You have examine the root cause to find answers. For example, Danish parents are discouraged from dropping children off at school; and in Denmark driver licenses can only be obtained at 18. As a result, young people become acculturated to walking and biking everywhere as they grow up. Contrast this with the US where there are actually some school districts where NO busing service is provided and where there are no sidewalks or paths. Most, suburban and exurban US school districts it is the rule to find few or no sidewalks, paths, or safe lanes; so, it's car or bus only. When US kids fledge their suburban homes they leave a memory of eighty dollar bikes that weigh 40 pounds that were used to peddle around the cul de sacs a few times and then end up on the garage wall. No surprise then that Americans don't grow up accepting of bikes as mainstream transportation.

The Dutch really have it going on in the bike department. I lived in Amsterdam for a few years and just loved being able to bike it anywhere - even after a few drinks ;-) It is totally flat, bike roads run beside most car roads. There are even bike traffic lights. As a biker u pretty nuch have right of way. You can ride like a maniac and still cars will slow down, give way and not ride you off the road. When I returned home to Sydney I was determined to keep riding my bike everywhere. However, within a few months I was hit by a car that decided not to give way to me. I was ok - cars in Sydney are incredibly agressive against bikes - drivers seem to think they rule the road and anyone in their way should move out of their path. I think it should be the other way round - the least polluting/offending means of transport should have right of way .

I think that's because the counterculture Provos Movement in the mid-1960s, they developed the "White Plans", of which the most famous was the White bicycle plan, which entailed placing white bicycles throughout Amsterdam that could be used for free transportation.

I'm Dutch too. I think a major difference with the USA is, that a driver's licence, car taxes and fuel are A LOT more expensive here. Young people simply can't afford to own a car, let alone drive it.
Plus, in most towns and cities, roads are so clogged with traffic that you're actually faster by bike than you would be in a car or by public transport.

I am Dutch and I think in the bigger cities it's because it's a fast and cheap kind of transportation. Most people don't use expensive bikes in the cities here; lots of bikes will be stolen. It's cheaper than public transportation or a car and sometimes even faster, because of the bike paths or the possibillity to cycle where the bus can't come.
Expensive bikes are here mostly for holiday-purposes or when you are sure you can park it in a safe place on your work or something.

It's also something we grow up with. I (and lots of other children) got my first bike at a very young age. Later I even took my bike to my highschool, which was 15 km (more than 9.3 miles?) away from home. I could cycle almost all of the route on special bike paths and there was a special parking on school. But it seems to become less popular nowadays to children and teenagers. Unfortunately.

Why do the Dutch like bikes so much? Because their country is cool, small, and flat.

I haven't read the NYT piece yet, but one reason not mentioned in your summary is the utter chaos of some of the roads. With trolleys, pedestrians, cars, bikes, skateboarders, roller-bladers, and all other manner of travelers sharing street without a clear sense of who is "entitled' to right of way, everyone cooperates. I felt that I had to be much more aware of my surroundings no matter what kind of vehicle I was using, but it was nice to feel like we were all in it together. That is definitely not the feeling here in the U.S - at least in my hometown. Cars own the road and everyone else better watch out.

The first things we think about are bike paths and flat terrain and stuff like that, but it's important not to underestimate the impact of culture. Very true.

Amsterdam... sex,drugs and bicycles.

Portland... sex, drugs an bicycles...

hmm...

Maybe they love bikes because of all the sex and drugs.

I'm from Ontario Canada and it is amazing how some cities are different that others. When I lived in a smaller down called Peterborough, everyone biked around and there is even a central trail that bikers can take to go anywhere in the city.

In the bigger cities like Toronto and the GTA, biking is discouraged... at least in my experience because of the same reasons as the person from Austraila, which is the car drivers are CRAZY.

Biking to the bars is probably the most fun you could ever have with your friends.

$7+ a gallon gas might have something to do with it.

that's the trouble right there: "north american cities are...relatively dense" :-)

I am Dutch also and I am convinced that the average lifespan in Holland is amongst the largest in the world because of the cycling. Many Dutch children bike to school and back which takes 30 minutes a day or more 5 times a week until they are 16 years or older. This is exactly what heart associations in the world are recommending for a longer and healtier life.

Bikes were popular long before seperate bike-lanes or environmental concerns existed. When cars were still only for the happy few, bikes were the affordable way to get around for the normal people. Before WWII bike traffic jams were not uncommon. When cars became affordable and more dominant in traffic, bikes remained a vested interest which had to be considered in the design of roads etc. You could say it is a 'technology lock-in', in the same way the US has a technology lock-in with cars.

Good idea for the childrens the buga bike from www.like-bikes.com or www.likebike.fr