Around the world, Bicycle Mayors are helping cities copy Dutch-style cycling culture through grassroots organizing, policy nudges, and community programs that make everyday biking safer, more inclusive, and far more common.
Imagine a world where kids ride to school safely, adults pedal to work on protected bike lanes, and traffic jams feel like a relic of the past. In the Netherlands, this is ordinary life. Cycling isn’t a trend or a workout—it’s simply the way to get around. Now, that Dutch approach is inspiring a quiet revolution worldwide, led by a growing network of Bicycle Mayors.
It all started in Amsterdam in 2016. The NGO BYCS launched the Bicycle Mayors initiative to empower local cycling advocates as champions for sustainable mobility. The goal was ambitious: take lessons from Dutch cities and apply them globally. In less than a decade, the network has expanded to over 150 Bicycle Mayors in 34 countries, each working to make cycling safer, more visible, and culturally accepted.
These Bicycle Mayors face enormous challenges. In most cities, bicycles account for just 1–5% of trips, compared to 25% or more in Dutch towns. Convincing local governments, communities, and skeptical drivers that bikes deserve real infrastructure is often an uphill battle. In effect, Bicycle Mayors are trying to compress decades of Dutch urban planning into just a few years.
Take Maren Ahlers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She began cycling to avoid crowded public transportation during the pandemic, but her rides quickly evolved into a full-fledged community movement. Now, group rides regularly draw 70 people, women participate in free cycling classes, and more than 450 members have joined her organization. At her first graduation ceremony, over 80 people celebrated women learning to ride for the first time. For many participants, cycling became more than just a means of transportation—it was a source of freedom, independence, and empowerment on two wheels.
Across the globe in Bath, England, Bicycle Mayor Pete Dyson demonstrates the other side of advocacy: persistence. His efforts to resurface a dangerous road used daily by schoolchildren highlight the challenges in cities where cycling infrastructure is minimal. What may seem like a small victory—one safe stretch of road—can represent years of negotiation, planning, and community effort.
Bicycle Mayors operate in a delicate balance between activism and politics. Many describe themselves as “critical friends” to local authorities, quietly lobbying, proposing, and persuading behind the scenes. Unlike Dutch cities, where cycling infrastructure is integrated into urban planning, these advocates often have no budget, no team, and few resources. Their results hinge entirely on creativity, persistence, and community trust.
Cultural barriers can be surprisingly difficult. In Addis Ababa, newly built bike lanes are sometimes ignored, with pedestrians using them as walking paths and cyclists forced onto busy roads. Ahlers responds with vibrant community events—rides featuring music, lights, and celebration—to turn cycling into a visible and desirable activity.
See also: The Rise of Bike Sharing Programs in Canada
The Bicycle Mayors network itself is critical. Before joining, Ahlers often felt isolated as the city’s sole cycling advocate. Today, she shares ideas and strategies with peers across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, adapting Dutch know-how to local realities.
These efforts are beginning to influence government action. In Addis Ababa, the visible demand created by cycling groups helped secure investment for 100 kilometers of new bike lanes. In other cities, Bicycle Mayors are shaping school programs, guiding import policies, and even mentoring the next generation, as seen in Amsterdam’s 10-year-old junior Bicycle Mayor, Armin Taheri.
Practical hurdles remain. Access to reliable bikes is limited in many cities. Ahlers often relies on friends to bring parts from Germany, while in Dutch cities, bicycles and repair shops are everywhere. Yet these challenges highlight what makes the Bicycle Mayors movement remarkable: creativity, persistence, and a belief that cycling can transform communities.
Ultimately, Bicycle Mayors are about more than roads or lanes. They are building a culture where cycling is normal, safe, and empowering. Community repair workshops, women’s cycling collectives, and group rides mirror the everyday cycling culture Dutch cities have enjoyed for decades—but adapted to each city’s unique needs.
From Addis Ababa to Bath, from small towns to major capitals, Bicycle Mayors are proving that a Dutch tradition can spark global change. They show that bicycles are not just tools of transport—they are instruments for reshaping cities, improving public health, and creating sustainable futures for generations to come.
