When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 the Iron Curtain ceased to exist and Soviet control over a large part of Europe dissolved. More than 25 years later and some areas are still fighting to recover with deep pshycological scars still apparent.

Podia has teamed up with Czech framemaker Festka to put together a group of riders who were interested in exploring these parts of Europe. They weren’t just interested in finding the perfect roads, but what the scars of the past mean for the future.

This is Journey #02. Kranjska Gora in Slovenia

Our journeys will be hard, both physically and mentally. The paths we follow might not be the most conventional to take on a road bike, but we hope to show that with a strong spirit of adventure and a bit of determination; anything is possible.

But this isn’t a story of suffering. This is about friends discovering parts of their own continent and the history that goes with it. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad.

Our travels by bike and the people we come across will be documented on this site through words, photography and film. You will find each trip in the ‘Journeys’ section.

To make this project happen we rely on the help of good and very talented friends and the kind support of a selection of companies who share our ideals; Giro, ENVE, Chris King, Fabric andChallenge Tires.

pf.podia.cc