Ride #2: Bram de Vrind

During my first ride, when I asked Bjorn with whom I should bike my next ride with, he almost immediately said, with Bram! Bram de Vrind, aka the cycling journalist is also from Brabant, is crazy about cycling and was immediately open for a ride with me. On the morning of Wednesday March 8, Bram contacted me that the fallen snow remained on the ground and taking the roadbikes with their skinny tires wasn’t such a good idea. Fortunately, we could both switch to gravelbikes, so we changed the plan slightly from road to gravel so at least we could ride. I threw the bike in the back of the car and drove to Sint-Michielsgestel. There we braved the cold and snow, and we trudged through the mud for over 2 hours. And in the meantime, of course, talked a lot about what we like best… cycling! 

Who are you?

Father of Nadine (1.5 years old) and partner of Esther. Cycling journalist by profession, and organizer of cycling trips on behalf of Biketrips. I am editor-in-chief of Fietssport magazine and freelancer for Bicycling and Futurum Mag, among others. To create travel and route stories, I explore the best cycling spots in the Netherlands and surrounding areas. I interview cyclists about their passion. With Fietssport magazine, my goal is to inspire members of the Nederlandse Toer Fiets Unie (NTFU) to cycle more enjoyably, better and safer and to give recreational cycling heroes the stage they deserve! With the cycling trips we organize through Biketrips, we want to offer cyclists an unforgettable experience on the most beautiful routes in the Benelux and further destinations. Good service, togetherness and group spirit are paramount in our trips. In short, memories for life!

Why do you cycle?

That’s a wide-ranging question, but I will give it a shot. I bike to discover new places, challenge myself physically and mentally, make friendships, enjoy nature, clear my head, and earn a living. 🙂 Growing up, my family revolved around soccer, so I played that sport until my teenage years. As a student, I started running. I had to motivate myself every time to lace up my running shoes, until one hot summer day I conceived the plan to bike to Antwerp on my city bike. I was captivated by the sense of adventure, the physical challenge and exploring new regions under my own power! 

I bought a road bike in 2010 and was sold. Unhindered by any knowledge of training, nutrition and professional cycling, I started cycling laps and tours. I cycled over the famous hills of the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège and loved it. Physically challenging yourself in the most beautiful regions, on the roads of the pros. The vacation feeling just an hour and a half away from home… I realized then that cycling would become my passion, or better: my lifestyle, and it still is today. 

I went from rookie to fanatic cyclist and joined the cycling club Wielerclub Den Bosch, where I made my first friendships on the bike. Together with a group of cyclists, I focused on riding granfondos (cyclosportives) and trained fanatically. As a freelance journalist, I took the plunge and called several cycling magazines asking if I could work for them. I made my first travel stories for those magazines and traveled to famous, exotic cycling spots such as France, Spain, America, Taiwan and Oman. In recent years, I have been looking for adventure closer to home, as there is so much beauty to discover and experience in the Netherlands and its surroundings. On a roadbike, but certainly also on a gravelbike, you can discover a whole new world. I hope to inspire people with my stories. In recent years I have been less fanatical (partly due to injury) and cycle more often in ‘enjoy’ mode. I do this as road captain of Wielerclub Den Bosch and Cima Coppi Business Cycling among others. With Biketrips, I have the opportunity to convey my passion for cycling and traveling even more emphatically. It is super satisfying to be able to offer people a special experience on a bicycle. 

Pass on the baton. With whom should I bike the next ride with and why?

With Rens Muller, managing editor of Bicycling and editor-in-chief of Futurum Mag. Rens has been a passionate cyclist for several years and is a seasoned magazine editor. He knows how to draw attention to “his magazines” in creative ways every time. It will be both fun and educational to talk to him.