Categories: Awesome Belgian GuysLook ProTechnique

Look Pro: Going Belgian Style

Belgian Style isn’t just for Belgians. Photo: Cycling Tips/Cor Vos

To keep chickens is to walk a path towards introspection. From the songs they sing after laying an egg (which I assume is “chicken” for “I’m Every Woman“) to the sheer glee they show when they find a worm in the mud, chickens provide a perfect example of living life in and for the moment. The most interesting aspect of their social interaction is whenever a new chicken is introduced into the flock: all of them freeze in place and stretch their necks out as high as they can, the winner presumably being the one whose head boasts the highest elevation.

As a Dutchman, I am born with the genuine belief that I can stretch my head higher than anyone in Belgium can. Where Americans make Polish jokes, the Dutch make Belgian jokes; we unrightly view them as a sloppy, dim-witted lot. Jokes of indoor airstrips, helicopters with ejection seats, and windshield wipers perplexingly installed inside the car windshield filled my youth and caused endless side-aches from laughter. This is all to say that I carry a healthy sense of superiority over our neighbors to the south with two notable exceptions: riding bikes and making beer.

Especially when it comes to riding bikes, Belgians have the market cornered on Rules #5 and #9, not to mention the entire lexicon pertaining to being Casually Deliberate and every Look Pro article not having to do with climbing, if you can ignore Lucien van Impe. But mostly, they own the art of riding Belgian Style.

Riding with hands on the hoods is a critical element of finding both power and comfort on our machines; it blends aerodynamics with leverage and casual cool like no other position does. The key to keeping from getting sore (or even numb) on a long ride is to constantly change positions; beyond the tops and drops the Belgians have explored the vast world of possibilities of riding on the hoods like no other group has. Learning from their lessons, we can distill the usual V points of reference:

Riding elbows locked is strictly for relaxation or intimidation. If you’re laying down The V, keep your elbows low to the tops like Roger de Vlaeminck. (Pronounce it Correctly: The Flemish pronounce “Roger” like the French, “r oh ‘sz ai “. There is no Dutch/Flemish version of “Roger” as in “Roger Rabbit” – the closest name would be “Rutger” as in “Rutger Hauer” who is not as cool as Roger De Vlaeminck.)
Keep your wrists rolled in and elbows tucked towards the top tube. This applies to the drops as well, but its still a good time to bring up the point. We’re riding bikes, not wrestling elephants.
Experiment with how many fingers go in front of the brake levers and how many go behind; whether or not to also wrap the bar itself with your pinky and/or ring fingers. Mix it up to keep your shoulders loose on long rides. If you get out of the saddle, make sure you grab a handful of hood like grabbing the horns on a buckin’ bull; don’t stay choked up on the bars as you’ll lose leverage and steering control.
Always keep a loose grip on the hoods. You’re riding a bike, not trying to milk a cow; keep enough tension in your hands to maintain control of the bike but not so much that you’re suffocating the poor thing. And speaking of grip…
Belgian Style riding is best employed in smooth or moderately technical terrain. If shit be gettin’ bumpy, best to grab the tops or drops. Thumb holds and rocky bumps don’t mix and you don’t want to do a Jens when a blind bump comes knocking.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

frank says:

Oct 23 2014 at 5:37 pm

@The Grande Fondue

@frank

@Ccos

Just an observation: it seems riders who started riding years ago (more than one decade or so) as opposed to more recently seem to favor riding Belgium style a little more. For myself it was to keep my cinelli bar tape as pristine as possible (owing to a mixture of bike pride and cheapness). Badassness is a nice byproduct.

Two words: shallow drop bars. Even Rotundos are shallow compared to old school bars. Riding in the drops was a commitment with the drop was halfway down Eddy's 19cm head tube!

There's more too it than just shallow drop bars, though.

Seat to bar drop is much more now than it was in the 70's and 80's, and in some cases the modern hoods are almost as low as old-style drops.

http://inrng.com/2013/01/cycling-position-change/ has some measurements.

Great reminder of a great article. Still if you look at the drop to the drops from his saddle, that is about the 20cm I have from my saddle to stem so all I'm lower than him is the drop on the bars themselves (rotundos so not lots of drop)

@@blackpooltower

I finally got round to buying a copy of A Sunday in Hell.

de Vlaeminck's style (and kit, and sideburns) = astonishingly cool.

The best part is when Moser comes flying by. That's some grace on the stones.

Paaaaaaahh-reeeee, Rooooooooooo-bay.
frank says:

Oct 23 2014 at 5:43 pm

@rfreese888

@@blackpooltower watched it the other night - I thought Roger deserved the win, Demeyer was wheel sucking at the end. Incredible film.

I saw that the first time on my birthday in the 80's or 90's and I was so totally devastated that Merckx didn't win. But now I love RdV and I'm devastated fuckn' Demeyer won. Cheap win, but I never appreciate the value of drafting.

@fignons barber

@rfreese888

@@blackpooltower watched it the other night - I thought Roger deserved the win, Demeyer was wheel sucking at the end. Incredible film.

It gets even better after the 100th time.

Trudat!

@unversio

@frank

Two words: shallow drop bars. Even Rotundos are shallow compared to old school bars. Riding in the drops was a commitment with the drop was halfway down Eddy's 19cm head tube!

Dug around yesterday to find 3ttt bars and bid. Nice used bars 23.75 and includes shipping. Going MEX 158mm to the drops.

I am pretty sure those are the ones I have; I will double check.
frank says:

Oct 23 2014 at 5:44 pm

@John Liu

Very humbling. To the inadequacy of my legs, lungs, and spirit, I now must add the wimpiness of my thumbs. Is there any tiny part of me that measures up to the Ancient Rouleurs? Maybe my earlobes.

You can always get a mullet.
piwakawaka says:

Oct 23 2014 at 6:32 pm

I couldn't work out why my bar tape was wearing on the tops at the curve, until I noticed my wristwatch bracelet clasp was in said same position, when doin' it Belgium styles! It is THE position, way faster , but a word of caution when standing up with your hands ON the hoods, it is a completely different position to hands BEHIND the hoods! Your body weight is a lot further forward and steering is very different. A light touch on the bars is also a great skill, never grip the bars (unless sprinting in the Final), you almost want them to 'float' in your hands so that they are able to move but only just, try climbing with your palms flat down and open on the tops this will engage your abs.
Beers says:

Oct 23 2014 at 6:44 pm

@wiscot

@rfreese888

@@blackpooltower watched it the other night - I thought Roger deserved the win, Demeyer was wheel sucking at the end. Incredible film.

When you learn the ropes as one of the 3 Musketeers (Pollentier, Maertens and Demeyer) you learn to be crafty. Some say wheel-sucking, others say riding smart. Demeyer died of a heart attack at 31!

It surprises me sometimes how we are frustrated with how a race is won, rather than an all out 'results are all that matters' attitude. I mean, I don't condone gambling at all, but in horse racing I'm pretty sure no one gives a fuck how the horse wins, just that it crosses the line first.

Wheel sucking or no - there is no moral honour in the act, but to the victor the spoils. And in the case of someone like Gerrans, tactically holding someones wheel and outsprinting for the line is smarter racing than trying to lead out and losing. Because in the end you won. Right? Yes, it's right, but it is also so, so wrong.

It just loses honour with us fans I guess. As if cycling had a culture of honesty, integrity and gentlemanship/gentlewomanship to uphold...

Oh and re: heart attacks - a close family friend of some repute in the 70's advises most of his adversaries and friends from the peleton at that time have gone too soon. Someday someone should research the higher than average development of heart arrhythmias, as well as early life heart failure in cyclists, and whether it is the strain (Cortisol, immune reduction) or substance abuse...
Nate says:

Oct 23 2014 at 7:16 pm

@frank

@EBruner

I have always done 90% of my riding from some version of the hoods. I feel most control from hood positions. Drops on major descents or murderous head winds only for me.

This to me is a very bad habit; the hoods are too easy to slip off from; the drops are much safer because you're not just holding on by your thumbs.

One of my most strictly-adhered to principles for descending is to do it in the drops; I get what you're saying about getting sore but I'll take sore over in the ditch or on the face.

If you aren't spending at least 25% of a hard ride on the drops, meditate on why, start doing some stretches or admit to yourself that you have slammed your stem entirely for aesthetic reasons.
Nate says:

Oct 23 2014 at 7:19 pm

@Ron

Well goddamn, am I relieved. I thought I was the only one constantly changing how many fingers I have in front/behind the hoods/lever. Phew!!

Also, I have owned "A Sunday in Hell" for a good few years now. I have never been able to force myself to finish watching. Something about keeping it forever new and awesome. I've started it countless times, but I have yet to watch the finale. It's okay, I know my logic is illogical.

I have at least a half dozen different hand/finger placements I deploy on the hoods. 11 speed campagnolo offers so many comfortable options.
Brianold55 says:

Oct 23 2014 at 11:42 pm

@antihero Lesson from martial arts - relax anything you don't need. Which in this case is just the legs, lungs. and a bit of brain.
rfreese888 says:

Oct 24 2014 at 1:45 am

@frank

@rfreese888

@ Frank - you gotta go Chaka Khan with 'I'm Every Woman'. Whitney's version just doesn't cut it.

I am pleased to confirm that I have neither the inclination nor the experience to estimate which version of that crap song is the version that "cuts it".

Fair enough Frank but Chaka Khan used to gig with Miles Davis who thought she was the real deal. You may not like that song but Chaka is worthy of respect.
RobSandy says:

Oct 24 2014 at 2:49 am

My current ride has flat bars so I've never been able to ride the drops - except at velodrome sessions.

However, my new #1 is coming in a couple of weeks. I'm tremendously excited.