Our history
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1993: Founding of PEDALO Touristik GmbH

by Laurenz Stritzinger and Josef Orthofer. Both passionate cyclists themselves, they met in the summer of 1992 while working as tour guides for a cycling tour operator still in business today, and spent many hours together on the ski slopes (and après-ski) the following winter. At some point, over the second or third beer, Josef asked: "Laurenz, why don’t we start our own business?"

The rest, as they say, is history:

1994-2002: Pioneers of cycle tourism

In the first decade of its existence, PEDALO was very active in the field of cycle & coach tours. It was the pioneering era of cycle touring as we know it today, mainly in groups and with a guide. The two company founders often travelled by bike themselves, and soon, a first employee was hired to hold down the fort while they are away. In the early days, the most popular destinations included the Altmühltal valley, Lake Constance, the Tauern cycle path and, of course, the 'mother of all cycle paths', the Danube cycle path. In the 1999 season, PEDALO pioneered the 'Bike & Boat' combination, which is still popular today.

2003: Relocation to Grieskirchen

PEDALO was ten years old and 'all grown up'. At the very beginning, it had been enough to convert a former playroom into an office. One by one, rooms were added until the offices covered the entire ground floor of Josef Orthofer's home. Finally, it became too cramped and in 2003, new company premises were rented in nearby Grieskirchen. There was enough space there for a fleet of hire bikes - and for a larger team. By that time, the company employed ten people.

2004-2012: Always at the forefront

Over the years, bicycle touring has evolved and PEDALO has made a significant contribution to this thanks to its unerring nose for new developments. Today, people travel less by coach and more individually, increasingly by e-bike. The PEDALO catalogue gets a few pages thicker every year. Since 2007, PEDALO has also organised road bike tours, a product segment for which PEDALO is still the first port of call for many partners.

2013: PEDALO Touristik GmbH is 20 years old

On its milestone birthday, the PEDALO team could look back and pat itself on the back with satisfaction. The 'start-up' had become an established company. The guestlist for the specially curated anniversary trip to South Tyrol included many long-standing regulars.

2014-2017: Cycling holidays made by PEDALO

PEDALO had found its place in the world of cycle holidays. Within the industry, the company was primarily known as an expert for the regions of Upper Austria, Carinthia, Bavaria, the Main Cycle Path and the French Loire Valley. Not all employees were based in the Grieskirchen office by this time; we also had team members in Villach, Bamberg and Tours working directly with our guests.

2018/2019: A change in the company's structure

After 25 eventful years, Josef Orthofer retired from management to devote himself to his private life, but continued to support the company in an advisory capacity. At the same time, PEDALO shares were acquired by Eurofun Holding S.r.l., leading to an even closer and more professional collaboration with many long-standing partners and friends in the industry, also thanks to the newly implemented database specifically programmed for the group.

2020-2022: Corona pandemic and restart

In March 2020, everything literally came to a standstill. Then things got really hectic for a while with cancellations, rescheduling, rebooking and question upon question from our customers. After that, though, there was a whole new appreciation for our product. The whole world was suddenly cycling, and individual active holidays 'at home' and in neighbouring countries were more in fashion than ever. PEDALO already organised many cycling tours in Austria and Germany and started expanding its programme in these destinations in particular.

2023: A new partnership is formed

Based in Engelhartszell, just 40 kilometres from Grieskirchen, Radreisefreunde has long been a valued partner for PEDALO. During many discussions between PEDALO Managing Director Laurenz Stritzinger and Radreisefreunde Managing Director Hubert Simader, it became increasingly clear how well the two companies could complement each other beyond individual co-operations. Finally, the word 'merger' was uttered for the first time - and an exciting new chapter in our history began.

December 2012: Every journey begins with the first step

It is difficult to say when the first seeds were sown that would one day grow into Radreisefreunde GmbH. The founding of the company was preceded by years in which Hubert Simader and Walter Schmid (owner of Eurofun Touristik GmbH) repeatedly exchanged ideas about possible forms of collaboration.

It became official in December 2012. In a way, the start was a "shot in the dark", as they deliberately did not commit to a strict plan of what the joint path should look like. But the future looked bright; Managing Director Hubert Simader and his first two employees already had years of experience in organising cycle tours. This was the start of something good!

2013-2014: Radreisefreunde GmbH - always a reliable partner

One of the core competences of the young Radreisefreunde GmbH quickly crystallised: We were unbeatable in the B2B sector! More and more international bike tour organisers and agents came knocking on our door in the idyllic Danube market town of Engelhartszell, sure to receive an offer that was precisely tailored to their respective target markets.

There was close cooperation with Eurofun Touristik on an operational level, which left Radreisefreunde free to focus on developing new destinations. Organising tours on the Danube Cycle Path was an obvious choice. This was followed by the Tauern Cycle Path, the Mur Cycle Path and, in Germany, the Moselle Cycle Path. The first 'outpost' (with warehouse and office space) was established on the Moselle, in Trier. From 2014, we also offered tours along the Danube between Vienna and Budapest: an insider tip back then, but now one of our top sellers.

2015-2019: Not possible? Impossible! We get the job done

At Radreisefreunde, flexibility is not only a top priority, it is an essential part of our company philosophy! We are always happy to adapt our existing programme, not just for large and medium-sized groups, but also for small groups and even individual guests.

Radreisefreunde GmbH grew and flourished in response to the demand for this type of tailor-made travel. By this time, the office in Engelhartszell alone had more than ten employees and would soon need to be extended by a few more rooms. When the company started offering its own tours in Denmark and Sweden in 2015, another station was added in the Copenhagen area.

2020-2022: Emerging from the Corona crisis, stronger than ever

The problems faced by the entire travel industry as a result of the Corona pandemic also left their mark on Radreisefreunde. It was a time that demanded the utmost from everyone - but it also showed us what we are made of! The knowledge that we overcame extraordinary challenges as a team brought us closer together, and we are very proud that our little company family remained intact despite the temporary standstill.

2023-2024: When cycle touring dreams take flight

After the lockdowns came the big boom. Radreisefreunde did their utmost to cater to the reawakened desire for travel, and grew in leaps and bounds: The team, the office and the programme. With new tours in the Benelux countries, stations were also established in Utrecht and Ghent. For the first time, the company acquired its own fleet of buses and bicycles. The new navigation app also heralded the future of travel documents. A new office was opened in the Vienna branch, and the large warehouse marked the starting point for the expansion of tours along the Danube Cycle Path as far as Belgrade.

With all these ambitious projects, it was about time to bring a new partner on board. PEDALO Touristik GmbH in nearby Grieskirchen specialises in private customers and seemed to be a great match in every respect. PEDALO Managing Director Laurenz Stritzinger shared this view, and soon the two companies decided to embark on a new adventure called 'merger'. Just like in 2012, the exact destination of the joint journey was left open, but once again, it was clear that this was the start of something good!

From 2025: Getting the future rolling

Anyone who passes through Engelhartszell while travelling along the Danube Cycle Path in the spring of 2025 will see a building that is apparently undergoing major renovations. "The new headquarters of Pedalo-Radreisefreunde is being built here" read the signs on the construction fence, behind which the future of cycle touring is being built. Individual, flexible and innovative - as you know us.