INSIGHTS – HOOKABIKE
HOOKABIKE
The story behind the indispensable bike carrying system
The sun is shining, the temperatures are perfect – a dream day for a bike tour! But before we can hit the trail with friends, we have to make the ascent. Too steep to cycle, no lift in sight. So we shoulder the bikes and fight our way up the mountain. Sweating and panting, we soon notice a pulling sensation in our backs and necks and our arms become heavy. Supporting ourselves is impossible and the bikes have to be laboriously put down for a group photo.
There must be an easier way, we thought! Betti, our ace researcher, set off on a search: Is there really no tool that can help here?
Problem recognized, solution sought!
Before 2017, there really was no satisfactory solution for carrying bikes. That was the starting signal for us to take on the challenge ourselves. Our goal: to develop a carrying aid that balances the bike on your shoulders without you having to hold on to it. Your hands should remain free so that you can use it in difficult passages on the mountain.
Right from the start, Lenz had a plate with a hook for the rucksack in mind. Admittedly, the first version was not yet a visual highlight, but the principle worked! The load was already much better distributed and the bike no longer had to be held down – a huge step forward! However, there were still ergonomic weaknesses, and the bulky hook was almost impossible to stow in the rucksack.
It soon became clear that further requirements had to be met: The tool needed to be lightweight, compact and easy to take with you when not in use. It also had to be compatible with any backpack and any bike – maximum flexibility was required!
A lot of tests
This was followed by countless other versions and even more tests directly in the mountains: from Bavaria to France. Lenz’s motto: a prototype has to stand up to practical use, not desk testing. So it sometimes took time for a prototype to be put through its paces in every situation and by different riders. But this is the only way to end up with a truly mature product that works when it counts.
HOOKABIKE
In 2017, after three years of intensive development, Lenz was finally 100% satisfied. HOOKABIKE was born! It consists of just two parts: a three-dimensional plate with Velcro straps for the rucksack and a frame strap with a pin for the down tube of the bike. As technically ingenious as the design is, the handling is simple:
– The plate is attached to your backpack straps with Velcro straps.
– When shouldering the bike, the peg from the frame strap is simply hooked into the recess in the plate.
The base plate distributes the load evenly and without pressure points. With the freely positionable frame strap, you can find the perfect balance for every bike. And putting the bike on and off is so intuitive that you can even do it while walking!
Depending on the position of the frame strap, you can even mount the bike vertically – super practical when climbing or in mountain pine fields!
You can find out more about handling the HOOKABIKE in our blog post: HOW TO – HOOKABIKE – PUSH components
The HOOKABIKE success
A few months before our planned product launch, a competitor forced us to make a faster start. We were briefly taken aback, but we took a positive view: it was obviously not just us who had recognized the need for a bike carrier! By Christmas 2017, we were ready to go.
The first product tests in renowned bike magazines soon followed. In addition to our 40-hour jobs, we spent every weekend at countless trade fairs and festivals and convinced countless bike enthusiasts of the functionality of HOOKABIKE. Professional riders such as Ale Carbonhook, Andreas Tonelli, Grizzly Munro Diaries and Kyle Harris used HOOKABIKE and promoted us.
In 2019, we were honored with the “I love mountains award“. The real honor, however, was an experience in 2020: On one of our bike tours, we met a group of ten cyclists: Six of them were already using our HOOKABIKE! It’s not just us and our circle of friends and acquaintances who are convinced. We are receiving more and more inquiries from MTB groups who no longer want to tackle their crossing of the Alps without a HOOKABIKE.
TRANSALP
One outstanding example is adventure filmmaker Peter Baumeister and his friends. The group has been crossing the Alps on a wide variety of routes every year since 2022. The HOOKABIKE has been an integral part of their equipment since 2023. One year later, they rode their mountain bikes from Lake Constance across the Alps to Lake Lugano. The group takes us on their journey on film and shares honest, authentic moments. Come rain or shine – the mood is always good and culminates in an ode to our HOOKABIKE: “Wir hooken heute in die Schweiz, ham die Radln aufm Kreuz. Der Hintern tut vom Radeln weh, HOOKABIKE ist einfach schee.” It goes without saying that the Transalp 2025 is already planned.
I don't feel like it anymore!
What family hasn’t experienced this? One second the kids are happily whizzing down the trail, and the next they’re suddenly on strike. But what to do with the kids’ bikes when the little ones no longer feel like it? The Swiss Trailfamily tested the suitability of our HOOKABIKE for transporting children’s bikes in 2025 and recorded their experiences in a blog post. This much can be revealed in advance: “For the first time, the bulky bike sits really well on the back!” 🙌 and “My back/neck are already less tense.” We are extremely happy about the extended use of HOOKABIKE.
Whether it’s a transalpine crossing or a family outing by bike:
With HOOKABIKE there are no more excuses! 😊
Are you ready to enjoy your next tour without compromise?
