TU/e honors the two-wheeler with themed week

They are ridden by millions, sung about by many - from Queen, Gers Pardoel and K3 to Shakira, Skik and Boudewijn de Groot. Bicycles. At the end of this month they will take center stage during the first TU/e Bike Week, which will include workshops (including lessons for beginners), demonstrations, a spinning marathon, and a culinary cycle trip taking in the kitchens of students and employees.

Cycling is good, for both people and the environment. So TU/e is keen to encourage students and employees to come to the campus by bike as much as possible. And definitely during the first TU/e Bike Week, as the initiators say - particularly on national Cycle to Your Work Day, an annual event, that falls in this week. (‘Yes. That is a Dutch thing, with a website, if you don’t believe us.’)

The idea for TU/e Bike Week was hatched by community manager Erik de Jong, who had been incubating the notion for a good long while, believes his co-organizer Haruka Maeda. Getting more people on their bikes, that is the ultimate aim, as the student assistant and Bachelor's student of Architecture and Urbanism says.

The native of Japan has been in the Netherlands since September and has now fully mastered this traditionally Dutch mode of transport. “I absolutely love it!” It must be said that she had cycled before, including in Brazil, where she has spent much of her life - despite some degree of risk, including the absolute dominance of car drivers in local traffic.

Nonetheless, despite her experience, she found the Swap Bike that she hired during the last Introduction Week took some getting used to: “They don't have hand brakes; you have to back pedal to brake. I rode right into someone; he was pretty mad at me,” she admits a little shamefully. “But after that, thank heavens, I improved quickly.”

Maeda joined the team organizing TU/e Bike Week “because I spend virtually all my time here on campus and I wanted to do more than just study. Besides, I really appreciate what Erik de Jong is doing for the internationals here, and how he is trying to bring together people and cultures.” Personally, she has come to the team via the international student association Cosmos; in addition, the Student Sports Center, Colleagues United (formerly the staff association), and Personnel and Organization (DPO) are also involved.

Eating, Drinking, Cycling

Maeda talks enthusiastically about the event, which will include a BMX demonstration and workshop (on the Monday) and a cycling course for beginners (on the Tuesday). “It looks easy, but I know from friends and acquaintances that many internationals find it difficult, and may well feel embarrassed that they can't master it right away. We hope this workshop will help them feel inclined to give it a go.”

As for the Happen, Tappen, Trappen (Eating, Drinking, Cycling) on the Friday, the native of Japan is already enthusiastic about that too. “Groups of students and employees will cycle by a couple of houses where TU/e people live, and at each address they can enjoy a single dish.” A cycle trip to Belgium is planned for the Saturday. Other activities include a spinning marathon.

TU/e Bike Week runs from May 28th through June 2nd. Take a look at the website or check the Facebook event for the full program. The organizers hope that the first edition will mark the start of an annual event.


Photo top: a few of the organizers of the first TU/e Bike Week. From left to right: Eetu Närhi, Haruka Maeda (both Cosmos members), Willem van Hoorn (DPO) and Lara Hofstra (Student Sports Center).

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