At velocorner, the word community has a strong meaning. As a small company, this community spirit has been built naturally in the relationships we have with each other, with our devoted partners, without any doubt with the very heart of the activity we propose on our website, and consequently with you. This blog aims at gathering, communicating, and animating the passion we all have in common: Cycling.
A soon as the words «bike» or «cycling» are muttered in the office, a sunray lightens up faces revealing the desire of everyone to ride their bike and explore the raw nature. These simple, yet powerful words are the primary inspiration for our new Mag. Let us introduce you to this «blog mag». Who are we? Why did we create it? What are the contents for you? What’s so different?
All this explained now.
Velocorner: A World of Cycling
Our new blog mag mirrors who we are: Passionate cyclists. We think that if you continue to read these words now, you share the same feeling. From the people who commute to work by bike, to the MTB cross enthusiasts, furious downhillers, asphalt-lover road riders, fixed gear pedalers, and beyond, we offer you the full range of cycling categories on velocorner.ch. We know that buying or selling your bike is an important matter and we are dedicated to helping you every day.
We are the largest online bicycle marketplace in Switzerland, we cater to bike fans from the 4 corners of the country, and we have developed the strongest network: all for your benefit. We support and enable retails bike stores all over the state and have convinced thousands of individuals like you to join us with the same idea, the same goal: find the bike of your dreams or sell your used bike.
We’re so grateful for your support. Without you, this wouldn’t be possible.
We planted a seed two years ago to set up our business, we have grown beyond our expectations, we have hired new staff, and perfected our website. We couldn’t stop with these positive facts alone. We have used them to continue, expanding our opinions and enthusiasms by designing this blog, creating and sharing relevant articles, and perhaps awakening new interests in you through their contents. The branches grow and the leaves appear.
Year 2020, Covid: Lost in Creation
The year 2020 has shaken us all harder than any year to date. The external world has been a direct reflection of our internal environment complete with fears, confusions, structure-questioning, division, chaos, compassion, hope, loss, and gratitude: Maybe you can relate? In so many ways, our worlds were turned upside down by Covid 19. Nothing was the same as it was before, or at least what it seemed, and left us in a state of limbo. And yet, in the midst of all of this perplexity and uncertainty, we build upon it because, in a time of contraction, we believe that there’s usually some gold to be found in the dark muck of it, where ideas can be created, imagined, and discussed. Today, from this reflection, we give birth to our new webzine! Not that it is a huge nugget found. Others have done it. But draw from our inspirations and our experiences, it will accompany and reinforce the development of our main activity on velocorner.ch. Connecting and sharing with you the vision of our links. Differently.
Look Mum No Hands!
Cycling has definitely shaped positive impacts on our society, families, and ourselves, be it through sport, recreation, or as a means of transportation. It has changed us. It is not surprising that our blog is influenced by the resonance of those impacts. To better relay the content of the blog, we have absorbed ourselves in the study of the world around cycling, its philosophy for each discipline and to relay those feelings in our articles or interviews.
Is bicycling nowadays only known for connecting one point to another? Not only! Environmental awareness has definitely propelled this medium to a high level in order to reduce the impact of our carbon footprint while staying healthy and experiencing wellness. Why is that? What are the other reasons?
Through our bikes, we tend to defend a way of life, an ideal, in numerous ways and for various reasons.
New urban communities have developed at bowls, pump tracks, and skateparks where tricks and jumps are sent, where new identities are defined, where new generations appear. Who are they? What are their identities, their values?
The media coverage of cycling sports, whether professional or amateur events, has reached such a high level of visibility that it captivates a large number of cycling fans ready to measure their mettle themselves on the roads, trails, or in the mountains. Who are those aficionados? How do these people identify themselves through these events? Environmental awareness, belonging to a community, identity emulation, or simply the spirit of the sport is undoubtedly the main topics we will write about.
The use of bicycles has changed, we can see that. Their shapes, their sizes, and their materials have also evolved and still progress every year. New categories have rapidly emerged: 15 years ago, the e-bike represented a niche in the bike industry, along with the appearance of the Gravel bike, today, both are all the rage! How is it possible? Is it a vector of change in the mentality of our society?
The last decade has been richer than ever in novelties: The standards of the wheel (26’’, 27,5’’, 29’’, fat), the drivetrains (11 speed, 12 speeds), the chainrings(triple, double, single), or the brakes systems(cantilevers, v-brakes to hydraulics) to name only those have multiplied. Are they worth changing?
It seems that the horizon extends to different perspectives of use, of users themselves, and of terrains. For the good or the bad (depending on where your mind is at), evolution is present in cycling. For better or worse, we want to explore them for you.
So many fields to point out, to explain, and discuss.
Our Blog is produced to provide genuinely helpful expertise, bring new insights, different perspectives, approach dedicated people, support local engagement, and hopefully unexpected analysis about our sport and how we live it. Second to none, shaped and directed to you, as clear as our mountain lakes can be. Now, we are sure you can relate!