YOUR BIKE IN THE HANDS OF A PRO: OLIVER GRABOWSKI BRINGS 18 YEARS OF PRO CYCLING EXPERTISE TO PANKOW
Your road or gravel bike has carried you for countless kilometers, but lately something has started squeaking, the gears are sticking, or the chain just doesn’t run as smoothly as it used to? For a bike you’ve probably invested quite a bit of money in, you want someone who really knows it inside and out. You’ll find exactly that kind of expertise in Pankow, at Heynhöfe, home to Grabowski Pro Radsport. As soon as you turn into Heynhöfe, you get the feeling that time moves a little slower here. Slightly removed from the bustle of the city, you’ll find a bike workshop on the left where you can quite literally leave your bike in the best possible hands: those of Oliver Grabowski. Meet him, and you’ll quickly understand why you can trust him with your bike without hesitation. He’s calm, warm and approachable, with a genuine passion for his craft. No surprise, really, as Oliver spent eighteen years working as a mechanic in professional cycling, traveling with various teams to some of the biggest races in the world. Among them were the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. Add to that two Olympic Games and seven World Championships, as well as more than 1,200 UCI WorldTour races (the international governing body for cycling, comparable to FIFA in football) across 35 countries on five continents. You get the picture: your bike is in good hands with Oliver. See some of the credentials and licences he collected during those years on display in the workshop.
There’s plenty more to discover at Heynhöfe, too. A tapas bar invites you to stay awhile, flea markets pop up from time to time, there’s a small Christmas market in winter, and every now and then, people gather to watch a major cycling race together. After eighteen years spent traveling between races and airports, Oliver wanted to return home to be closer to his family, and he turned that wish into reality by opening his own workshop. We got to see Oliver at work ourselves. He showed us how he waxes a chain instead of oiling it — a technique that is increasingly replacing traditional chain maintenance and makes for noticeably smoother running. What impressed us most was his absolute calmness, paired with an obvious level of expertise. Chain waxing is just one part of what he offers: bike checks and adjustments, cleaning and maintenance, bike builds and customization (from conversions and vintage projects to upgrades), as well as bike fitting. The philosophy behind his shop is simple: expensive professional bikes deserve professional care. In the end, it’s Oliver’s experience, personalized advice, and the feeling that you’re genuinely putting your bike in the hands of a professional that make all the difference. So, if your bike is due for a check-up, stop by Oliver’s workshop in Pankow. And while you’re already at Heynhöfe, there’s coffee and a few tapas right next door!
Text: Johann Busch / Photos: Aditya Christian
Grabowski Pro Radsport, Heynstr.15, 13187 Berlin–Pankow; map
@grabowskiproradsport
