Marcus Brenner

How I Got Here

My cycling origin story isn't particularly dramatic. In 2017, a friend convinced me to join him on a weekend ride along the Danube. I borrowed a bike, packed completely wrong, and spent two days in mild discomfort while falling completely in love with the experience. Something about the combination of physical effort, changing scenery, and forced simplicity clicked for me.

Since then, I've ridden most of the major routes in Austria and quite a few of the minor ones. Some multiple times - the Danube path alone I've done five times, and I'll probably do it again. Each trip teaches me something: about packing, about pacing, about the particular joy of arriving somewhere under your own power.

My Philosophy (Such As It Is)

I believe in honest assessments. When a climb is brutal, I'll say so. When a route is overcrowded, I'll mention it. The cycling media tends toward relentless positivity - everything is "stunning" and "unforgettable" and "must-do." Sometimes things are just okay. Sometimes the famous viewpoint is underwhelming. You deserve to know that before you commit to a week-long trip.

I also believe in going slow enough to actually experience where you are. My average pace is probably lower than most people's, and that's intentional. I stop for coffee. I take detours. I talk to people when they seem willing. The bike is transportation, but the point is the destination and everything in between.

The Bikes

Currently I ride a 2019 Koga WorldTraveller - a steel touring bike that handles loaded climbing better than my legs do. It's not the lightest or the fastest, but it's comfortable for long days and can carry whatever I throw at it. I've added a Brooks saddle (mandatory for touring, in my view), a Tubus rear rack, and Ortlieb panniers that have survived more rain than I care to remember.

For day rides and urban exploration, I have an older Cube Hyde - a practical flat-bar hybrid that lives in my building's bike room and gets used for everything from grocery runs to spontaneous rides along the Donaukanal.

What I Do When I'm Not Cycling

I work as a backend developer for a Vienna-based tech company - the kind of work that involves sitting at a desk staring at screens for most of the day, which is precisely why I need to be outside moving whenever possible. I read a lot (history, nature writing, the occasional trashy thriller). I cook reasonably well. I maintain a small balcony garden with herbs and tomatoes that varies between thriving and tragic depending on how much I'm traveling.

Why This Site Exists

Austria has incredible cycling infrastructure - some of the best in Europe - but good information in English is surprisingly scattered. Official tourism sites tend toward generic promotion. Forum threads get outdated. Guidebooks cost money and can't be updated when things change.

I wanted to create a resource I wish I'd had when I started: honest route descriptions, practical advice, and the kind of specific details that only come from actually doing the rides. No affiliate links, no sponsored content, no pressure to present everything positively. Just one person's experience, shared freely.

If anything I've written helps you plan a better trip, discover a route you didn't know existed, or avoid a mistake I've already made, then this project has done its job. And if you disagree with my assessments or have suggestions for routes I should try, I'd genuinely like to hear from you.