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Cycling in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
is both a common and popular
recreation Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...
al and
utilitarian In ethical philosophy, utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals. Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different charac ...
activity. Bicycling infrastructure is a dominant feature of both city and countryside infrastructure with segregated dedicated
bicycle paths Cycling infrastructure is all infrastructure cyclists are allowed to use. Bikeways include bike paths, bike lanes, cycle tracks, rail trails and, where permitted, sidewalks. Roads used by motorists are also cycling infrastructure, except wher ...
and
lanes In road transport, a lane is part of a roadway that is designated to be used by a single line of vehicles to control and guide drivers and reduce traffic conflicts. Most public roads (highways) have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each ...
in many places and the network of 11
Danish National Cycle Routes The Danish National Cycle Routes (Danish: ''Danmarks nationale cykelruter'') together form the national cycling route network of Denmark. There are currently 11 such long-distance cycling routes across Denmark largely established mainly to promote ...
(along with many regional routes) extends more than nationwide. Often bicycling and
bicycle culture Bicycle culture can refer to a mainstream culture that supports the use of bicycles or to a subculture. Although "bike culture" is often used to refer to various forms of associated fashion, it is erroneous to call fashion in and of itself a cu ...
in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
is compared to the Netherlands as a bicycle-nation.


Infrastructure


Cycle paths and lanes

There are an estimated of segregated dedicated
bicycle paths Cycling infrastructure is all infrastructure cyclists are allowed to use. Bikeways include bike paths, bike lanes, cycle tracks, rail trails and, where permitted, sidewalks. Roads used by motorists are also cycling infrastructure, except wher ...
and
lanes In road transport, a lane is part of a roadway that is designated to be used by a single line of vehicles to control and guide drivers and reduce traffic conflicts. Most public roads (highways) have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each ...
in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...
and the four biggest cities alone account for more than with in
Aalborg Aalborg (, , ) is Denmark's fourth largest town (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an urban population of 143,598 (1 July 2022). As of 1 July 2022, the Municipality of Aalb ...
, in
Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (behind Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 20 ...
, in
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and approximately northwest ...
and in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
. Cycle paths are often raised above the shoulder of the road and separated by a curb, but on older roads it is more common to have a cycle lane separated by a thick white line and sometimes the lane may be marked by coloured asphalt. Massive infrastructure investments are taking place to create more cycle ways and thus increase safety. At intersections, the continuation of the cycle way or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue band to increase its visibility and cyclists may find that they have their own set of
traffic light Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
s. In general both paths and lanes are designed for the more slow pace of utility cycling as opposed to more speedy designs in other countries. The Danish Roads Directorate acknowledges that the Danish cycle track system "functions best when cyclists travel at relatively low speeds". In Copenhagen a system of interconnected green cycle routes, "
greenways Greenway or Greenways may refer to: * Greenway (landscape), a linear park focused on a trail or bike path * Another term for bicycle boulevards in some jurisdictions People * Greenway (surname) Places Australia * Electoral Division of Greenway ...
", is under development, with the aim of facilitating fast, safe and pleasant cycle transport across the city. The network will cover more than and consist of 22 routes. As of 2011, there were of greenways in Copenhagen.


Danish National Cycle Routes

The 11
Danish National Cycle Routes The Danish National Cycle Routes (Danish: ''Danmarks nationale cykelruter'') together form the national cycling route network of Denmark. There are currently 11 such long-distance cycling routes across Denmark largely established mainly to promote ...
form a network of cycling routes throughout the country. They are important routes enabling bicycle tourism and showing off Denmark's natural beauty as well as its regional towns and villages.


Integration with other means of transportation

Cycling is integrated into both the national, the regional and the local train services in Denmark. Cycles are permitted on trains to facilitate
mixed-mode commuting Intermodal passenger transport, also called mixed-mode commuting, involves using two or more modes of transportation in a journey. Mixed-mode commuting is often used to combine the strengths (and offset the weaknesses) of various transportati ...
. This is most visible in the
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
and
suburban rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
network of Metropolitan Copenhagen, the
S-train The S-Bahn is the name of hybrid urban- suburban rail systems serving a metropolitan region in German-speaking countries. Some of the larger S-Bahn systems provide service similar to rapid transit systems, while smaller ones often resemble co ...
s, where cycles can be transported in specified
carriage A carriage is a private four-wheeled vehicle for people and is most commonly horse-drawn. Second-hand private carriages were common public transport, the equivalent of modern cars used as taxis. Carriage suspensions are by leather strapping an ...
s found at the front and rear of each train. As of 2011 there is no charge for taking cycles on any S-train. A number of Movia bus lines in
Region Zealand Region Zealand ( da, Region Sjælland) is the southernmost administrative region of Denmark, established on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which abolished the traditional counties ("amter") and set up five larger regi ...
allow the carriage of cycles for an extra charge (no charge on
Copenhagen Harbour Buses The Copenhagen Harbour Buses (Danish: Københavns Havnebusser) is a system of water buses along the harbourfront of Copenhagen, Denmark, operated by Movia which also operates the city’s regular buses. There are four vessels: Holmen, Bryggen, No ...
) unless the bus driver deems the bus too crowded.


Cycle parking

Although there appear to be a large number of cycle parking facilities in Denmark, there is actually a severe lack of available cycle stands. Those that do exist are often poorly positioned, particularly in the bigger cities. In 2008, with a view to remedying the situation, the
Danish Cyclists Federation Danish Cyclists' Federation (da: Cyklistforbundet) is a Danish non-governmental bicycle interest organisation, with the purpose of promoting bicycling and bicycle safety. It was founded in 1905 and got around 16,000 members (2013) Danish Cyclist ...
published a ''Bicycle Parking Manual'' with a number of guidelines. They aim to be of immediate practical use to users but also offer advice for city planners wishing to improve facilities in the future.


Utility cycling

Most children start bicycling to school from age 8-10 and continue to do so until at least 18 (the minimum age for acquiring a drivers license in Denmark), but in the bigger cities some people will rely on the cycle as the primary transportation throughout life. Most Danish public schools also educate 10–12 years in traffic rules, behaviour and regulations as a part of their regular curriculum.
Utility bicycle A utility bicycle, city bicycle, urban bicycle, European city bike (ECB), Dutch bike, classic bike or simply city-bike, is a bicycle designed for frequent very short, very slow rides through very flat urban areas. It is a form of utility bicycle ...
s which require little maintenance and are suited to load carrying are very popular. However, all other types of cycles are accommodated on the bicycle paths/ways, from
racing bicycle A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by and according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Racing bicycles are designed for maximum performance ...
s with tri-bars through streamlined
velomobile A velomobile (); velomobiel, velo, or bicycle car is a human-powered vehicle (HPV) enclosed for aerodynamic advantage and/or protection from weather and collisions. Velomobiles are similar to recumbent bicycles, pedal go-karts and tricycles, bu ...
s. Two- and three-wheeled
cargo bicycles Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including transp ...
are also becoming increasingly popular, with the trend starting in Copenhagen and spreading out through the country. The common use of cycles and the growing support infrastructure for utility cycling, has encouraged Denmark to brand itself as a leading nation in everyday cycling. It has also led to the reinvention of the term '' Copenhagenization'' as a concept in
urban planning Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
and
design A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design'' ...
relating to the implementation of better pedestrian facilities and
cycling infrastructure Cycling infrastructure is all infrastructure cyclists are allowed to use. Bikeways include bike paths, bike lanes, cycle tracks, rail trails and, where permitted, sidewalks. Roads used by motorists are also cycling infrastructure, except whe ...
for utility cycling in cities, and been an inspiration for an increasing number of cycle chic blogs spawning from ''Copenhagen Cycle Chic''. Danish postal workers have been using cycles for transport in towns and cities to deliver mail for several generations. Likewise small shop delivery services used cycles until the mid-1960s. As a result of a move to supermarket shopping, delivery by bicycles declined, though the growth of messenger services sparked a new life for delivery by bike in the mid 80's. Since the mid-2000s
cycle rickshaw The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of hatchback tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab ...
s (velotaxis) have operated in the bigger cities and offer short distance journeys (usually up to ) - primarily during summer. Around the same period small enterprises started selling coffee or soup from mobile
tricycle A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes, ...
stalls around city centres. Since March 1, 2009 the police in Copenhagen have been patrolling on cycles. Besides being a quick and efficient means of transportation, it has been found to increase visibility and to improve contact with citizens.


Danish cycle VIN-system

The Danish cycle VIN-system is a system introduced in 1942 by the Danish government, providing all cycles in Denmark with a unique code. The code is a combination of
letters Letter, letters, or literature may refer to: Characters typeface * Letter (alphabet), a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; any of the symbols of an alphabet. * Letterform, the graphic form of a letter of the alphabe ...
and digits embedded into the
bicycle frame A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles: a main triangl ...
and made up of a manufacturer-code, a serial-number and construction year. By law it has been illegal since 1948 to sell cycle frames in Denmark without an embedded VIN and, as a result, insurance companies in Denmark do not pay indemnities for stolen cycles without a VIN.


Regular cycle events in Denmark

*
Danmark Rundt Danmark Rundt is a Danish stage race for professional road bicycle racers organized as a part of the UCI Continental Circuits. It is currently sponsored by the Danish national postal agency, PostNord, and the race is therefore also known as PostN ...
, a national Danish
stage race A race stage, leg, or heat is a unit of a race that has been divided in several parts for the reason such as length of the distance to be covered, as in a multi-day event. Usually, such a race consists of "ordinary" stages, but sometimes stages ...
since 1985, usually held in late July or early August * A yearly 6 day track race, usually held in
Ballerup Ballerup is a Danish town, seat of the Ballerup Municipality, in the Region Hovedstaden. There are approximately 25 schools in Ballerup Municipality. Ballerup has its own educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of ...
in late January or early February since 1934 * Rundetårn Unicycle Race, every year in spring, a unicycle race is held in the tower's 7.5-turn
helical Helical may refer to: * Helix, the mathematical concept for the shape * Helical engine, a proposed spacecraft propulsion drive * Helical spring, a coilspring * Helical plc, a British property company, once a maker of steel bar stock * Helicoil A t ...
corridor. The contestants have to go up and down the Rundetårn. The world record, set in 1988, is 1 minute and 48.7 seconds.


Tourists

It is quite common in Denmark to rent a cycle for riding around the countryside or the city. Most cities have a form of a
bicycle sharing system A bicycle-sharing system, bike share program, public bicycle scheme, or public bike share (PBS) scheme, is a shared transport service where bicycles are available for shared use by individuals at low cost. The programmes themselves include bot ...
. The method and pricing varies from location to location: the
Copenhagen City Bikes Copenhagen City Bikes or ''Bycykler København'' was the bicycle sharing system of Copenhagen, Denmark. Launched in 1995 with 1,000 cycles, the project was the world's first organized large-scale urban bike-sharing scheme, which, unlike its Dutch ...
in Copenhagen, for example, required a deposit of DKK 20 and restricted the use of the cycle to a defined area in the city centre, whereas other companies require documentation and a higher deposit. Bycykel in
Aalborg Aalborg (, , ) is Denmark's fourth largest town (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an urban population of 143,598 (1 July 2022). As of 1 July 2022, the Municipality of Aalb ...
is similar to the system that was in Copenhagen, for DKK 20 you can drive around in the city. Cycle rental shops are quite common and many different types of cycles are available. In Denmark, like the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
bicycle helmet A bicycle helmet is a type of helmet designed to attenuate impacts to the head of a cyclist in falls while minimizing side effects such as interference with peripheral vision. There is ongoing scientific research into the degree of protection ...
s are rarely worn by adults. A parliamentary proposal in 2009 to introduce a mandatory helmet law for children in Denmark was defeated.


Cars and cycles

In general cycles and
cars A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as t ...
coexist quite well in Denmark and, unlike the Netherlands, Denmark does not have
strict liability In criminal and civil law, strict liability is a standard of liability under which a person is legally responsible for the consequences flowing from an activity even in the absence of fault or criminal intent on the part of the defendant. ...
for car-drivers, but instead has a system that partially resembles it. There are two forms of liability that comes into action: liability in regards to the Danish traffic law (Danish: ''Færdselsloven'') and liability in damages in regards to the insurance companies. In an accident where a car going the right way in a one-way street and hits a cyclist going the wrong way, there will be a liability for both the car's owner (who will not necessarily be the driver) and the cyclist. This is due to a requirement for liability insurance (Danish: ''ansvarsforsikring'') for vehicle owners; §105 the insurance companies will always apply this and thus make the vehicle's owner liable for damages. However the cyclist may be deemed liable by the Danish legal system for violating the one-way restriction while the driver may escape charges. In that case the car owner's insurance company may seek reimbursement (Danish: ''regres'') from the cyclist. However, in the majority of the accidents the car driver is found liable in both regards; in 1999, in 90% of the accidents involving cars and cyclists the car-drivers were found fully liable.


Rules

, cyclists in Denmark can receive a fine for cycling without lights after a certain time of day; using a hand-held mobile phone while cycling; having defective brakes, reflectors, etc.; cycling against a red light; cycling against the direction of traffic; cycling on a pedestrian crossing; cycling on the left side of a bicycle path; not respecting traffic signs or arrows; breaking the unconditional right of way; not signaling; cycling with no hands on the handlebars; cycling on the sidewalk or footpath; holding onto another vehicle; cycling with two people on a bicycle that only has one seat (both persons will receive a fine); or positioning oneself in the wrong place before or while making a turn. Cyclists can also receive a warning if their bell does not work. Even though there is no fixed blood alcohol level above which it is illegal to ride a bicycle, cyclists can receive a fine for cycling under the influence if the police assess that doing so would be irresponsible. In intersections, cyclists wanting to turn left are not allowed to use the left-turn lanes that are meant for cars, but must cross the intersection first and turn left from there. If separate bike lanes are available, cyclists must use them. Bike lights must be lit after sunset until sunrise, or in case of bad visibility also during day time. Blinking lights are allowed with a minimum frequency of 120 flashes per minute (2 Hz). Blinking orange front-facing lights are not allowed (due to possible confusion with vehicle turn signals). All bikes sold since 1988 must have brakes on both front and back wheels.


See also

* Bicycle monarchy *
Danish National Cycle Routes The Danish National Cycle Routes (Danish: ''Danmarks nationale cykelruter'') together form the national cycling route network of Denmark. There are currently 11 such long-distance cycling routes across Denmark largely established mainly to promote ...
*
Cycling in Copenhagen Cycling in Copenhagen is – as with most cycling in Denmark – an important Mode of transport, mode of transportation and a dominating feature of the cityscape, often noticed by visitors. The city offers a variety of favourable cycling condit ...
*
Outline of cycling :''This article is an outline about the activity of cycling. For an outline about bicycles themselves, see outline of bicycles.'' :The following ''outline'' is provided as an overview of, as well as a topical guide to cycling: Cycling, al ...


References


External links


''Making the Bike as Logical a Choice for Commuters as the Car, Bus, Train or Metro''
November 12, 2012 {{Cycling in different countries and cities Transport in Denmark Urban planning in Denmark