Meet the team - Bike Academy, Berlin

Finding the fit for cyclists, with fun built in

Thomas Pollesche has a keen eye for detail. It’s obvious when you speak with him and he’s alive with a vibrancy that interests you. When he talks about cycling and his own early days on a cross country mountain bike, he comes alive, talking about the racing and yes, the fun. These days, it’s the fun that is important, but he still wants to use that detailed mind to get the best out of his riding - which is why at Bike Academy, Berlin he chooses Lake cycling shoes.

Like many of our team here at Lake, Thomas is more than he even says himself - he’s too modest. On a cross country mountain bike, albeit a few years ago, he’s completed the famous TransAlp Mountain Bike race twice - when it was 8 days and not just 7. That in itself should tell you, that this is a guy who knows about the importance of comfort, and getting that perfect balance with performance.

The importance of contact

When speaking with Thomas, we share our experiences of riding the older 26” wheels hard tails, and how it taught riders the importance of being able to control the whole bike. It’s not just about the connection on the handlebars; it’s also about how the feet - or the shoe - connects to the bike, and the direct feeling that you can achieve, being able to manoeuvre the rear triangle on technical trails, to make the most of the ride, stay upright and maybe even win a race.

For Thomas, Lake shoes, and the ability to match the right cycling shoe to the right foot is crucial. He understands the technical and health related issues involved in so many variations of foot shape and sizes. In fact, it’s this area that he really prioritises when beginning a bike fit - looking to achieve that comfort, performance and control for every rider that steps into Bike Academy Berlin for advice.

Challenging narrow mindedness

The cyclists of Berlin do seem to have taken well to the wider range of shoe sizes offered by Lake - pardon the pun. Thomas is open is saying that, at times the Italian sized shoes can be quite narrow for the average German foot, and that once his customers see the difference that a shoe fitting can make, or just the simple fact that Lake offer such a variety of widths, then the cyclists are quick to take on Lake cycling shoes. In fact, he’s developed a customer base further afield across the cycling community within Germany, getting regular enquiries.

CX 242 $389.99

Lake CX 242 - The most adaptable cycling shoe in the world

The most popular shoe for the Bike Academy customer is currently the new age CX 242 Road Cycling Shoe, with its ability to form the upper around a variety of unique foot shapes, and yet still provide that necessary lateral support and direct contact feeling, with the bike and rider in perfect alignment and ready for any adventure.

The CX242 is a culmination of all of our experience, advanced materials, and shoe making techniques to make a shoe that offers the best fitting solution for hard to fit foot types. Made with a heat moldable hel counter and an uniquely designed upper that has enough adjustability to accommodate feet with any instep height or foot volume without sacrificing comfort.

It’s a cycling shoe that was designed for those riders with foot issues such as bunions, deformation or extremely narrow feet who need a shoe that will not beat their feet up, giving the rider the endurance, they need to stay on the bike. The upper has separated panels that allow for fine tuning the pressure and fit which also allows the upper to conform around sensitive and painful spots on the foot without the same level of constraint that is felt in traditional shoe uppers.

CX/TX Competition Last– With a profile specifically designed for very high-cadence riding & higher pressure, our Competition last features a more curved profile than the Sport last. The main differences include increased toe pitch & heel lift, a tighter heel & a slightly wider ball girth to allow the foot to expand under high pedalling.

CX 302 $379.99

Thomas Pollesche - favourite Lake Cycling Shoe

Despite not being as free to travel around in a camper van entering mountain bike marathons, living under the stars and making the most of the scenery, Thomas still rides at least twice a week. With three children and a business to run, his riding is all for fun, and yet he understands that the shoe is still really critical.

He’s currently riding with the Lake CX 302 road cycling shoe, which he says wraps his foot shape and size perfectly, and yet gives that superb performance, through the direct contact and ability to drive the bike with every pedal stroke. This need for bike control with the hands and feet in equal measure, isn’t just old-school for Thomas - it’s technically necessary, and ensures that there are far more smiles on those cycling miles - with the Lake CX 302.

Get direct to the action on your bike - at Bike Academy, Berlin

We finish our conversation with Thomas telling me of the best place to see Berlin. It’s the former NSA spy station at Teufelsberg, which has views of the city in one direct, and yet has expansive views of lakes and endless forests in the other direction - and no doubt a few hidden mtb trails! This secret listening station is an abandoned Cold War relic that’s been transformed into a massive street art installation, and is also a great place to simply see the city and the nearby forests.

Thomas is a fascinating character, and a person who clearly loves cycling and the detail necessary to get the most fun from it. If you’re in the Berlin area and wanting to make the most of your own two-wheeled adventures this year, then why not join the new cycling revolution. Stop that narrow-minded focus of cycling shoes, and let Thomas and team at Bike Academy wrap your cycling feet in our legendary Lake comfort. Here at Lake, we want every cycling adventure, on road or trail, to be the very best - because your feet deserve it.

Schedule a free phone consultation today https://www.bike-academy-berlin.de/info.html