Spektrum: It all started with a call from Haibike last year. What followed was meticulous planning and, ultimately, precise riding technique, endurance, and above all, a healthy dose of concentration. In the end, Tom Öhler had his world record in his pocket. In 14 hours, he e-cycled a Haibike Hybe over 102 kilometers, climbing 15 peaks and conquering no fewer than 5550 meters in altitude. His focus was less on speed and more on the ultimate "peak moment" – the joy of nature and the pleasure of riding. A report by Martin Taendl.
Leisure cycling? From Tom Öhler's perspective
When it comes to leisure cycling, most of our minds probably conjure images of picturesque riverside bike paths, luggage racks with picnic baskets, and the lowest possible entry points on the most powerful e-bikes. When trials world champion and Haibike athlete Tom Öhler explains that he's "more of a leisure cyclist," those who have already had the chance to marvel at Tom in his natural habitat alongside ibexes and marmots will chuckle.
“Of course, I love riding technically challenging trails in exposed, alpine terrain. But my favorite moment on the bike is standing on the summit, admiring the mountains, and feeling the anticipation for the next trail. That's pure bliss for me! And then I got curious about how many times I could experience that summit moment in a single day.” That's how the idea for the record attempt was born: How many mountain peaks can Tom Öhler descend in one day with his e-mountain bike?
Clearly defined rules: Not all summits are created equal
Every record requires clearly defined rules and an official body to oversee the entire undertaking. “It all started with the question: what exactly is a summit?” explains Tom. The average biker might now be puzzled by this seemingly trivial question. After all, every child knows: the summit is the top of a mountain. End of story. However, on closer inspection, the topic is quite complex, because not all summits are created equal. Prominence, dominance, and altitude are criteria that distinguish a stately peak from a gentle hilltop. Beyond a universally valid, globally reproducible definition of a summit, daily records, according to the German Record Institute (RID), must be achieved within 16 hours.
The RID (Ride of the Ironman) also stipulated that at least 10 summits had to be conquered. And since Tom wanted to set the record with his e-mountain bike, he was allowed to change his battery as often as he liked, but this had to be agreed upon beforehand. And for Tom personally, it was clear: “I want to pedal uphill on trails as much as possible, and every meter downhill has to be rideable, otherwise it's pointless and no fun for me.” Mind you, what Tom considers rideable with his e-MTB is, for many, terrain that requires sturdy footwear and a via ferrata set. With the rules clearly defined, Tom just had to find a suitable location for his endeavor.
Davos offers enough peaks within a relatively short distance
Davos/Klosters proved to be a suitable region, as Tom Öhler, a bike ambassador, knows the area very well and understands that there's hardly a better location for his project. "For this project to work, you need a comprehensive network of trails, and above all, legislation that allows mountain biking on virtually all paths." Davos is perfect in this respect, as in Graubünden, any trail that isn't explicitly prohibited is open to riders. However, for most bikers, leaving the official trails isn't advisable, as the routes very quickly become exposed, technical, and steep.
“The huge network of trails optimized for mountain bikes was a huge help and made the route truly worthwhile and fun for me.” With the striking mountain ranges around Jakobshorn, Pischahorn, and Weissfluh summit, Davos also offers plenty of peaks within a relatively short distance, which was equally important for Tom's record attempt. Using Komoot, Tom quickly planned his route in three loops around Davos, and with the plan in hand, he was ready to go.
Tom Öhler: “I knew it would work, but things can always go wrong”
“I hardly slept the night before because there was still a lot to organize and I was also nervous. I knew it would work, but anything can go wrong,” Tom describes the restless hours. At 5:30 a.m., the moment finally arrived. “When I started the first loop to the Jakobshorn, I was really happy and immediately found my flow.” Almost three hours and five summits later, Tom reached the start/finish base at Seehofseeli in Davos, where he briefly refueled for the next loop.
Because now he started the supposedly most difficult part, with the longest climb towards the Pischahorn. “Then suddenly my knee started to twinge on the climb, but somehow I was still able to keep going. Luckily, it didn't cause any problems on the downhill, nor when carrying the bike.” Because even though Tom rode all the downhill sections, that wasn't possible on some of the summits. In this terrain, Tom carried his Hybe for a total of 400 meters of elevation gain. After 5 hours on the trail and another 6 summits under his belt, he returned to base to recharge his batteries.
“During the break, I ate something and, after nine hours on the bike, I was able to unwind a bit. This made me feel the fatigue, and combined with the pain in my knee, the start of the third loop to the Weissfluh summit at 2843 meters was definitely the hardest part ,” explains Tom Öhler. “From the point where I was at the very top, over the penultimate peak and on to the Chörbschhorn, I was simply in my element. That was the coolest and most enjoyable part of the day.”
Shortly before 18:00 PM, Tom finally reached the 15th and final summit of the day, the Chörbschhorn, where he was greeted with beaming smiles by his wife and some friends. “That was a very special moment, and after so many hours alone on the bike, accompanied only by numerous drones, it was really cool to share the last descent with others.” Finally, after 14 hours, Tom crossed the Seehofseeli lake one last time, overjoyed, and with 15 summits conquered and one of his best biking days ever, he has a new world record in his pocket.
Tom's conclusion about the record: “It was a really cool day on the mountain, and seriously exhausting. After 14 hours in that terrain, I'm not only physically but also mentally tired because you really can't afford to mess anything up here! But when I look at the surrounding mountains I was on today, I'm super happy and amazed at what's possible with a bike. Despite the crazy distances, the e-bike leaves enough energy to fully enjoy every meter of trail.” Does he think his record can be broken? “I can definitely recommend trying – it'll be an awesome day for sure!” grins Tom.
Photos: Martin Bissig
Text: Martin Taendl