ghost racing bikes

ghost racing bikes
It is almost impossible to go on an Amsterdam city break with thousands of bicycles. But few visitors know of the tens of thousands of machines, which are in the outer suburbs are heading for the scrap yard owner can claim unless they.

Lost and stolen bikes in Amsterdam are located in the Amsterdam Bicycle Pound (also known as AFAC), and nearly 125,000 businesses have been there since it opened five years ago.

The Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular is thought to have almost as many bicycles as people, but bicycle theft is a major headache for the police and bicycle owners.

Those at AFAC were seized by the police or municipal workers after found abandoned, stolen or illegally parked - more than 100 bikes on the truck every day. Many have apparently dumped - they are rusty, without a saddle or with lost or buckled wheels.

The wrecks are apparent for two weeks and then melted the steel. But in better condition - and some are expensive racing cycles that everyone would be proud to own - for three months for the owners back to them.

If anyone is up to stake a claim of cycles are used for the auction and most of them are up to the assembly of merchants. Others are involved in workshops for disabled people where they are restored.

Incredibly, only about 40 percent of the bikes are always in the market and second-hand bikes is a lucrative one. One of the reasons for the low level processing is the problem in the search for a missing machine. For one, the cycle-pound is several miles outside the city center of Amsterdam and is not good with buses or trains.

Another indication is exactly what the bike looks like and prove that you are the owner. Many people simply fall down on the detail, some also not forget the color - and many cycles look remarkably similar.

Another is that the key is the bike is locked - a SureFire way of proving ownership so many illegally parked cycles still have the security lock attached.

Then there are the ten euro fee - but that is only if your bike in the rows and rows of them lie in the connection. It's like a needle in a haystack. With tens of thousands of bicycles may be the whole day on the hunt for you.

Authorities to help out. Bicycles are indexed by the manufacturer, color and various other functions. and they are on the Internet for the search. But the search for a missing bicycle is still no easy task and many simply frustration.

Known as the bicycle capital of Europe, Amsterdam, he expects about 780,000 inhabitants and an estimated 550,000 bicycles. It is estimated that around 50,000 of them are stolen every year. Bicycle theft is the most common form of crime in Amsterdam.

But Amsterdam authorities are committed to the problem. In 2002, bicycle thefts was about 16 percent, but this year has been halved, and they are on target for a duration of six per cent theft rate from 2010.

Owners are now invited to establish the identity number codes engraved on the bicycle frame and its machinery. Amsterdam authorities hope this move and others will help cut crime and keep a good bike Amsterdam City.

Bob Cartwright writes TravelSavvy for Amsterdam City Break.