Your friendly neighbourhood junkie: You may be tempted to buy the 10 euro bike that the local druggie is whispering to you about as you walk past, but THIS IS NOT LEGAL. You could receive a 350 euro fine if you get caught by the cops buying a stolen bike, so it’s definitely not worth the five finger discount.

Steal one yourself: This option is even cheaper than the first, but even less legal! If you get caught, you’ll score yourself a criminal record on top of the massive fine. Not the best way to start your time in Groningen, right? Having ruled out the easiest, cheapest and most illegal ways to acquire a bike, as responsible citizens, we recommend actually trying the options below instead.

Bike store: You can buy a decent second-hand bike for about 80 euros, and bikes at shops are usually in good working order. This is a more expensive option though, and your investment might not be worthwhile if you are one of the many poor souls whose bike always gets stolen by the local junkie (see tip 1).

Bike depot: On two Fridays of every month, Groningen organizes a sale of used bikes at affordable prices at a depot. These bikes have either been confiscated by the police or were abandoned and have been repaired. This option is very popular though, and many people, like you, are bikeless too, so don’t sleep in.

The sale officially starts at 8:30 a.m., but for the best chance to snag one of these bikes, you should be waiting in line before the doors open. Bikes here usually sell for 20 to 40 euros. There are six more selling dates this year at the Oude Boteringestraat 18.

Facebook: Unsurprisingly, there are many groups dedicated to selling stuff– including bikes. Here, you can request to buy and sell bikes in these very active forums – people post daily. One thing is for sure: there is no deficit of bikes in Groningen, so consider joining these groups and see your bike troubles pedal away:

Bicycles for sale in Groningen, Groningen Market, *FOR SALE* in Groningen, For sale in Groningen, For sale in Groningen for everyone.