The Grain – The great adventure calls and the cap comes along.
In a few weeks, together with Pierre Charles from scops.cc, we will embark on a very special adventure that presents us with some new organizational challenges. We are humble, curious, excited, and aware that we have a lot to learn, but we are also proud to be part of this story. This is no accident...
There will certainly be some of our older customers who fondly remember the days on Talstraße when we, as one of the first German bike cafés, were still a unique little spot, a place that had to explain a lot but also often managed to convince. In the run-up to the Tour de France, we not only benefited from a pioneering spirit regarding cycling in Düsseldorf, but also threw ourselves into the fray with full commitment and did everything in our power to keep the "Mütze" (cap) with its nose in the wind. It was, of course, a godsend that Florian, a French employee, enriched our kitchen with philosophy, creativity, and a good dose of l'art de vivre. Soon after, Pierre Charles, another quick-witted spirit, joined us and, as an artist and young family man, was a great enrichment to our team at the time. And the fact that Pierre Charles, after returning to France, took to the roads around Dijon on his Genesis and pondered a life organizing gravel tours and cycling holidays, is wonderful proof that the spirit of our small cycling culture headquarters led to developments whose roots can be traced back to the "Mütze".
When Pierre-Charles then approached us with the idea of connecting Düsseldorf and Dijon with a ride, we immediately gave the thumbs up. Our shared history alone makes it a perfect fit, but the aspect of Franco-German friendship makes it even more important in times like ours. The fact that both cities have something to do with mustard and can be connected by beautiful routes right through Europe is just the icing on the cake. We are aware that we have never been involved in the organization of an event of this magnitude before, but we are not afraid of new challenges and are looking forward to a few exciting weeks ahead until the starters embark on their 860-kilometer journey on May 31st. We are pleased that parts of the bling e.V. team have also pledged their support for this event, which is certainly unique in Düsseldorf so far. If you are reading this now and thinking: I can't ride, but I would like to help: get in touch. Currently very important: sleeping places in Düsseldorf. We thought of many things, but not that DoKomi, Germany's largest Anime-Expo, would be visiting us on the same weekend and causing hotel prices to skyrocket. Since the start is early in the morning, accommodation options in the wider area are almost impossible; as a self-sufficient rider, you don't want to add another 30 kilometers to the route before the start. So, if you can help with a guest bed: please contact us. You will make cyclists happy.
There are still some starting places left, so if you fancy giving it your all at a very special event, you are very welcome. We will be at the start with a documentary team from the Mütze to take pictures along the way and perhaps even help out. You can imagine that the refreshment stations and checkpoints, which must be accessible 24 hours a day, will be happy about any support.
We will be hosting a small starter party in Düsseldorf and hope for many visitors in the Mützenhof. Tickets will be available soon, we will make sure we have food and drinks ready and can offer you an evening with nice grooves and many exciting guests as a get-together for the Düsseldorf cycling community. So mark May 30th firmly in your calendar, that's when it will happen. The celebrations might even start on May 29th, but we will keep you informed about that through the usual channels, keyword newsletter.
We send a big thank you to our partners who support the event and make it possible in this form, especially to Orbea for the support, but also to Barodeaur Cycles, Brooks England, Ciclovation, OQUO and Shimano. Thanks to Gravelbike Magazin and bickepacking.com, who report on our activities. We are looking forward to welcoming the film team from NVCR Studio to the Mütze this week; they will be filming both with us and in Dijon and creating a portrait of our event. For now, it's about drumming up a bit more enthusiasm for the event and putting a multi-day, self-supported long-distance event on the agenda in Düsseldorf. In 2026, The Grain will connect Düsseldorf and Dijon for the first time, and 2027 is already firmly in the planning. We are looking forward to a great adventure – for us and for everyone else who is involved, whether as riders, helpers, partners or guests.
May the grain be with you…
To the website with registration and all information.
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