Chainreaction Bike Convoy: 1270 kilometre fundraising stage ride for Ukraine

The Bamberg:UA e.V. association has been involved in humanitarian aid projects for war-torn Ukraine, whose medical infrastructure has been particularly hard hit, since 2022. Bamberg:UA has already been able to hand over 30 ambulances, 40 evacuation buses and tonnes of medical supplies to areas close to the front line. Now three well-known and well-connected bikers in the scene have joined forces to support this organisation with a targeted cycling initiative:

The "Chainreaction Bike Convoy" campaign is aimed at all cyclists. The declared goal: to raise the money for the purchase of 10 used ambulances through crowdfunding and donations and to transport them to Lviv in western Ukraine in the summer with a large accompanying bike convoy. A total of 128,000 euros in donations are needed to purchase the ten used ambulances (including MOT, equipment, insurance and customs clearance).

"This humanitarian aid project is intended to show what our large cycling community is capable of when it sticks together," says Andi Lipp, owner of the bike marketing agency Tanne 9 and co-initiator of Chainreaction Bike Convoy.

The other two initiators of the project, Sebastian Herrmann and Sebastian Wilhelmi, are journalists and actively involved in the long-distance scene. They will also be organising the planned convoy of cyclists for the transfer of the ambulances and will of course be involved.

>> People & types - Stories from the bike scene

The big bike convoy: from Munich to Lviv

The route from Munich to the Polish-Ukrainian border near Przemysl covers 1270 kilometres and around 7000 metres in altitude. There will be two tour variants for the participants:

• Convoy tour with probably 6 stages, start: 5 July 2025 in Munich
• Official Brevet with time limitaccording to the rules of the Audax Club Parisien. In other words: Participants ride according to the GPS track, organise their own route, but must pass through checkpoints. Start: 8 July 2025

Both versions of the tour take place in randonneur or bikepacking mode. This means that participants ride at their own risk and responsibility. Catering, accommodation and return transfers to Munich must be organised by the participants themselves. The 10 donated ambulances will also serve as support and catering vehicles during the convoy tour.

Whether and, if so, how many cyclists will ultimately be able to cross the border to Lviv ultimately depends on the current situation in July 2025 and cannot yet be planned.

>> Background - what moves the cycling world

The rough schedule until the start of the convoy:

The crowdfunding campaign will run from December until spring 2025. In May 2025, the ambulances will be purchased and the tour finalised.

The donation address, the current status of the campaign and all information about the convoy tour can be found at: https://chainreaction-bikeconvoy.org/de/home/