Author Topic: Belgium rides 2019  (Read 13112 times)

Belgium rides 2019
« on: 02 October, 2018, 08:03:40 pm »
Hello.
Want to do PBP but the UK calendar doesn't work?
Want to see two or three countries and experience a couple of different languages, cultures and food all in a 300 or 400km ride?
Did Borders of Belgium and got hooked?
Belgium rides are for you!

London to Brussels on the Eurostar is a piece of cake and/or there are some from Oostende or the far west of Belgium. They are closer than you think  ;D

Here goes -
Zaterdag 10-11-2018 Oudenburg 200 km

Zaterdag 15-12-2018 Assebroek 200 km

Zaterdag 5-1-2019 Wachtebeke 200 km

Samedi 2-2-2019 La Louvière 200 km

Zaterdag 23-2-2019 Herentals 200 km

Samedi 2-3-2019 Duo: Anderlecht & Tournai 200 km

Samedi 9-3-2019 Duo: Mouscron & Oudenburg 200 km

Zondag 10-3-2019 Leuven 200 km

Zaterdag 16-3-2019 Oostende 200 km

Zaterdag 23-3-2019 Tervuren 200 km

Samedi 30-3-2019 Villance 200 km

Samedi 6-4-2019 Tournai 200 km

Zaterdag 6-4-2019 Herentals 300 km

Samedi 13-4-2019 Villance 300 km

Zondag 14-4-2019 Leuven 300 km

Samedi 20-4-2019 Anderlecht 300 km

Maandag 22-4-2019 Bellem 300 km

Samedi 27-4-2019 Antoing 200 km

Zaterdag 27-4-2019 Herentals 400 km

Woensdag 1-5-2019 Oostende 300 km

Vendredi 3-5-2019 Villance 400 km

Zaterdag 4-5-2019 Lier 200 km

Samedi 11-5-2019 Tournai 300 km

Zaterdag 11-5-2019 Oudenburg 400 km

Zaterdag 18-5-2019 Leuven 400 km

Zaterdag 25-5-2019 Lier 300 km

Samedi 25-5-2019 Tournai 400 km

Zaterdag 25-5-2019 Oostende 400 km

Donderdag 30-5-3019 Oosteeklo 300 km

Jeudi 30-5-2019 Villance 600 km

Samedi 1-6-2019 Anderlecht 600 km

Zaterdag 8-6-2019 Oostende 600 km

Maandag 10-6-2019 Vlamertinge 200 km

Zaterdag 15-6-2019 Lier 400 km

Samedi 22-6-2019 Tournai 600 km

Zaterdag 22-6-2019 Groot-Bijgaarden 600 km

Zaterdag 29-6-2019 Lier 600 km

Woensdag 3-7-2018 Herentals 1200 km

Zaterdag 20-7-2019 Oostende 200 km

Zaterdag 27-7-2019 Sint-Truiden 200 km

Zaterdag 3-8-2019 Oudenburg 600 km

Zaterdag 10-8-2019 Oostende 200 km

Dimanche 18-8-2019 Paris - Brest – Paris 1200 km
Lundi 19-8-2019 Paris - Brest - Paris
Mardi 20-8-2019 Paris - Brest - Paris
Mercredi 21-8-2019 Paris - Brest - Paris
Jeudi 22-8-2019 Paris - Brest - Paris

Samedi 7-9-2019 La Louvière 200 km

Zondag 15-9-2019 Oudenburg 200 km

Zaterdag 21-9-2019 Ternat 200 km

Samedi 5-10-2019 Anderlecht 200 km

zaterdag12-10-2019 Assebroek 200 km

zondag 27-10-2019 Leuven 200 km
 

 

Smeth

  • less Grimpeur than Whimpeur...
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #1 on: 02 October, 2018, 10:24:41 pm »
+1 to that. Friendly riders, embarrassingly good English speakers, easy trains from Brussels and don't forget to just sip the 12% dark beer. If its a long one just remember shop and restaurant late opening times are very limited. Carry grub and water. Forget 24hr garages.

Sent from my SM-J510FN using Tapatalk


telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #2 on: 02 October, 2018, 10:59:57 pm »
Interested, assuming we're still allowed to cross the channel from April onwards...
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #3 on: 03 October, 2018, 11:48:18 am »
Carry grub and water.

For water, the cemetery tap trick works here as well though, usually next to the wheelie bins in my experience.
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #4 on: 03 October, 2018, 01:11:07 pm »
Is there a good place to find out more info on the routes etc? I could be tempted by the 400k from Oostende for PBP qualification but their website is just a list of starts and distances from what I can work out.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #5 on: 03 October, 2018, 01:26:32 pm »
Is there a good place to find out more info on the routes etc? I could be tempted by the 400k from Oostende for PBP qualification but their website is just a list of starts and distances from what I can work out.

That data will come out soonish IIRC. Eventually the calendar will link to a page per ride with a list of controls and usually nearer the time a link to a GPX.

The 600 from Groot-Bijgarden is Brussels-Paris-Brussels.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Dave_C

  • Trying to get rid of my belly... and failing!
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #6 on: 03 October, 2018, 01:29:55 pm »
Carry grub and water.

For water, the cemetery tap trick works here as well though, usually next to the wheelie bins in my experience.

Between Lille and Hoyget nearly every house had an outside tap at the fron of the house, but every one we tried were turned off inside!

The calendar appears to work for me now, at least I can see the rides.
@DaveCrampton < wot a twit.
http://veloviewer.com/athlete/421683/

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #7 on: 03 October, 2018, 01:39:09 pm »
Carry grub and water.

For water, the cemetery tap trick works here as well though, usually next to the wheelie bins in my experience.

Between Lille and Hoyget nearly every house had an outside tap at the fron of the house, but every one we tried were turned off inside!

The calendar appears to work for me now, at least I can see the rides.

On one of the Dutch rides that went through Belgium, I had to use a tap on the front of a house. I was lucky that the first one I tried was turned on, not all of them are.

Be aware that on some new builds, the outside tap may not be drinking water as some of them use a rainwater harvesting system, found that the hardway.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #8 on: 03 October, 2018, 01:43:06 pm »
The only Ostend brevet I've done (300km) was mostly riding in France. That was a long time ago though.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #9 on: 03 October, 2018, 01:55:18 pm »
The only Ostend brevet I've done (300km) was mostly riding in France. That was a long time ago though.

Seems to be the norm for a lot of the Benelux and Western German brevets to leave their country of origin, in the case of the Maastricht brevets, often in the first 10km... There's a nice 300 from Maastricht that goes all the way to the French border and back.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #10 on: 03 October, 2018, 02:12:55 pm »
Thanks for the info, I will keep an eye out for more detail.

Many taps we came across on BOB needed some sort of lock value, I assume something like this https://www.bes.co.uk/lockshield-gate-valve-key?ref=gs&photo=true&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0dHdBRDEARIsAHjZYYDXk68MMyvUKlFbUokKp_cHaL0PwhRVckNC6aMml2Df0LsMHFbriW4aAk8xEALw_wcB

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #11 on: 03 October, 2018, 02:17:18 pm »
Thanks for the info, I will keep an eye out for more detail.

Many taps we came across on BOB needed some sort of lock value, I assume something like this https://www.bes.co.uk/lockshield-gate-valve-key?ref=gs&photo=true&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0dHdBRDEARIsAHjZYYDXk68MMyvUKlFbUokKp_cHaL0PwhRVckNC6aMml2Df0LsMHFbriW4aAk8xEALw_wcB

Aye, this seems to be quite common in many countries. I found the same in Scandinavia, including many scandi gas stations. You can get keys with 4 of different square ends, that fit most sizes, you can also get them in heavy duty plastic, which is a bit lighter to carry. Mine lives in my bike tool bag on the top tube of the bike.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #12 on: 03 October, 2018, 09:08:40 pm »
The only Ostend brevet I've done (300km) was mostly riding in France. That was a long time ago though.

Seems to be the norm for a lot of the Benelux and Western German brevets to leave their country of origin, in the case of the Maastricht brevets, often in the first 10km... There's a nice 300 from Maastricht that goes all the way to the French border and back.

J

First 10k? You probably mistook the internal Belgian border for the national border ;). On the 300 it was more like 5k after the start.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #13 on: 03 October, 2018, 10:26:57 pm »
Zaterdag 29-6-2019 Lier 600 km

Woensdag 3-7-2018 Herentals 1200 km

Zaterdag 20-7-2019 Oostende 200 km
Is that a typo?

(I think I rode it in 2013, so odd-number years seems to make sense ... ? )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

mmmmartin

  • BPB 1/1: PBP 0/1
    • FNRttC
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #14 on: 04 October, 2018, 12:37:24 am »
About water: just knock on a door and wave an empty water bottle. You will be greeted as a conquering hero and they'll fill the bottle from the tap indoors. Forget the standard UK cycling stance of being a persecuted minority: in Belgium they think you are the bee's knees. It's a different world. And, unlike, say Scotland, there is no language problem.....
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #15 on: 04 October, 2018, 06:41:23 am »
About water: just knock on a door and wave an empty water bottle. You will be greeted as a conquering hero and they'll fill the bottle from the tap indoors. Forget the standard UK cycling stance of being a persecuted minority: in Belgium they think you are the bee's knees. It's a different world. And, unlike, say Scotland, there is no language problem.....

This does not match my experience of cycling in Belgium. I suffer more abuse, and more close passes, in Belgium than anywhere else.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #16 on: 04 October, 2018, 08:36:03 am »
About water: just knock on a door and wave an empty water bottle. You will be greeted as a conquering hero and they'll fill the bottle from the tap indoors. Forget the standard UK cycling stance of being a persecuted minority: in Belgium they think you are the bee's knees. It's a different world. And, unlike, say Scotland, there is no language problem.....

This does not match my experience of cycling in Belgium. I suffer more abuse, and more close passes, in Belgium than anywhere else.

J
There speaks a rider who has never ridden in the East Riding. Or Derbyshire.

I wasn't a huge fan of Belgian riding- drivers seem nicer in France. And some of their roads have surfaces.
My only regret in moving Ooop North is how much further / more expensive it is to get to our European neighbours.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #17 on: 04 October, 2018, 09:04:30 am »

This does not match my experience of cycling in Belgium. I suffer more abuse, and more close passes, in Belgium than anywhere else.

J
There speaks a rider who has never ridden in the East Riding. Or Derbyshire.

I wasn't a huge fan of Belgian riding- drivers seem nicer in France. And some of their roads have surfaces.
My only regret in moving Ooop North is how much further / more expensive it is to get to our European neighbours.
[/quote]

No, but I have ridden in London+SE, Ireland (Inc Dublin), Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden.

For abuse from Drivers Belgium comes first, followed by Germany. In terms of cycle law, France is the worst.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #18 on: 04 October, 2018, 09:15:51 am »
My list is Australia, Belgium, Canada, Equador, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Thailand, UK and USA. Belgium isn't top of the list for unpleasant drivers (though they aren't the bottom either), by any measure.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #19 on: 04 October, 2018, 11:10:26 am »
Zaterdag 29-6-2019 Lier 600 km

Woensdag 3-7-2018 Herentals 1200 km

Zaterdag 20-7-2019 Oostende 200 km
Is that a typo?

(I think I rode it in 2013, so odd-number years seems to make sense ... ? )
Must be a typo.
The Herentals 1200 is a yearly event.

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #20 on: 04 October, 2018, 11:20:46 am »
About water: just knock on a door and wave an empty water bottle. You will be greeted as a conquering hero and they'll fill the bottle from the tap indoors. Forget the standard UK cycling stance of being a persecuted minority: in Belgium they think you are the bee's knees. It's a different world. And, unlike, say Scotland, there is no language problem.....

Even at 3am?
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #21 on: 04 October, 2018, 09:00:23 pm »
This does not match my experience of cycling in Belgium. I suffer more abuse, and more close passes, in Belgium than anywhere else.

I’ve only done one Belgium ride, but that 1000km contained (by far) the best bike-car interactions i’ve ever had on the road.  Honestly, it felt like riding on closed roads such was the space given by the drivers.  On one section approaching a give-way to join a more major road, the van on the main road stopped the line of traffic and waved me across! 

There was one section in the south where 3 boy-racer type cars did a near pass at speed, but that was it & they were not as close as a typical pass in Oxfordshire...

So, YMMV , but one day I will be back to ride in Belgium because it was a great experience made up of great riders, amazing car drivers, fantastic food, and wonderful beer!  The occasional section of cobblestone is actually preferable to my local roads that seem unsurfaced in parts!  (Ok, I didn’t like the cobblestones or lack of eating places after dark, but the rest was ace).

Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #22 on: 04 October, 2018, 10:44:58 pm »
About water: just knock on a door and wave an empty water bottle. You will be greeted as a conquering hero and they'll fill the bottle from the tap indoors. Forget the standard UK cycling stance of being a persecuted minority: in Belgium they think you are the bee's knees. It's a different world. And, unlike, say Scotland, there is no language problem.....

Even at 3am?

In the "Borders of Belgium"-thread I warned and gave tips about the limited options to find food and water during the first night.
...
indeed there is a huge gap between De Panne and Houyet. There are no 24h petrol stations along the route that I know of. 24h stations are rare in Belgium. There are some along the mayor highways, but unreachable by bike. So my advise is to buy what you need whenever you can. There is a petrol station in De Panne, you cross Ieper (171K) and Roubaix (207K). By morning you arrive in Cerfontaine (340K) where a patrol station and a Carrefour can be good places to buy food and drinks.
Keep in mind that the possibility for shopping in the South of Belgium is scarce. That is why I directed the route via towns like Paliseul (SPAR shop), Bertrix, Neufchateau, ...
But hey, BOB is not club Med  :)

Maybe I don't drink enough (water) while riding but I can do 130K with 2 water bottles. Easy. Even 170K (Ieper - would be my eating stop - to Cerfontaine) shouldn't be a problem.


LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #23 on: 04 October, 2018, 11:05:00 pm »
130km would be 3-4 bidons for me, even at night.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Belgium rides 2019
« Reply #24 on: 04 October, 2018, 11:21:18 pm »
130km would be 3-4 bidons for me, even at night.

Would be 1-2L for me, depending on temperature. The bottles I use vary between 600ml and 1000ml, so it's hard to quantify in terms of bottles.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/