“Neither of us have a long history of working with bikes. We weren’t working and learning in the bike shops or learning how the mechanics do what they do. My story is that I was a bike messenger, and a passionate touring rider. I went backpacking with the bike for several months, so in that way I’ve been involved with bikes for many years, but not in the traditional way”, Michel Röthlisberger says and explains that he thinks the untraditional way that he and his wife got into the business has helped them turn it into something more that just a bike shop.

“Jacqueline, my partner was a graphic designer and I was a web designer, and even though we had an interest in bikes it wasn’t really in the cards for us to open up a bike shop. But then again, it’s not a bike shop for us. We have a totally different perspective, it’s part of our life. It’s something where we can do what we think is best for us and the customers or the cities of Switzerland”.

The motor is everything

And what is best for the cities of Switzerland? Well if you ask Michel Röthlisberger it’s bikes. But not just any bike. Electrical bikes. And preferably, cargo bikes.

“Without a motor it would be impossible to get cargo bikes out in Switzerland. It gives the people opportunities to do stuff that they never would have been able to do without a motor. Going about their daily lives without a hassle, taking day trips that they would otherwise have needed a car to go on. It gives people a chance not to need a car in the city”, Michel explains and says, that it actually wasn’t until he and Jacqueline had children of their own that they started working with cargo bikes.