[jfengel]

On a nice day it's fantastic to be out, but Paris can be cold and rainy. They really need to have a plan for those days, too.

Paris Metro is pretty nice, and reaches most of the car free area. But I'm not sure if it can handle all of the cyclists if they're all trying to avoid a déluge.

[nchagnet]

I live in the Netherlands where the weather is arguably tougher than in Paris (rain, cold and wind for large portion of the year) yet everyone bikes year in year out.

And not just young active people, it's a habit found across all age groups, parents bike their children to school (or with them if old enough, etc.)

All that to say I wouldn't worry too much about the feasibility issue, it's really more of a mindset to adopt, and it's happening more and more in France.

[jacquesm]

Paris has one thing that Amsterdam does not that makes cycling more challenging: elevation. (Ok, Amsterdam has bridges but those are for the most part really short and momentum is enough to carry you across).

[consp]

I seriously consider 6-7bft headwind far worse than any hill. Won't get that in large cities but a bit out that's normal cycling weather.

[jacquesm]

That's true, we can have some serious wind here.

[microtonal]

I cycled to work every day in Southern Germany, which had even more elevation, it was not a huge problem, you get fit enough in now time. Older people just use e-bikes.

[jacquesm]

> Older people just use e-bikes.

Or those with bad legs. Raises hand.

[nchagnet]

Oh I agree. When I lived in Lyon, who is also quite bike-friendly, it was a lot more challenging than Amsterdam.

But with electric bikes becoming more affordable, hopefully the gap can eventually close.

[jacquesm]

I've become utterly addicted to my e-bike. You can have my car, but my e-bike stays.

[prpl]

In amsterdam, few people wear modern/synthetic rain coats as well. Just riding around in the rain with what I assume must be waxed duck out something

[stef25]

> the Netherlands

It's completely flat and the obvious reason why everyone cycles. Nothing to do with mindset, like you're somehow superior to the rest of EU.

[david-gpu]

Bicycles have had gears for almost a century, and they allow to tackle hilly areas easily. Also, the Netherlands is notoriously windy, and a headwind is just as difficult as a hill.

No, what makes the Netherlands different is their street design prioritizing safety rather than speed at all costs. When the streets feel safe from speeding drivers, more people choose to ride a bike.

[stef25]

> Bicycles have had gears for almost a century, and they allow to tackle hilly areas easily.

Assuming everyone but you is retarded.

[david-gpu]

Not at all. I simply suspect that you are uninformed about why cycling is popular in the Netherlands. In the 60s the Netherlands was just as flat as it is today, but it wasn't a cycling paradise. It all changed with the campaign "Stop de Kindermoord" (literally translated as "Stop the Child Murder"), which began in 1972.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_the_Netherlands#His...

[nchagnet]

Considering I'm not Dutch, you may feel reassured there is no superiority feeling at play here.

I agree with another commenter that while flat, the Netherlands have their own hurdles (biking with a strong headwind on the banks of the IJ is not easy, even if flat), and I definitely agree that their city design is what makes this unique.

I lived in various parts of France growing up, and I can assure you there are flat cities there, yet biking in them felt very risky at best.

[IneffablePigeon]

This “nobody cycles in bad weather” is a tired myth. Yes, there’s some truth in it but cycling numbers past the traffic counters in my city in the UK (very similar climate) dip by 10-30% in winter months, and the higher end of those is mostly leisure routes not commuting ones. The Netherlands has a lot of rain and much more cycling than most other places.

[jacquesm]

Summer here is on Tuesday. The rest of the year it is rain, alternating with fog, snow & ice.

Nah, jk, it's a beautiful day today and I'm thinking of going for a ride.

[p_j_w]

This is overblown. I visited Tokyo recently and a friend of mine was constantly riding his bike around in the middle of a cold and snowy winter. He wasn't the only one, either.

[enriquto]

> Paris can be cold and rainy

I cycle in Paris every week, and the only annoying experience climate-wise is the extreme heat you can get some days in july and august. If it's cold or wet, you can just wear appropriate clothes and be comfortable. But if it's sunny and 35°C, you are going to be drenched in sweat no matter what! Of course, being in the metro those days is even worse...

[hamdingers]

Put on a jacket.

One of the saddest effects of car-dependency is people forgetting how to dress themselves for the weather.

[microtonal]

I have cycled every working day in The Netherlands and in Germany for years (in Germany it was 22km per day) and I would often cycle a bit recreationally in the weekends. It really isn't an issue at all. I just have a waterproof jacket (one of those that circulate air as well), water resistant shoes, and rain pants. On very rainy days, I would put on the rain pants and would arrive mostly dry.

It is not really an issue.

The only thing that was slightly meh was the yearly ~two weeks of thick snow in Southern Germany. It increases effort a bit, but still not a huge issue and the cycling roads got cleared pretty quickly.

[bethekidyouwant]

I would almost believe this, except for your shoes get absolutely soaked.

[microtonal]

They don't, Gore-Tex Eccos with high-enough collars. (Gore-Tex does have other issues though.)

[alamortsubite]

Not necessarily. I have a pair of Gore-tex Nikes that are amazing.