A story that only mountain biking can write: During the coronavirus pandemic, Simon Hanl helped to shape trails on the Wechsel in Lower Austria. "It was the time of lockdowns and any opportunity to do something outdoors was very welcome," recalls the 38-year-old. The so-called Wexl Trails have since developed into one of the best mountain bike spots in eastern Austria. At that time, the trail area was still in its infancy and shuttles were used to take bikers up the mountain. "One day we were told that the drag lift could be used for biking in the summer in future," says Hanl.

The trail shapers enjoyed a beer or two after work and discussed the use of the drag lift. Hanl pointed out that a T-bar hooked onto the seat post was probably not the ideal solution. Not everyone appreciated his critical objections and one colleague said to Hanl: "If you're so clever, then invent something better!" Hanl rode home and did just that. Laughing, he dug out the prototype of the Easyloop system, which now lies on the shelf behind his desk: "It's nothing more than a piece of garden hose and a vine string, which I happened to have in the cellar." Hanl's invention is as simple as it is ingenious: instead of the T-bar, a tow hook is mounted on the towbar, which is hooked onto the stem and pulls the bike and rider upwards.

Simply convert towbars to summer

The grapevine cord was turned into a tow claw, which is covered with a plastic cover so as not to leave any scratches on the bike. The whole thing is attached to a tow bar, which uses a connecting piece to replace the T-bar that hangs on the tow lift in winter. This means that a tow lift can be converted from winter to summer operation in just one or two hours. The Easyloop system's pull claw can be attached to Ahead or Direct Mount stems with just one hand movement. Reverse Components now even offers its own Easyloop adapter, which can be mounted on the stem instead of a spacer to attach the claw.

The advantage of the system is that it ensures centered alignment while riding by attaching it to the stem. In the event of a fall, the pull claw immediately unhooks itself. And it is certified for self-exiting. This means that when leaving the lift, the flat or slightly sloping terrain at the exit point ensures that the pull claw can be released from the stem effortlessly and with one hand. The youngest Easyloop users so far have been 5 years old, the oldest 75 years old, says Hanl.

Manufacturing with added social value

The Easyloop is manufactured 100 percent in Austria. Hanl has it manufactured at GW St. Pölten, one of the largest integrative companies in the country, where more than 70 percent of employees are people with disabilities. He himself continues to work from home as a one-man show. Although he plans to rent an office and hire employees in the future, his company sometimes works like this. And worldwide. The Easyloop system is already being used in 66 bike parks around the world and a further 197 have expressed an interest. Word of the T-bar lift solution has already spread as far as New Zealand.

Easyloop is TÜV Süd-certified and compatible with all T-bar lifts on the market. Hanl holds the patents for the solution, design and function. This is why industry leaders such as Leitner and Doppelmayr were quick to cooperate with him. In the first season on the Wechsel, the Easyloop T-bar lift transported 180,000 bikers up the mountain. In the Greenhill Bikepark in Germany, the system is working at its performance limit: there it overcomes a maximum gradient of 60 percent and manages 430,000 bikers per season. More is not possible - for the time being. Hanl is already working on a solution for a kind of double bar so that two bikers can be transported on one bar at the same time. In 2024, he has already expanded his portfolio and adapted the Easyloop for mountain carts, which can now also be towed with it. He has also come up with an additional source of income for his customers: the plastic covers of the towing claws can be sold and customized as advertising space.

Who invented it? Austrian with a Swiss connection

As a passionate biker, Hanl has set himself the goal of visiting every bike park he equips himself at some point - he is currently working with sales partners in various countries. "I hope that will work out in a lifetime," he laughs. Numerous Easyloops are already in use in Switzerland and Hanl has a special connection to them. From 2011 to 2015, the trained carpenter lived in Brunnen, where he worked for Clarus Films AG in the packaging industry. At the time, he would never have dreamed that he would one day become an inventor and global entrepreneur. 
 

Links to the topic:

• Homepage Easyloopsystem
• Wexl Trails