Kolektif Berlin Bike Fair and RAD RACE Last Wo/Man Standing 2020

Kolektif Berlin Bike Fair 2020 goes into round 2!

There’s no doubt that the kolektif Berlin is “made for bike enthusiasts by bike enthusiasts,” as they say on their website. Mitch and I were already amazed by the vibe and diversity of brands when we attended the fair for its debut in 2019 - but this year, the organizers really outdid themselves.

To my amazement, a lot of people that I already knew via Instagram stopped by kolektif 2020, which allowed me to put a face to all the names. I especially liked that there was room for everyone to present their products and views on everything that has to do with bikes: Established brands, small start-ups, ultra-distance cyclists and fixed gear enthusiasts. In essence, it was a fascinating melting pot. I think it’s safe to say that the RAD RACE Last Wo/Man Standing on Saturday was without any doubt the highlight of the weekend.

In this blog post, I’ll tell you more about some of the brands we talked to, the race on Saturday and the amazing people that we got to connect with.

Let’s start with some exciting brands!

(Please note that I’m not sponsored by any of the following brands/people, nor did I receive anything in return for mentioning them in this blog post. I simply picked the ones that I connected with the most and all impressions and opinions are my own.)

Veloine - Women Cycling Apparel

Veloine was born in 2019 and is a boutique brand for women cycling apparel, blending high performance with contemporary design. Their products are created in Munich and manufactured in Italy, using high-quality Italian fabrics. I already met one of the founders, Sandra Waschnewski, at the kolektif 2019 (their first event ever!) and this time, I finally found some time to talk more to her about how they developed the brand and what Veloine stands for.

Last year, the Veloine team focused mainly on figuring out if the products work and seeing what kind of designs and patterns are in demand. For 2020, they now have a much better understanding of what styles work and what styles don’t. Although it’s only their second year in the market, they are really excited that they’re still here and still rocking it!

Sandra is not only a cyclist but also a woman who likes fashion. Thus, she sometimes got frustrated because big cycling brands had rather small apparel choices for women - or women cycling wasn’t represented the way she sees it, including a lot of stereotypes (flower patterns, pink, girly clichés in general). That’s when Sandra decided to create something that’s still feminine but also cool and casual. Veloine was created to push and inspire female cyclists in regards to their performance on the bike. It’s no wonder that the brand’s name “Veloine” is an artificial term made up of “velo” (bike) and “heroine” and thus, a synonym for a fearless female cyclist.

I haven’t had the chance to try the clothes yet, so I can’t pass judgment on fit or quality. But I can tell you that there’s a lot of purpose behind this brand - and their upcoming SS20 collection, dropping in March, is just beautiful (here’s a little preview on Veloines Instagram account). Another thing I appreciate about Veloine is that they created a community around the brand. Just like last year, they organized a women’s group ride for the kolektif Berlin, with experienced guides and female cyclists of all walks of life. Sandra personally contacted and encouraged me to participate as well, which I thought was extremely nice. I couldn’t make it to the ride for several reasons, but I sure hope to get another chance next year!

If you’re curious to find out more about Veloine, visit www.veloine.cc and follow them on Instagram!

PERCY MASH - Ride smart & fast!

Jay (@cyclepunks), Nora (@unicorncycling) and Hanno (@percy.mash)

PERCY MASH is a German performance cycling apparel brand with an iconic logo and a cool mission: Be a CANNONMAN! They only produce in the EU, especially in Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic. That way, they can keep a high quality standard and also contribute to sustainability. The purpose of the product, on the one hand, is supposed to be a sports apparel. On the other hand, it also has the great looks of something that you can compete in. The same goes for style: Quick coffee ride with the mates or 100km high-speed ride, it’s essential to feel comfortable in both scenarios. The result is a very functional but also good-looking product.

Now, where does the cannon man that serves as the PERCY MASH logo come from? Mitch and I used the opportunity to ask founder Hanno Rieping directly at the PERCY MASH booth. He told us that when they started the company, they thought about what they like and what defines them. Hanno’s experience in road cycling spans over 25 years and is still fueled by a passion for the sport - uphill or downhill. They liked to describe themselves as a little fearless and a little fancy, just like that well dressed little guy that crawls into a canon to be shot out into the distance.

To quote Hanno: “We all search for a little adventure, for something we can tell others - and we want to be the best supplier for doing this in terms of cycling!” And I think they’re doing an excellent job in providing exactly that.

If you want to find out more about the brand and the products, visit www.percymash.com or follow them on Instagram!

Temple Project - Your body is a temple

Temple Project is a cycling & triathlon apparel brand run by a team of athletes who have a mission to share and want to promote endurance sports. The idea of Temple stems from the collective experience of the positive impact that endurance sports have had in the Temple Project team’s life.

They firmly believe that the body is a temple and that endurance sports are the best way to provide the body with a physical challenge as well as the clarity of mind.

Temple Project founder Henokh Wahyudi tells us that they took up the challenge to reach everyone in the sports community - not just the people who can afford it, but also the people who need it. And, he adds, some people don’t even know yet how beneficial exercise can be for the body and mind!

Temple Project founder Henokh Wahyudi at his booth

It doesn’t even have to be cycling or triathlon, which might take a higher commitment. Running, for example, can be for everyone. Temple Project wants to be part of this change in people’s lives instead of just selling products. They also thrive on standing up for creating a better understanding of how dangerous it is for cyclists to share the road and encourage drivers to see the person behind each cyclist instead of treating them like a nuisance. They have a similar approach if it comes to getting behind the wheel after drinking or taking drugs - and it concerns car drivers as much as truck drivers and cyclists! Temple Project wants to create a change in people’s mentality, and I couldn’t agree more.

Talking to Henokh and his team, you can feel how passionate they are about what they do. It’s rare to find a company that actively stands up and speaks out about specific issues that concern mostly all of us daily. I’m a fan!

If you’re interested in finding out more about Temple Project, visit www.templeproject.cc and make sure to follow them on Instagram. Henokh also told us that their new SNOBICI collection will be out soon and they plan on doing a lot of SNOBICI rides in Asia and Europe.

RAD RACE Last Wo/Man Standing

The Last Wo/Man Standing took place at the Mobi Kart Fun Racing venue and was organized by the RAD RACE team, who regularly brings joy to the cycling community with races like the Tour de Friends and the 96 HOURS bikepacking event (new this year!).

Last Wo/Man Standing is a fast-paced and technically challenging K.O. race on a go-kart race track with 430 meters of perfect tarmac. Fixed gear only! 128 men and 32 women start in heats of 8 against each other and the slowest rider will be kicked out every second round. The four fastest riders of each heat get into the next round, and in the final race the 8 best riders compete against each other until there’s only one wo/man standing! Similar to the exhibitors at kolektif, participants can be much-celebrated pros or unknown underdogs from all over the world.

Fabian Cancellara - photo by Mitchell Dick www.livetravelcycle.com

This year, the race was covered live by GCN and some special guests were invited, such as GCN presenter James Lowsley-Williams and Fabian Cancellara. To our disappointment, James crashed early on and was eliminated shortly afterward. We didn’t see Cancellara on the track (we were most likely grabbing some beers at the bar), which is why Mitch found it necessary to ask him: “Hey Fabian, did you race?” His short but highly informative response: “I raced.” Spot on, mate!

Alec Briggs - photo by Mitchell Dick www.livetravelcycle.com

After more than 6 hours of enthusiastically cheering folks, grungy music that reminded me of my wild teenage years and about 70 GBs of footage on Mitch’s Sony a6400, the race came to an end. Around midnight, Margaux Vigie took the win for the women’s race and Alec Briggs triumphed in the men’s race. The atmosphere couldn’t have been more exhilarating, and it felt like everyone was celebrating everyone, not just the winners.

This was the first fixed gear race that I watched live, and I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting one. Thanks to the amazing Rad Race team and a special shoutout to Chris @chrisfxd and Lisa @liisakiddo, who did a stellar job with the social media!

Margaux Vigie - photo by Mitchell Dick www.livetravelcycle.com

When Instagram connections turn real

We all know many people on Instagram, but we rarely get to meet them in real life. Events like kolektif Berlin are the perfect opportunity to bring an online community into an offline setting. I was especially amazed to meet a lot of great female cyclists. I chatted and took pictures at the PERCY MASH booth with Nora Turner @unicorncycling, had Ramen at a Japanese restaurant with the guys from Temple Project and Mary @qom_at_me, and had a (way too brief) encounter with my namesake Aline Köhler @alino.van.der.kool during the race.

Mitch and I got to hang out with Jay @cyclepunks and talk more about the Cyclepunks Collective, which we recently joined as members. We also had a lot of fun finding inappropriate parking spots with Victor Hurtubia @theforeigncyclist and his wife Juliane @liane_ju, and I’m sure Mitch and I will show up once or twice on his YouTube channel, too.

Jay @cyclepunks.cc, me and Mitch @naturallymitch

Mitch @naturallymitch, Henokh @templeproject.cc and Lamri @lamroes

Another person that inspired me greatly at kolektif 2020 was Lamri @lamroes, whom I met at the Temple Project booth on the very first evening of the bike fair. He’s an avid ultra-distance cyclist, and we talked for almost an hour about what it takes to go bike packing and to cover long, strenuous distances by sheer willpower. I haven’t talked much about this yet, but I’m burning to go on a long-distance ride; not necessarily competing against others, but competing against myself. As you can imagine, I was thrilled to chat with someone who has a lot of experience in this regard. It inspired me yet again to pack up my things and finally cover a long distance on my own (or with Mitch). If you’re interested in Lamri’s travels, follow his next journey at the Indian Pacific Wheel Race 2020, a solo unsupported bike race across Australia. He also created a series of small booklets called “ride eat sleep repeat”, which feature fantastic photography of his trips. You can find it here.

With that said, I’m grateful that Mitch and I had the opportunity to talk to so many inspiring brands and people at kolektif Berlin 2020. It made me feel like being part of a community that has big, inspiring goals and supports each other on the way. For someone who never really belonged anywhere, this was an exceptional experience. Thanks to everyone that I met for your support, the great work and the ever so inspiring words. I really appreciate it!

Do you have any questions about the kolektif Berlin Bike Fair 2020, RAD RACE or one of the brands? Then leave a comment or write to me on Instagram or Facebook!

There’s also going to be a new YouTube video about our visit to the kolektif 2020 and RAD RACE Last Wo/Man Standing online soon. Subscribe now so you won’t miss it!