Testimonials

16 Oct

16 October 2019 | By Marieke |

This summer, Nicolas went on a bike trip to Sweden and Finland with his MTB and KIT L80 bike trailer. We followed him on his way.

In the direction of Stockholm, the tracks were not always passable with a MTB, our cyclist essentially cycled on roads.

This single track of a few miles deserved a picture :

Upon his arrival in the Swedish capital, Nicolas noticed a parking area on an island close to the old part of the town. Clean and quiet, there was a nice watering place and a lawn. After visiting Stockholm for a day, Nicolas took the ferry in the direction of Finland.

At this point, he had cycled for 11 days in Sweden with an amazing variety of landscapes : forest, hills, lakes and the Baltic coast.

At 10pm on the ferry leaving Sweden, Nicolas caught sight of this beautiful sunset :

The road to Finland started under the rain. “The first miles to get out of town are very nice, with a track along a river and a first place to stay for the night along a lake with many birds set up on small islands.”

He then cycled in the direction of the city of Tampere at 170km further North.
” There are no hills, only forests, fiels and racing stables.”

Nicolas tried to follow the ‘hiking’ route registered on his app and stumbled upon areas where the trees were being cut. It was hard to find a way by bike with the boughs on the ground and the ruts made by the vehicles.
Tired, the cyclist set up camp on a small patch of land with access to a lake.

The day after, he ended up his trip at Tampere and stopped along the lake Näsijärvi. It was the perfect time to use his kayak again.

This first part of the trip in Finland wasn’t that interesting. Examining the rest of the itinerary, Nicolas found that the only way to cross the lake region was by the road.
So he decided to take the train to reach the East of the country.

01 Oct

By Marieke

KIT L80 Testimonials

From France to Sweden

1 October 2019 | By Marieke |

This summer, Nicolas went on a bike trip on the tracks of Sweden, Finland and Norway by MTB with his KIT L80 bike trailer.

He tells us about the first days of his trip in Sweden, from Goteborg to the Baltic coast.

First step : travelling through Switzerland to go from France to Sweden. It’s time to make the first picture on the train.

After a short visit of Kiel by bike, Nicolas then took the ferry to Goteborg in Sweden to start his bike trip.

From France to Sweden, the trip took 2 days and a half.

At Goteborg, several cycling paths lead to the forest that borders the town. In Sweden, it’s easy to find yourself in complete nature, in the middle of magnificent forests and lakes.

The first days, Nicolas cycled through tracks and forests with a few showers that forced him to take shelter from time to time. In Sweden the weather isn’t always mild but it didn’t affect our traveller who appreciated the view and the ever-present nature.

During this trip, the cyclist trusted his fishing skills to improve his meals. The first time he put his small kayak in the water, he caught a 40cm pike, which made a real nice dinner.

Unfortunately, that night was quite short : “I forgot to put my mask on so I woke up at dawn which comes at 3.30am! Knowing that night comes only after midnight. Still, it’s quite pleasant to have enough time to find a nice place to set up my tent for the night without being rushed by the sun setting..”

The roads east changed and became a little more flat. Much dryer too. Sweden seems affected by drought in some areas. Tracks are always kept neat and tidy, which seems to be something deeply anchored in Swedish culture.

After a few days, Nicolas reached the Baltic coast and the marina of Nävekvarn.

“I’m staying for 2 days on the island of Skäret connected to the harbour by a small wooden bridge. This place is ideal.”

23 May

By Marieke

Testimonials UNO 100

Testing the UNO 100 in Germany

23 May 2019 | By Marieke |

I met Katrin and her dog Napoli at the Eurobike last year. She told me she was looking for a single-wheel bike trailer in which she could carry her dog around.

Aevon trailers were not designed to carry dogs initially, they were made for luggage. But we also carry Aevon’s dog sometimes and we find many people do the same now.

We sent Katrin the UNO 100 trailer, the road version of our trailers, without a shock-absorber. She chose this version because the frame is not very high, so it’s easier for the dog to climb inside.

Katrin made her first tests and here are some of her first thoughts :

“I first needed to get used to it. When the dog moves, I need to adapt and the dog feels every tilt of the bike as well.

The assembly was generally quite easy for me. A manual is delivered with the trailer.

The waterproof bag fits the trailer perfectly and has a huge capacity. In this video, I chose to fill it with a tent, sleeping bag, cooker and dishes, hiking shoes, some clothes. And I still had some space left !

The attachment to the seat post makes a big difference to most other load bike trailers that are to be attached to the bikes’ back wheel.
Outstanding is the narrow radius of the trailer behind the bike. It is easily possible to change direction on small paths.

But the narrow radius must be considered when riding a curve. If there is an obstacle in the way, it might happen that you cycle around it but get stuck with the trailer. I guess this is just a matter of getting familiar to it.

Riding the Aevon Uno 100 in my home area on bumpy surfaces like roots, narrow trails and two short and easy downhill paths I felt really fine. Downhill it was unscary. Passing the roots of course the trailer hopped, but the trailer is initially planned to ride on roads and flat surfaces. I could imagine, that the STD 100 and KIT L80 versions do perform much better on such surfaces.

Riding the narrow, bushy pathes I was quite impressed about the manoeuvrability.

I really appreciate that you can lay down the bike on the side as MTB’s usually have no stand. With a two-wheel trailer you always need something to lean the bike against.”

Follow Katrin and Napoli on Instagram

12 Mar

By Marieke

STD 100 Testimonials

From El Calafate to San Sebastian by bike

12 March 2019 | By Marieke |

Bertrand travels with his STD 100 from Mexico to Ushuaïa.
For this part of the trip, Bertrand is joined by Lupe, a brave cyclist as she has never cycled for more than 50km. It will be quite a challenge.

The first days by bike are what Bertrand calls : “a precious gift. Very little wind and a hot sun. It’s 30 degrees, they hadn’t seen that for more than 100 years“.

To cross the border between Chile and Argentina, Bertrand and his travel partner are forced to eat all their fruits and vegetables. Indeed, it’s not possible to cross this border with fresh products, cheese or meat.

“Lupe is getting used to cycling every day. She has lots of energy and character. We’re very lucky to find places to sleep that are very welcoming with a river or a lake to relax at the end of the day.”

After 5 days cycling and sleeping outdoors, the travellers stop at Puerto Natales.
They sleep at a friend’s house and cook some pastries for the days to come.

Then they cross the strait of Magellan by boat, in the direction of the island : ‘Tierra del Fuego’.
To avoid the wind, they decide to use the bigger roads instead of crossing the island. The view is beautiful on the cliffs around them.

After cycling for 2 days, they arrive at San Sebastian.

19 Feb

By Marieke

STD 100 Testimonials

Bike trip in Chile #2

19 February 2019 | By Marieke |

Let’s catch up with Bertrand, his bike and his STD 100 trailer on a ferry between Puerto Yungay and Puerto Rio Bravo in Chile.

The weather was quite good up till now, unfortunately the rain is joining the trip while on the ferry.

Forced to take a break for lunch in a small shelter along the road, Bertrand meets a farmer who invites him to share his lunch close to the fire.

This farmer is the owner of about 50 cows. He has no car, he rides his horse when he needs to get somewhere. He makes a living out of the meat he sells and by making ‘sogas’ : ropes used for bovine tools and horses.

Here, all houses look the same.

“They are small, with a main room, a kitchen made of wood used for cooking and heating the house. All houses here are quite isolated, they don’t receive gas or electricity. There are solar panels but they are mainly used to switch the lights on. Heating and cooking are made with fire. Getting wood is one of the daily activities here.”

That night, Bertrand finds a shelter on the road with a chimney.

Lots of wild animals cross the road of Bertrand and his bike, birds : ducks, cormorants, lots of hares and ‘huemuls’ : deers of the south of the Andes.

Finally, he gets to O’Higgins, which means the end of the Carretera Austral and the proximity with the Argentina border. There are only 60km to cycle and two ferries to take.
On the road before the ferry, Bertrand meets Pacha, a local dog that will follow him for a few miles.

Between the two ferries, things become complicated as there is no road anymore.

“I am forced to walk by the bike, but not because it’s steep, that’s why : “

Bertrand has to disassemble his Aevon trailer STD 100 and his bags to go over some obstacles.

“I spend 3 hours in this jungle and a lot of energy ”

After a good night’s sleep, Bertrand finally reaches El Chalten.

“These were my last days alone on the road… I enjoyed it fully and I have to say that luck was on my side. I only had 5 days of rain out of 22 days cycling, quite rare on this road…

My next bike trip will take me to Ushuaïa, first with a friend and then with my brother…”

05 Feb

By Marieke

STD 100 Testimonials

Bike trip in Chile

5 February 2019 | By Marieke |

Let’s catch up with Bertrand, our Latin America bike traveller, heading in the direction of Ushuaïa with his Aevon trailer.

He will always remember his first day in Chile, cycling for 5 hours under the rain and puncturing a tyre. “This day will make me yield to a night in a hostel with a nice shower and some heat to dry my clothes.”

Luckily, the sun will come back to shine on Chilean Patagonia, a wonderful sight. “I am here, a small being in the middle of this vastness, almost all alone to enjoy it…”

Before going back on the Carretera Austral, this famous road of 1 240km through Patagonia, Bertrand stops in a small village called Villa Santa Lucia. This village suffered a major catastrophe the year before as half of the village disappeared under a mudslide. Part of a glacier broke and caused the mountain to fall, leading the mud to the village. A little reminder that global warming affects even the deepest corners of Patagonia,

The bike trip goes on under the sun, until Coyhaique, the biggest town in Patagonia (55 000 inhabitants). The road is very pleasant, with very few people, it roams through mountains and rivers.
“It may be the most beautiful road I have ever seen during this trip, just have a look for yourself.”

Bertrand also gets the chance to discover marble caves on a lake, a small touristic stop he shares with us.

At the village of Cochrane, Bertrand decides to stop for the weekend because of the weather. He will participate in the local tournament of ‘Truco’, a card game. “Let’s say that local folklore, food and drinks were there. I had a very nice time”

Back on the road, Bertrand gets to his first ferry. The Carretera Austral comprises three ferry crossings.

22 Jan

By Marieke

STD 100 Testimonials

Bike trip in Argentina

22 January 2019 | By Marieke |

Here are the latest news from Bertrand, our bike traveller from South America.

Bertrand spent a few months at Bariloche, in Argentina.
Bariloche offers many different places to climb. Bertrand feels like he has found a local Annecy, a place where you can easily enjoy mountain activities and have a little beer at the end of the day :-).

During this break in the adventure, Bertrand had the opportunity to share his experience with 2 TV interviews, one for a local channel : Winter Channel and one for Fox Sport Channel Latino America that covers all of Latin America.

A local public school organized a meeting with their pupils to talk about travelling. Bertrand chose to talk about the protection of the environment, the importance of speaking different languages and the realization of one’s personal projects. He would be happy to meet French students when he gets back to France.

After this break, Bertrand finds himself alone on the road again, in the direction of El Chalten, further South, for about 1400km and a lot of steep hills.

“These 4 days in Argentina are beautiful. I cycle through the National park called Los Alerces. Luckily, there’s no rain on the way, which makes me appreciate even more the beauty of this place. People told me about the beauty of Paso Futaleufú, I wasn’t disappointed. The long valley goes through the mountains and gets smaller to become a river, the río Futaleufu.”

Next time, we’ll find Bertrand in Chile.

15 Jan

By Marieke

Testimonials UNO 100

Test of the UNO 100 in Germany

15 January 2019 | By Marieke |

Hans has decided to test the Aevon trailer UNO 100 after seeing it at the Eurobike show 2018.

“At this year’s Eurobike, I came across Aevon‘s booth. Their bike trailers are made for single-tracks, contrary to the trailers I have known so far. I decided to test the UNO 100, the lowest-priced model from Aevon. It is made of steel and intended for a use on roads.

When you unpack the trailer you need to set up the beam (connecting the trailer to the bike) and the rear wheel with its mudguard, it’s done in a few minutes. I recommend that you add the quick release for the hitch, it makes it easier to connect and disconnect the trailer without using tools. If you’re going on holiday, it seems a really good device.
I first went for a ride of about 15km around my place : the Rhine-Hesse, in Germany. I immediately cycled uphill for 4km with a 7% gradient and went again downhill and was pleasantly surprised. You don’t really feel the trailer behind you.

I then tested the UNO 100 trailer for an everyday use, loaded it for my shopping, parked near my supermarket, went for regular rides. I checked the usual bike paths in my area. The real challenge is the usual for anyone who cycles regularly : sharing the road with other users (cars and others bikes). That’s already an issue when you’re not equipped with a trailer but you need to keep in mind that your gear is much longer than usual, especially when you’re turning. In the end, I can say it went rather smoothly considering the load your trailer enables to carry.

My conclusion is : the UNO 100 is surprisingly pleasant to use. You just need to get used to the length of the trailer behind you and adapt the way you cycle.”

21 Dec

By Marieke

KIT L80 Testimonials

Switzerland trip

21 December 2018 | By Marieke |

Let’s catch up with Nicolas on the roads of Switzerland while he’s cycling with his MTB and KIT L80 Aevon trailer.

After crossing the Alps, Nicolas reached the GRE4 (Swiss track) for a trip in full nature, away from civilization.

“I was afraid of following these tracks without having enough information about the type of tracks, the possibility of bypassing them and parts that might be unsuitable for a MTB + trailer.”

It was a great surprise to discover single tracks and forests paths. Up the hills, Nicolas can see the valley and the lakes (Léman and Neuchâtel.)
It’s the end of the summer and the few hikers that Nicolas meets on the road always give him a nice word of support.

The main obstacles on the tracks there are the fences and small walls that define the pastures. “In a single day, I become an expert at taking apart and putting together again these walls!”

Clearly, Switzerland likes to keep its tracks neat. The markings are very clear with foot paths and MTB tracks. MTBs are also allowed on footpaths.

Nicolas has the opportunity to cycle with a group of Swiss mountain bikers. They help him carry his MTB and his trailer over the walls without taking them apart.

One of the highlights of this trip was the drive up Mont Chasseral “Once I reach 1600m, I leave hundreds of hikers behind to cycle to the long crest going East.”

The hilly area goes on to the lake of Constanz where the Swiss part of the trip comes to an end.

Nicolas is very positive about his trip in Switzerland :
– “Switzerland has a wonderful range of tracks perfectly marked out. The GRE4 can be cycled on for 80% with a MTB + trailer. There are multiple alternatives if necessary. Especially for climbs of more thanb 300m D+.”
– He also noticed that many people use bikes, as roads have been adapted to bicycles.

04 Dec

By Marieke

KIT L80 Testimonials

Trip in Europe with a MTB

4 December 2018 | By Marieke |

Nicolas decided to live life in a new way, leaving for a bike trip for a year.

The idea was to immerse himself in nature, away from civilization. Having fun and working out, with no impact on the environment.

Nicolas left on his own, hoping to find travelling companions on his way, maybe people reading this blog or his aventure on the website Expemag.

Why Europe ?

“Travelling in Europe means that I can leave and come back home, to leave again in another direction.” Europe offers a diversity of natural habitats and cultures. It also offers good weather if you take care of the seasons.

Travelling yes, but how ?

With a MTB and an offroad trailer: the KIT L80, to carry all material necessary for the trip and a ukulele :-).

Nicolas tested his bike and trailer first in Ardèche, in the South of France :

The trip started in September in the Alps with a very demanding first week.

“I’ve been cycling with my MTB regularly in the mountains for almost 10 years. That’s what helped me choose the type of trip I wanted to make. However, with a bike trailer and the load, it’s a whole new experience, both technical and physical. ”

With a trailer, it’s advised to evaluate the quality of the tracks when going downhill. Pushing 35kg might become quite tiring.

The weather was particularly good during this first week.

Next country : Switzerland.

1 2 3 … 6 Next »

16 Oct

From Sweden to Finland

01 Oct

From France to Sweden

23 May

Testing the UNO 100 in Germany

12 Mar

From El Calafate to San Sebastian by bike

19 Feb

Bike trip in Chile #2

05 Feb

Bike trip in Chile

22 Jan

Bike trip in Argentina

15 Jan

Test of the UNO 100 in Germany

21 Dec

Switzerland trip

04 Dec

Trip in Europe with a MTB

Why Europe ?

Travelling yes, but how ?

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