Meeting with Armin (June 2024)

Sometimes life writes the craziest chapters. This one started with a coffee – and ended with a total loss.

We had actually known Armin since the early days of TOURELLY. He develops bicycle pedals himself in Austria and was one of the first people who truly took the time for us. From the very beginning of the project, we were in contact via email and phone, exchanging technical questions, ideas, and receiving honest assessments from him. An exchange at eye level – right from the start.

After the Dolomitenrundfahrt, we finally took the chance to meet Armin in person. He lives in North Tyrol, so we got into our rental car – packed with equipment, trade show luggage, and even a bike in the trunk. The goal: get to know each other in person, talk about the product – and explore possibilities for the future.

But shortly after we introduced ourselves – barely ten minutes had passed – one of the heaviest hailstorms in Tyrol’s history hit. What happened next is something we will never forget:

We stood inside the house, watching through the windows as the hail literally shattered the glass roof of our Tesla rental car. Within minutes, the car was a total loss. Armin’s building was also hit – the roof was damaged, water leaking inside.

Our planned conversation was over before it even began, and instead we helped Armin wipe water, clear broken glass, and assess the damage. A completely absurd situation – but somehow also typically startup.

Since the car was no longer drivable and there was no way to continue outside, we ended up staying overnight at Armin’s place. The next morning there was coffee, good vibes, and a short but honest conversation about future possibilities.

We were then picked up by a colleague of Philip’s father, who drove us – together with all our luggage, including the bike and trade show cases – to Salzburg, where we continued by train back to Vienna.

A chaotic trip, but a story we now tell with a big grin. And the best part: despite hail, chaos, and a destroyed car, one thing remained – mutual respect and the beginning of a real friendship.