In Bruges...
itsbruce
Posts: 221
for a brief holiday between jobs. And friends have been texting me with lines from the film, so don't start :P
I didn't bring a bike, because I'm traveling with non-cyclists. I have been told off for staring at the bikes. Anyway...
OK, so... Bikes everywhere. There's no segregation; the only cycle lanes are to allow cyclists to go the wrong way down one-way streets, if you see what I mean. Drivers in Bruges are so used to cyclists that they know how to behave. And so do the pedestrians! It's great. I've seen the natives glaring at tourists who walk in the few cycle lanes!
If I had brought a bike, I wouldn't have chosen the Mixer, because it would have been a bit rough on the cobbles. Also, it would have stood out like a Wag in a convent; the bikes here are fugly. Everybody rides heavy, Dutch-style tourers which may be very sensible with all the cobbled streets but by god they're boring and inelegant. I recognise almost none of the makes (the occasional Giant but not good choices.; Often, the brand names seem to be trying to compensate for the fugliness; I have never seen a bike less worthy of the name "Gazelle" than the local make with that name. My 10-year old Trek Navigator would not only cope fine with the cobbles but would look like a cutting edge fashion statement here.
Tomorrow I may rent a bike just to see what's possible here. I wish I had brought the Mixer, just to see how people would react.
I didn't bring a bike, because I'm traveling with non-cyclists. I have been told off for staring at the bikes. Anyway...
OK, so... Bikes everywhere. There's no segregation; the only cycle lanes are to allow cyclists to go the wrong way down one-way streets, if you see what I mean. Drivers in Bruges are so used to cyclists that they know how to behave. And so do the pedestrians! It's great. I've seen the natives glaring at tourists who walk in the few cycle lanes!
If I had brought a bike, I wouldn't have chosen the Mixer, because it would have been a bit rough on the cobbles. Also, it would have stood out like a Wag in a convent; the bikes here are fugly. Everybody rides heavy, Dutch-style tourers which may be very sensible with all the cobbled streets but by god they're boring and inelegant. I recognise almost none of the makes (the occasional Giant but not good choices.; Often, the brand names seem to be trying to compensate for the fugliness; I have never seen a bike less worthy of the name "Gazelle" than the local make with that name. My 10-year old Trek Navigator would not only cope fine with the cobbles but would look like a cutting edge fashion statement here.
Tomorrow I may rent a bike just to see what's possible here. I wish I had brought the Mixer, just to see how people would react.
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As for your Charge - nobody would have looked at it.
I should be going to Brugge for a weekend in a couple of months. I can see myself being just as distracted by the bikes
The same is true of Copenhagen and I assume most other Northern European cities. I always understood this to be because cycling in these cities is simply a way of life, and something people have grown up with since they were kids. It's not "cool" or something to be used to make a statement and people don't commute to get fit. People cycle to get around which is why they don't wear lycra, cycle particularly fast or have clipless pedals.
My guess is that if someone turned up with a flash bike or cycled to work in lycra in Copenhagen, most locals would think they were a bit mad - see here:
http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/
Porridge and coffee - the breakfast of champions
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
Johnny Swiss keeps his roads in excellent condition.
That would explain why none of the bikes are clean, either
There are some nice looking tourers to be seen, mostly Batavus models. Have seen a few Trek tourer models that I've never seen in the UK (not very attractive). Have now spotted one or two sharper Giant models - all mountain bikes.
Bike rental is cheap, may take advantage.
Schwinn Madison (2009)