Helmut Equipement
A year or two ago I came across a picture on Instagram of some ridiculously good looking panniers, which immediately stood out from what I had seen so far. Most common bikepacking bags have the tendency to look, well … kind of a dull. These certainly didn’t and most of all they were made in Europe by a one-man company called Helmut Equipement. I checked out their Instagram and I was instantly hooked by the simple beauty of their colorful designs. Two years on and I decided to get in touch with Rodolphe the owner, to talk about cycling and bagmaking and the shape of things to come.
Hi Rodolphe can you introduce yourself ?
Hi, I am Rodolphe and I am the mastermind behind Helmut Equipement, which I started in 2017. I was trained and was working as an architect. After some years on the job however, I became professionally involved in mountainbiking . After my mountainbike career, I spend 4 years bikepacking and traveling around the world. When I returned I started to make bikepacking bags. I tried and made some for myself, than for a friend, another friend and yet antother friend. From there on Helmut Equipement actually took off.
How did you start cycling and what way has cycling shaped your life?
The bicycle has always been present in my life, since was a young boy. I have been a cyclist in a bunch of different disciplines for much of my life and I was a professional mountain bike downhill racer. Since 2010 I have been travelling with my wife on touring bikes equipped with tent, cooking ware and all the other things you need to take with you on big tours. Touring for me is a true philosophy, a state of mind, it’s my window on our world. And it is definitely the best way to stay young and to cherish our inner child , every day and everywhere.
You named your company after a cyclist you met on the road. Can you tell us a bit more about him and why was he so important to you?
We were in Iceland and after for 4 weeks of pedaling on the Island we came around the beautiful Fjord of Hvammstangi where we were hoping to see whales (ed: there’s even a whale in the Helmut logo). We looked for a place to sleep in that small town. And suddenly this thing happened, which was like a revelation for me. Prospecting the town we found came across a store. We entered the building and there was nobody there, hoping to find someone I opened another door in the store. Still nobody to be seen though, but… Bam there it was, … behind the door I found a sewing workshop and suddenly I had this idea!
And just after that happened, we met this old guy from Germany named Helmut. An old man, than 77 years old, travelling with his bicycle since 27 years. Every year he visits a couple of countries for 5 or 6 weeks by himself. During his yearly ramblings he had visited 53 countries so far, I thought that was absolutely impressive. Funny thing was that he told us that Iceland was for him not a really interesting place at all... This guy was so cool, riding his old Giant MTB with beat up old panniers. For me he was like the very definition of the adventure, so when I started my own workshop there was no doubt that it would be named after him.
How and why did you get involved with bag-making?
In 2015 for I left for an adventure in Nepal with a friend. For that trip I needed mountainbike bikepacking equipment and as Vaude was my official partnership it was impossible to ride with any other existing brand. So than I just made my first real “bikepacking” handlebar bag and a saddle bag. Since I was a kid I had been using sewing machines so I knew how to get started on this. The result turned out perfect, I could easily ride fast without the bags rattling around and, boy they were strong! That same friend who went on this trip with me started " Jolie Rouge Cycles . We started kind of at the same time, he started welding frames and I started sewing bikepacking bags.
How important is the use of sustainable fabrics to you?
This is actually a really interesting question. What is a sustainable fabric today ? You can find fabric from Asia, the United States or Europe, all of it certified. Some fabrics produced in France are also really good, they have good a warranty , they are UV-proof, waterproof, Ecocertificated, in this case it would be hard to neglect, so we really like to use those.
X-pac for example, a very technical material, is more difficult to find here in France. And I admit I don't know in which conditions these fabrics are made. So should we offer products with only local materials? Will people buy that? It’s a complex issue with a lot of questions you can ask yourself. For example, when you live in France, is it good to buy a Fair trade product from China or Mexico, or would you rather buy the same product that is local and handmade? To be honest, I don't have all the answers on those questions. I just try to craft quality products that are handmade and I'm working with a lot of local companies. I'm trying to use as much local products and fabrics as I can, but it is not always possible (yet).
Why should people buy a Helmut Equipment bag?
Well first of all, they are really cool right? A lot of our users are happy to use our gear every day and in all situations, commuting or for the Transcontinental Race, you name it. It looks like our products do a good job in either situation!
I also think that more and more people are appreciating craftsmanship and quality work. We are accessible and easy to talk to, so we can customize the gear you order from us. I think a lot of people like our unique designs and our approach. That also leads us back towards the previous question, the local, the sustainable, the hand-made, … that’s part of our identity and why people choose to buy from us.
How has Covid-19 affected your business? Have you been experiencing the same post-Covid-cycling boom too?
For me there is a before and an after Covid-19. Before Covid, I was still working alone, so it was easy for me to run my business. During the first moths of the Covid crisis orders skyrocketed so I had to hire people. With all the orders we got in, we will run the workshop for the next months with 2 people.
As we are working with as many local companies as possible, we did not encounter many problems with our suppliers. We were always able to equip ourselves with equipment and tools. Covid-19 showed us so far, that being dependent on products purchased at the other side of the world causes problems. So i'm really happy to work together with local folks. I just hope 2021 will be a better year fo everyone. So... keep calm and wait 'n see, right?
What’s next for Helmut Equipment?
I'm looking at 2021 as an important year. As I am working with 2 people now, organizing things will be quite different. Our main goal however will always be to offer even better quality products.
You live in the Chambery area do you have any suggestions for bike-tours/ bikepacking trips in that area?
Well it’s the Alps, right? You can go everywhere. This whole place is just so amazing to ride and experience.
What destinations are on your list for your next adventures?
A lot! France, Slovenia, Romania... But what I really want to do is to return to Nepal. I want to show this fabulous country to my wife and my young boy.
Words: Philippe Michiels
Photos courtesey of Helmut Equipement