Christoph Hartmann is one of the co-founders of the Pasculli brand. His passion for cycling is immense. He has always wanted to share this enthusiasm for cycling and beautiful bikes with other people. We recently met Christoph and talked to him about his favorite routes and what should never be missing on a bike ride.
How did you and Maik Kresse come up with the idea of founding Pasculli?
Christoph: “Cycling is my passion, I discovered my enthusiasm for cycling at an early age. In 2005, when we were in Italy, we discussed the developments in bicycle frame construction. We realized that many brands had reduced themselves to sizes S-XXL. Every person is unique and so should their bike be. By founding our own brand, we had the idea of producing special and suitable dream bikes.”
Christoph is an oboist with the Berliner Philharmoniker and began playing the oboe at the age of 13. It is therefore no wonder that the name Pasculli, a connection to his has passion. The brand is named after the Italian oboist Antonio Pasculli.
Which bike is your favorite?
Christoph: “Of course my favorite bike is a Pasculli. I discovered gravel cycling for myself last year and ride a lot with Maik. My current favorite is a Pasculli Angelone. This bike was originally from my father, who had put it together according to his personal wishes. It has already accompanied him on one trip or another. It is the perfect touring bike for him and he has been on several tours through Israel, for example. My father and I are very similar in build and when he stopped using his dream bike, I fitted it out to suit me. I turned it into a fully functional Gravel bike converted.”
Christoph also has a Pasculli Altissimo, which he prefers to use for tours through the mountains of Italy.
Where should you definitely go by bike in Berlin / Brandenburg?
For Christoph, Berlin and Brandenburg are the ideal areas for fantastic bike tours to suit every need. He himself travels a lot in the south of Berlin and Brandenburg, as he also lives in the south of Berlin.
Christoph: “Grunewald is the absolute must-see in the south of Berlin. There are numerous options and routes to choose from. No matter whether you like road biking, Gravel bike or mountain biking, the Grunewald has something for everyone. If you want to go on a wonderful tour in Brandenburg, then I can highly recommend going out to Großbeeren at the new airport and just letting yourself drift and enjoying the landscape.”
Last weekend, he himselfe tour around Berlin. He says that on the route through an unbelievable number of beautiful parks and on fantastic country lanes. “It’s not just the south of Berlin that offers beautiful spots. There are also numerous varied routes in the north. He himself uses the app Komootwhich allows him to search for routes according to his wishes, plan them plan and customize them.
What do you have with you on a bike ride?
Christoph: “I have a lot of things with me on a bike ride. As well as a spare inner tube, a pump and a tool, I always have enough water and food (bars and an apple) with me. My old friend and cycling legend Peter Kinzeltaught me early on that the most important thing is a rain jacket. Since then, the rain jacket has been my faithful companion on every ride. It has saved me in one situation or another. What do I do when it starts to rain? I get out my rain jacket. What do I do when I cool down during a break? I put on my rain jacket. And even in the event of a breakdown or an accident, the rain jacket is a good companion to keep me warm and protect me from changes in the weather. “
But not only the fact that you have a rain jacket with you is important, but also the way it is folded has an influence on the usefulness of the jacket, according to Christoph.
Christoph: “I always fold my rain jacket according to a certain method – first I fold it lengthwise and then roll it up from the bottom to the top. I put this roll in the back pocket of my jersey, so it’s always ready for use. I grab it by the collar, shake it gently and it’s ready to go straight away.”
What do playing the oboe and cycling have in common?
Christoph: “Luckily nothing – no, joking aside – on closer inspection, his two passions have a balancing effect. Of course, the endurance from cycling helps at the Playing the oboe and the breathing exercises from playing the oboe help me to cycle. However, for me, cycling is my balance, my high bby and my Passion. Every time I get on my bike, it’s endlessly beautiful. Long bike rides are not just a workout for me, it’s wonderful to enjoy the silence and the landscape.
The journey is the destination – In a short time – compressed into a few hours, cycling offers you the recreational effect of a short holiday. of a short vacation.”
Discovering something new on every tour, arriving home exhausted after several hours of cycling, taking a shower, sitting down with a beer and rounding off the evening – for Christoph, these are the things that make cycling so special and unique.
