"How the Dutch Got Their Cycle Paths"

 "How did the Dutch get their cycling infrastructure?

This question keeps coming back because it is of course relevant to people who want what the Dutch have. Road building traditions go back a long way and they are influenced by many factors. But the way Dutch streets and roads are built today is largely the result of deliberate political decisions in the 1970s to turn away from the car centric policies of the prosperous post war era. Changed ideas about mobility, safer and more livable cities and about the environment led to a new type of streets in the Netherlands." 

Via Hembrow

'This is probably the most important video in the history of vain fixed gear film making'

Building A RIH Bicycle

Mike's film from the famous RIH custom framebuilding studio in Amsterdam.

"RIH was formed in 1921 by the Bustraan brothers in Amsterdam Holland. The name RIH is for the name of an Arabian stallion ridden by one of the characters in a Karl May novel which was very popular at the time (and still are in Europe). RIH's first championship was in 1924 when Jan Hijzelendoorn (a butcher) rode a Bustraan brothers frame to the sprint and 1 kilometer titles in the Dutch National Champions. In 1928 the firm moved to its present address in Jordaan district of Amsterdam.

Also in 1928 Willem Bustraan Jr joined the business with his father and Uncle. In 1948 Wim van der Kaaij joined the RIH business as an apprentice, he is the current owner of RIH It is estimated that RIH frames have been ridden to over 350 national championships in both road and track events and 63 World- and Olympic titles."