FEATURE
RIDER RESILIENCE M
The collaboration between Rider Resilience and Ortlieb goes beyond selling a product. Daniel Blackham speaks to both parties to understand the meaning behind the launch
ost products usually start in the design office of a company, with teams of people trying to figure out how to sell more to their target audience.
The story behind the Rider Resilience and Ortlieb Velocity
Design bag is quite different. It originated from an 11-year connection, from a family, from the darkest moment in one person’s life, and the community that was born from those moments and connections.
This collaboration is more than just a bag. The parties involved see it as a symbol of the power of adventure that couldn’t have been made without all those people supporting something more important.
Background Like many stories, this one starts with people, or more accurately one person, Nils Amelinckx. An enthusiastic adventurer and cyclist, he often found himself mixing passion and profession. In 2012, Amelinckx relocated to Kendal and began his career at Lyon Equipment. Quickly moving up the ladder, he soon began the role of looking after Ortlieb in the UK. Amelinckx and the Ortlieb team became very fond, and it was from here that some of his closest relationships began to blossom.
“By its very nature, a lot of people who work in the
bike industry are there to extend their hobbies into their professional career,” explained Amelinckx. “As such, you get to know a lot of people with similar
interests and values, and it’s not uncommon to strike up long lasting friendships with people you have met through working in the industry.
“When I looked after Ortlieb for the UK and Ireland as brand manager, I was motivated for it to succeed both because of the brand’s values and strengths, but this was almost certainly compounded by the friendships I had built up behind the scenes with the team in Heilsbronn.” In 2017, Amelinckx’s path was marked by an unimaginable challenge — an incurable cancer diagnosis. “When I was diagnosed with stage IV cancer at the age of 30, a major part of my coping strategy was normality, so I carried on looking after the brand to the best of my ability between fortnightly chemotherapy sessions and frequent surgeries,” said Amelinckx. “It gave me a focus and strong sense of purpose.”
Rider Resilience
Upon learning of his diagnosis, Amelinckx found solace in the activities of cycling and photography. After receiving treatment that forced him to take a break
from cycling, he was determined not to let his condition defeat him.
He sought inspiration from others and with a persistent attitude, he started pedalling again.
Amelinckx faced numerous obstacles on his journey, including seven rounds of surgery, five rounds of radiotherapy and over sixty of chemotherapy but he never lost his
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November 2023 | 7
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