My first “real” bike was a real bonanza bike with all the bits. Foxtail, chrome rear bar and of course a neat 3-speed middle gear, like in a car. My father had delayed it as a surprise for Christmas until the last moment, and when I thought "that's it now" this orange "BigBang" then came .... I felt like a hero, right after Winnetou and Leatherstocking.
That's a tough question. On the one hand, I fell in love with my new Surly Midnight Special, which is ideal for my gravel tours on the weekend and equipped with the new GRX Di2. A source of joy. But also my Daily Velo, a Rennstahl Pinion 853, is great fun. Well, it doesn't help. The answer is I currently have two favorite bikes.
Good question. Let me put it this way: every new bike naturally “sleeps” in the living room for the first few nights. That is a tradition. Over time, however, there are certain rules within the family council, to which I then subject myself, even if I don't like it. Consequently. The bikes are well secured, dry and safe in the garage. The fat bike sleeps in the basement all summer.
The Chiemgau mountains & lakes offer a lot. In winter, you can go out with your snowshoes, or grab your kayak and relax on the Bavarian Sea. A few years ago there was also a love for the squash sport, but after more than 2 decades of active playing, my knees gave in and objected. Therefore, it's best to think about cycling when not cycling.
Usually for cycling. Seriously, I use the full range. With the Graveler on asphalt and light dirt more like the cross-country tours. Plow through the woods on a fat bike in the winter. My fully is my Alpencross toy, a passion that I have finalized 20 times since 2002. The hardtail is great for a quick after-work ride on the local mountain and last but not least, the touring bike is for traveling. Least but not not least my Trek1120, the adventure bikepacking bike, with which I go every now and then on Overnighter Tour and recently toured Mongolia.
All year round. My Schwalbe studded tires will be used from December and hardly a day goes by when I am not on my bike. All in all, I certainly get 280-300 bike days a year.
It all started with a Bonanza bike, probably mid 70s and continued with a used Motobecane racing bike in British Green, with which I then had a somewhat bad crash. Things got really serious in the late 80s, when the mountain bike boom hit Germany. I've had a fever ever since. and that's a good thing. Since then: a bad day cycling beats a good day working.
Simple, clever and stylish. On top of that, the function is just impeccable, good grip and visually an eye-catcher, which often leads to the question "heha, what pedals are these?
Design meets function. GrandeGrip.
Excellent. I've ridden a lot of pedals .... and honestly, between us: I once had a platform pedal with relatively little contact surface, from which I slipped in a race with my daughter and promptly broke my collarbone. So: I understand that grip is important.
Pins sometimes can be quite uncomfortabel. Especially out on the trails, they have often pierced my shins. I´d rather have a clean grip in stylish optics. In addition, pins require a good sole and just kill your shoes, with the MOTO´s I even get a good grip without Five Ten.
Also see Udo Kewitsch Roadtrip with the Rennstahl 853 Pinion