March 14th, 2026 | Written by Afra de Boer Photography by Ilse Paulussen
Afra de Boer is a mountain bike coach, bicycle mechanic, and content creator based in Schoorl, The Netherlands. She runs clinics, works in a local bike shop, and shares her adventures through her platform Aaf on Wheels. As Bivo expands our reach into Europe we're excited to talk to locals like Afra about the bike culture in the Netherlands and what an area like Schoorl Dunes means to the people who ride there.
Afra de Boer is a mountain bike coach, bicycle mechanic, and content creator based in Schoorl, The Netherlands. She runs clinics, works in a local bike shop, and shares her adventures through her platform Aaf on Wheels. As Bivo expands our reach into Europe we're excited to talk to locals like Afra about the bike culture in the Netherlands and what an area like Schoorl Dunes means to the people who ride there.
Anyone who has ever mountain biked through the Schoorl Dunes feels it immediately: this place does something to you. The landscape is wild and open, yet at the same time calming. High dunes, dense pine forests, open sandy plains, and winding trails constantly alternate. With more than fifty metres of elevation difference, this is the highest dune area in the Netherlands. You ride through a landscape that is always changing, with wide views toward the sea and quiet forest sections where you can completely lose yourself in the moment.
For me, the Schoorl Dunes are much more than a beautiful nature reserve. They form the heart of my work and my passion. This is where I ride myself, where I coach, and where I help others step onto a mountain bike with more confidence and enjoyment. Not because it is always easy here, but precisely because this area invites you to grow, both as a rider and as a person.
Over the years, the Schoorl Dunes have become the backdrop to a large part of my life. This is where I see people change on their bikes. Not by going faster, but by letting go.
Anyone who has ever mountain biked through the Schoorl Dunes feels it immediately: this place does something to you. The landscape is wild and open, yet at the same time calming. High dunes, dense pine forests, open sandy plains, and winding trails constantly alternate. With more than fifty metres of elevation difference, this is the highest dune area in the Netherlands. You ride through a landscape that is always changing, with wide views toward the sea and quiet forest sections where you can completely lose yourself in the moment.
For me, the Schoorl Dunes are much more than a beautiful nature reserve. They form the heart of my work and my passion. This is where I ride myself, where I coach, and where I help others step onto a mountain bike with more confidence and enjoyment. Not because it is always easy here, but precisely because this area invites you to grow, both as a rider and as a person.
Over the years, the Schoorl Dunes have become the backdrop to a large part of my life. This is where I see people change on their bikes. Not by going faster, but by letting go.
The Schoorl mountain bike trail consists of narrow singletracks winding through forest and dunes. These are combined with short but punchy climbs, fast descents, and surprisingly technical sections. Sand always plays a leading role. Sometimes it is firm and fast, sometimes loose and tricky. Riding in sand quickly teaches you that forcing things does not work. Relaxation is essential. Looking ahead, letting your body move with the bike, and holding the handlebars lightly, like holding a small bird you do not want to squeeze, make all the difference.
The mountain bike area consists of three loops that together form one route, each with its own character.
The Schoorl mountain bike trail consists of narrow singletracks winding through forest and dunes. These are combined with short but punchy climbs, fast descents, and surprisingly technical sections. Sand always plays a leading role. Sometimes it is firm and fast, sometimes loose and tricky. Riding in sand quickly teaches you that forcing things does not work. Relaxation is essential. Looking ahead, letting your body move with the bike, and holding the handlebars lightly, like holding a small bird you do not want to squeeze, make all the difference.
The mountain bike area consists of three loops that together form one route, each with its own character.
The South Loop, marked in purple, feels like a friendly introduction. It is clear, flowy, and forgiving. Where the trail becomes more challenging, clear alternatives are provided. I often start here with people who are riding off-road for the first time or who are still searching for confidence. This loop is perfect for working on body position, looking where you want to go, and relaxed steering.
The Middle Loop is my favourite to coach on. This is where everything comes together. The climbs become tougher, the corners sharper, and the sand demands more attention. This is the loop where people often say, “Oh, that suddenly felt right.” Not because it is easy, but because everything clicks.
The North Loop is rougher and more technical. It requires more focus, more fitness, and better timing. I like to ride this loop with people who already have some experience and want to challenge themselves. Even experienced riders continue to learn here.
Together, the loops add up to about twenty-eight kilometres, but more important than the distance is how they feel. No ride is ever the same due to the influence of weather and changing trail conditions.
The South Loop, marked in purple, feels like a friendly introduction. It is clear, flowy, and forgiving. Where the trail becomes more challenging, clear alternatives are provided. I often start here with people who are riding off-road for the first time or who are still searching for confidence. This loop is perfect for working on body position, looking where you want to go, and relaxed steering.
The Middle Loop is my favourite to coach on. This is where everything comes together. The climbs become tougher, the corners sharper, and the sand demands more attention. This is the loop where people often say, “Oh, that suddenly felt right.” Not because it is easy, but because everything clicks.
The North Loop is rougher and more technical. It requires more focus, more fitness, and better timing. I like to ride this loop with people who already have some experience and want to challenge themselves. Even experienced riders continue to learn here.
Together, the loops add up to about twenty-eight kilometres, but more important than the distance is how they feel. No ride is ever the same due to the influence of weather and changing trail conditions.
My coaching style is personal, enthusiastic, and tailored to who you are as a rider. I work from a passion for the bike and a strong sense of technique, always at the participant’s level and pace. We focus on basic skills such as body position, balance, cornering, and riding in sand, always combined with experiencing the trail. Small successes are essential.
I remember a woman who barely dared to descend during her first clinic. She often got off her bike and said she simply was not a daredevil. We did everything step by step, without pressure. By the end of the ride, she rode a descent she had avoided before. She looked at me and said, “I didn’t know I could do this.”
Another participant arrived with a clear fear of sand. Every loose section caused tension. We slowed down, practised, and turned fear into curiosity. At the end of the clinic, she laughed and said, “I still feel it, but now I use it.” Fear into fuel.
What touches me is not the technique itself, but what lies beneath it. Trust. The courage to try. Accepting that failing is part of the process. When someone rides more smoothly through the sand after a clinic, or sits on the bike with relaxed shoulders, I see more than progress. I see growth.
My coaching style is personal, enthusiastic, and tailored to who you are as a rider. I work from a passion for the bike and a strong sense of technique, always at the participant’s level and pace. We focus on basic skills such as body position, balance, cornering, and riding in sand, always combined with experiencing the trail. Small successes are essential.
I remember a woman who barely dared to descend during her first clinic. She often got off her bike and said she simply was not a daredevil. We did everything step by step, without pressure. By the end of the ride, she rode a descent she had avoided before. She looked at me and said, “I didn’t know I could do this.”
Another participant arrived with a clear fear of sand. Every loose section caused tension. We slowed down, practised, and turned fear into curiosity. At the end of the clinic, she laughed and said, “I still feel it, but now I use it.” Fear into fuel.
What touches me is not the technique itself, but what lies beneath it. Trust. The courage to try. Accepting that failing is part of the process. When someone rides more smoothly through the sand after a clinic, or sits on the bike with relaxed shoulders, I see more than progress. I see growth.
Aaf on Wheels did not start from a business plan. It began with riding, working on bikes in the workshop, falling, getting back up, and trying again. With a love for technique and for people. Mountain biking has taught me to be present. You cannot stay stuck in what is happening at home when you are steering through loose sand or climbing a dune. You are here. Now.
Aaf on Wheels did not start from a business plan. It began with riding, working on bikes in the workshop, falling, getting back up, and trying again. With a love for technique and for people. Mountain biking has taught me to be present. You cannot stay stuck in what is happening at home when you are steering through loose sand or climbing a dune. You are here. Now.
During my clinics, I often ask one simple question:
“Who thought about home while riding?”
The answer is almost always the same: no one.
And that might be the most beautiful thing about mountain biking in the Schoorl Dunes. It pulls you out of your head and into your body. Whether you are a beginner or have been riding for years, you keep moving. Healthy for both body and mind.
During my clinics, I often ask one simple question:
“Who thought about home while riding?”
The answer is almost always the same: no one.
And that might be the most beautiful thing about mountain biking in the Schoorl Dunes. It pulls you out of your head and into your body. Whether you are a beginner or have been riding for years, you keep moving. Healthy for both body and mind.
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