Written by Robert Thorpe
The History of Wolfi’s
Twenty years ago, Dubai wasn't even half as big as today, and a limited number of people were riding bikes back then. This didn't keep Wolfgang Hohmann from coming to Dubai and opening the first 'real' bicycle store in the Emirate. He saw the opportunities that lay ahead, and stuck to his ideas, opening the showroom and workshop at the end of the summer of 2002. Based on Sheikh Zayed Road, one of the main roads in Dubai, it was a perfect location to capture what would soon be a growing group of cyclists, both ex-pats and locals.
Soon after the store opening, Wolfi's joined a small group of cyclists, forming a cycling club named the ‘Dubai Roadsters’. In those early days, only a handful of road cyclists knew of Wolfi's store. However, this small shop, filled with some of the best European Bicycle brands and a very high level of awareness for customer experience, soon began to grow in its reputation for excellence and service to the developing cycle community in Dubai. With a passion for cycling, the drive to advocate the sport, and being surrounded by the right products, Wolfi's managed to grow the cycling scene year by year, soon becoming the ‘Goto’ place for cycling in the region.
Developing in Harmony with the Region
Thanks to the vision of the UAE Rulers, the cycling scene in the United Arab Emirates took a steep and fast flight, creating the birth of the cycling culture that we see today. Starting with the creation of some significant cycling facilities, and later organising international races, and last but not least, the creation of the UAE Team Emirates, a World Tour level team that comprised some of the best riders in the world.
Now, Dubai has developed as a cycling nation, with its road cycling on the hundreds of kilometres of cycling tracks, adventurous mountain biking in the rocky hills of Hatta, or the mountain bike track in Mushrif Park - the biking is varied and fun, with superb facilities. And, if you like gravel biking, then it’s sensational riding through the desert over endless gravel roads. Cycling has grown so much that it's become one of the country's leading sports activities.
Lake Cycling Shoes at Wolfi’s
At the heart of this Dubai cycling boom has been Wolfi's, sharing in the growth and popularity for cycling. During this period, Wolfi's partnered up with us here Lake Cycling Shoes, looking to provide the best possible cycling shoes for the high demands of its UAE customers, where premium quality is always high in the list. Thankfully, that’s also at the heart of our company here at Lake Cycling, and along with our commitment to shoe fitting, were the primary reasons to start the partnership between Wolfi's and our team here at Lake Cycling.
Now, all those years later, Lake has grown to become one of Wolfi's best-selling shoe brands, with the CX332 and the CX218 being high in the list of top performing shoe choices for the discerning and knowledgeable cyclists of the UAE. Lake's success in the Emirates is not only due to the materials, it goes far deeper. With a sizing in length, volume and width, Lake can adapt to the anatomy of the local feet, and the wide range of nationalities that reside in the country. Combine this with a close relationship and yearly training in shoe fitting, and you have an excellent recipe for providing the best cycling experience to every cyclist that walks into the store at Wolfi’s.
Celebrating 20 years in Dubai
This year Wolfi's is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Wolfi's Store and the Wolf Gang, the name of the Wolfi's staff. Wolfi's has created an anniversary collection, with limited edition products, where the store has partnered up with some of the leading brands in the cycling industry, including Lake Cycling. We’ve been given the honour of making a limited edition, black and yellow CX332 Road Cycling shoe, using the customized shoe programme at Lake.
The full range of Lake shoes are available in all of Wolfi's stores in the United Arab Emirates, and have already found the feet of many Middle East based cyclists. Here at Lake, we’ve proven yet again, that we’re on the right track regarding quality and performance for cyclists everywhere, through the widespread global partnerships with our retailers. With Wolfi's on a mission to expand the sport of cycling in the rest of the Gulf region, bringing many of the world’s top brands to their customers, more cycling feet will hopefully discover the comfort and performance of Lake, and get wrapped in our special brand of cycling foot love from our vast range of road and off-road cycling shoes.
Performance, quality and comfort are import to the cycling community at Wolfi’s, and here at Lake it’s why we exist - to bring the best cycling shoes in the world to all cyclists, wherever you are.