Cycle Vision 2008 - Sloten, Amsterdam
It’s cycling in the city... with a difference!

Every year the good cyclists of the De Nederlandse Vereniging voor Human Powered Vehicles (NVHPV) organise a two day festival of racing, try outs and product displays called Cycle Vision.

This year the event was held again at Sloten - a cycle racing arena with velodrome and an excellent outdoor circuit.

Despite being concerned with promoting what some might see as an ‘elite’ (or odd) area of cycling the event is incredibly inclusive. Perhaps it’s because Dutch people know so much about upright bikes that their minds are open to trying something a little more ‘laid back’. When I was there I noticed that the range of ages trying out bikes and trikes was huge. Some of the younger, smaller riders were flinging their machines around corners at crazy angles. Of course they didn’t have to pay for repairs when they wiped out. In actual fact there were few crashes on the busy test circuit - incredible when you consider that the circuit had up to a dozen bikes being ridden at the same time. This year there was also a chance to see and test drive velomobile - the new Sunrider vehicle that has lights, indicators and a rather nice roof. Why cycle indoors in a gym in winter when you can take the gym with you? I’d recommend a visit just to try this out. As it is a trike there’s no need to balance either.