Biking in Denmark – Why and How?
Are you a newcomer to Denmark or just want to find out more about biking? Then this article is just for you. You will learn why and how you should bike in Denmark.
Cycling can have a lot of benefits especially in Denmark. It can make your life a whole lot easier. It can save you up time, money and make you healthier. Firstly, we will see why cycling is so amazing and then, some tips and tricks for biking in Denmark.
Why Biking?
Perfect for saving time on travelling
The time saving part is the first great benefit from biking. Basically, moving to every place in the city is faster with a bike. Driving a car can take you in endless junctions. Catching the bus means waiting on stops and sometimes switching multiple buses for a simple route. With a bike you move quickly, and in Denmark you have more privileges than other vehicles. You hurry past the traffic lights and sometimes even skip them (when you are turning right). You can also take shortcuts to move faster. Last but not least, you park your bike in a flash as there are parking spots at most of the places.
Your wallet will love you
The second part is the money saving part. Yes, in Denmark, buying a new bike is more expensive than in most of the European countries but that doesn't mean that having a bike is expensive and requires a high first payment. You can easily find a descend second-hand bike, buy some lights, a lock and a helmet and you journey can begin. You don't have to pay for fuel, bus tickets, parking or taxes in SKAT. It is just you and your bike, so you are flexible with your time, and you can easily move around your city.
Be in shape
The third and yet maybe one of the best things is that it is healthy. The physical effort that you put during cycling is enough for a young person be to be fit. If you just want to look good and not have a lot of muscle mass, biking to your school and back is more than enough to achieve it. What is more, you are going to feel better. Although it is exhausting, you will have more energy, the quality of your sleep will improve, you will be more durable, and you will not have to worry that much about your carbs intake.
Problems and Solutions
Biking on a hill
One of the most common problems in some Danish cities is the big numbers of steep hills. Your legs hurt, you are tiring easy and sometimes you even give up and start pushing your bike. Well, here are some things that can prevent this.
First of all, when you buy/rent your bike, take it with at least 7 gears or take an electric one. Having a lot of gears lets you cycle easily on the hill, and you are not getting tired that easy. For the electric bike (it is more expensive but it's the best option) you feel like you are not biking.
Secondly, keep the same pace during your cycling. Try not to lose speed while on a hill. You can easily do this by simply accelerating before the hill and then using the strength of inertia to keep your tempo.
Finally, don't stop! Yes, if you have a traffic light you should stop, but otherwise try not to fully stop, because this makes you exhausted quickly. When you stop, you must put a lot of effort when you start moving again thus you are getting tired more easily.
Prevent Sweating?
Physical effort heats up your body and then... well, you sweat. You cannot change your body, but you can apply some small tips to lower down the sweating and to prevent the need of changing your clothes every time you bike.
First, when you buy/rent your bike, take it with at don't put so many clothes. You will heat up really fast when you start biking, so you don't need to put a lot of clothes on. This way, by the time you start sweating, you will probably have arrived at your destination.
Secondly, don't turn the pedals when you don't need to. Going on a downhill, seeing a red light, those are times when you don't need to turn the pedals. You won't lose much time don't worry about that. You are already saving time by using a bike.
Finally, get a jacket or hoodie with breathing material. They are sold in every market, and they can protect you from sweating while keeping you warm during the harsh winter months in Denmark.
Biking in the rain
Raining is pretty common in Denmark, so you must be prepared. There are a lot of ways, but these are the most effective ones.
Buy a mudguard for your bike. Get rid of all the wetness and dirt on your feet and buy a mudguard for your bike. They are cheap things, and you can attach them easily by yourself, so your feet are dry and clean.
Get yourself a rainproof cloth covers. Full body raincoat or just pants and jacket that are waterproof – this solves the problem of being wet in the rain. Your helmet will keep your hood up and because the clothes are thin and easily bendable, you can always put them in your backpack.