I know it's not London, but I'm going to Belgium in a couple of weeks and wondered if anyone could reccommend any good shops in the places I'm likely to be - Ghent, Bruges or Brussels?

I know there's a cool one in ghent, it was mentioned recently in a thread somewhere. Winston will tell ye, and probably ask you to buy him some caps too.

The cool one in Gent is called Plum and is on a street called Nederkouter (if memory serves). It's an aladdin's cave of a bike shop and you have to rummage to find the good stuff. It's very good for rims especially.

Between Gent and Brussels us a town called Aalst and there is a very good bike shop there called Van Eyck I think. It's huge, the size of a mid-sized supermarket and is very good for clothing.

I lived in Brussels for a few months 10 years ago and never found a decent bike shop but I can't say I looked that hard.

extra large cap please.

they had a pair of 114 spoke wheels in Plums a couple of weels ago....perfect for doing tricks with?

when i worked in Brussels 2 years ago i never found a decent bike shop, if there are any i guess they are out in the suburbs somewhere

okay guys this thread is nearly a year older and as i am celebrating being a year older myself by being In Bruges for a couple of days next week i would like to know if there is a bike shop i should know about. simple as that. cheers

I don't really know Bruges that well but there will be a bike shop in the environs for sure. There's a very good old shop in Gent, called Plum, and if you travel 25 kms to the east (of Gent) to Aalst there is the biggest bike shop you'll ever see.

Basically, what I said up there^^. Doh!

might go to plums when in Ghent in a couple of weeks

probably won't be able to afford anything, but hey maybe some puncture patches or a cap

more caps...maybe he's got a new design this year?

hopefully we'll be able to go when he's open?
it looks like you guys got there a bit late last year

cheers for that ghentlemen, but any tips for Bruges? is there nothing to see there? really, should i just move on?

I can't believe how many chins I've grown in less than 12 months!

go to belgium, eat steak.
i worked in Brussels for 4 months a few years ago and the steaks are top notch, when i go back i'm going to eat lots of steak and drink lots of dark beer.
don't know much about the bike shops though.

Bruges is really picturesque and the centre is very touristy so there isn't much in the way of normal shops. Lots of chocolate shops though. And good beer and food, especially the steaks as MrSmith says.

I'm sure there is a bike shop somewhere close to Bruges but it's more likely to be out in the suburbs or one of the nearby villages.

Watch the film 'In Bruges' before you go if you can. It'll add to the experience.

I thought Fietsen Flanders in Oudenaarde was ok, admitedly its a train ride to nowhere from Bruges though (although the cycle museum there might be worth a visit).

Here's a list of bike shops in Bruges

http://www.bruggebusiness.com/index....erzicht&id=204

Wanneyn Walter shows up on Assos Ridley and Koga websites as only stockist in Bruges so sounds fairly "Pro"?

http://www.wanneyn.be/

fatty

cheers guys, especially Marie and adoubletap. will need to work out a route somehow.

andyp - yeah i saw In Bruges a few weeks ago on Ma3k's recommendation - might have to watch it again before heading off.

mr smith - steak will be had. that is for sure

better get training then!

Yeah - this place: http://www.vaneycksports.com/

I heard that theres not many bike shops in Flanders because everyone goes to this place. I'm planning on diverting the VCL clubrun out there on the Saturday morning of the Ghent 6.

Will you get me a Plum cap while you're there, Rob? Black preferably... I haz € moneyz...

It's massive. About the size of a high street supermarket. There's a huge clothing section at the front then an even larger bike and component section at the back.

One thing to be wary of is that they don't take credit cards so it's either cash or debit cards (and mine wouldn't work last time I was there so I had to nip out and get cash from a nearby ATM).

Cool, cheers. I guess I'll take a bag with me to stock up!

I'll get LOADS

they'll be common as fook round these parts by christmas ;)

I'm very common, so perfect... :)