A day with Michael Strasser | Simplon Magazine

From architect to extreme athlete – how did that come about?

Michael Strasser: I started studying architecture because I was very interested in the subject. However, I noticed early on that sports became more and more important in my life. I knew that I only had a certain time window in which I could pursue my passion in this way and I just wanted to give it a try. Better to try and fail than never to have tried! But with me, there was no master plan. It was never my goal to be able to live off of being a professional athlete. It just happened somehow. And let’s be real: Of the 14 years in which I've been very ambitious in sports, I've only been able to make a living of it for the past three or four years. For the first ten years, it was just an expensive hobby. Only now have I reached the point where I can at least pay my electricity bill from my income as an athlete. 
 

What motivates you?

Michael Strasser: My basic motivation is to challenge myself. I have to prove to myself that I can do it – again and again. The crux of the matter is that I constantly set new goals. You think you’ll feel happier once you have mastered the challenge. But then I start to look for a new challenge and I’m back to square one. That’s the process I have gone through in the last years. Now, I’ve come to the point where I try not to constantly look for new challenges. Instead, I remind myself, "okay, you have to learn to be happy with what you’ve got". 
 

How did the collaboration with Simplon come about?

Michael Strasser: It was my intention to present an Austrian partner to the world. I have contacted several Austrian companies, but the chemistry with Simplon was great right from the get-go. It was also where I was most likely to be taken seriously with my wild and crazy ideas. 
 

For the Ice2Ice project you chose the Simplon Pride – why?

Michael Strasser: I first travelled to Vorarlberg and tested all possible bikes. I wanted to know: What does the frame feel like, and what does the setup feel like? Then at some point, I had the prototype of the Pride in my hands, and I knew: This bike is it! You just can't go slow on this bike. You get on it, and it makes you want to accelerate.