This is the 1698th most frequent Dutch word.
stapte
"Stapte" is the past tense of "stappen," meaning "stepped" in English.
In this sentence, 'stapte' is used as the simple past form of the verb 'stappen', meaning 'to step' or 'to get off'.
Zij stapte uit de bus.
She got off the bus.
Here, 'stapte' indicates the action of moving forward by stepping, used in a narrative past tense.
Hij stapte naar voren om te spreken.
He stepped forward to speak.
In this case, 'stapte' (conjugated as 'stapten' for plural subject) is used to describe the action of mounting bicycles, showing its flexibility in describing entering or leaving modes of transport.