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 a bike is standing at the summit, marveling at the mountains, and feeling the anticipation of the next trail. For me, that's pure enjoyment! And I was interested in how often I could experience that summit moment in one day." This is how the idea for the record was born: How many mountain peaks can Tom Öhler ride on his e-mountain bike in one day?
Clearly defined rules: Not all summits are created equal
Every record needs clearly defined rules and an official body to oversee the entire endeavor. “At the beginning there was the question: what is a summit anyway?”, explains Tom. The average biker might be puzzled by this trivial question. After all, every child knows that. The summit is the top of the mountain. That's it. On closer inspection, however, the topic is quite complex, because not all summits are created equal. Prominence, dominance, and height are criteria that distinguish a stately summit from a pleasant hill. Apart from a universally valid, globally reproducible summit definition, daily records as defined by the German Record Institute (RID) must be achieved within 16 hours.
The RID also required that he climb at least 10 summits. And since Tom wanted to set the record on his e-mountain bike, he was allowed to change his battery as often as he wanted, 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 makes no sense and is no fun for me.” Mind you, what Tom considers rideable on an e-MTB is terrain that many people would consider to be terrain that requires sturdy footwear and a via ferrata set. With the rules of the game in place, all Tom had to do was find a suitable location for his project.
Davos offers enough peaks within a relatively short distance
Davos/Klosters was quickly found to be a suitable region, because as a bike ambassador, Tom Öhler knows the area very well and knows that there is hardly a better address for his project. “For the story, we need a network of trails that is as comprehensive as possible, and above all, a legal situation that allows all trails to be ridden by mountain bike.” Davos is perfect for this, because in Graubünden, any trail that isn't prohibited is allowed. However, for most bikers, it's not advisable to leave the official trails, as the climbs quickly become very exposed, very technical, and very steep.
“The huge trail network optimized for mountain bikes helped me a lot with the implementation and made the route truly rewarding and fun for me.” With the striking mountain ranges around Jakobshorn, Pischahorn, and Weissfluhgipfel, Davos also offers plenty of peaks within a relatively short distance, which was equally important for Tom's record. Using Komoot, Tom soon planned his route in three loops around Davos, and with the plan in hand, he was ready to set off.
Tom Öhler: “I knew it would work, but things can always go wrong”
"I didn't sleep much the night before because there was still a lot to organize and I was nervous. I knew it would work, but things can always go wrong.", Tom describes the restless hours. At 05:30, the time had finally come. “I was really happy when I started the first loop to the Jakobshorn and immediately found my flow.” Almost 3 hours and 5 summits later, Tom reached the start/finish base at Seehofseeli in Davos, where he briefly strengthened himself for the next loop.
Because now he started on the supposedly most difficult part with the longest climb towards Pischahorn. "Then suddenly, on the climb, my knee started to hurt, but somehow I was able to keep going. Luckily, it didn't cause any problems on the downhill, and it didn't cause any problems while carrying the bike either." Even though Tom rode all the way downhill, that wasn't possible on some of the peaks. In this terrain, Tom carried his Hybe a total of 400 meters of elevation. After five hours on the trail and another six summits under his belt, he returned to base to recharge his physical batteries.
"During the break, I ate something and calmed down a bit after 9 hours on the bike. This made me feel tired, and combined with the pain in my knee, the start of the third loop to the Weissfluh summit at 2843 meters was definitely the toughest.", says Tom Öhler. "From the point where I reached the very top, over the second-to-last peak to the Chörbschhorn, I was simply in my superflow. That was the coolest and most enjoyable part of the day."
Shortly before 18 p.m., Tom finally arrived at the 00th and last summit of the day, the Chörbschhorn, and was greeted with joy by his wife and some friends. “It 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 arrived at Seehofseeli one last time, overjoyed, and with 15 peaks climbed and one of his best days of biking ever, he had a new world record in his pocket.
Tom’s conclusion about the record: "It was a really cool day on the mountain and really exhausting. After 14 hours in that terrain, I'm not only physically but also mentally tired, because you really can't mess things up here! But when I look at the mountains all around me that I've been on today, I'm super happy and excited about what's possible with a bike. Despite the steep distances, the e-bike still gives me enough energy to fully enjoy every meter of trail." Does he think his record can be broken? “I definitely recommend giving it a try – it's sure to be a great day!”, grins Tom.
Photos: Martin Bissig
Text: Martin Taendl