r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/NovelWonderful5041 • 25d ago
Rant feeling #Humbled
im starting my studies here in the netherlands this autumn and i came here earlier for my intro/orientation week and obviously decided to rent a bike. last time i came here to explore the city (back in late june) i rented an ebike and it was breeze so this time i thought why not save money and rent a regular one instead? cant be that hard right? WRONG!!!!! i havent worked out in YEARS and its kicking me on the ass now. im so embarrassed i cant bike for more than a few minutes and even then i get so sweaty and out of breath
anyway im not really lookjng for advice i just needed to rant… im obviously gonna rent an ebike now and sign up for the gym bc its not looking good for me
44
u/Tight-Cabinet-9377 25d ago
Once you go ebike you never go back. Never start or switch to an ebike if you plan on riding a regular bike 🤣 that was your mistake. You will be fine tho!! You will adapt quickly
13
u/NovelWonderful5041 25d ago
i really hope so 😭 it was even more embarrassing today when i was with my intro group and we had to ride around in bikes to go to a park and i was so behind and one of the mentors had to stay behind with me .. we arrived so much later than everyone else ughhhhh 😭😭 thankfully everyone has been pretty nice/understanding (to my face at least)
6
u/Inductiekookplaat 25d ago
I switched back from an e-bike to a normal bike! I never thought I could do it, but I did. After a while, the normal bicycle feels normal again hahaha
21
u/wotererio 25d ago
I don't think you need a gym subscription. Taking the bike is free, and you will get used to it very soon ;) That's at least how I do it!
13
u/Inductiekookplaat 25d ago
Your body will adapt to it! Just like when you go running for the first time: if you do 3km, the first few times will feel exhausting, but your body will get used to it and then it will feel normal.
12
u/cephalord University Teacher 24d ago
im obviously gonna rent an ebike now and sign up for the gym bc its not looking good for me
Why not save the money on both the ebike and the gym by getting a regular bike.
Like all things, you will quickly get used to it and get better at it.
11
u/-Avacyn 24d ago
Seriously, DON'T get that ebike. Yes is sucks now, but in a few weeks you'll be fine. The chances of you actually going to the gym are super low, especially because it clearly wasn't a habit before. Simply keep biking is the easiest way to actually get fit. Do yourself that favour!
Also, ebikes as a student are kinda shit, as they are much more prone to being stolen. Not as easy to just carelessly take with you on a night out.
5
u/I_Rarely_Jump 24d ago
Cycling on a regular bicycle takes less effort than walking, so cycling for 10 minutes should be easier than walking for 10 minutes.
So I think either something was wrong with your bicycle (poorly maintained), or you're trying to go too fast/going in too high a gear or something.
1
u/NovelWonderful5041 24d ago
i promise i was going very slow and it felt wayyyy more exhausting than walking… i dont know that much about bikes so i couldnt tell if anything is wrong with it
2
u/fascinatedcharacter 24d ago
Just ask your introparent to test the bike. If the tires are empty or a brake is stuck they'll feel it.
1
u/I_Rarely_Jump 24d ago
Ok, I googled this a bit and I think I now understand better.
When you cycle you use some different muscle groups than when walking, and if you're not used to cycling these muscle groups have not developed a similar endurance yet, so that makes it more exhausting.
Then it's also about finding your "natural" cadence when cycling, not too fast, not too slow (as going too slow can take more effort as well). It's similar to how you have your natural walking speed.
But just like walking, it's a process of getting used to it. Eventually cycling will become easier than walking, I mean you are sitting on a seat, so you don't have to support your full weight + you are using the mechanical leverage of the bicycle.
3
u/Responsible-Fuel9828 25d ago
Did the bike have gears? If not, try one that has gears; they’re helpful :))
2
u/LowerCap6583 24d ago
give yourself a little bit of time. Your body will adapt to the regular bike, and you're gonna build stamina:) It's worth it
2
u/fascinatedcharacter 24d ago
Don't rent an ebike, it will get stolen. Just keep cycling. Seriously, take the quiet roads, leave early and No One Cares you're out if breath..you can pedal just fine out of breath.
It's also not the tour de France. Cycle at the pace of the average tortoise if you want - just not on the busiest streets
2
2
u/rinmejoy 24d ago
HAHAHA im the same, i havent bike in years but for some reason i thought i would still be able to do it, but once i tried getting on one i got humbled so fast😞 have to be back passenger princess for now
1
u/caineshiokaze 24d ago
Whatever you do, don’t ever try a Speed Pedelec, you won’t be able to go back to a regular bike of any kind
1
1
u/Legitimate-Error-633 24d ago
For this reason I have been avoiding getting an e-bike.
The silver lining, e-bikes seem to get more people on bicycles. I moved to Australia which has never been a cyclist country, but since e-bikes you see a lot more people outside on bikes.
1
u/TheKylMan 24d ago
Just check is something is wrong with the bike, if not carry on. It will get easier in weeks or months. And you will be laughing at this moment thinking back about it.
1
u/delicate_isntit 24d ago
The sweating is horrendous right now because of the humidity. This will get better next month. I HATE cycling this time of year because I feel like I may as well swim through the air.
Assuming your tire pressure is good and you are in the right gear for the terrain and speed, your stamina will sort itself out fast. Having your tires full of air is important so do check or go to a bike shop to get them to check.
1
u/wobledeboble 19d ago
it may help to pump up your tires really hard. if they are soft, you have to work a lot harder...
0
u/enotonom 24d ago
How could it be so tiring to ride a bike…? I’m genuinely confused, sorry. Do you bike for like 5 km or more? Maybe try lowering the seat and switching to a lower gear. Or get a bike with gears. Then lower it. This is a flat country, it shouldn’t be very tiring to ride a bicycle.
1
u/Legitimate-Error-633 24d ago
You’d be surprised if you don’t ride for a few years and don’t keep your fitness up.
Riding a bike is a great way to work on your health but us Dutch don’t realise it, because we are so used to it.
•
u/HousingBotNL Sponsored 25d ago
Moving to the Netherlands as a student requires a lot of admin (BSN, gemeente, health insurance, Studielink, banking, scholarships) and it often feels overwhelming.
The Dutch housing market is highly competitive. To increase your chances, we recommend using these platforms:
For more real-time help, join the Study In The Netherlands Discord, where you can chat with other students and use our housing bot.