Riding in the Brussels weather - the Perma18

The weather in Brussels is pretty much disgusting throughout the year. So riding in this country is really not fun. But when it really becomes unbearable is during Spring and the Summer time, when you have the permanent weather conditions that I call Perma18.

The Perma18 is the typical Belgian climate which kicks in May and accompanies us until the end of September-beginning of October. As the name suggests, the main feature of the Perma18 is the constant temperature of around 18 degree Celsius (around 64 Degrees F). It can be 19 C, it can 17C, but the max values will not go very far away from there. You can get grey sky, if you are lucky, and grey sky AND rain if you are not lucky.

Today I wasn’t lucky, as you can see.
I have been living in this country for ten years, and I cannot be proven wrong: after around ten days of very hot temperature and brilliant sunshine at the end of April/beginning of May, the Perma18 kicks in, and you are set for the Summer.

Riding in these conditions is obviously a pain. Because you have the impression of riding in the rain 12 months a year. And this is why I try and go to Italy at least every two weeks during the Summer, to keep my melatonin levels right. But on the plus side, you really don’t need to spend a lot of money in buying light and Summer protective gear, as you can use your winter gear all the time.

Fun, isn’t it?

Grey sky at the Brussels Atomium