the half dozen or so we actually saw, most of them are the city courier types who for obvious reasons need the most comfy gear for a day in the saddle. The bikes are almost exclusively city bikes with hub dynamo's and more than a few had butterfly handlebars and crates or baskets. Very few helmets or hi-vis. Drivers are very patient with cyclists each other and pedestrians. Oddly enough a car can make a right turn (the equivalent to a left turn in UK terms) on a red light if there are no pedestrians crossing but will always give priority to the peds on a green man, who wears a hat on their lights! We found this a little worrying until we realised they will allow you to cross and expect to have to stop while turning. Absolutely no RLJing whatsoever although there was quite a bit of pavement riding and weaving by the cyclists so keeping a straight line when walking was advised to avoid any surprises. Such a nice city too apart from cycling. If there are any Berliners here I salute you!! ....the beer's incredibly good too!!

 

[ianrauk]

If you think Berlin is great for cyclists and cycling then you should visit Hamburg. It's really awesome. We think we have a lot of cyclists in London. Compared to Hamburg we have very few.

My friend in Hamburg also has a communal bike shed outside his apartment put there by the council.

 

[2wheelsgeth]

Berlin's brilliant - my new favourite city. Although it seems Hamburg has just moved up my 'next to visit' list...

 

[Buzzinonbikes]

I found Vienna a really interesting mix of commuters and lycra'd up roadies. Quite interesting all using the same system. Didn't see one RLJ and cars seemed to give way to bikes much more.

 

[John90]

Berlin's definitely one of the best cities in Europe. I'm just off on a three city break to Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo and I've heard good things about the cycling there too.

 

[TheDoctor]

If the pedestrian crossings had a guy with a hat, then that's the former East Berlin. Trams are another giveaway, you only get them in the former easten bit too.
We were there a few years back, near Alexanderplatz and the TV tower, and a shop that would lend you a fixie for the day. For free
Loved it. I'd move there in a second. Or to Hamburg. Or Friedrichshafen. Germany is great.

 

[TwoPosts]

What a coincidence, I just got back from a weekend trip to Munich (my first ever trip to Germany) and was going to post about a similar experience.

Lots of bikes, I have a picture of the road marking denoting cycle priority in Marienplatz, it must be 12 ft x 12 ft.

Cycle lane denotation on pavements was a little subtle just a change in paving pattern and it took me a little while to get out of tourist mode and look where I was going but mostly everyone seemed to just get along.

And I now count weissbier (light or dark) amongst my favourite drinks.

Peter

 

[aberal]

I loved Berlin - much more than I expected to. But surprised that it is so relaxed and informal - in direct contradiction of national stereotype. It's a laid back and easy-oasy place and anyone thinking of visiting - don't expect your beer to arrive in an instant. Their customer service is suprisingly crap.

 

[ianrauk]

And one of the best brekkies in the world in the KaDeWe department store. You pay for the weight of your brekkie...

 

[Gez73]

We noticed that the service was less than urgent but that's not too critical really. KaDeWay was awesome, could have spent lots of time and money there. Everyone is wearing Wolfskin gear. It really is popular over there. I'd go back tomorrow and stay there! The people speak really good English too which was useful!

 

[ianrauk]

We noticed that the service was less than urgent but that's not too critical really. KaDeWay was awesome, could have spent lots of time and money there. Everyone is wearing Wolfskin gear. It really is popular over there. I'd go back tomorrow and stay there! The people speak really good English too which was useful!

I lived in Berlin for 3 months in 1991, loved it.
And still love it and would happily live there.
Try to get back there every now and then.

but... Hamburg just pips Berlin for me

 

[Gez73]

Hamburg might be our next stop if Squeezyjet or similar do a flight.

 

[ianrauk]

Hamburg might be our next stop if Squeezyjet or similar do a flight.

yes they do...

 

[400bhp]

Regarding the amount of cyclists in civvy clothes - is that a function of where people live and commute? Do most Berliners live in the city?

Am I right in thinking that on a lot of roads where there is a designated cycle path, it's illegal to ride on the road? I remember chatting to a woman who had been fined because she was riding in the road over there?

 

[snorri]

Regarding the amount of cyclists in civvy clothes - is that a function of where people live and commute? Do most Berliners live in the city?

IME it's not just Berlin, the same applies throughout mainland Europe.
The vast majority of cyclists are utility cyclists, average speeds tend to be lower than UK city cyclists, with no competitive element whatsoever, so normal clothing is adequate.