Women Cycling in the Netherlands: Key Statistics & Trends

Ever wondered why the Netherlands is a cyclist's dream? It's all about the country's special cycling culture, especially for women. Let's explore the world of Dutch women cycling and see how many women cycle in the Netherlands.

Cycling is a big part of life in the Netherlands. About 7 out of 10 Dutch people cycle at least once a week, with women leading the way. [1] Women cycle almost 17% more than men, making 2.4 billion trips a year compared to 2.0 billion by men. [1]

Women in the Netherlands cycle 29% of the time, a bit more than men at 27%. [1] This love for cycling starts young, with nearly half of all trips by kids under 18 done by bike. [1] It shows cycling is a big part of Dutch life from a young age. 

In 2021, the Dutch cycled a total of 15.8 billion kilometers, averaging 972km per person - a 4% increase from the year before. [1] This shows cycling is a growing way to get around in the Netherlands, with women playing a big part in it.

The cycling rate among women in the Netherlands changes with age. Young people aged 12 to 17 cycled the most in 2020, doing an average of 32.9 kilometers per week. [2] Students and pupils were the most active, cycling 22.45 kilometers per week on average. [2]

Key Takeaways

• Women in the Netherlands cycle more than men, making 17% more bicycle trips annually.

• The cycling share among Dutch women is 29%, compared to 27% for men.

• Almost half of all trips made by children under 18 are by bicycle.

• In 2021, the Dutch cycled an average of 972km per person.

• Young people aged 12-17 are the most frequent cyclists, averaging 32.9km per week.

• Students and pupils are the most active cyclists, covering 22.45km per week on average.

Introduction to Cycling Culture in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a top spot for cycling, with more bikes than people. It has 22 million bicycles for just 17 million people. [3] This shows how much the Dutch love cycling. Even back in the 1920s, they had two million bikes. [3]

The country is a dream for cyclists, with 32,000 kilometers of bike lanes. [3] This helps make cycling a big part of life, with over a quarter of trips done by bike. [4] In places like Amsterdam and Groningen, this goes up to 38% and 59%. [4]

Everyone in Holland, including women, men, and kids, uses bikes for different trips. By 2007, bikes were used for 26% of all trips, and for 34% for trips under 7.5 km. [5] For trips to school, 50% were by bike. [5]

But, cycling in Holland has had its ups and downs. The 1950s brought more American cars, and in 1971, 3,200 people died in traffic, including 400 kids under 14. [3,4] This led to better safety and more bike-friendly roads.

City	Cycling Percentage
Groningen	38%
Amsterdam	38%
Eindhoven	30%+
Enschede	30%+
Heerlen	10%

The Prevalence of Women Cyclists in the Netherlands

Cycling in the Netherlands is a big part of life. We'll look at how many women cycle and their bike use.

Percentage of Women Who Cycle Regularly

Women in the Netherlands love to cycle a lot. They make more bike trips than men by nearly 17% each year. [1,6] This shows how big a part of cycling they are in Dutch life.

Comparison to Male Cycling Rates

Women cycle as much as men, with 29% of trips. [1] This shows how common cycling is among Dutch women. In 2021, people cycled a total of 15.8 billion kilometers, or about 972 kilometers per person. [1]

Age Distribution of Female Cyclists

People of all ages cycle in the Netherlands, but some do more than others. Young people cycle the most, about 33 kilometers a week. Those over 75 cycle the least, about 14 kilometers a week. [2] Students and pupils cycle a lot, almost 7 times a week, covering over 22 kilometers. [2]

Age Group	Average Weekly Cycling Distance (km)	Notable Characteristics
12-17 years	33	Most active cyclists
Students/Pupils	22+	Highest frequency (7 trips/week)
Pensioners	21	Less time on bicycles than students
Over 75 years	14	Least active cyclists

Until they are 18, almost half of all trips in the Netherlands are by bike. The 30-60 age group cycles the least. [1] These facts show how cycling varies by age in Dutch society.

How Many Women Cycle in Netherlands: A Closer Look

The Netherlands is a top spot for cycling, with 22.5 million bikes for 17 million people - that's 1.3 bikes for each person. [7] This means many women in the Netherlands cycle a lot. They make up a big part of the cycling scene in the country.

Women are a big part of the cycling world in the Netherlands. In fact, 27% of all trips are by bike, and this number went up by 12% from 2005 to 2016. [7] This shows more Dutch women are choosing to cycle.  

About 24% of the Dutch population cycles every day. This number goes up to 27% for those under 50. [7] Even those over 65 still cycle daily, showing cycling is popular across all ages. [7]

The Netherlands has a lot of bike paths and shared roads, about 33,000 to 35,000 kilometers. [7] This helps more women to cycle for different reasons.

On average, a Dutch person cycles around 1,000 kilometers a year, making about 250 to 300 trips. [7] This shows how big a part of daily life cycling is, especially for women who have a lot to do.

The cycling culture in the Netherlands is always changing. With efforts like the Tour de Force, they want to increase cycling by 20% by 2027. [7] This could make even more women cycle, making the Netherlands a world leader in cycling.

How many Dutch Women Cycle to Work

The Netherlands is a cycling paradise. Bike commuting is a big part of the culture there. Many Dutch women cycle to work, making a big impact on cycling stats.

Over a quarter of work trips in the Netherlands are by bike. This shows how popular cycling is for getting to work. [8]

While we don't have exact numbers for women, general cycling trends tell us a lot. A huge 64% of the Dutch cycle at least once a week. This means many Dutch women use bikes for commuting and other trips. [8]

The Netherlands has a lot of bike paths, over 37,000 km. This helps make cycling easy and safe for everyone. [8] Such good infrastructure likely helps more women choose biking for their daily commute.

Distance to Work	Percentage of Cyclists
0-5 km	55%
5-10 km	31%
10-15 km	14%

The table shows how distance affects cycling. Shorter commutes mean more biking, helping both men and women. The Dutch government wants to get 200,000 more people cycling to work. [9]

With a €0.19 per kilometer allowance for bike commuters, more Dutch women might start biking to work soon. [9]

Cycling Patterns Among Dutch Women

The Netherlands is known for its strong cycling culture. Female cyclists in the Netherlands are a big part of this. They cycle more than men, with 28% of trips made by women in 2017. [10] This shows that many women prefer to bike, making up 5.5 out of every 10 bike trips. [10]

Age affects how much women cycle. Young women aged 12 to 18 cycle the most, with over 55% of their trips by bike. [10] Even women aged 65-75 cycle a lot, more than other adults. [10] Over the years, more older women have started cycling, going from 14% in 1985 to over 26% in 2017. [10]

Women cycle differently than men. In the West, women often make short trips and do trip chaining more. [10] This is because cycling is flexible and cheap. It suits women's needs well, like going to work or with kids. [10]

Aspect	Women	Men
Cycling Modal Share (2017)	28%	26%
Trip Characteristics	Multiple short trips, trip chaining	Fewer trips, greater distances
Primary Transportation Mode	Cycling, public transport, walking	Cars

Many Dutch women cycle, which helps the country's cycling stats. On busy days, there are about 14 million cycling trips. [11] This helps reduce traffic jams. If just 10% of car drivers started cycling, traffic could get much better. [11]

Reasons Why Dutch Women Choose to Cycle

Dutch women love to cycle for many reasons. They make up a big part of the country's cyclists. This is more than in many other places. [12] Let's look at what drives them to cycle.

Health Benefits

Cycling is great for health, which is why many Dutch women do it. It helps their hearts, makes muscles stronger, and boosts fitness. Women aged 25 to 40 cycle more often, especially for family tasks. [13]

Environmental Considerations

Dutch women care about the planet when choosing how to get around. Biking doesn't pollute the air and helps fight climate change. In cities like Amsterdam and The Hague, bikes are used for up to 70% of trips, cutting down on carbon emissions. [14]

Convenience and Accessibility

The Netherlands has great bike paths for women of all ages. [12] These paths help with shopping and social outings. Many schools see 90% of students biking to class, showing how easy it is for families. [14]  

Purpose	Percentage of Bicycle Journeys
Shopping	22%
School	18%
Commuting	16%
Social Activities	14%
Visits	11%

In the Netherlands, cycling is used for many things, like chores and getting to work. [12] Its many uses, health perks, green benefits, and ease make cycling very popular among Dutch women. This shapes the country's cycling trends.

Infrastructure Supporting Women's Cycling in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a leader in sustainable mobility. It has over 35,000 km of cycle paths. This is a big deal when you think about its 140,000 km of roads. [15] This shows how much the country values cycling, especially for women.

City planners in the Netherlands make sure cycling is easy and safe. About 60% of city roundabouts have special cycle tracks. [15] This makes cycling safer and more convenient for women, helping them cycle more.

There's more to cycling in the Netherlands than just roads. In Utrecht, there's a huge bike park for 12,500 bikes. [15] This shows how cycling is a key part of life, not just for fun but also for getting around.

Cycling is big business in the Netherlands. It adds between €1.2 to €3.8 billion to the economy every year. [15] It also supports around 13,000 jobs in making, selling, fixing, and renting bikes. This helps keep improving the cycling paths.

The cycling stats are impressive. In 2018, over a quarter of all trips were by bike. [15] For trips under 7.5 km, a third were by bike. These numbers show how the Netherlands' cycling paths help everyone, including women, to cycle more.

Cycling for Different Purposes: Commuting, Leisure, and Errands

In the Netherlands, cycling is a big part of life. Dutch women use bikes for many things. They make up 55% of all bike trips. [16]

Unlike the U.S., where only 1% of trips are by bike, Dutch women cycle for work, fun, and errands. [16,17]

Dutch women of all ages love to cycle. In the UK, men cycle more than women. But in the Netherlands, both men and women cycle the same amount, except for older ages. [16]

Purpose	Percentage of Trips
Education	52%
Commuting (overall)	27%
Commuting (<5km)	55%
Train connections	43%

Cycling is a big part of daily life in the Netherlands. It's not just for fun in cities like San Francisco, where it's for young, fit men. [17]

The Impact of E-Bikes on Women's Cycling Habits

E-bikes are changing how women cycle in the Netherlands. They have made more women ride bikes. Now, 55% of cyclists there are women, and e-bike sales to women have jumped by 40% in five years. [18]

Popularity of E-Bikes Among Women

Many Dutch women love e-bikes. In fact, 47% of women use them as their main way to get around. [18] Younger women, aged 18-34, are especially likely to switch to e-bikes for short trips. [19]

Changes in Cycling Patterns Due to E-Bikes

Women who use e-bikes for commuting now go further than before. They go about 60% farther on their trips. [18] This shows more people are choosing eco-friendly transport. In places like New York and Los Angeles, many people prefer e-bikes for short trips. [19]

E-bikes are changing cycling in Europe too. In eleven European countries, 24% of people might buy or use an e-bike. [19] This shows e-bikes are helping more women cycle and are making cycling a better option for transport.

E-bikes have a big effect on women's cycling in the Netherlands. They make cycling easier and more convenient. This leads to more women cycling, helping the growth of female riders and changing cycling stats in the Netherlands.

Safety Considerations for Women Cyclists in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a great place for cycling, with lots of bikes and routes. [20] It has the most bike-friendly roads in the world. [21] But, safety is still a big worry for cyclists, especially women.

Safety has gotten better over time. In the '70s, people cycled more, and fewer cyclists got hurt. [21] But, some groups still face big safety issues.

Women cyclists have special safety worries. Half of the women who get hurt in bike accidents are cyclists. [22] We need to focus on making it safer for them. Things like how roads are designed and how they meet cars are very important.

Older cyclists, including many women, are at higher risk. [21] We must make safety plans for them too.

Safety Factor	Percentage
Accidents at intersections	52.6%
Accidents on shared roads	61.4%
Accidents involving motorized vehicles	95.6%

The table shows what's worrying cyclists in the Netherlands. [22] We need to keep working on making cycling safer. This means better intersections, sharing roads safely, and making cars and bikes get along better.

Cycling Education and Promotion for Women in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is known for its strong cycling culture. Dutch cycling education is key in getting women to cycle more. Kids learn to ride bikes at home and in school from a young age. This sets them up for a life of cycling.

Women in the Netherlands cycle and walk more than men. They often work close to home. [23] Most trips are made by walking or cycling. [23]  

Immigrants are now cycling more, thanks to bike lessons on safety and health. [24] These lessons help with jobs and health too. [24]

The Tour de Force aims to increase cycling by 20% by 2027. [24] Cycling has grown by 9% since 2004. [23] To help, 25 fast cycle routes are being built or finished. [24]

Aspect	Statistic
Cycling increase since 2004	9%
Walking increase since 2004	13%
Trips by bike/foot in NL	50%
Home to station trips by bike	50%

Dutch cycling education and promotion have made cycling popular among women. These efforts help make the Netherlands a leader in sustainable transport.

Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Women's Cycling Rates

The Netherlands shows us how income, ethnicity, and health affect women's cycling. Women with a healthy weight cycle more and own bikes more often. E-bikes are popular with those who are overweight, which could help more people cycle.

People from Dutch backgrounds cycle more than those from other places. But, those from non-Western backgrounds cycle the least. This shows we need to work on getting everyone to cycle more.

Studies say making cycling easy to get to is key for everyone to cycle. [25] But, we don't have strong ways to check if cycling is fair for all groups. [25]

In New Zealand, most regular cyclists are men. [26]. Europeans in New Zealand cycle the most, while Pacific peoples cycle less. [26]

Australia also shows these trends. Only 1% of daily trips in Australia are by bike, unlike the Netherlands' 26%. [27] Women make up only 24% of transport cyclists in Queensland and 17% of bike commuters in Sydney. [27] We need to focus on making cycling fair for everyone.

Regional Variations in Women's Cycling Across the Netherlands

The Netherlands shows different ways of cycling in its regions. We see how women cycle in cities and the countryside. Their cycling varies a lot between urban and rural places, and in big cities too.

Urban vs. Rural Cycling Patterns

In the Netherlands, cities have more cycling than the countryside. This is because cities are closer to places people want to go. In cities, biking is often the top way to get around.

Differences Between Major Cities

Cycling rates in big cities in the Netherlands differ a lot. Utrecht leads with 48% of trips by bike. Rotterdam is also big on cycling but less than Utrecht. Some smaller cities like Leiden, Zwolle, and Groningen have more than 50% of trips by bike.

Worldwide, the Netherlands has hit a milestone where 7% of all trips are by bike. Men and women cycle equally here. [28] This is unique in Dutch cycling culture. In contrast, London has only 3% of trips by bike, and only 1% by women. [28]

These trends show the Netherlands' big support for cycling. They also show the need for different ways to encourage cycling in cities and the countryside.

Trends in Women's Cycling Over the Past Decade

Women's cycling in the Netherlands has grown a lot in the last ten years. More Dutch women now cycle for different reasons. This has made cycling more popular among women in the Netherlands.

Dutch women have won many women's cycling events. They keep winning big races like the world championships. This is thanks to a strong cycling culture that starts young, even at 8 years old. [29]

Women's cycling is getting more attention on TV and with new races like 'Paris-Roubaix Femmes'. Now, women's races are longer and more popular, drawing in more viewers and sponsors. [30]

Money has helped women's cycling grow. The Dutch national cycling team gets support from both private and public sources. Big Dutch companies also back professional cycling teams, helping new riders get a chance. [29]

Setting a minimum wage has made women's cycling a real career choice. Salaries have gone up, making it a better option for female cyclists. [30]

Stars like Anna van der Breggen and Marianne Vos have inspired young riders. They've made women's cycling more visible and successful. Their impact is key to the future of women's cycling in the Netherlands. [29,30]

Comparison of Dutch Women's Cycling Rates to Other Countries

Looking at how women cycle around the world shows big differences. The Netherlands is a top spot for women who love to cycle. In the US, only 1.1% of trips are by bike, and women make up just 0.6% of those riders. [31]

The Netherlands leads the world in cycling, especially for women. Dutch women cycle 28.2% of the time, showing a strong cycling culture. [31] This is much higher than in the UK, Italy, and the US, where women are still less likely to cycle. [32]

In San Francisco, only 29% of cyclists are women, showing a big gap. [32] New York City has the most women cyclists in the US, but still, men make up 66% of riders. [31]  This shows how unique the Dutch cycling scene is.

Countries with lots of cycling have more women riders. Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands have over 45% women cyclists. [31,32] This means better cycling paths and more women cycling together.

The Netherlands is great for women cyclists because of its good bike paths. Women feel safer with separate bike lanes. [32] This makes the Netherlands a place where women can cycle easily and safely.

Conclusion

The Netherlands leads the world in cycling culture, with women at the forefront. Dutch women make 31% of all trips by bike, while men make 26%. [33] This shows women's strong role in Dutch cycling.

Since 1976, more women have started cycling, but there are still challenges. [33] E-bikes have made longer trips easier. Now, we need new cycling policies to keep up with these changes.

We must look at how cycling varies by place and social group. Urban cycling is growing, but rural areas need help too. To keep the Netherlands leading in cycling, we need policies that address these differences. This will help keep women's cycling positive in the Netherlands.