Hof der dingen - Flandria cycling cap

When you say West-Flanders, you say cycling. And when you talk about cycling in West Flanders, inevitably, Flandria comes up. 

The legendary bicycle brand Flandria traces its roots back to the smesse – the forge – of the Claeys family in Zedelgem, West Flanders. In 1906, Leon Claeys started building treshing machines – a piece of farm equipment that separates grain seeds from the stalks and husks. He led the company to success, and by the early 20th century, it employed around 100 workers. 

When brothers Alidor, Remi, Jerome, and Aimé joined the company, they decided to shift their focus entirely: producing bicycles. They became an overnight success. By 1927, they celebrated the manufacturing of the 250,000th Flandria bicycle. In the 1950s, the Claeys brothers decided to expand their company and began producing motorcycles and mopeds in their newly built production hall in Zedelgem. 

The brothers went their separate ways in 1956, with Aimé continuing to produce Flandria bicycles and Remi focusing on the production of mopeds and motorcycles under the new brand name Superia. Flandria became the most prominent sponsor of cycling competitions in Belgium, with Pol Claeys even deciding to found his own Flandria cycling team. His team quickly gained a strong reputation in the world of professional cycling – thanks to the victories of the many reputable cyclists that he took under his wings. Do the names of Eddy Merckx, Joop Zoetemelk, Rik Van Looy, Freddy Maertens, Jef Planckaert, Walter Godefroot, and the De Vlaeminck brothers ring any bells? 

Flandria is synonymous with vibrant public entertainment and legendary cycling feats – from two Tour de France victories and two world championships to seventy classics, five Tour of Flanders wins, and four Paris-Roubaix triumphs. The numbers speak for themselves. 

Although production of Flandria mopeds came to an end in 1981, you can still buy a Flandria bicycle. And who knows- maybe it will steer you to an iconic victory as well? 

Curious to dive into the magical world of cycling? Be sure to visit the KOERS cycling museum in Roeselare – the very place that lent us this nostalgic gem. Fun fact: Do you know how West Flemish people often fondly refer to their bike? We call them our ‘steel stallion’ – although we’re not quite galloping through the streets, of course.