F4: Antwerp – Gent – 48km
scenic return over Scheldt river – 100km
The Duel
My friend issued a challenge to me:
My bike costs about a third of yours, but it can do whatever yours can. The battery and motor have the same specs.
Furthermore, trips of more than 100 km don’t allow you enough time to thoroughly appreciate your surroundings.
Additionally, you’ll be exhausted when you get home.
I invited him on this trip: a fast 48 km drive to Gent on the straight F4 bike highway, followed by a scenic return of about 70 km along the river.
It’s good to take on a challenge now and then.
1/ Antwerp – Gent
48km along the F4
We leave Antwerp at 9:00 a.m. and ride towards the tunnel under the Schelde. The closest tunnel to the F4 is the Kennedy Tunnel. There’s an elevator. Check if it’s working, or you might have to carry your bike down three flights of stairs.
The St. Anna Tunnel a bit further on the river has escalators adapted for bikes in addition to the elevators, but carrying your bike on these is still an adventure… and they are often broken as well.
The elevators fit around six bikes. During peak moments, you sometimes wait for half an hour. For this reason, we avoid rush hour. Two other bikes are waiting – no issue.
After the tunnel, we join up with the F4, which connects Antwerp to Gent via a bike path alongside the railroad tracks. It mostly runs straight. In St. Niklaas and in Lokeren, roadworks interfere with our route. The F4 road signs disappear. We fall back on Google Maps.
No charger? No problem!
My subconscious made me forget my charger at home. In the peaceful green and bird nests of the Burchtse Weel, I inform my friend.
Leaving home, I had realised it almost immediately, but this was not such a massive problem: my bike on ECO has a 150km range, and I found out that biking without motor support takes about the same effort as riding a regular non-electric bike.
I astound my friend by demonstrating this. His bike is undrivable without support. We’re off to a great start.
Not being able to fall back on my battery does stress me out a bit though.
On driving style
My driving style is now focused on saving battery.
On the long, straight stretches of road, I bike without support. It’s not physically more demanding.
When we reach crossings or places that require a quick increase in speed, I switch to ECO or even AUTO mode.
This method feels more like driving a manual car or changing gears in a vehicle: you use the gear that is most appropriate to the situation, and otherwise keep to a speed that uses the least amount of resources.
2/ Cycling in Gent
Gent is a bustling, bike-friendly student city. My friend knows the city well, and I follow him blindly through over tram tracks, joining the masses of other bikes, almost getting hit by a tram.
If I had been there alone, I definitely would have taken it slowly. The traffic feels rather overwhelming. Still, joining the mass of bicycles feels a lot like stepping into a fast-running river in a ravine. It might be enjoyable to go with the flow.
I don’t know Ghent very well, but I’ve visited it often in the past as a tourist. There are a lot of cultural visits to be done, food is good in general, and it’s pleasant to flaneur along the water and try some typical Belgian beers in one of the many bars alongside the canals.
More information on Gent on the city website: Top 10 tips | Visit Gent
Lunch in Gent
%
bike battery
I’d love to get some extra battery just to be sure. No charger though… so I leave it as is.
My friend doesn’t want to charge his bike. With hindsight, I should have insisted that he did.
%
phone battery
I don’t bother charging. I still have a full power bank.
I’m not sure why my battery is lower than usual though. I do take time to close all open apps to save battery for the way back.
Energizers
Coffee and a sugary drink. I refill my water bottle.
I do feel the strain on my body of riding without support – the break is good.
New target
Enjoy nature.
Get to Antwerp.
Win my bet.
3/ Along the river
65km done, 85km to go
After lunch, we leave Ghent to join up with the river.
The path along the River Scheldt is the true goal of our trip: a beautiful, concrete path through the polders, or wetlands, between Ghent and Antwerp.
A polder is a piece of land reclaimed from a lake, river, or sea, protected by dikes. In Belgium, polders are often managed as nature reserves. Polders are flooded seasonally or permanently, and their management supports biodiversity, benefiting birds, fish, and plants. They function as natural landscapes, blending water management with ecological goals.
Specifically for birdwatching, visiting the polders near the Schelde is a definite must-do!
No battery
At about 110 km, my friend is almost out of battery. We charge in a brasserie along the road for the minimum charge that would get him home.
4/ Crossing the river
Temse, 134 km done
In Temse, we cross the bridge from the right to the left bank of the river, offering the most scenic ride through the polders.
We’re not visiting the polder on the left side, but if you want to include it, you can take a ferry further on the road, which will bring you to the beginning of the Kruibeke polder.
In Kruibeke (139km), we have the option to return to Antwerp by ferry. I could complete the trip with about 40% battery remaining. My friend took a quick look at his battery and told me he “would be ok, but that it would be tight”.
We both have a gentle competitive streak, and decide to continue by bike.
Ferries
Past Rupelmonde, there are various options to cross the water or to take a ferry to Antwerp.
The Waterbus takes you from Kruibeke to Antwerp. It’s a lovely and easy way to check out the Schelde River.
Various ferries take you from one bank to the other.
Both are cheap and run regularly, but do check the website for the schedule.
5/ At home
Antwerp, 160km done, 9pm
This is the longest e-bike trip I’ve taken so far, and the final length exceeded my planned route by about 20 km due to detours and a long ride through Ghent.
Arriving home, my battery is at 30% and I don’t have any muscle pain.
The F4 doesn’t have the lovely scenic route of the river and is often interrupted. It, however, adheres to the spirit of the bike highways: it’s the shortest and safest route from Antwerp to Ghent. The straight parts are peaceful, and it’s an enjoyable ride.
The 90km ride along the river is stunning. If you’re in Antwerp, it’s a must-see. The polders have beautiful nature; a trip on the ferry or the waterbus is a nice break for any tired muscles. And since the well-travelled road, frequented by locals, features brasseries in each village, you can stop for a snack, a break, or a drink without much planning.
Depending on my goals, I’ll retake either route on future rides.
Conclusion
I believe we can safely say this is a bet I won. My bike is comfortable and easy to ride without support, which gave me a significant advantage and reduced stress.
I did not find my speed (a steady 25km/h) to impede my enjoyment of the landscape. Heavy physical effort and stress about not being able to get home would have seriously diminished my joy during this drive, though.
Lastly, I was tired when I got home, which is normal after a 12-hour ride. It’s a satisfied tiredness: I feel delighted about all aspects of the day, from riding my e-bike through the beautiful landscape and spending time with a good friend, which all gave me the energy needed for the rest of the week.
Would I do it again?
Yep.
Both the F4 and the scenic route along the river are repeatable for me. The F4 is the quickest car-free way to get from Antwerp to Ghent. The path along the river is perfect for a day out.
On a future trip, I might combine this with a longer and better-planned visit to Ghent, maybe stay the night.
Is this the best method to go to Gent?
The ride between Antwerp and Ghent takes me roughly two hours, and the city has enough bike infrastructure to keep riding up to your destination.
From Antwerp to Ghent, there are about three trains per hour. The trip takes about 1 hour. Walking or taking a bus to our lunch spot would have taken us roughly half an hour more.
The car would also take about an hour to reach Ghent from Antwerp, not counting traffic and looking for a parking spot.
Trains and cars are becoming increasingly expensive, with prices for tickets, gas and parking spots rising daily.
The bike is not the quickest method, but it seems to me the most hassle-free.
Which equipment do you use?
I have a Riese-Muller electric bike with 750Wh battery and Bosch Performance Line CX-motor.
My bags are a front bag from Riese-Muller and two Ortlieb backrollers.
These are relatively high-end options, but I made choices for ease of riding and the distance I can cover. Since I don’t own a car, I feel comfortable investing in my electric bike, so it’s less a hobby than an effective means of transport.