Children in the Netherlands are taught to cycle before walking.
It's not uncommon to find yourself dodging toddlers on two wheels.
Riding a bike is a part of everyday life in a society geared towards the bicycle.
When you can't afford this mode of transportation, what happens? Families in the Netherlands have turned to bike banks to make sure their children are not left behind during the cost-of-living crisis.
The Royal Dutch Touring Club has created a scheme to turn second-hand bikes into cycle path worthy condition.
There's a huge demand for refurbished bikes. There were more than 400 requests for help last year. 1,200 applications have been submitted this year.
I went to a project in a district that was not as well-off.
I heard the sound of sirens when I arrived. The volunteers were smoking outside of a home on the canal front.
Teenagers who have dropped out of school have the chance to learn a trade and learn life lessons with the help of the bike bank project.
The volunteers are no longer working with them. "We are giving them a new lease of life, as well as nudging an old man with a screwdriver, affectionately in the ribs," she said.
"They have vital skills which they can pass onto the next generation and while they are active and involved in the community, they also have a better quality of life, and it's all thanks to the bicycle!"
There is a rainbow of bikes in a semi circle next to a mini course on the pavement. Everyone who takes away a bike is tested to make sure they aren't endangering themselves or others.
Melanie and her husband are not going to walk in a straight line.
One Dutch friend put it this way, "just shut up and get a job and don't complain", as poverty still holds some stigma in a country.
The cost of living crisis has made people more aware of and compassionate towards those who are struggling to make ends meet.
In September 2022, inflation in the Netherlands hit an all-time high of 14.5%, while energy prices shot up 200%, according to the most recent figures. People are paying more for things.
Melanie told me she is ashamed that she and her husband can't afford to provide for their children.
Milan and Sanne are being ridiculed at school because they can't do everything their peers can.
Melanie says there is no wiggle room in their budget. There is no money left for anything other than the bills and groceries.
Sanne bought a bike. She's sitting, gripping the handlebars and grinning as the volunteers adjust the saddle to make sure she doesn't fall.
Children in the Netherlands take it for granted that they will own a bike.
Watching Melanie and her kids made me realize that more and more people are missing out on cycling.
I think that it's a hidden poverty. The people who can't ride because they are stuck at home aren't the same people as everyone else.
Not having a bicycle can result in a number of disadvantages.
In Holland, you need a bicycle to join in, to go to your football or to your friends or the school of your choice.
These people don't have the money to take the bus or tram if you don't have a bike. It is possible to join in the world with a bike.
Melanie tells me that if her son learns to cycle he will be able to attend a better school in a better neighbourhood.
She told me that she and her husband would be encouraged to run around the park to make sure their children are ready for school.
Five-year-old Emma's face looked just like her new set of wheels.
Emma can now participate with pride in a country where there are more bikes.
"If you have a bicycle, you can do anything you want," says Inge as she fixes Emma's handlebars. They might have a better future than their parents. We hope that's the case. Maybe that's because of the bike.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
