Fahrradladen Mehringhof

A Collective Business in the Second Courtyard

Gneisenaustraße 2a leads into the Mehringhof, and the bicycle shop is located in the second backyard, two doors further than one might initially expect. It started in 1979 as a collective, making it one of the oldest bicycle shops in the city; today, Sabine Schütze and Peter Stage run the business. Its location in the courtyard is no coincidence but fits the building: the Mehringhof has been a place for self-managed projects for decades, and the shop has built its own clientele in this environment. The philosophy is openly stated: quality is the premise, buying too cheaply is more expensive in the long run, and durable, preferably European-made products are preferred. Accordingly, the team takes time for purchase advice, offers test rides for pedelecs, and advises on batteries. This is complemented by physio counseling under the motto that the human is the engine, and for healthy cycling with a system. Anyone returning to cycling after years will therefore not only receive an offer here but also an assessment of what suits their own back.

Cargo Bikes, Workshop by Estimate, and Pickup Service

In sales, the Mehringhof bicycle shop focuses on transport: cargo bikes and child transport bikes are at the forefront, along with city bikes, touring bikes, pedelecs, folding bikes, and children’s bikes. They carry Christiania Bikes, Bakfiets, Urban Arrow, Nihola, chike, vanRaam, Utopia Velo, Maxcycles, Tern, and KUbikes; for electric cargo bikes, the shop indicates the eligibility for subsidies for several models. Zero-percent financing over six or twelve months is possible. In the workshop, everything operates on a cost estimate upon acceptance, a detailed invoice is provided upon pickup, and if the estimate is exceeded, the workshop calls beforehand. The business does not publish a price list. The major inspection, however, is precisely documented: frame and fork are measured, the headset is adjusted and greased, all screw connections are tightened with the prescribed torque. The shop is a Rohloff Service Partner, and bikes can be picked up and delivered via a partner service. Especially with a heavy cargo bike, this is more practical than pushing it across the district with a flat tire.