We catch up with one of the key figures behind EVOC, Holger Feist.
We’ve been riding and travelling with EVOC biking products for many years now and love the clever design and signature high quality EVOC finish. So, we thought it would be interesting to go behind-the-scenes and get an insight into what drives our forward-thinking, innovative partners, and what better way to do that than to go straight to the top and speak to the founder of EVOC Sports, Holger Feist?!
What was the very first product EVOC designed?
HF: Initially I worked on new concepts for backpacks with an integrated back protector, since riding trails was getting more and more technical and I wanted protection for my back, too. I was also travelling a lot with my bike for magazine reports and photo shoots and wasn´t really happy with the existing solutions to transport my bike. So, I developed the first EVOC Bike Travel Bag – that was some years before we founded EVOC.
How has the EVOC product line evolved over the years?
HF: Since those early days we’ve put lots of time and effort into creating more and more useful products that we´d love to use ourselves. Now we have full product lines for bike, snow, city, and travel and photo.
What was your biggest Eureka! moment with a product?
HF: While developing a product you always have something special in mind – how the product should look and feel like. And it is still very special when you receive the first prototypes of something new and find that your idea really comes out and works in reality.
What’s your favourite feature of any of your products?
HF: Our bike travel bag is definitely a unique concept because it combines the advantages of a soft bag and hard suitcase! There is no other such solution on the market to travel comfortably with your bike.
You’ve done a lot of travelling with your bike, but where are your favourite destinations for mountain biking? And why?
HF: I just came back from Moab, Utah and I liked it a lot. But it is hard to say as every destination has its highlights. If I had to set up a top 5 list it could be: Iran, Bolivia, Italy, Ecuador, Thailand.
What five things do you always have to have in your back pack when you’re going for a ride?
HF: food, tools, spare tubes, sunglasses, first aid kit.
Can you reveal any exciting developments that we can look forward to from EVOC in the near future?
HF: I could, but then I’d have to kill you…! We are working on some amazing new developments in protection, ventilation and comfort. But of course it is top secret for now. Look forward to our presentation at Eurobike at the end of August!
We’re definitely looking forward to seeing the new EVOC range of bike products for 2014 (especially their shiny new catalogue; hint, hint!), but in the meantime you can see all current products on the EVOC website.
