If you needed any more proof that taking part in the ENDURO Readers’ Survey is worth five minutes of your time then take a look at Hubert from Munich, one of the major winners who’s just received his custom-built Bold Linkin Trail LT.
We got a massive response when we dropped our Readers’ Survey 2016, with more than 16,000 of you guys taking part – a figure that went way beyond our expectations. So here’s a huge thank you to all of the respondents! Your feedback helps us make ENDURO even better. One of those 16,000-plus respondents was a rider called Hubert from Munich, who even remained convinced for a while that his confirmation e-mail about winning was a hoax.
“I actually spotted the Linkin Trail LT from Bold a while ago, and even used the website a few times to build my dream bike. But I always thought it’d probably just stay a dream. It still seems a bit surreal even now that I’ve won it!” he exclaimed.
Thanks to the generosity of the Swiss brand, we were able to turn Hubert’s dream into reality. And – typical for Bold – our winner wasn’t just going to have some bike off the shelf. Hubert was invited to custom build his bike from top to toe (fortunately he was already well versed in Bold’s options). A few weeks passed before Hubert headed to Bold’s HQ for the grand unveiling of his bike from a sleek-looking wooden box.
Hubert gets to unpack his new whip alongside Max Seidl, who’s responsible for growing Bold’s presence in the EU and soon-to-be head of their German office. With expert hands on board, it doesn’t take long to tighten some screws and get the bike prepped for its first ride in the Jura mountains, which rise up directly behind Bold’s offices. It’s a good taster of mountain air for the Linkin Trail as Hubert’s already got some Alpine adventures on his calendar.
Out riding in the dampness of the forest in autumn, the Linkin Trail Long Travel is kitted out with Hubert’s choice of 27.5+ tires and its 150 mm of rear travel shows the woods how it’s done, plastering a grin on Hubert’s face. Vincenz Drouz, CEO and the founder of Bold, is visibly stoked:
“This is exactly the sort of experience that we want to provide for our customers. In our eyes, both a test ride before buying and the chance to ride the new bike as you collect it are key steps in buying a bike. It’s the only way that a customer can be certain they’ve chosen the right bike. As it’s a service that we want to offer outside of Switzerland too, we’ll also have a base in Munich that’ll serve the consumer base in Germany. From spring 2017, everyone will be able to test ride and get advice and support regarding our bikes. This is a service that we plan to roll out across the whole of Germany so that every Bold rider and fan will always have access to a point of contact in their vicinity.”
Given their stringent quality demands when it comes to service, it’s not surprising that Bold Cycles were awarded Newcomer of the Year at the Design & Innovation Award 2016. Our winner Hubert was pretty taken aback by their level of service too, which goes way beyond expectations. Not only do the brand take the time to converse with consumers directly on the phone and give advice, but once you turn up at the Bold site then there’s the opportunity to test multiple bikes. They take the same care and attention once you’ve bought the bike too, and never more so than when collecting it from Lengnau. We enquired why service is such a priority for Bold, and Vincenz explained: “This is where we really want to set ourselves apart from the masses and link our boutique character – which puts the consumer at the centre – with our unique products.” For Hubert, the benefits are multifold and he’s not only strolled off with a brand new bike, but he’s also confident about where he can turn if he needs any assistance in the future without having to go too far afield.
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Words: Max Seidl / Moritz Dittmar Photos: BOLD Cycles
