Volker Gerhards (1979) Heinsberg (Germany)
Hi, I´m Volker. I was born in 1979 and i live in the area around Heinsberg, Germany (yeah, Google that).
I started cycling as a kid and explored every corner of our small village with my friends. Cycling was mainly a form of transport for me as I used my bike to commute to school, but as a teenager my choice of sports was skating.
This was followed by years without any serious sports activities. Things changed in September 2013. I was on vacation in South of France. My father-in-law and his good friend Willi (now 89 years old, but still doing about 8000km a year) were off for a ride every second day. I was fascinated about the opportunity to explore more of this beautiful area by road bike than just hanging at the beach and relaxing. The experience really piqued my cycling interests. But holidays were almost over, so I had to figure out how I could pursue this new hobby.
Cycling was meant to be because a few days later back at home and at work in Germany I met a customer and we talked about our holidays. He told me that he just bought a road bike and how much fun it is to be outside and enjoy nature. The same day, after i finished work, I visited a bike dealer near my home town just to have a look around.
On January 2014 I bought my first roadbike (the same I´m still riding today). It was winter in Germany and only 7 degrees, but I wanted to do my first ride. Winter can’t stop my passion for riding so I took my bike and started cycling.
2014 was my first full year of cycling. I did some rides on my own, some rides together with my father-in-law and my customer from work. Unfortunately, I did not go to the South of France in 2014. It was fun to ride my bike but I missed something, not sure what it was at this point.
The game changing moment happend in May 2015! I had the opportunity to do a ride with Sako7 Founder Sean Sakinofsky and MTBike Endurance Junkie Jean Biermans in Belgium. Sean´s and Jean´s unbelieveable passion for cycling and this „sockdoping“ thing pushed me to the next level about what more cycling can be. Yeah, it was that day in Belgium with these guys that laid the passion I have for the sport and the foundation to become the guy on the bike I am today. Thank you! J
Finally, I was in South of France in 2015 and it was amazing to ride there and explore the roads by road bike. The South of France is my second home. That place is magical to ride and it was here that really bolstered my pure passion for cycling that I didn´t have the year before.
So that´s my story so far. For me cycling means to be out there and have fun. Just enjoy the ride, alone or together with friends. I continue to love cycling and want to share this love and passion with you all and welcome others to the sport.
The story continues. Now go out and ride!
@volker_gerhards
allblack cycling club 