[meiuqer]

This only began to become a problem with the introduction of e-bikes. Old people especially are not wearing them on e-bikes. On regular bikes where you are going 15km/h you should not have to wear a helmet. The infrastructure in the Netherlands protects cyclists enough (in general) and a fall at that speed is not really that dangerous (in general, again).

Though an e-bike goes 25km/h. This is a lot more dangerous and people should definitely wear a helmet when driving one.

[saagarjha]

What infrastructure can protect you from hitting the ground with your head when you're on a bike?

[meiuqer]

As i said, in general, going 15km/h is not fast enough to have a serious fall on your own. Only from external factors can riding a bike be dangerous, like from a car for example. in The Netherlands almost all cycle paths are isolated from cars as much as possible. So in general (again, in general) it is safe enough to drive around without a helmet.

The data backs it up. Look at the deaths per capita in the Netherlands. You can see a steep rise with the introduction of e-bikes, but before that it was one of the lowest in the world. And that is saying something when it is the most cycling dense country of the world.

[lostlogin]

I’m far from being the quickest cyclist out there and and my commutes are in the 30kmh range when it isn’t windy.

There are plenty of e-bikes that pass me, and I’d estimate they are doing 40kmh.

Not wearing a helmet would be mad.

[meiuqer]

those are speedpedelecs and i agree, you are insane if you don't wear a bike on that.

e-bikes are usually 25km/h max in my countries (Benelux)

[skeeter2020]

who goes a max of 15 km/h on a bicycle? You'd get passed by a very fast runner. I easily go 25+ on my fully loaded bikepacking bike on typical commuting terrain.

also, nit: you don't drive a bicycle

[lostlogin]

> also, nit: you don't drive a bicycle

That bit is about e-bikes. I can get behind that phrasing.

[meiuqer]

On a typical dutch 'omafiets' you ride on average 15km/h. these are bikes that are used for every day trafic.

bikepacking is a completely different way of cycling and has nothing to do with the way people in the netherlands use their bikes.