750 kilometres of flow – the gravel ride through 130 years of cycling history.
Start: 26 September 2026, 10:00, Basel
Finisher party: 30 September at Cycle Collective Meerbusch
The key facts
Data, figures, facts
What awaits you at this Supergrevet?
Register now.
Be there when the legendary long-distance ride starts anew – self-supported, long, honest.
From Basel to Kleve – a myth since 1894
That was no Sunday outing: from 1894 Basel–Kleve was one of the most closely watched long-distance classics in the German-speaking world. An almost unimaginable distance, partly miserable roads, equipment at its limit, Fritz Opel won the sprint by seconds – and the manufacturers used every inch of newspaper column to tell their “truth”. Fact: Basel–Kleve was a stage for technical proof, brand pride and plenty of pathos. That is exactly why the format works again today – as a gravel revival on paths that come closest to the flair of back then: honest, long, self-supported.
-
- Winding gravel hiking path, a bench under a tree and meadows in a valley in the Black Forest on a sunny summer day. Menzenschwand, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
-
- Loreley Rock Rhine Valley Germany Scenic Landscape Panoramic View
-
- View of the old, beautiful city of Heidelberg
-
- Wilde Auenlandschaft am Oberrhein
-
- Aerial view on the Schwanenburg castle in Cleves, Germany
Immerse yourself in a newly designed route that revives the heritage of the first long-distance rides of 1894. With a smart choice of lines between flowing gravel arteries, quiet river valleys and long night passages you experience the best of past and present on the gravel bike.
Your journey begins in the heart of Basel: between the Rhine, the old town and the edge of the Black Forest. The sounds of the city still echo, and already the open landscape draws you out – wide Rhine plains, dense forests, first ridges. It is the prelude to an unforgettable journey.
Soon the expanse of the route opens up: along the Upper Rhine, past vineyards and towns, through quiet meadows and over historic paths. You roll through the night, find your rhythm on long straights, fight your way up small climbs and feel every kilometre – carried by the flow of the line that unfolds as if by itself.
At the end awaits Kleve – with the silhouette of the Schwanenburg and the feeling of being part of a history over a hundred years old. The journey home is easy, but it’s worth lingering a while: between
Lower Rhine and the Dutch border, in a landscape full of calm, openness and stories. Here your circle closes and this long-distance ride stays not only in your legs but deep in your memory.
Original reports / sources:
You can find the complete eyewitness reports by Grüttner, Schweinsmann and Guthknecht
here
The key information
Gravel means openness – and that is exactly what shapes the long-distance ride Basel–Kleve.
Between the Rhine, the edge of the Black Forest and the Lower Rhine, a route awaits you that flows: long gravel arteries, quiet river dykes, forest passages and endless straights through fields and meadows.
The route is varied but never extreme: no alpine terrain, no root trails, no endless hike-a-bike. Instead you find the perfect rhythm between pace and calm – now rolling briskly along the Rhine, now alone in the mist of the river lowlands.
The line consistently avoids busy roads. At most you cross them briefly before they disappear again and you return to those in-between spaces where gravel unfolds its charm: quiet, wide, unhurried.
Directly in the tracks we embed supply points as POIs – from supermarkets and petrol stations to shelters and bakeries. That way you stay self-supported on the road, but never entirely alone.
For the long-distance ride Basel–Kleve we recommend a robust, comfortable gravel setupthat masters long distances and changing surfaces with confidence. The route is generally rolling, but with its mix of gravel, forest tracks and old dykes it demands as much from the equipment as from the rider.
Wir empfehlen Tyres from 38 mm wide 40–45 mm with good puncture protection are ideal. Wider tyres bring extra comfort on long straights and give confidence when the paths are rough or softened by rain. With pure semi-slicks you’re too uncompromising here – especially on damp forest sections or coarse gravel.
For the gearing you should go for a solid low gear ratio. Steep ramps like those on the low-mountain crossings or at the edge of the Black Forest are short but demanding. A combination of small chainrings and a large cassette preserves your energy reserves and keeps your pedalling smooth even after 400 kilometres.
Rule of thumb: The more versatile your setup, the more relaxed the ride. Basel–Kleve rewards what already held true in the pioneering days – technology that works when it matters.
Start in Basel
The starting point lies in the heart of Basel – between the Rhine, the old town and the edge of the Black Forest. The city is an ideal starting point for a long-distance ride: excellently connected, bike-friendly, cosmopolitan. From Basel SBB it’s just a few minutes to the start area; if you like, you can begin the morning with a view of the Rhine or a coffee in the old town.
Basel is perfectly accessible – by train, long-distance coach or bike.
International trains from Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland run daily. Night trains too, for instance via Zürich or Freiburg, are a comfortable option for a stress-free journey with your bike.
Train + bike – works if you plan it right:
- Direct connections are available from, among others, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich.
- The SBB offers flexible bike carriage on local services; for international trains we recommend reservations best made directly via SBB, ÖBB or Trenitalia, as their booking systems are usually more reliable than Deutsche Bahn’s.
- Nightjet connections (e.g. Vienna–Zürich–Basel or Hamburg–Basel) are ideal for a relaxed journey with luggage and bike.
Alternatively: long-distance coach + bike.
Long-distance coaches (e.g. FlixBus) connect Basel regularly with German cities – bike carriage can be selected when booking. Especially for riders from western or southern Germany this is a straightforward and inexpensive option.
On site:
Basel has a well-developed cycle-path network, numerous bike shops and accommodation geared to cycling travellers. The city itself is part of the Basler Velostrategie and thus a symbol of modern, sustainable mobility – exactly the right place to set off anew on historic trails.
Accommodation in Basel
The accommodation options in Basel are varied – from boutique hotels and simple hostels to campsites right on the Rhine.
As a border city between Switzerland, Germany and France, Basel is perfectly geared to international guests – including with a bike.
On past visits we had very good experiences with the
Hotel Odelya Basel – centrally located, bike-friendly and with a breakfast that makes every bikepacker happy.
Also recommended: the
Hyve Hostel Basel, just a few minutes from
Bahnhof Basel SBB away, with secure bike storage and a relaxed atmosphere.
For everyone who prefers to sleep under the open sky
Camping Waldhort in Reinach (Basel-Landschaft) lies quietly at the edge of the forest, just about 8 km from the city centre.
Large tent meadows, well-kept sanitary facilities and a pleasant, bike-friendly setting make it the best choice for bikepackers.
It is easily reached by bike or tram – and perfect for taking one more deep breath the day before the ride.
Alternatively, the
Camping und Schwimmbad am Rhein in Kaiseraugst – right on the river, with access to the
Rheinradweg EuroVelo 15 and about 15 km from the starting point.
Here you can cool off in the water, eat at the restaurant or simply relax on the bank.
Self-support and overnight stays – Basel–Kleve
The long-distance ride Basel–Kleve is a self-supported ride.
This means: you are responsible for your own food, accommodation and how you take your breaks. Whether you’d rather rest spontaneously with a hammock in the green or check into a guesthouse or hotel is entirely your choice.
The code of such rides, however, provides that overnight stays are not booked in advance from home, but at the earliest en route. So embrace the experience and respond flexibly to the weather, the route and your daily form.
We give you, in the route email , detailed recommendations on rest, food and overnight points along the route – from the simple campsite on the Rhine to the small guesthouse in the Münsterland.
However, we cannot guarantee, that they are available at all times. So make sure to find a suitable place to sleep in good time and keep always a plan B ready.
A few notes on the countries along the route
- In Switzerland and in Baden-Württemberg , wild camping is generally not permitted.
- In Rheinland-Pfalz and NRW it is sometimes tolerated, provided you discreetly and without leaving a trace bivouac – but that is at your own risk.
- Campsites along the Rhine are frequent and usually available at short notice too.
Please remain respectful of nature, local residents and landowners. The spirit of the long-distance ride thrives on Self-reliance, consideration and improvisation.
Kleve – journey home
Kleve is the northern end point of the Basel–Kleve long-distance ride – quietly located, but excellently connected for the journey home with or without a bike.
Whether you have to head back south or roll on towards the Netherlands: from Kleve you can get away easily.
Options for the journey home
- Train (DB / Abellio / NIAG)
Regular regional connections from Kleve central station towards Duisburg, Cologne or Düsseldorf.
From there, there are long-distance and night-train connections in all directions.
Taking a bike on the regional trains is usually no problem – a NRW bike day ticket is sufficient.
👉 www.bahn.de - Long-distance coaches
Nearby coach connections are available from Nijmegen (NL) or Duisburg / Düsseldorf.
From there, buses run towards southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Bike carriage is possible with providers such as FlixBus for a surcharge and with a reservation.
👉 www.flixbus.de - Continuing by bike
Anyone who hasn’t had enough can, from Kleve, roll flat through the Netherlands – towards Arnhem, Nijmegen or on to the North Sea.
Relaxed cycle paths, campsites and railway stations lie close together.
Finisher party in Meerbusch
After arriving in Kleve, the final leg takes many riders south once more:
On the following day we celebrate together the finisher party at the Cycle Collective in Meerbusch – in a relaxed atmosphere, with cold drinks, music and familiar faces.
📍 Cycle Collective Meerbusch
www.cycle-collective.de
Getting there is easy:
By train from Kleve → Düsseldorf → Meerbusch-Osterath or by bike via the Lower Rhine cycle route (approx. 100 km, flat and pleasant).
Planning tip
Plan a little time buffer in, especially if you’re bringing your bike – bike spaces on long-distance trains are often booked up quickly.
Anyone travelling spontaneously has with regional trains or long-distance coaches usually the greatest flexibility.
And if you want a leisurely wind-down:
Stay a day longer, leave the Rhine behind you one more time and raise a glass in Meerbusch with the Grevet crew.
The individual route sections
The Basel–Kleve long-distance ride runs for about 750 kilometres along the Rhine – from the edge of the Alps to the Lower Rhine, through three countries, across cultural borders. A route that breathes openness: from Basel’s old town to the Schwanenburg in Kleve. River, history, landscape – all in motion.
The starting point is the heart of the city of Basel, where the cultures of three countries meet: Switzerland, France, Germany. Your ride begins between the old-town lanes, the Rhine promenade and the first hills of the Black Forest.
Basel welcomes you with cosmopolitan spirit and history – museums, modern architecture and the scent of coffee from the streets of the Kleinbasel cafés. But as soon as you roll across the Rhine, the landscape opens up: broad river valleys, meadows, vineyards – a gentle prelude that makes the spirit of the route tangible.
Beyond the city, the line begins to flow. You follow the Rhine northwards, on farm tracks, quiet dykes and fine gravel arteries.
The route runs through the Markgräflerland, past vineyards and small villages, then on towards the Breisgau. Here you feel the character of gravel riding: an even cadence, quiet rolling, wind in your face.
The region is open, friendly, flat – but never boring. Old river bends, side arms and floodplains keep the route alive. Along the way, many small villages invite you to take a break – bakeries, fountains, shade under old chestnut trees.
The further north you ride, the more the rhythm changes. The route runs over gently climbing forest passages, follows quiet forest tracks and takes you to the edge of the Black Forest.
Here the air smells of resin and damp leaves, the gravel tracks alternate with firm forest paths, and now and then the view opens onto the Rhine – a panorama of water, forests and haze.
If you like, you can Rastatt or Karlsruhe take a short rest, stock up or simply let your mind spin down. The route stays flat but demands endurance: a mental game of steadiness and concentration.
In the region around Speyer and Worms the route merges with the great narrative of the Rhine: cathedrals, bridges, old shipyards, wine towns. Here nature meets industry, the past meets the present.
The route uses old towpaths, former railway lines and quiet side roads. Anyone who rides attentively senses that this section is more than geography – it’s a piece of European cultural history on two wheels.
From the area around Mainz/Frankfurt the picture changes. The route continues to follow the course of the river, but the character becomes more urban. You cross the foothills of the Taunus, passing cities with a long cycling tradition – Mainz, Darmstadt, Rüsselsheim – places where technology, industry and movement were already closely intertwined in the 19th century.
Between the modern glass façades and old industrial plants lies a piece of forgotten history: the Opel-Rennbahn in Rüsselsheim.
It was one of the most modern cycling and motor-racing tracks in Europe – a stage for world records, engine experiments and dreams of speed. Today it is a Lost Place, half overgrown, half preserved – a monument to the transition from muscle power to motor power. Anyone who looks closely can still make out the contours of the old banked curves where Fritz von Opel and other pioneers once did their laps – with petrol in their blood, but with roots in cycling.
Here a circle closes: Basel–Kleve was once a stage for the dawn of cycling technology – and led indirectly into that era in which the bicycle turned into the motor. Today, in the age of the mobility transition, this passage is a quiet commentary: back to the origin, but with a new awareness.
After that, the route continues over quieter sections along the Middle Rhine. The nights are long, the paths clear, the supply points dense. Petrol stations, bakeries and shelters lie along the route – ideal for night rides or late stages, carried by the steady rhythm of the river.
The closer you get to Kleve, the wider the sky opens. The wind becomes noticeable, the landscape flat and open. Fields, avenues, small villages – a quiet, honest expanse.
Here the Rhine is no longer an Alpine torrent but a broad, calm companion. In this silence lies a power of its own: the calm after days of movement. Anyone who rides early in the morning or at dusk experiences plays of light reminiscent of old paintings – grey, gold, mist, expanse.
The last kilometres lead through forests and fields, then it appears: the Schwanenburg, high above the town of Kleve. It marks the finish – and the symbolic end point of a line that led right across the realm.
What awaits you here is not a podium, but a feeling: arriving.
A place where history, landscape and effort come together.
A glance up at the castle, a deep breath, perhaps a coffee on the market square – and the knowledge: you have accomplished what was already a myth in 1894.
Not far away in Meerbusch, the finisher party is already waiting for you. With a special place for everyone who travels on two wheels: the
Cycle Collective. Here you meet like-minded people and find espresso, tools, stories and the feeling of belonging.
Back then
Basel–Kleve: departure, struggle, triumph
The 1894 Basel–Kleve long-distance ride was not just a race – it was an epic adventure. Days before the start, the riders were already battling on their way there with bad weather, impassable roads and improvised ponchos made from coffee sacks, which billowed like balloons in the wind and caused a stir in every village.
Early in the morning on 15 September, in St. Ludwig the starting gun fired. In strictly ordered groups the riders rolled out, accompanied by dense fog, pouring rain and a fierce headwind. Soon the field broke apart – some relied on tandem pacers, others fought on alone. Crashes, mechanical failures and desperate repairs shaped the first hours.
Along the way, the unpredictable lurked: oxen that had run wild forced entire groups to stop, and bolting horse-drawn carts threw the race into chaos. During the night, fog and wind turned the road into a test of body and nerves. Some even lost their machine in the darkness amid the crowds of spectators at the checkpoints.
And yet they persevered. In the end, Fritz Opel and Adolf Gutknecht rolled onto the finishing straight almost simultaneously after more than 600 kilometres. Only a few seconds decided it – Opel was ahead. Third place went to Hermann Weiss from Nuremberg.
A public festival in Kleve
What in Kleve followed was a celebration without equal. The small town transformed into a metropolis of sport: Houses decorated with garlands and flags, cannon salutes announced the riders’ arrival, tens of thousands lined the streets.
When Opel shot across the line, the cheering carried him like a hero. In the evening there were garden concerts, fireworks and dancing – an entire town in a state of exception. For a few days Kleve had twice as many inhabitants as usual, inns and halls were overcrowded, and the newspapers even reported a small famine.
More than a race
Basel–Kleve was a tightrope walk between man and machine, between order and chaos, between sporting seriousness and festive mood. It was:
- a testing ground for technology – from Brennabor and Victoria bicycles to Continental pneumatic tyres that shone as winners at the finish.
- a drama on the road – with crashes, breakdowns and tricks that later became myths.
- a a social event – that turned a small town into a world stage.
Basel–Kleve thus remains an emblem of the pioneering era of cycling: at once a heroic tale and a public festival, at once innovation and improvisation – and a myth that lives on to this day.
From Basel into the Rhine valley
The modern version of the long-distance ride leaves the old main road and seeks its own way: not along the busy arteries, but over quiet river valleys, forests and gravel lines that bring the spirit of 1894 into the present.
You roll out between the Rhine, the old town and the edge of the Black Forest. After just a few kilometres the Rhine plains widen, the fields open up the view, and the first gravel arteries lead you out of the city into the open landscape. Through the Upper Rhine region
The line follows the Upper Rhine northwards, past vineyards, small towns and quiet meadows. Here you find your rhythm: long straights, calm riverside riding, interrupted by small climbs and historic connecting paths.
Night over the Rhine
A highlight lies in the darkness: the long night passages through forests, fog and wide floodplains. Here it shows whether you find your own cadence and let yourself be carried by the flow of the line.
Into the Lower Rhine
The closer you get to the finish, the wider the landscape becomes. Wide fields, small villages and historic paths shape the scene. The wind can be your enemy – or your companion.
Finish in Kleve
The last kilometres lead you into the Lower Rhine, before the Schwanenburg appears above Kleve – a landmark that has welcomed travellers for centuries. Here the line closes: 600 kilometres from Basel to Kleve, carried by river, history and landscape.
The profile of the new route
- Distance: approx. 600 km
- Character: close to the river, wide, rhythmic
- Difficulty: high – fitness and mental strength required
- Reward: the vastness of the Rhine, the silence of the night, the finish beneath the Schwanenburg
This version carries the spirit of 1894 into the present – not as a copy of the transit route, but as a rediscovery of the hidden. Anyone who makes it through here experiences more than just a long-distance ride: a journey along the Rhine into your own endurance.
Myths & legends of Basel–Cleve
A great success – and the seeds of scandal
The Basel–Cleve long-distance ride in September 1894 was a triumph – both sporting and commercial. Of the top nine finishers, seven rolled in on Continental pneumatic tyres across the finish. The three winners – Fritz Opel from Rüsselsheim, A. Gutknecht from Mühlhausen and Hermann Weiss from Nuremberg – thus became unwitting brand ambassadors. Newspapers celebrated the proof: the new material had proven itself under the toughest conditions.
But where there is success, there is also doubt. Opel won the final sprint only seconds ahead of Gutknecht – and soon rumours were circulating: had he really covered the entire route on the same machine? Or did he have to switch?
Cycling’s first PR battle
What followed was a spectacle without precedent: advertisements, statements, counter-statements – a media war, the like of which had not been seen before.
- Seidel & Naumann accused Opel of having won by switching bikes.
- Opel countered publicly, pointed to his own statement and turned the accusations around: perhaps his rivals’ breakdowns had been no coincidence at all – but the result of nails on the course.
Suddenly the suspicion of a sabotage attack hung in the air. Nails as a secret weapon, deliberately deployed to burst tyres – an image that has burned itself deep into the collective imagination of cycling.
The eternal runner-up: Max Reheis
In the midst of this turmoil stood a man who became a tragicomic legend: Max Reheis from Wasserburg. Talented, ambitious, but dogged by bad luck. Sometimes the saddle broke, sometimes the bike. After Basel–Cleve he even claimed he had been locked in an inn – and had had to break open the door to carry on.
The sports press mocked his excuses. But in his home town he was celebrated, with marching bands, festive parades and gala evenings. Reheis embodied what defined Basel–Cleve: the struggle between heroism and scandal, glory and doubt.
A race becomes a legend
Basel–Cleve was not just a sporting experiment. It was a mirror of its time:
- Technical progress: pneumatic tyres and machines like those from Opel and Naumann showed what was possible.
- close-fought dramas: Opel against Gutknecht, a sprint after 620 kilometres.
- scandals & stories: from alleged bike swaps to nail attacks, from locked-up riders to wild excuses.
And that is exactly what makes the fascination endure to this day: Basel–Cleve was victory and scandal at once – a myth that shaped cycling.
The history of Basel–Kleve
A pioneering feat from Switzerland to the Netherlands
The long-distance ride Basel–Kleve, first held in September 1894 is considered the first great west–east endurance ride of the German-speaking world. While Vienna–Berlin connected the plains and Milan–Munich conquered the Alps, Basel–Kleve led right through the heart of the empire – from the High Rhine on the Swiss border to the Lower Rhine.
An epic of open expanses
On the 15/16 September 1894 around 40 riders took up the challenge in Basel. The finish lay in Kleve, over 620 kilometres away. The route first ran along the High Rhine, then over the Black Forest and Taunus, through the Rhine meadows and on towards the Lower Rhine.
The conditions were harsh: Gravel tracks, muddy forest paths, dusty country roads, cobblestones in the towns. Rain and cold did the rest. Many riders gave up after just a few hours, others fought their way to the finish exhausted – it was a race for the toughest.
The winner: Friedrich Franz „Fritz“ Opel
After 27 hours and 50 minutes , the then only 19-year-old Fritz Opel was the first to cross the line. Just behind him: A. Gutknecht (Mulhouse in Alsace), only seconds behind, and Hermann Weiss (Nuremberg) in third place.
Remarkably: all three rode on the new Continental pneumatic tyres – a technical innovation that brought the company an immense advertising success. The victory of an Opel, on Continental tyres, in a race with an imperial prize – that was more than sport, that was Symbolic politics and technological history.
A race of national significance
The long-distance ride attracted great public attention. The prize for the winner was donated by the Emperor himself, which lent the race a special lustre.
Basel–Kleve thus became a showcase event of the empire: cycling was no longer merely a leisure pastime or a sport for a small elite, but a showcase for performance, technology and national modernity.
In an international context
Compared with the classics already established at the time, such as Bordeaux–Paris (1891, over 560 km) or Paris–Brest–Paris (1891, 1,200 km), Basel–Kleve positioned itself as the German answer to the great long-distance races.
- Vienna–Berlin (1893) proved the power of the plains.
- Milan–Munich (1894) dared the leap across the Alps.
- Basel–Kleve (1894) stretched the line right across the empire – a symbol of unity and expanse.
Together, the three German-language classics formed their own triptych of early long-distance racing, which gained international recognition.
Bicycle and automobile – an intertwined history
Basel–Kleve was also a chapter of that era when the histories of cycling and the automobile were still closely linked.
- The Opel family ran the largest bicycle factory in Europe around 1900, before it moved into the automobile business and later experimented with rocket cars.
- In France, a sports journalist and former cycling record-holder, Henri Desgrange, carried on a similar legacy: he founded the Tour de France as a marketing instrument for the automobile newspaper L’Auto.
- What began in bicycle racing found its continuation in motor racing: speed, technology, progress – the same promises, just on new terrain.
This development was not a hostile takeover, but an organic continuation of the pioneering passion. Tragically, though, the technology that once stood for individual freedom was also put into the service of war and propaganda in the 20th century.
From progress to the mobility transition
Today Basel–Kleve stands in a new German cycling tradition, but also marks the moment when technological history at a crossroads stood at a crossroads: bicycle and automobile grew from the same roots but later took very different paths.
While the car became the German myth – with all its ambivalences – the bicycle today is once again the symbol of a new modernity: sustainable, accessible, boundless.
In the age of the mobility transition Basel–Kleve shows that there are alternatives: not the car as a fetish of self-propulsion, but the bicycle as a tool of real freedom.
Palmarès – the early winners
- 1894: Fritz Opel (Germany)
- further years: including Hermann Weiss (Nuremberg), A. Gutknecht (Mulhouse) – Winner lists are recorded only fragmentarily.
Continuations and legacy
Basel–Kleve was repeated several more times after 1894 and was regarded in the 1890s as third pillar of the long-distance rides alongside Vienna–Berlin and Milan–Munich. Later it disappeared from the calendar, displaced by new formats and increasing road traffic.
But in retrospect, Basel–Kleve remains a key event:
- a a pioneering feat of German cycling,
- a a testament to technological innovation,
- and an early chapter of modern mobility history.
Basel–Kleve marks a
turning point: it shows that cycling conquers not only mountains and borders, but also distance as a dimension conquers. In retrospect it is at the same time a chapter of automobile history. A contest in which the threads of technology, sport and society cross – and which today, in a new context, makes sense again.
The Opel brothers, Rüsselsheim, on the five-seater.
Note on the route: the routing may change slightly, e.g. due to weather, rideability, path closures or official requirements. Before the start, all participants receive the final version of the route as a GPX file as well as an up-to-date overview in the route book with all POIs, checkpoints and overnight options. Subject to change.
