Big things usually start with a small idea! The Global Biking Initiative was launched on January 2nd 2008 in the canteen of the Vodafone administration in Düsseldorf. At a lunch together, an IT project team lamented the weight they had gained over the Christmas holidays. With the problem-solving skills available, a solution was quickly found: cycling! Not too strenuous, but with the prospect of lots of fun and unforgettable moments, combined with the goal of collecting donations for a good cause.

The first Global Biking Initiative tour started on May 28th 2008 with 63 riders in Düsseldorf, who rode together to the global Vodafone headquarters in Newbury (Great Britain) in six days. More than twenty companies spontaneously supported this idea and in the end more than €23,000 in donations were collected.

Excited by the great reception in Newbury and with numerous unforgettable memories of the previous week in mind, it was spontaneously decided to repeat this experience and organize a similar tour every year.

The basic principle and philosophy have not changed since the first tour - except for the original goal, which has consistently not been achieved: for whatever reason, no one has ever lost weight on any of the tours!

Over the years, the GBI has grown into an ever-growing international and diverse cycling community, bringing people from different parts of the world together to share their passion for cycling. All are united by a love of cycling, and friendships are regularly formed across national and even continental borders at GBI events. This eclectic community is characterized by its cultural diversity and shared values ​​that see cycling as a means of promoting health, community and adventure.

Over time, the GBI has become a platform that welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds, offering them the opportunity to be part of a worldwide movement for friendship, sport, health, sightseeing, sustainability and adventure. From enthusiasts to professional athletes, the GBI provides a welcoming environment where every participant feels safe and supported, regardless of their ability or cultural background.

We now organize several cycling events every year. We understand that different groups in our community have different needs. For this reason, we focus on the following categories of cycling trips and events:

E X P L O R E : These guided cycling trips focus on discovering and experiencing new spots on different continents.

L A D I E S : Femmes only! A special format just for women. Riding in a purely female environment is very relaxed, whether on a multi-day tour across the Alps or in a training camp.

P R O : For the most ambitious members of the community, the PRO tours offer the appropriate challenge! As a rule, the daily distances or elevation gains are the same as those of the average GBI member in a whole week.

C H A R I T Y : Our home ground. Since the beginning of the GBI, we have been cycling for a good cause! We want to keep it that way and so every year we organize a 7-day bike tour with GBI Europe with several hundred participants from all over the world, where donations are collected for a good cause.

For all tours, we ride together in different, performance-matched teams, each led by at least one experienced team leader. The field of participants is usually international and English is therefore the tour language.