On stage 2 going into Gand, Belgium, the bike lanes are quite obvious in the aerial shots.

The roads have the same sweeping curves we complain about here in the US. The bike lanes use the same dashed stripes as the rest of the road, and there are red zones where the BL cross intersections.

Very nice wide looking BL. I can't seem to find a good picture on the 'net.

I saw them too. There are many like those all over Belgium, as well as towpath roads that are closed to motor vehicles, and even some public roads that are closed to motor vehicles.

It's a great place for cycling. But there are no hills...

Az

Somewhat negates all the chatter we hear about Europe being so "VC."

I remember quite nice roads with BL in southern France too.

Seems to me those that would have us "erase BL," have a lot of work to do.

While there may be lots of bike lanes the ones on the roads that I saw were the opposite side of parked cars. That is, sepparated from the main traffic and not apparently linked to each other ending in a kerb. These bike lines weren't used by any cyclist that I saw. All road cyclists were VC all the way as far as I could tell and motorists gave a LOT more room than any where else I've ridden.

The mup not connected to the roads were wide, well maintained and heavily used however.

Edit: These observations are on roads and mups that I used while in Belgium.

While there may be lots of bike lanes the ones on the roads that I saw were the opposite side of parked cars. That is, sepparated from the main traffic and not apparently linked to each other ending in a kerb. These bike lines weren't used by any cyclist that I saw. All road cyclists were VC all the way as far as I could tell and motorists gave a LOT more room than any where else I've ridden.

The mup not connected to the roads were wide, well maintained and heavily used however.

You must be watching a different TDF than I. These bike lanes were along the outer edge of the road, and there was no room for parked cars between the BL and the auto travel lane.

If anyone has a photo... please post it. I will try to grab it from my DVR...

BTW pretty dramatic crash withing 3k of the finish... yow!

You must be watching a different TDF than I. These bike lanes were along the outer edge of the road, and there was no room for parked cars between the BL and the auto travel lane.

If anyone has a photo... please post it. I will try to grab it from my DVR...

BTW pretty dramatic crash withing 3k of the finish... yow!

Ummm...sorry I obviously didn't make it clear - I saw, as in, while I was cycling in Belgium.

Ummm...sorry I obviously didn't make it clear - I saw, as in, while I was cycling in Belgium.

I have seen that style in Barcelona. Barcelona also had rather unique intersections... rather than square, they were octagon in shape, allowing better visibility to traffic perpendicular to your line of travel. Not sure how those BL inside of parked cars work. Certainly you are out of the door zone, and well away from traffic... but I doubt you can zip down those lanes at high speed.

However, the BL I am commenting about are the ones at the side of the road shown from helicopter cameras during the approach to Gant during the TDF. No room for parked cars.

Why weren't the racers restricted to the bike lanes? Why weren't they racing on the MUPs? (They seem to be racing on our MUPs around here!)

OK, calm down! I am just making a joke! For the record, I ride an expensive carbon fiber Dura Ace bike, wear the full spandex kit, and I consider myself a "roadie". I do not ride on MUPs unless I intend to ride 10-12 mph or less. If I wish to ride a faster pace, I ride on the public roads where it is safe.

Why weren't the racers restricted to the bike lanes? Why weren't they racing on the MUPs? (They seem to be racing on our MUPs around here!)

OK, calm down! I am just making a joke! For the record, I ride an expensive carbon fiber Dura Ace bike, wear the full spandex kit, and I consider myself a "roadie". I do not ride on MUPs unless I intend to ride 10-12 mph or less. If I wish to ride a faster pace, I ride on the public roads where it is safe.

Good for you. I ride 25MPH or faster on my local MUP. Sounds like yours need to be designed better.

However, if you cared to ride a bike in Belgium, it looks like the nice wide bike lanes there would allow you to ride as fast as you dared.

My overall point is that bike lanes are not restricted to America, as some vehicular cycling proponents might have you believe, (as they run about the room shouting "cyclist inferiority complex... oh my") and bike lanes can be well designed... and use the same "broken" stripes that are used to divide lanes elsewhere on the road, vice the solid stripes that seem to give the "segregation" freaks a charge.

But bottom line... ride where it best suits you.