Meet the Family
Kyle and Lindsay’s Dutch cycling story begins in Minneapolis, Minnesota with their son Arnie and daughter Nora. The family of four has become cycling advocates through their blog Let’s Grow Dutch. As you may have gleaned from the name of their blog, Kyle and Lindsay are planning to move to the Netherlands to raise their family. The two have fallen in love with the Dutch way of life, including Dutch cycling culture. Let’s see why Kyle and Lindsay’s are staring a new chapter!
A Taste of Dutch Cycling Culture
Amsterdam was one of the couple’s stops during their first European vacation. Besides the cities beautiful architecture and great food, the cities bike-centric culture captured their hearts. Kyle says, “I immediately fell in love. The bikes everywhere felt like such a novel theme park gag. I didn’t know yet how that would later suck me in.” Their time in Amsterdam was short, but sweet enough to make it a return destination during their second trip to Europe.
On their next visit, Kyle and Lindsay fully embraced Dutch cycling, renting bikes for their stay and using them as their main mode of transportation. The then-novice bikers found the hustle and bustle of the city to be a little overwhelming, after they were caught in Amsterdam’s rush hour traffic. However, the experience was ultimately positive because according to Kyle it “Gave us confidence that we would later draw upon.” Back in Minneapolis, they became avid cyclists thanks to their Dutch crash course in biking. The experience also proved to the couple that they had the two-wheeled know how to potentially live in the Netherlands one day.
Biking in America
Kyle and Lindsay were hooked on the idea of bikes, but it still felt like a novelty to them. Kyle says about his view of bike-first cities then “I didn’t fully understand what impacts that infrastructure could have on a city and its people.” After reading the book “In the City of Bikes: The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist” by Pete Jordan, Kyle was so enamored with Dutch bicycles and culture that he wanted a traditional Dutch bike. Kyle landed on a Gazelle Oma Classic Panther*, after all, who better to purchase a Dutch bike from than Gazelle. He drove all the way to Chicago to pick up the classic beauty, which helped further his interest in bike-centric living.
Making the Move
Unfortunately for Kyle and Lindsay, their love for bikes outpaced their city’s biking infrastructure, so when the opportunity to move to the Netherlands came up they jumped at it. Lindsay says, “Between the exercise, the simplicity, the economics (hello, gas prices!) and impact on the climate, biking is a strong selling point for us.” Besides cycling, the couple was also drawn to the Netherlands because of the schooling and lifestyle it offers for their children. The family is currently preparing for their move, and Kyle has even picked out the bike they will get in the Netherlands – the Gazelle Makki Load**. A good choice in our opinion!
Although you may not be moving to the Netherlands anytime soon, hopefully Kyle and Lindsay inspire you to bike more and think about how your own city can become more bike-friendly. Here at Gazelle, we want everyone to experience the joy of living life on two wheels just like Kyle and Lindsay do. Checkout their blog to learn more about Growing Dutch and see our blog to read other inspiring rider stories and learn more about Dutch cycling culture.
*Currently the most similar bike to the Gazelle Oma Classic Panther offered in the Gazelle North American fleet is the Tour Populair.
**The Gazelle Makki Load is not currently offered in North America. Checkout Urban Arrow for quality cargo bikes.
