Bikester Magazine EN Winter 2021
Who would’ve thought the cycling boom that started in 2020 would still be going? And how sad would it be to lose that momentum now, just because the sun isn’t shining as much? ‘Just keep cycling’ is our motto – maybe you’ll need a slightly thicker jacket, but you’ll be fitter, happier, and more flexible than with any other means of transport. Let the Bikester magazine show you how it works!
Who would’ve thought the cycling boom that started in 2020 would still be going? And how sad would it be to lose that momentum now, just because the sun isn’t shining as much? ‘Just keep cycling’ is our motto – maybe you’ll need a slightly thicker jacket, but you’ll be fitter, happier, and more flexible than with any other means of transport. Let the Bikester magazine show you how it works!
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SV<strong>EN</strong>JA – FROM PRO<br />
TO PRACTICAL<br />
“I always cycled to school when I was a<br />
teenager so I could keep my bus ticket<br />
money.” For Svenja, the bicycle has always<br />
been her number one means of transport.<br />
Later, it also became her number one piece<br />
of sports equipment. As a triathlete, Svenja<br />
competed at the Olympic Games in London<br />
and has finished in the top 10 at Ironman<br />
competitions – that means rides of 180 km in<br />
competition and countless more in training.<br />
Since having her three children, Svenja uses<br />
the road like many other parents: riding an<br />
e-bike with a child trailer and child seat. Her<br />
three children, Joah, Maila and Nelio are<br />
always with her when Svenja is out and about.<br />
Sure, the children love racing around in the<br />
trailer or child seat when the weather’s nice,<br />
but don’t they protest when it gets wet and<br />
cold? Svenja casually dismisses the question:<br />
“My children don’t know any different, so it’s<br />
not an issue at all! We’re an outdoor family,<br />
the kids go to a forest kindergarten, so they<br />
don’t even think about it when it gets dirty<br />
or wet.”<br />
Is it really as simple as that – just not thinking<br />
about it? Of course, the right clothes are<br />
essential to keep the kids warm and dry: “We<br />
already had rain gear and a warm snowsuit, so<br />
the kids can wear that on the bike”. Svenja<br />
also has a few little tricks up her sleeve to<br />
make the cold weather less uncomfortable for<br />
her little passengers: “We have a rain cover<br />
for the trailer, so the wind doesn’t get in and<br />
it’s nicer inside. And when it’s really cold, a<br />
blanket and a hot water bottle make it cosy in<br />
the trailer or on the child seat.”<br />
So, do you ever consider taking the car<br />
instead? “We only have one car, which my<br />
husband often uses, and I simply don’t want<br />
to be dependent on it,” Svenja says, waving it<br />
off. The only reason not to put the children<br />
on the bike is “if it gets slippery in winter; I<br />
think it’s too risky on a bike with the kids.”<br />
And where does Svenja find the motivation<br />
to always take the bike? The ecological aspect<br />
is important to her, and that she always gets<br />
exercise on the bike. Switching to an e-bike<br />
was a huge success for Svenja: “This way, I can<br />
always bring the kids with me, no matter what<br />
the weather is like.”<br />
BIKESTER