"If you feel it's too far to cycle to school, ask your parents if they can buy you an e-bike"

Every day at 7:00 AM, David Radder (14) leaves his home in Mergelweg (Maastricht) and cycles on his e-mountain bike to his agricultural school in Tongeren (Belgium) and back in the afternoon. Every day, both in summer and winter, he travels 50 kilometres on the wonderfully flat Maastrichtersteenweg. But if it's -5 degrees, he prefers to take the bus. ‘It takes me three quarters of an hour by bike, one hour by bus.’

‘Cycling keeps me moving and helps me improve my fitness. It's a great way to prepare for being outdoors for long periods of time, as that's what my future job will involve. My parents also think it's important for environmental reasons. Actually, there are quite a few distances that you can easily cover by bike. Every year, I cycle about 7,000 kilometres in all types of weather.

On Friday afternoons, I get up early to take the tourist route home and enjoy the beautiful landscape. I don't have to do sports at home anymore, as I get plenty of exercise every day. My hobby at home is my electric cars, which are parked in the field opposite our house. 

A #tip for other young people: if you feel it's too far to cycle to school, ask your parents if they can buy you an e-bike. It makes a real difference in travel time, and you arrive at school more relaxed and less sweaty. I hadn't even thought about it until my uncle from Doetinchem came up with the idea of cycling to school on an e-bike. And I have to say, I still really enjoy it. I'm not too keen on a scooter or a moped; I'd much rather have a speed e-bike because it goes faster than my e-bike. But first I want to get my licence to drive a tractor, so I can soon drive that to school.’