If you want to see a beautiful collection of vintage bicycles from the 19th and 20th century, you should definitely visit the private museum De Velodroom in Snellegem, close to Jabbeke in West Flanders. You will find a unique collection of 90 bicycles including high bis, pedal bicycles, tandems, men's and women's bicycles, children's bicycles, solexes, army bicycles, racing bicycles and work bicycles.
In addition to the bicycles, you will also find a collection of headset plates, tax plates, lamps, vintage advertising panels, but everywhere in the museum you will find objects that have something to do with bicycles anyway: a beer glass with an old cyclist on it, photos and ceramic plates from old cyclists, plastic miniature cyclists, ...
On the 1st floor there is, among other things, a reconstructed workshop of an old bicycle repair shop, a living room anno 1900 and some old utensils.
All bicycles that are in the Velodroom museum belong to Noël and Nicole. Their passion for historical bicycles started 30 years ago when Noël received his first bicycle as a gift from a friend. Initially Noël was a collector of motorbikes but soon he fell in love with the bicycle.
The fact that he has such a large collection is also due to the support of his wife Nicole who has the same passion. She knows exactly for every bike the model, the country of origin and the year.
Noël repairs all bicycles himself, usually disassembling them completely, removing all rust from parts, possibly repainting them and then reassembling them. The result can be seen in the Secret Annex that has been converted into the Velodrome cycling museum.
If you want to visit the museum then you have to make an appointment, more information can be found on the website www.museumdevelodroom.be
