Who says that during Corona times only those who sit in an office in ‘normal times’ can work from home? According to Wikipedia, the term ‘teleworking’ includes all forms of work in which employees do all or part of their work at home. Just like our bike mechanic …
Usually David commutes back and forth between the Eurobike head office in Obertrum and our Danube bike station several times a week. Responsible for the final assembly and ongoing maintenance of our bikes, he has his hands full all year round.
During the cycling season, every single bike regularly goes through David’s quality check. And when the season ends, the next season’s preparation begins. From November until spring our entire range of bikes will be put through their paces and new bikes will be assembled and ready to go.
This year things turned out a little differently. Due to the spreading corona epidemic in China, important parts for our 350 new PLUS rental bikes could not be delivered on time. The frustration was great at first, but within a few weeks it was clear: we wouldn’t be needing the bikes for the time being anyway. When we were still busy getting our customer service team prepared for home office, the situation in China had eased a little. The production facilities were gradually able to reopen, and the missing parts arrived in Obertrum.
So what do you do as a bike mechanic when the company is closed, but there is still lots to do? Exactly, you just bring the bikes home! Since the beginning of April, David has been working in the garden in the beautiful spring weather, assembling (of course under strict supervision of his son) our brand-new PLUS models and exchanging the displays of our electric bikes. “The neighbours are amazed when I drive into the street with a trailer full of bikes. After all, there is space for 20,” laughs David. They are unloaded, unpacked and neatly parked on his property and checked right down to the smallest detail. The pedals, saddle and speedometer are installed, brakes checked, handlebars aligned, and the gears precisely adjusted. Each rental bike is then tested during a relaxed cycle through the village. “This also creates some amusement. The neighbours can count how often I cycle past them!”
Many certainly find the current situation challenging. David can also find something good from working at home. “In the beginning, the three of us had to get used to the new madness. In the meantime we have found our little routine and I enjoy fixing the bikes outside and having my son around. Our days start much more comfortably with breakfast together. My partner, who is also a Eurobike employee, works in the home office in the morning while I take care of Timo. After lunch and Timo’s nap, we switch roles. The current situation certainly requires organisation, but it’s just a matter of time before we can return to the office.”
Until then, David will finish all our models of the new rental bike generation from home. “Soon we can at least offer cycling holidays in Austria and Germany. I am really looking forward to feedback from our guests! I think we have made a good selection of components here. A smooth-running, comfortable trekking bike with a slightly sportier sitting posture, 28” tires, 27 gears, Suntour suspension fork and Magura hydraulic breaks. These breaks are particularly pleasant, because the tires are not stopped so abruptly. I’ve been a fan from the get-go!”
Name: David Garbini
Born: 1979
Nationality: France
Favourite meal: Steak with porcini sauce
Hobbies: Cycling and mountain biking, fiddling with bikes, browsing in bike shops
Biggest personal success: my son Timo
Greatest sporting success: Regional champion of the mountain bike trophy in Gard (southern France)
