Becoming part of the Kona family

Hi there @Kona,

welcome to my homepage. My name is Christian and I’m a cyclist from Germany.

This is my application for the Kona Ambassador program.

Best regards from the Black Forest. Happy riding!

Where do I live and what kind of bikes do I ride?

Born and raised in northern Germany I’ve been an avid runner and cyclist from early on. Tired of the bad weather and traffic in Hamburg I moved to a small village near Freiburg/Germany in the heart of Europe 17 years ago. Since then, I’ve been cycling and exploring the Black Forest, Kaiserstuhl and Alsace region.

I was a total roadie in the first half of my cycling life. I’ve been doing multi-day cycling tours in Europe (mostly FR, IT, CH, ES, DE) with friends for almost 20 years. Currently I ride a Scott Solace 10 carbon road bike.

Two years ago I discovered adventure bikepacking and gravel riding. And I absolutely love it! I bought a Kona Rove LTD (in beautiful aqua blue!) fitted with 650B wheels and already did some great multi-day tours with it: Torino-Nice-Rally (FR, IT), Bike Crossing Black Forest (DE), Exmoor-Dartmoor-Quantock Hills (UK), Rheintal (DE). I dream of bikepacking Scotland, the Iron Curtain Trail, TransGermany, TransPyrenees and the Tuscany Trail.

When not on the bike, I work as a freelance software engineer, practice my cooking, woodworking and guitar skills and try to raise my two teenage girls.

What I consider important: My family, sustainabilty, energy revolution. Things that annoy me: Unreliability, bad time- and self-management, SUVs.

What makes me unique in the biking world?

I am the perfect combination of a software engineer and a cyclist :-)

What is it about Kona that I love and want to share with others?

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike. Kona bikes have style and character. Riding a Kona is not simply a sport, it’s a lifestyle.

I like Konas dedication to steel. My Kona Rove is a reliable and loyal partner on my adventures.

Most of todays bikes look all the same boring black. I love the fantastic color schemes of Kona bikes.

What kind of content am I able to create on my own? Any samples we can see?

As a software developer I’m fluent in programming languages and internet technologies. I also believe I’m a decent photographer and a good writer.

Please see some examples on this site, on my AirBnb experience “Black forest road bike adventures” and my Strava page.

As a member of the Kona Ambassadors, what kind of support would I like from Kona?

Any kind of equipment support would be awesome, from spare parts and tools to bags and clothing.

Who is a cyclist I admire most, and why?

Fiona Kolbinger, because she won the TCR and logs incredible rides on Strava. And she is working as a doctor in a hospital in Dresden.

Jens Voigt, because he was my hero when I started watching the TdF. He always rode with heart and guts. He is likable, charismatic, straightforward, down-to-earth and funny.

What is my dream Kona bike setup?

Steel frame, gravel/endurance geometry, two light wheel sets (28” and 650B), drop bar, SRAM AXS shifting, disc brakes.