A journey through bicycle history
Although the wheel was invented and first used by our ancestors roughly 3,000 years before Christ, we had to wait until the early 19th century for the history of the bicycle to begin. In 1817, a German engineer named Karl von Drais built the first bicycle out of wood. This was the “running machine,” as he called it, but it was also known as the Draisine. Imagine it as today’s children’s balance bikes, with the important difference that the Draisine’s wheels were also made of wood.
In the 1860s, the French Michaux family further developed
the running machine: they enlarged the front wheel and made the rear one
smaller. This was the strange bicycle known today as the velocipede. It was the
first to have pedals, mounted on the front wheel. It didn’t take long for races
to emerge: in 1868, the first competition was held in Saint-Cloud Park near
Paris. And in 1869, enthusiastic cyclists also took to the starting line in
Belgium: in Ghent, Brussels, and Roeselare.
The bicycle, named after its inventor Michaux, was further
developed by the British engineer James Starley: he increased the diameter of
the front wheel even more so that riders could travel farther with a single
pedal stroke. However, the increased speed made cycling quite risky on the
roads of the time. Not to mention that getting on and off the new machine, the
High Bi, was no easy task either…
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I got to experience all of this firsthand when we visited
Roeselare this past January to see Koers, one of Europe’s most famous and
largest bicycle museums. Fortunately, a small step stool is there to help
enthusiastic, childlike beginners, making it easier to get on the big-wheeled
bike. Although more than 300 variants of the High Bi were produced, it didn’t
take long for the bicycle known as the “safety bike” to appear: in 1885, James
Starley’s cousin, Kemp, created the Rover. This bicycle was the final step
toward today’s modern bikes: it already rolled on two identical wheels and was
equipped with a chain drive. Furthermore, unlike the earlier velocipedes with
solid rubber tires, it was fitted with pneumatic tires, thanks to the Irish
veteran surgeon John Dunlop, who invented this revolutionary solution around
that time.
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There is also an item with a Hungarian connection on display at the museum: a Tour de Hongrie poster. Emiel, public relations colleague of the museum, even took a selfie with us for Koers’s Instagram page. He was very happy to see us; he said they rarely have Hungarian visitors.
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The museum is a gem that no cycling fan should miss when
visiting the Roeselare area in Belgium. As part of this journey through cycling
history, visitors can view more than 300 bicycles spanning nearly 200 years.
Among them are famous pieces, such as the racing bikes of Eddy Merckx and Peter
Sagan. But there are countless other relics from the world of competitive
sports to admire, such as Wout van Aert’s 2021 helmet. In addition to the
exhibition, a film screening also revealed that alongside famous Tours, like
the Tour de France or the Belgian Tour de Flanders, there was also a Tour de
Trump in America… And it was even held twice.
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As someone who, in addition to cycling, also indulges in the
winter passion of skiing, my eyes were drawn to the skis on display. I was
surprised to see how they ended up in the museum. It was no coincidence: in the
late 1970s, the French winter sports equipment manufacturer Look was looking
for new opportunities to utilize the ski binding it had developed. The
company’s engineers turned their attention to the bicycle industry, and in 1984
they launched the PP65 binding, a revolutionary innovation.
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This exceptionally sophisticated and high-quality exhibition
is housed in a very special venue: the Arsenaal, a building designed in 1899
and completed in 1903, serves as its permanent home. The Arsenaal was
originally designed as a multifunctional building to be used jointly by the
fire department, civil defense, and military units. During World War I, the Red
Cross was the first to move into the building, which then operated as a
hospital and a shelter for refugees.
Later, it also served as a school, and the fire department
moved back in for a short time. After World War II, however, it became clear
that the building no longer provided a suitable base for the modernizing fire
department. In the 1970s, the Arsenal housed several sports and aid
organizations. The bicycle museum opened there in 1998. It acquired its current
form and unique atmosphere during the 2018 renovation.
While visiting the museum, you definitely shouldn’t miss the café. There’s a lively buzz in the cheerful little bar, where you can enjoy Belgian beers and lunch in addition to coffee.
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Although the main purpose of our long weekend trip was to
visit the Koers Museum, there are several famous towns within easy reach of
Roeselare that are well worth adding to your itinerary. We planned these few
days so that we flew to Brussels’ Charleroi Airport on Thursday afternoon,
rented a car there, and arrived in Roeselare by evening. On Friday morning, we
visited the museum, and in the afternoon, we took a trip to nearby Ypres.
Four major battles took place in and around this Belgian
town, which preserves the memory of World War I. On April 22, 1915, German
troops used chemical weapons here for the first time. The fighting was made
even more difficult by the brutal weather, the pouring rain, and the sea of
mud. Knowing this, we, too, gave ourselves over to remembrance, and we didn’t
mind viewing the Menin Gate - which commemorates the fallen soldiers and bears
nearly fifty-five thousand names - in the pouring rain.
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After sightseeing, we returned to our accommodation in
Roeselare. From there, we set off again on Saturday and started with a little
trip to the beach; Ostend was our first destination. I don’t think I’ve ever
seen such a vast, yellow sandy beach! I pondered the huge, crumpled, bright
orange objects set up on the beach. As I learned online, the artist designed
the exhibition called Rock Strangers specifically to shock: with its unusual
formations that starkly contrasted with the natural surroundings, it certainly
achieved its goal for me.
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After a short and rather chilly, windy walk along the coast,
we headed toward Bruges, the famous Flemish city known as the “Venice of the
North” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent the rest of the day and our
third evening here. Despite it being January, there were many tourists
strolling through the old town, which welcomes visitors with countless sights
and a wonderful setting. While walking among the canals and buildings, it’s
worth popping into a few churches. The Chapel of the Holy Blood houses a vial
said to contain the blood of Christ, which is carried in a procession through
the city on Ascension Day, accompanied by tens of thousands of pilgrims. The
Church of Our Lady, meanwhile, is home to Michelangelo’s famous sculpture, the
Madonna and Child. Among other things, the statue’s history inspired the film „The
Monuments Men”. During World War II, it fell victim to the Germans’ campaign to
loot art treasures, just like the Winged Altar in Ghent, which was eventually
found by American soldiers in Altaussee along with the Madonna.
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By Sunday, we could hardly wait to see the famous painting.
We had planned our visit to Ghent for that day. This little town was my
favorite during our Belgian road trip. I went from one marvel to the next. I’ve
never seen so many massive cathedrals in one place! You absolutely must not
miss St. Bavo’s Cathedral, home to the Winged Altarpiece! You can learn about
the painting’s history through a very interesting exhibition combined with
virtual reality before seeing it in person.
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We finally got to enjoy some sunshine during our walk through the city. What’s more, the locals were celebrating New Year’s, so huge crowds were chatting, drinking, and eating together in the city’s main square. The city was enveloped in a special atmosphere. I’ve never seen so many cathedrals in my life – nor so many bicycles – as there were waiting for the revelers next to St. Bavo’s!
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Belgium really is a country of cyclists! Neither rain, wind, nor cold can deter the locals from hopping on their bikes. It’s a true passion for cycling, and all the infrastructure is in place to make the most of it. It occurred to me that the museum’s name, Koers, while primarily meaning “race,” also refers to a passion for cycling. And this passion is palpable everywhere in Belgium.
We were flying home only Monday afternoon, so on the way to
the airport, we had plenty of time to visit the Waterloo memorial near the
airport. In addition to the interactive museum, the 1815 battlefield can also
be viewed from above by those who venture to climb the 226-step hill with the
lion statue.
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