Bikes

As you might already know, the Netherlands is a real biking country. The Dutch infrastructure has adapted really well to this and for that reason almost every place that is important to reach can be reached by bike. This is also the case for Nijmegen, almost all important places you need to go (during orientation) are within a 15 minute bike range. It is important that you have a bike, especially during your orientation, as you will be using it a lot. There are multiple ways to get a bike but two of the most simple ones are either renting or buying a bike. Both of these have their own benefits and drawbacks which will be shortly listed below so you can choose which one you prefer. Both choices are completely fine as long as you have a bike!

General important information

• Since bikes are so common in the Netherlands they are also often stolen. To prevent this it is smart to add an extra chain-lock besides your normal one. You can get these for quite cheap at stores like Action. Often the cable locks are cheaper, but less secure than chain locks.
• It's important to have functional lighting on your bike, since having no functional lights on your bike is something punishable by law in the Netherlands and can be fined with 60 euros when caught. Do also make sure that the lights are not on 'flicker'-mode, as that is also not allowed and will also cost you 60 euros. Cheap lighting can also be bought at stores like Action for a few euros. Do mind that you want to remove your lights, if possible, from your bike, otherwise these might get stolen as well.
• Since July 2019 it is forbidden to hold any electronic device in your hand while riding a bicycle. This means that quickly grabbing your phone to check a message could cost you a whopping 140 euros when seen by a police officer. If you need your phone for navigation it is best adviced to buy a phone-grip for your bike, in which you can put your phone so that you don't have to hold it in your hand. However, keep in mind that your focus should be on the road ;)

Renting a bike

For renting bikes, there's a few options. The two we can recommend are the following:

Swapfiets: You pay a set amount of money each month for renting the bike. To rent one, you sign up on the website, wait for confirmation, and then you can pick up your bike. The price you pay comes with the added benefit that when you have bike troubles (e.g. a flat tire), you can contact them and the problem will be resolved for you.
NS OV Bikes: For the OV bikes, you can rent a bike and pay per day. To rent one, you need a personal OV-chipkaart with free OV-fiets season ticket or NS Flex season ticket. These can be picked up at the rental locations, which are located at most trainstations. Note that you should/ want to drop off your OV bike at the same location as where you picked it up, as they charge you €10 if you return it at a different location than your pick-up location.

Buying a bike

You can also buy a bike. This comes with the benefit that you only need to invest in it once and you're done (until you experience any bike troubles). For this you also have two main options: buying a new bike or getting a second-hand one. We will only focus on the latter, as buying a new bike can get really expensive really quickly. In general, you can buy second-hand bikes almost everywhere, for example via MarktPlaats (Dutch eBay if you will). However, not all sellers there might speak English, therefore we also recommend Wheels Tweewielers (website in Dutch), located at Sint Annastraat 42, 6524 GE, Nijmegen.

Stalling your bike

Once you do have a bike, it must be stored somewhere as well. If you do not have a place in Nijmegen where you can store your bike, there are a few options where it can be stalled (somewhat) safely as well.

Talia/Doornroosje's bike storage: This is the place we recommend the most, as stalling it here is free (although there is a 28-day limit for parking your bike there), it is right next to Nijmegen's train station, and it is open for the entirety of the day, every day of the week.
Bike storage of Nijmegen's trainstation: This bike storage is located right outside the train station, and it is also where you can rent an OV bike. Stalling your bike here is free for the first 24 hours, after this you have to pay €1.35 per day that it is stalled there. A plus is that the parking there is guarded, but that also comes with the downside that it is closed between 2 and 5/6 at night.
Plein 44's bike storage: At Plein 44, a place you will probably visit quite some time, there is a bike storage located. This bike storage is, just like the trainstation's, guarded. Parking here throughout the day is free, but leaving your bike there overnight (picking it up after 5:00) will cost you €2.50. Note that you can only pay by card.