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Transformable Bike Bergmonch Is a Backpack for Climbs and a Speed Machine Downhill

Some things go together like peanut butter and jelly – steep inclines and bikes included. But how do you get a bike up that incline without pedaling there?
The Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descent 16 photos
Photo: Bergmonch Tech (Composite)
The Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descentThe Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descent
For adventurers itching to bomb their way downhill but who might have considered the climb to the top a bit too much, there was once a backpack bike. Sadly, it’s no longer around and, by the looks of things, it never made it into mass production, but oh, what a beautiful tale of adventure it spun!

That backpack bike was exactly that: a backpack that converted into a bicycle, which made it easy to carry uphill and then even easier to launch it downhill, with the rider on top. The backpack bike wasn’t exactly a bike and wasn’t marketed as one. Called Bergmonch, it was marketed as a “hiking companion” because it lacked a saddle and pedals, and could only be ridden down on inclines.

File this under “things that don’t seem to make much sense but still work somehow.” The Bergmonch, which means “mountain monk” in German, was the product of Bergmonch Tech, a local company that had come to the conclusion that you can have a single product that brings mountaineering and mountain biking together.

The Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descent
Photo: Bergmonch Tech
Apparently, as fun as the climb to the top is, the descent is very taxing on the joints and the muscles, and because of it, nowhere as fun as the way up. So, in order to take pressure off the joints, which is an ailment most mountaineers complain about (so claimed Bergmonch at the time), the company had invented the transformable backpack bike.

The year was 2009, and the product rode the news cycles well into early 2013, at which point it disappeared completely. As of the time of press, there’s no longer a trace online of Bergmonch Tech, and no way to find out what happened to the product they believed would revolutionize Alpine tourism, but it’s clear that it never went into production. There are many possible reasons for that, and no way of knowing for certain which one dealt the final blow.

For the climb uphill, Bergmonch presented as a backpack of sorts. It had a backpack frame with proper back support, padded straps for maximum comfort, and even a small storage compartment, but you could still see it was a folded bike. It would have been hard not to see those protruding wheels and one of the handlebars that poked upwards, over the rider’s head.

Still, despite the size of the “backpack,” the company said that it wasn’t uncomfortable to carry, even on the roughest terrains. It allowed complete freedom of movement and free hands, so the person carrying it could use them to hold on to rocks or, depending on the case, experience nature with all the senses. That last part is from the official ad for the bike, which featured an actual monk in the process of disavowing his faith, to go bomb down mountain paths.

The Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descent
Photo: Bergmonch Tech
The backpack tipped the scales at 9 kg (19.8 lbs), which is very light for a bicycle but not exactly so for a backpack you’re hauling up a mountain. It was branded as “lightweight,” even though the figure did not include whatever other gear the rider had with him. The waterproof, ultra-resistant fabric from which the backpack was made also held a 12-liter (0.4 cubic-foot) storage compartment for a water bottle, a snack, and small pieces of gear, and a bike helmet net.

Once the summit was reached, the Bergmonch converted into a speed machine for going downhill. The conversion was a two-minute job, thanks to the retractable handlebar that flipped into position and the telescopic frame that brought the rear wheel backwards. Secure a bolt and flip the backpack area to face the other way, and you were done.

The bike had no seat and no pedals, but it did have an area where you could rest on your knees – “like a monk,” as you were making your way into the valley “at demonic speed,” as the same ad claimed. At higher speeds and over challenging terrain, you rode sitting upright, with your feet on serrated metal pegs, but you could rest your muscles by sitting on your knees on even roads and at slower speeds.

The center of gravity was closer to the rear wheel, which was considerably smaller than the front one, to reduce the effective downhill grade and create a more comfortable ride. Fork suspension, rear suspension, Schwalbe Mow Joe tires, and hydraulic braking completed the list of features.

The Bergmonch bike was a backpack on the way up a mountain, and a speed machine on the descent
Photo: Bergmonch Tech
From day one, it was clear that the Bergmonch was a niche product, and the German maker made no attempt to disguise it as anything else. They hoped it would appeal to tourists in the Alps, mostly bikers and hikers, and they emphasized the fact that it could make their adventures safer, more fun and more sustainable. That last part had something to do with reducing tourists’ reliance on railways and toboggan runs to carry their bikes up to the mountain top.

On paper, the Bergmonch could have been a winner. Whether the world was not yet ready for such adrenaline-inducing piece of awesome or the estimated €1,500 ($1,605) pricing had anything to do with its untimely demise will always remain a mystery. So here we are, pouring one out for the Bergmonch and the unremorseful monk who gave up a life of divine service for the fun. Ride on, padre!



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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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