Jump to content

Europe Cycle Trip: Amsterdam to Bruges


clauderoux

Recommended Posts

Hi there,

 

So my wife and I are planning a trip to Europe for 2019 and want to do a bit of a cycle trip...

 

The plan is to fly in to Amsterdam, spend the weekend there, then on Monday morning we start cycling

 

The route planned out is about 350km and we want to cover it in 5 days, allowing for some nice sightseeing and exploring of little towns en route.

 

I have been struggling to find firstly, bikes to rent which arent the "usual" dutch bikes (like a 29er or even a hybrid), and secondly, finding a company where you can pickup in Amsterdam and drop off in Bruges (or even Brussels)

 

This will also be a self guided tour as we dont fit into the 7-8 day bike barge tours freely available and as mentioned, we would like to be the deciders of how we spend our day on the bike

 

If anyone has done a trip similar to this one, I would welcome any feedback or tips/advice

 

Thanx

Claude

 

PS, we have thought about taking our own, but it seems like there are mixed feelings about it on here. The extra payment (or non-payment) is one thing, but I would hate to arrive that side with something broken and struggling to find a place to help repair

 

 
 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We rode the last part of your planned trip (Dordrect to Bruges) as part of our Rhine Radweg trip in 2017 - see https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/170921-riding-the-rhine-river-cycle-route/?hl=dirtman&do=findComment&comment=3225431

 

70 km per day as per your plan is easy to do and will leave enough time for sight-seeing and coffee stops.  Just be beware of the wind - we were unable to ride all the way from Zierikzee to Bruges due to the strongest wind I have ever encountered on a bike in my life.

 

The cycle routes in Netherland are marked with a number system and are easy to follow with maps at all the "knooppunte" (route splits).  The routes in Belgium uses the same system, but without maps at every knooppunt and we did get lost a few times.    

 

We used AirBnB's  in Dordrecht, Zierikzee and Bruges that were very nice and affordable. 

 

There is also an association  in Netherland and Belgium called "Vrienden op de Fiets" ( https://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl/en/page/how-does-it-work )  which you can join for  10 euros. You can then overnight at any of their members for a payment of 19 euros per person per night which includes breakfast.  We made use of this on a  few occasions and it was great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the bike question, I always take my own bike on my overseas bike trips. Never been charged, but using SAA or Lufthansa. Just put it in a box and secure the fork with a block at the end, and put the chain on the rear big cog. I also remove the derailleur and tape it to the chainstay. 

Enjoy, sounds like a nice route and holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I live in NL, and as mentioned above, the wind can be brutal, it might be a flat country, but you will work hard in the wind. There is a fair amount of bike rental places but you have to search for racefiets huren, otherwise you will just get the normal dutch city bikes. Distance and time wise it, it should be easily doable, I went into a different direction before (ams to valkenberg) which was 270km in about 10 hours.

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/1595281931

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depending on which airline you fly, I'd definitely take my own bike!

 

As a tip, try to ride through, spend a day, in Roeselare and visit the Koers Museum van de Wielesport.

 

 

 

 

post-25781-0-77347700-1548045177_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi when you going we flying the 30th

April cheers

Mark and Ruth

PLEASE go to the trouble to take pictures and post a trip report here. Even start your own thread about it. There will be many, myself and family among them, who would enjoy it, perhaps be inspired and learn something we can use for our own adventures. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi there,

 

So my wife and I are planning a trip to Europe for 2019 and want to do a bit of a cycle trip...

 

.................

The same goes for you too Claude. Please post about your trip. Keep updating this thread as you plan and travel. Maybe also stick a picture on the "where has your bike taken you today" thread. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the rent VS own bike question my fiance and I went to Mallorca in December and rented bikes. A first for us.

 

The shop we dealt with was extremely helpful and even opened the shop on 02 Jan just to let us drop our bikes off. We would have had much less of a good time had we taken our own. The hassle free just show up with saddle and pedal made it a great experience. And the thought of catching the Paris Metro (on our way back) with 2 bike boxes fills me with terror.

 

Also. I don't want to derail this great thread but airlines seem to be adopting a 158cm size limit to luggage so keep an eye on your chosen airlines t's & c's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ the OP. So you are reasonably fit looking to do 70km a day but still want to have a holiday?

 

Are you flying in and out of Amsterdam?

If so how do you plan on getting back from Bruges to Amsterdam?

How do you plan on getting your gear from hotel to hotel?

Are you set on a specific route?

How are you going to wash your dirty kit?

What if you have some sort of catastrophy?

Are you planning a self planned holiday? Airbnb-ing or hotelling?

 

Sorry to ask. I've done 3 riding trips with my better half to Europe and I'm always interested in new spots and routes. We've done some Alps, Monte Grappa and Mallorca. We've already started planning a Pyrenees trip for next year. I've done a little inter-netting regarding these point to point type trips and it's difficult to find one that fits into y(our) needs. Most seem to be 20km a day for tannies with bad knees or semi pro's on a spring training camp. And nothing in between.

 

I've seen a few that do a 50-70km a day itinerary, with longer loops for your strong days, and they lug your gear to the next town but they tend to be 600Euro plus per person for a week and you'll be holidaying with other randoms from all over the world. The up side is they sort out all your gear accommodation and meal needs.

 

Maybe an alternative is to rent a cheap car, find accommodation on your rough route, spend 2 nights rather than one and do out and back rides and then move on to the next town? I know that doesn't sound nearly as cool as a point to point ride but logistics with bikes and riding gear has to be a major consideration. Just be warned. The small rental car co's take a MASSIVE holding deposit on your credit card.

 

I've found that getting around Europe is the thing that absolutely KILLS your budget so my preference is to get to a riding spot relatively close to an international airport and try really hard to camp there.

 

Sorry for the monologue.

Edited by Duane_Bosch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in NL, and as mentioned above, the wind can be brutal, it might be a flat country, but you will work hard in the wind. There is a fair amount of bike rental places but you have to search for racefiets huren, otherwise you will just get the normal dutch city bikes. Distance and time wise it, it should be easily doable, I went into a different direction before (ams to valkenberg) which was 270km in about 10 hours.

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/1595281931

 You poor sod

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Done this (and on to Paris) many years ago. The wind! There's a reason Holland has so many windmills!

 

We first went a bit north to Zaandam. Navigation was very easy.  Accommodation was also very easy - we never booked anything in advance, except one weekend when there was a 'banking holiday' - had to try various places before someone had space.

 

Flew our bikes there in boxes; assembled it at the airport and cycled out. On way back, bought boxes at the airport in Paris. (Recently when I tried to buy an airport-box again it wasn't possible so check this out before you go)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, and if at all possible - go in spring. The route you're planning go past the bulb areas of Lisse and Hillegom - it is quite spectacular cycling past the tulip- and daffodil fields.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

..............The wind! There's a reason Holland has so many windmills!.................

Which way does the prevailing winds blow? That may help decide in which direction to do the ride.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which way does the prevailing winds blow? That may help decide in which direction to do the ride.

 

NorthWest to South East based on the tiny bit of research I've done into this.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout