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One such sponsored post is from Tout Terrain. We encourage you to read on as your views, clicks, and engagement keep us independent and help fuel our business. Let’s check it out…
The best solutions are often those born from first-hand experience with the obstacles they aim to overcome—or put simply—sometimes, to know, you’ve got to go. At least that was the case for Stephanie and Oliver Römer, co-founders of German bike-and-component brand Tout Terrain, who, for nearly two decades, have been providing touring cyclists and bikepackers with smart products that answer problems found off the beaten track. And they’ve been doing so by leveraging their own considerable exploration experience.
“The idea for Tout Terrain was born on our ride through Tibet and Nepal twenty years ago,” recalls Stephanie. “Traveling on some truly rough and remote roads, we very quickly found the limits of those bikes and equipment. And with plenty of time to think during our long days on the saddle, we began to dream up solutions.”
Upon returning home—just outside of Freiburg, part of the country’s famed Black Forest region—the pair got to work bringing the ideas they’d compiled while traveling to life. One such early innovation was the brand’s integrated rack system. A seemingly small change by today’s standards, welding the stainless-steel cargo racks directly to their frame’s rear triangle was a big deal to anyone who’d previously experienced the annoyance and unreliability of a noisy, temperamental bolt-on alternative.
“After hundreds of miles on rough roads, listening to the rattles and squeaks of a bolt-on cargo rack,” says Oliver, “it became obvious that there had to be a better way to connect our bikes and the stuff we need to carry. Hence, the Expedition Rack, welded directly to the frame, was born.”
A similarly practical approach was adopted for all the brand’s bikes. Steel frames—reliable, tough, and easy to repair. Powder coating—hard-wearing and vibrant. Equipping all bikes with fenders, dynamo hubs, lights, and no shortage of mounting points a decade or more before the competition.
Further innovations followed suit, like Tout Terrain’s integrated steering stopper, another seemingly simple addition that makes an outsized impact when hiking with—or parking—a fully loaded bike. And then came Pinion.
“Building on the idea that the best bikes for traveling are those that are the most reliable and require the least maintenance, we became very early adopters of the Pinion gearbox system for many of our models,” says Stephanie.
Coupled with Gates Carbon Drive belts, bikes from the brand’s Pinion-equipped Xplore range are built to be ridden hard through adverse conditions for thousands of kilometers before needing any special attention to the drivetrain. Of course, the Pinion gearbox also eliminates any threat of a broken chain or snapped derailleur that could leave riders stranded on the most remote routes.
Many of these initial innovations began to resonate with adventurous cyclists. Tout Terrain grew steadily and expanded their operations. With a larger HQ came a bigger team, one built on more than individual expertise but a shared passion for human-powered things on wheels.
“For us, it’s important that the people who help build our bikes also get to enjoy the type of freedom to travel and explore that those bikes provide—whether that’s on some faraway adventure or just a quick spin after work,” says Oliver.
And just as they look after the unique passions of their employees, Stephanie and Oliver also understand that the most common factor between each Tout Terrain customer is their individuality.
“No two customers are ever exactly alike. Their preferences, their plans—their favorite colors—are all personal decisions,” says Stephanie, “so we want to give them every chance to build the bike of their—not our—dreams.”
As such, potential Tout Terrain riders can essentially create their bike from the ground up using the brand’s online configurator, selecting frame, color, components, and accessories. It’s a concept also illustrated in the company’s motto: “It’s Your Adventure.” For more indecisive individuals, however, TT offers a range of pre-configured “Select” models.
Beyond adventure bikes, the brand has also expanded into building more urban-focused rigs as well as e-bikes and smaller components, such as their steerer-tube-top USB charging point, the Plug. And then there are the trailers: the Mule for cargo and the Singletrailer for kids—the latter you might recognize from a 2019 stunt-filled video starring iconic trials rider Danny MacAskill.
Along with continuing to expand and update their existing product line, the team at Tout Terrain are working to grow their local cycling community through the Tout Terrain Experience Center, a public brand space outside of Freiburg that regularly hosts special events, guest speakers, rides, and more.
Regarding international adventures, last year, the brand opened its first North American headquarters in Tucson, AZ, to better service customers in the United States and Canada. This means that Custom and Select models alike can now be more easily arranged via Tout-Terrain.bike.
As for what’s next:
“We just launched the updated version of our Pinion-powered bikepacking model, the Outback Xplore II, and we have a few more exciting launches rolling out later this year,” says Oliver. “Beyond that, there are always bike shows to attend, events to explore—and hopefully a few more cycling adventures on the horizon.”
You can learn more about Tout Terrain internationally at Tout-Terrain.de or in North America through Tout-Terrain.bike. Or follow the brand on Instagram @toutterrain.
