Brussels cycling destinations

Hi everyone, this a a bit of an urgent request as I leave tomorrow morning, but does anyone know of any god bike shops in Brussels (Belgium)? Or museums? They've got a great cycling history, so I thought there might be some good places I should try and visit.

Thanks for all the help, and a Happy New Year!!

Cheers, Will

Eddy Merckx tube station should be on the list.

I lived and worked in Brussels for 4 months and never found a decent bike shop. The best I found was Van Eyck in Aalst (about half an hour west of Brussels);

http://wwww.vaneycksports.be

The Tour of Flanders museum is in Oudenaarde. It's worth a visit.

http://www.rvv.be/en/museum/home

Cheers Guys, Thanks for your reply's. Unfortunately everything was closed down for New Years. But I had a great time.

Hope your new years celebrations went well and thanks again!

does anyone know of any god bike shops in Brussels

You do aim high when looking for bike shops, don't you? :)

BUMP

My missus is taking me to brussels this weekend (exactly one week too early for me to sneak off to Het Volk)

previous posts suggest few bike shops in the centre (probably a good thing) but does anyone have any advice for decent places to go/see/eat while we're there?

Greenwich pub, great atmosphere and chess players paradise in Brussels. You'll find it at rue des Chartreux, just behind the bourse station. Otherwise, avoid by any means those little streets full of shitty restaurants in central brussels (rue des bouchers and so forth: tourist trap); the food is nothing but execrable, worst of the worst. Another great pub is 'la fleur en papier doré', rue des Alexiens: http://www.brusselspictures.com/2009/01/29/la-fleur-en-papier-dore/ , if you like the surrealist stuff ;) enjoy your trip!

a few doors up from that pub (up the hill) is a restaurant called vert de gris. it's semi posh and not cheap but the food is fantastic.
as ombre says avoid the tourist bit near the middle. the streets around the flea market (a short walk away from that pub) are more interesting.
when i was working there i spent a fair bit of time around this area, and to the west of this 5 ways road junction
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mm?ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=50.847805,4.345616&spn=0.001157,0.003144&t=h&z=19

some nice small bars and a lot less tourists

edit: i only saw 2 bike shops and one of those was decathlon. forget bikes, drink beer, eat steak, drink coffee eat chocolate, drink beer etc.

thanks both, will check your suggestions out

Also if you are looking for something a bit different, try the 'café des spores', chaussée d'alsemberg in st-gilles (next to the town hall): food is awesome ( only if you like fungi, all their stuff is prepared with mushrooms). http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=cafe%20des%20spores%20be&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

the auto musuem and the aeroplanes in the nearby military musuem are highly recommended if you are in to that sort of stuff

the african museum is weird but worth visting as its a massively unrepentent celebration of colonial exploitation.

the african museum is weird but worth visting as its a massively unrependent celebration of colonial exploitation.

yeah, that place is feckin' creepy ...

Ombre were were you a few months ago? Full of great insider knowledge!

We had a tough time finding decent places to eat. Had a good time in Delirium on New Years eve; it's got a huge selection of beers and a pretty lively atmosphere. I was lulled into a false sense of security on the walk home and was mugged of by a gang of youths who nabbed my phone! They also tried taking my shoe, but I managed to negotiate its return. They made me look a bit silly in-front of the girlfriend though! Sure they won't get you, just a word of warning.

my girlfriend looks after my phone when i'm drinking... and my shoes

she knows best

Erm, I lived in Brussels for almost 2 decades, that's the reason why :)
Unfortunately, Brussels has changed a lot and I would advise people to be cautious if they'd have the idea to venture at night into some areas ... ( gare du midi, annesseens, molenbeek, gare du nord- red light district, st-josse, laeken and many more ). Though Brussels is relatively secure I think, just exercise caution :)

Cycling in Brussels is damn cool by the way, except tramways and cobblestones :O

my girlfriend looks after my phone when i'm drinking... and my shoes

she knows best

Carful, with two pairs of shoes on her she'll be a prime target!

I enjoyed my stay, Ombre, and we had a great new years eve. Just found ourselves wandering about without knowing what to do for some of the time. Which I didn't mind at all as long as there were Waffles nearby.

Erm, I lived in Brussels for almost 2 decades, that's the reason why :)
Unfortunately, Brussels has changed a lot and I would advise people to be cautious if they'd have the idea to venture at night into some areas ... ( gare du midi, annesseens, molenbeek, gare du nord- red light district, st-josse, laeken and many more ). Though Brussels is relatively secure I think, just exercise caution :)

Steer clear of the Brussels shadows. :)

(currently posting from the Eurostar lounge of brussels -2 over proof beers in)

Noticed a few parisien style velobikes for hire near troon station, suppose there'll be a few more around the place. Ran past a bike shop that had bikes for hire last night, somewhere near Place Jourdan. (Where they sell the best frites in Brussels, fact.)

There's long been a small bike hire scheme in Brussels, too.

Is anyone here form brussels? I am looking to spend a night in brussels march 2nd. I would pay you for the homestay. only 1 night. let me know!