Amsterdam is a good city for cycling and people in Amsterdam have been enjoying the (benefit) of cycling for years. The idea began about 50 years ago, and was first known "white bikes". Some people even call Amsterdam "the City of Bicycles".
In the 1960s, a group of cycling fans came up with idea. The group painted hundreds of bicycles white and placed them in many areas around Amsterdam for people to use. Soon after, however, problems came up and the "white bikes" all disappeared — thieves (steal) them all in a matter of weeks!
In 1999, the "white bikes" returned to Amsterdam — this time with a computer tracking system to record their every move! To take a bicycle, you had to put in a special card. The new "white bikes" were not actually white but painted in bright colours. The bikes (park) at special parking places. Thanks to the ideas and efforts of many people, you can now enjoy clean air and easy transport in (centre) Amsterdam.
Nowadays, the idea of "white bikes" (pedal) its way around the world, including China more and more cities have their own "white bike" programmes. Both the locals and tourists like to use (share) bikes because bike-sharing is a cheap and easy way (save) energy, reduce air and noise pollution, and enjoy the benefits of exercise in cities.
