In this podcast Geoff & Gerry speak with Gregg Germer, the owner of TheChainstay in Belgium.
Among the cycling community we often find those who are passionate and life-long cyclists, a community made up of individuals with a true love of the sport and the challenges it brings. It is a close-knit community, and one that holds itself together and welcomes friends old and new.
Participants and fans alike appreciate the sport and find value with an exhilarating activity that has the ability to take us to incredible places. As we are taken on a journey trekking across iconic locations around the globe, it presents an often skimmed-over dilemma: housing. This was just the thing noticed by the man behind The ChainStay, Gregg Germer.
The Start of ChainStay
Born and raised in the United States, Germer began racing in Houston, Texas, at the early age of 13. During his years of professional racing, he became all too familiar with the standard approach for traveling cyclists. In 2002, Greg found himself traveling to Europe for races, and the method of finding places to stay was always a questionable one. It was often by word-of-mouth, one based largely off of references from other cyclists and recommendations for spare rooms and houses.
With the standard three-month timeframe for living aboard, it came down to three months of living in random houses with random strangers. The concerning nature of arriving in a foreign country, finding a payphone, and calling a random stranger up on the phone and hoping for a room was always an unnecessary concern and stress.
Fast forward to his last year of professional racing, and this dilemma was still a main source of concern for Germer. As he looked at options for retirement, the option of buying a house came into question. In 2008, he bought his house in Belgium, which started the idea behind The ChainStay: rather than watch cyclists continue to struggle with finding housing, why not provide it himself?
About The ChainStay
Germer’s solution was to provide a means for cyclists to find reliable, convenient, and affordable rentals in preparation for kermessee. That’s just what he did.
The ChainStay is now approaching it’s 12th cycling road season. It’s the perfect option for anyone hunting for the perfect kermesse and in need of a 3-month stay. What’s unique is that it tailers exclusively to months long stays for amateur and professional cyclists looking for an ideal location to train and race. Plus, the location is perfect for racing, with its location Oudenaarde, Belgium.
More than just housing, The ChainStay hosts are a group that understand what it means to be a serious cyclist, and what is required as one prepares for a kermesse. Providing a sense of solidarity within a small community of aficionados of the sport, the house is the perfect location if you’re looking for somewhere to stay, to train, and to prepare.
As the world is just starting to open back up, so are the races. At The ChainStay, you’ll find security and safety from an exclusive house of individuals, and companionship with likeminded individuals who are passionate and experienced, and likely to understand the experience behind cycling and all it entails.
Join the crew at The ChainStay and take in all that both it and Belgium has to offer.
https://thechainstay.com/
“A kermesse, also spelled kermess, and kermis in Dutch is a style of road bicycle race that is common in Western Europe. Typically kermesse races are found in Belgium, especially in the northern Flanders region, where they are the most popular style of amateur bicycle race. They also exist in the Netherlands.”
Source: Wikipedia