Skoda: It all began with the bike Slavia 🎥

At 18 kilograms, the Slavia is twice as heavy as a modern racing bike of the pros.

The cycling enthusiast from Prague, dares the seemingly impossible: He has faithfully recreated a Slavia bicycle from 1896 and plans to use it to compete against modern racing bikes and top amateur cyclists at L'Étape du Tour on July 21. The Slavia bike was the first product of the Laurin & Klement company, which later became Skoda Auto.

Challenge for amateurs and professionals
L'Étape du Tour is considered the greatest challenge for amateurs and professionals. Exactly six days before the pros, ambitious amateur cyclists tackle the 135-kilometer stage from Albertville to Val Thorens. They have to climb a total of 4563 meters in altitude and tackle three climbs: the Cormet de Roselend (1968 meters), the Côte de Longefoy (1190 meters) and the steep ramp to the finish in Val Thorens at 2365 meters.
How much greater would be the achievement of completing the stage with all its hardships on a bicycle designed more than 120 years ago.

First vehicle from Laurin and Klement
This refers to the Slavia - that bicycle that mechanic Václav Laurin and bookseller Václav Klement built in 1895 in their workshop in what was then the Kingdom of Bohemia. In 1899 they introduced the first motorcycle and in 1905 the first automobile of the Laurin & Klement brand. The merger of L&K with the automotive division of the Pilsen-based Skoda Works in 1925 was the next step on the road to the current brand.

Amazingly faithful replicas
Vladimír Vidim, a trained locksmith and now a construction designer, cannot imagine life without bicycles and therefore learned the art of bicycle manufacturing himself - from the first sketch to a fully functional bike. The 54-year-old lives out this passion in his workshop in Roztoky, north of Prague. He loves restoring classic bicycles or building amazingly faithful replicas. The Slavia is one of his most challenging projects to date.

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