Yes, apparently Everesting inside a parking garage is possible – A couple of crazy riders in Berlin (don’t worry, there are plenty more) decided they wanted to climb the 8848m height of Everest in Berlin. But with nowhere high to climb, and the cold & dark of early winter having descended on Europe, they decided to do it inside a parking garage – on the Votec VRC we tested last fall.
Attempt number one started at 2am back in October at the new BER Berlin airport inside a brand-new 7-story garage, before they apparently got chased out by security about 1/3 of the way in. But they vowed to try again…
Now, Berlin isn’t known for big climbs.
In fact, it’s known for being pretty flat, with the biggest hills actually covered up landfills. But this also isn’t the first Everesting from some of our friends in the free-thinking, wild-biking German city. KOM Berlin took on one of these landfills late last September, before being literally blown off track in heavy rain storms. So no Everest that time.
Now with a (slightly) better laid plan in hand, Votec rider Raphael Albrecht and friend of Bikerumor (and one of the crazier riders we know) Magnus Heller set out to return to the heart of the city, in a much more crowded Neukölln Hermann-Platz, Berlin parking garage to finish it off.
In the end, it took the two idiots totally sane cyclists a full 24 full hours of climbing up the parking garage’s ramps, then descending those same curves to do it all again… and again.
While everyone we’ve heard talk about the willpower to keep going, I can’t imagine what these two went through mentally. Total distance, over 190km inside the comfortable confines of the Karstadt car park.
More impressive than a virtual Everesting on a trainer… Yes, definitely! Heller & Albrecht’s recommendation right after they finished, “Please do not try this at home!”
The world’s first successful Everesting in a parking garage!
The full video premier of the shenanigans drops tomorrow, so feel free to come back and watch Magnus & Raphael ride up and down 403 times! Haha. Read their full story at: Votec.com
Advocacy & Industry News
- Ibis’ Luis Valerio dies of COVID, an unsung hero of carbon – Ibis Cycles is saluting Luis Valerio on social media, who died in the ICU earlier this week after contracting COVID-19 over his holiday break from work. Remembered as an “unsung hero” of Ibis’ carbon bike development team, Luis had a hand in creating every American-made Ripley LS made. Ibis say they are working with Luis’ family (of which more are still fighting COVID) on “a way to best honor his memory” and will share more on that in the near future. In the meantime, they’re pointing friends of the brand & Ripley to a GoFundMe Luis’ family set up to help offset their financial hardships.
Contest, Gear & Deals
- Train & Race on Bkool, maybe win some Cadex wheels – Bkool’s January virtual cycling competition 5-stage Overachieve Series aims to get you fit this winter riding inside (no parking garages, required). Racing against Bkool’s video & 3D environment, you’ll travel to Majorca, Centennial Park in Sydney, or Palm Beach from the comfort of your pain cave. Up for grabs in a lottery after you complete at least one route are: Cadex 42 wheels, a Cadex Boost saddle, plus Cadex Classic tires. The racing has already started, and runs through Feb 21. Bkool.com
- Buy a unique 8bar Showroom bikes at a discount – The bike-buying pinch is on, especially on affordable models. But if you don’t want to wait on components for a custom build, a unique bike out of 8bar’s Berlin showroom might be exactly what you were looking for? The brand-new display bikes and used test bikes are getting cleared out to make room for what’s coming next, so you can pick one up for a steal – with local pick-up or even global shipping available. Also use code: free8bar for free EU shipping on your next purchase from: 8bar-bikes.com
- Save BIG, up to 60% off on DeFeet socks & more while it lasts – DeFeet is closing out tons of socks, shoe covers & baselayers in their January sale, with discounts of more than half off of over one hundred products. Search for your favorite styles before they’re gone for good, and use code: JAN21 at checkout to see how much you save.
- Gee Milner Dream Builds Marin Hawk Hill with FSA – Sure, it’s pretty much an ad promo for many of those new FSA KFX & Gradient components that were released last week. But it is always fun to watch Gee Milner put together Dream Builds. And at just 60 seconds from box to trail-ready, I kinda remember from my bike shop days this taking a bit longer.
- Get Brooks Pickwick bags in limited edition Paint – Brooks England has a new hi-viz version of their roll-top commuter backpack. The Pickwick Paint takes the popular bag and adds a specially-made paint treatment that promises noticeably improved nighttime visibility – catching & reflecting light so even in the lowest-lit environments you can be safe and be seen. The 260-290€ premium pack gets all the features of the regular Pickwick, with laptop sleeve, hidden rear pocket & fancy style – made from water-resistant cotton & Brooks’ vegetable tanned leather detailing. BrooksEngland.com
Racing & Riding together again?
- Race Skull Gravel this summer in Oregon, started by Smokey Bear – With plans for the after-times, Skull Gravel – a not-for-profit race supporting Public Lands – has opened up its limited registration for their Eastern Oregon event. They’ve still got COVID consideration in hand, but expect to be able to run the event this June… but, “The health and safety of all citizens and especially our event staff, participants, and host community are top priority” so they’ll keep everyone updated over the next 5 months. In the meantime, maybe consider locking in a spot at what’s being called “America’s Gnarliest Gravel Grinder” with 30, 60 & 120 mile tracks on offer. And yes, Smokey himself will fire off the starting gun. AdventureHarney.com
- Race Arrowhead 6/3 Hour MTB in Macon, GA Feb 27 not Chattanooga, TN – While faraway races all seem to still be going ahead, it remains complicated for many others. Chainbuster Racing learned last week that their permit to race the Dynamite 6/3 in Chattanooga, TN was rescinded “due to COVID concerns”, but they were prepared and already have their backup with the Arrowhead 6/3 Hour MTB race picking up the slack in Macon, GA still on Feb 27. ChainbusterRacing.com
- Cake Kalk One e-MX race Global Championships – OK, so this is undeniably electric motocross racing, not bikes in any way, shape, or form. But the Cake Kalk – for what it is as a e-Motorcycle – is pretty awesome. It was my pick for the best e-“bike” of 2018. It’s innovative, an interesting cross-over between MTB & MX, and just a lot of fun. And it’s not encroaching on your local singletrack. Instead, its maker will host the single inaugural CAKE Kalk One Design Global Championships at the Gotland Ring on the island of Gotland, Sweden (where I tested it) this coming summer 2021. I don’t expect to be one of the 16 riders invited to race 🙁 since it will bring together actual pro motorcyclists from Enduro, Motocross & Supercross, plus some pro DH mountain bikers. But in any case, it could be fun to watch. It’s surprisingly quiet, plus zero pollution.
