Carsten is a social worker, karate trainer and cycling fan from Germany. He commutes on his Ampler Curt around 20 km per day since 2018. We chatted with Carsten about the health benefits of cycling and his experience with Curt e-bike.
Tell us about yourself.
As a social worker and human, it is important for me to inspire other people. I do this in various forms of workshops on the most diverse topics of human co-existence.
This includes having found a clear attitude to my own life issues myself. It is important for me not to be dogmatic. There is very little right or wrong, good or bad in my life. I am always interested in the “true intention” behind everything!
I find my own focus in nature or in karate training.
What is your history with bikes?
I grew up in the northern part of Germany in the 70s when the bicycle was one of the classic means of transport. I remember making long self-designed bike excursions already at the age of six or seven. These were always last-minute weekend trips alone or with friends. We announced these tours in the morning and a few hours later we were already travelling on our bicycles.
The bike provided me with a sense of independence and freedom already early on. I really valued and cared for my bicycle and I constantly adjusted and fixed it with tools I found at home. I did everything from rebuilding the pedals to bending the handlebars and mounting different types of bells and horns on my bike.
Of course, I also used my bike to get to school every day, no matter what the weather was. Only strong headwind and a punctured tire stopped me from riding my bike.
Ultimately, for me as a child and adolescent, the bicycle was THE no-alternative means of transportation.
Why did you decide to get the Ampler e-bike?
I was looking for a new bike and dealt with the topic e-bike for the first time. Since I am very dedicated to my job and I have little free time, I don’t have enough hours for lengthy research or test rides.
During one of my lectures, I met a person riding an Ampler Hawk (predecessor to Curt). When we said goodbye and he got on his Hawk, I was immediately fascinated by the pure form of the bike, which is paired with simple elegance.
Shortly afterwards, I contacted him again and asked him what kind of bike he had and how satisfied he was with it. His enthusiasm for the bike immediately transferred to me. That made it very easy for me to go straight to the Ampler website and order my Curt.
To this day, I’m very satisfied with my Ampler. The Ampler style perfectly fits in my everyday life: Simple, reliable, sporty, elegant, pure, no frills — typical Nordic!
How does Ampler Curt fit into your everyday life?
For me, a bicycle is an everyday object that has to be reliable and make my life richer and lighter. Otherwise, I just wouldn’t use it. Ampler Curt easily meets this life motto of mine.
I especially like the efficient lightness of the Curt. The low weight makes it very easy to pick up the bike and carry if needed. That’s why this bike has quickly taken a firm place in my everyday life and is an excellent addition to the mobility mix for me.
Day to day, I need to use my car a lot as my job takes place in many different locations that are often far apart in rural areas.
However, I try to mix it up with bike tours as much as possible. I like to combine public transportation, car and the bike on my daily routes, such as a route to my karate school or to my youth welfare facility. For example, when I’ve sat in the car a lot during the day, I enjoy it especially much to go out for a quick bike ride in the evening.
Adding these bike rides to my routine routes means that I’m always looking forward to commuting. The physical movement between appointments gives me relaxation and relief. It helps me clear my head and create space for new creativity.
Photos by Frank Glanert.