Behind the brand: Til Papendorf, Industrial Designer

If you're ever wondered who the people are that help to create the bikes we make, our ongoing series lets you know a bit more about the people working behind the scenes at MERIDA and what makes them tick. This time, it's someone who quite literally helps shape our bikes; industrial designer Til Papendorf.

Til helps to shape our bikes and some of the components fitted to them, thanks to his skills in 3D design. His work has a special focus on shaping our carbon-framed bikes so they are strong, functional and also aesthetically pleasing, but he also helps to create renderings and animations so we can visualise how our bikes will look and function before they exist in the real world.

While he's busy creating some of the most beautiful bikes we offer, Til gets his job satisfaction from the pleasure of a job well done, saying that what he enjoys most about his job is: "the development and design of high-quality products that are fun for the customer. Something the user forms a relationship with, a product to be proud of."

He also enjoys the simple pleasure to be found in the cycling world too, using his bike as a tool as well as for pleasure. 

"For me personally, the bicycle primarily replaces the car in everyday life. I cycle to friends and family, to the skate park, to sports or to do the weekly shopping. But I also like to take a relaxed ride through the fields. Or riding simple trails through the forest with colleagues."

Of course, while he's often riding his SPEEDER city bike, his job also allows him the luxury of access to bicycles not available to the general public, such as his custom colour sample SILEX - something he knew he had to have as soon as he saw it.

"The green-transparent paint with a view of the carbon immediately appealed to me and I secured the frame for myself. Around Christmas I built the bike with components, mainly taking weight and color/style into account. The bike is still waiting for its first real ride - I'm a fair-weather rider! It is planned that this tour goes towards the Harz, a highland area in northern Germany near my hometown."

There are also adventures further afield planned, with a dream trip being to New Zealand. 

"I hope I'll be able to travel there again soon and, in addition to hiking and surfing, explore the mountains of the Southern Alps around Wanaka and Queenstown by mountain bike - preferably with a bike I've designed."

To keep up with his adventures, you can follow him on Instagram here.