Brightly colored bikes decorated in flowers, clocks, butterflies, records, and other features are sprinkled throughout Amsterdam. Behind these beautiful bikes is a pretty cool story!
The bikes are the work of Warren Gregory, an American gentleman, fondly known as the Flower Bike Man. Warren began decorating bikes for his wife in the early 2000s while living in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Love Story
Warren and Michelle first vacationed in Amsterdam in 2004. After a week, they decided to move there. Five months later, they returned to call Amsterdam their home. After two difficult years, they had to move back to Tarpon Springs.
Warren’s wife, Michelle, suffering from epilepsy was struggling to remember where she parked her bike. Warren decorated Michelle’s bike so she would not struggle finding it.
As time went by Michelle began getting lost on her route home from work. To help guide her home, Warren decorated abandoned bikes which he placed on her route.
Seeing the joy that his bikes were bringing to others, Warren started decorating more bikes and scattering them throughout the city of Tarpon Springs until there were over 200 in a town of 25,000 residents.
Warren and Michelle moved back to Amsterdam in 2018. He continues to decorate bikes in his houseboat and leaves them on random streets before dawn to display his gifts before the city wakes up.
Today, he is often hired to create bikes for individuals, local companies, and festivals.
Warren gained such popularity that he became known as the Flower Bike Man.
Bikes and Locations
Colorful flower bikes are located throughout Amsterdam with new ones showing up often.
The following are some of the best areas to spot one. Remember, locating these colorful flower bikes can be somewhat of a mystery as they move from one area to another.
Near Rijks museum, you can usually find a bike.
The historic streets along the Canal Belt is another area to catch a glimpse of one of the flower bikes. In the past, this location has been the home of a blue bike with bright pink and purple flowers.
Oudesijds Voorburgwal is off a canal in the middle of De Wallen within the Red Light District. You might see a white and red flower bike nearby.
Near the canal off the Grimburgwal Bridge is the purple bike, offering the simple statement of “love is the cure.”
Another bike you may see is the red bike with red from the wheels to the seat and all the decorative flowers.
Lastly, you can usually spot a flower bike near the Anne Frank House across the canal from Westerkerk.
Wrap Up
The streets of Amsterdam come to life with pops of color when you spot a flower bike. If you see one, you know the Flower Bike Man has been nearby. And if you happen to cross paths with the Flower Bike Man, say hello!
Have you seen any of these beautiful bikes?
Until next time…
· izzy
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