Amsterdam is teeming with two-wheelers. The lives of residents, tourists, and workers flash past each other. But wouldn’t it be nice to look each other in the eye more often? To lend each other a hand? The answer is Yellow Backie.

Are you a resident and do you own a bike? Then you can get a bright yellow luggage rack mounted for free at Yellow Bike. Your yellow luggage rack is the signal to passers-by that you’d gladly give them a lift. Amsterdam hitchhiking at its best!

Getting a Backie-ride is so easy; you don’t even need an app for it. When you visit Amsterdam, just look for people riding bikes with a bright yellow luggage rack. Spot one? Shout “Backie!” as loud as possible, hop on, and see where your new guide takes you.

Why did Yellow Bike come up with this concept?

As a pioneer in bicycle tours in Amsterdam, Yellow Bike has seen the city slowly change. The city has become bigger, busier, and more dynamic. The gap between residents and visitors is growing, with the necessary irritations about the tourist city center.

Yellow Backie was launched in 2015 to bridge that gap. It gives proud Amsterdammers the chance to show ‘their’ city and share stories with people from all over the world. In turn, tourists can share more about their own experiences. It’s an exchange of culture and conviviality, simply during a bike ride from A to B.

The Yellow Backie project was a temporary campaign by Yellow Bike. Almost 150 people registered for a Yellow Backie. Although the project has stopped, Yellow Bike stands firm for solidarity in the city, community building, and sharing experiences. Visit Yellow Bike’s DIY Repair Club every first Friday of the month to learn how to repair your own bike, and have a chat.