• Country

Our experience with Rapha Ride in Vienna

By Adam Marsal

We arrived to Vienna to join one of the famous Rapha Rides arranged around the Austria’s capital cycling clubs. Read about our experience and see the lovely photos we made. Maybe it will inspire you to start your own Cycle Club.

Rapha is known for its finest cycling clothing and accessories. The UK-based company also supports winning Sky Team including the recent Tour de France champion Chris Froome. Rapha Rides, like the recent one in Vienna, are organized by Rapha Cycle Clubs that have been created as inspiring meeting places for road riders around the world.

Rapha Ride Vienna, Photo: WeLoveCycling.com

Located in key cycling cities you’ll find a retail space stocked with the latest Rapha products, limited edition Cycle Club items, and a café serving the finest coffee and food.

Rapha Ride Vienna, Photo: WeLoveCycling.com

Miriam Kathrein is the Rapha ambassador in Vienna. „We are about 30 girls and women riding together here in the city, but when we meet a girl riding bike by herself, we usually stop and ask her if she wants to join us, so the number is still growing,” Kathrein says.

Rapha Ride Vienna, Photo: WeLoveCycling.com

Vienna with its remarkable history is a place luring not only tourists but also the cycling fans. It’s a beautiful city with kind car drivers and gorgeous suburbs. Vineyards, fields and villages with picturesque churches are scattered all over the hilly countryside. With the help of local cyclists you can reach quiet mountain roads with magnificent views over the city.

Rapha Ride Vienna, Photo: WeLoveCycling.com

Lot of cycling activities in Vienna happen around Hotel am Brillantengrund, owned by young cycling enthusiast Marvin Mangalino. The common rides usually start on the porch of the house. In the spacious atrium you can find a cycling clubhouse with a bar and you can enjoy the delicious Philippine cuisine made by Marvin’s mother after the ride.

When you talk to the local guys, you find out that there have been no official cycling clubs in Vienna until last year. Now you can name three so far: BBURD, which is a cycle club gathered around the Hotel am Brillantengrund, Vienna International Cycle Club and Radcore.

Rapha Ride Vienna, Photo: WeLoveCycling.com

All the cycling clubs based in Vienna have their unique jersey designs. The clubs resemble motorbike gangs but rather than fighting each other they prefer to keep a good friendship among themselves and organize common rides almost every weekend.

Rapha Ride Vienna, Photo: WeLoveCycling.com

If you are interested to come to Vienna and spend a nice day there, don’t hesitate to contact them. All members are super cool, friendly and open to newcomers or visitors.