About us
To start from the beginning, we have to go back to 2004. We met Christoph Sauser for the first time in Les Getz, at the MTB World Championships. We invited him to Estonia and in 2005 he came to Tallinn for the first time. We spent some time together, competed together in Finland (at the Finlandia race) and organised a demonstration training with fans in Kõrvemaa. And since then we have kept in touch.
The next time we hosted him was in 2010. It was of course a great honour for us to have such a top class cyclist (4 World Championship titles, 5 ABSA Cape Epic overall wins, 2 Word Cup overall wins, etc.) visit us. During the second visit, Sauser also took part in two races here, the XCO race in Nõmme and the Kalevipoja marathon. Obviously he won both of them.
And that was that. Chatting over a post-race soup, he suddenly said we should have a Specialized Concept store in Estonia. We didn't think much more about it at the time, but the idea germinated in the back of my mind. After a while we called Sauser and said we would take it up. The rest is history, as they say.
We, Sulev and Erki, have been cyclists for a long time - Sulev organising various bike races and managing the club, and Erki riding professionally and working as a bike shop and mechanic. All the essential elements had come together. Many thanks to Susi for the idea, to Specialized for the support. In 2011 we started with the Specialized Concept Store in Tallinn and in 2013 we expanded to Tartu as the Specialized Elite Store.
Update 2021: today we have 13 (!) seasons behind us. We have grown on average 15-25% per year and are now big enough to say that the small business that started "knee-deep" has grown into a sustainable business, but in reality we are and want to stay small. We don't compete with the larger combine-bike-trade chains today, and we never will. We want to be flexible, we want to have the time to deal with our riders in depth, we want the custom projects we do together to be special and as much fun for us as they are for you. Just like it's Specialized's strategy. You won't find Specialized bikes anywhere in the sports sections of the world's supermarkets collecting dust at big discounts....
We also want to have time to service the bikes we sell (and not just the ones we sell). Professional bike maintenance in Tallinn and Tartu has been open for as long as we have existed.
Selling and servicing bikes is at least as important as VO2 Cyclab, BGFit.
We also want to help - our sponsorship policy is all about young and talented riders, and we are happy to partner with them. Markus Pajur, who started working with us in depth at the age of 14, is now a professional cyclist.
In addition to Specialized, Pashley has also won our hearts. From January 2019, we want to share with you this 100% authentic and true British bike company with a huge tradition. Their tradition dates back to 1926 and handbuilt in the UK they still are. We visited their factory and made sure.
Maybe to sum up: WE WANT TO BE THE SMARTEST BIKE SHOP IN THE COUNTRY!
Sulev Lipp
was born in Tallinn in 1975. Graduated from Nõmme Gymnasium and Tallinn University (BA - 1999). From 1995-2004 worked in advertising and marketing (Ogilvy & Mather, Saatchi & Saatchi); participated in the founding of A Le Coq, was for several years project manager for EMT, Procter & Gamble, Toyota etc. brands in Estonia and the Baltics). Been Marketing Manager for Tetra Pak Estonia (had the pleasure to be part of the creation of Aura juices); CEO of Status Club + BodyZone sports clubs; Division Manager of Horizon Kehra paper mill and member of the board of Qualitex, a fabric mill.
In 2011, at the suggestion of MTB cycling legend Christoph Sauser, he made a U-turn and together with Erki Kukk they set up a Specialized Concept Store in Rocca al Mare, Tallinn. In 2013 they expanded to Tartu and opened the Specialized Elite Store.
He has been actively cycling since 1997, when the Baltic Cup XCO series was established. He has never defined himself as an athlete, although his seasonal mileage has reached up to 15,000 kilometres in some periods and he has raced in the USA and South Africa (including the ABSA Cape Epic 2016). Rather, Sulev has always been in the organising, the managing. Founding member of the Pro Cyclists Club and the Estonian Cup mountain biking series, co-organiser and chief organiser of the EOS Tallinn GP (pro group race 2000-2006) and chief organiser of several XCO Estonian Championships. Since November 2016 member of the board of the Estonian Cyclists' Union (responsible for MTB).
Bikes currently in use: S-Works Epic EVO, S-Works Tarmac SL8, Diverge.
Erki Kukk
was born in 1972, in Pärnu. His family background in sports gave him the necessary genes and interest in various sports. From the first grade until the end of high school, he lived in Tallinn. He was involved in athletics, in which he was successful (thanks to Asta and Jüri Jänese; Aleksander Tsikin). He then spent some time abroad, studying shipbuilding and automotive engineering. In addition, he played basketball and football at a respectable level.
He moved back to Pärnu in 2001, and that is where his cycling started. Started riding Trek bikes in Rademar (thanks Martin Juksar).
Despite a late start in the cycling scene he was already quite good and quite soon he was invited to the Pro Cyclists Club (thanks Allar Tõnissaar and friend and companion Sulev Lipp). For Erki, it became clear that this was the most interesting sport in the world, and he particularly liked the technically challenging and difficult tracks.
By now, I have accumulated a lot of races and a lot of race wins. Cycling has led him to travel the world, with perhaps the most exciting memory being 2016. Absa Cape Epic MTB tour in South Africa. Erki has been working for Shimano for 8 years and since 2011, together with Sulev Lipu, he founded and managed the Specialized Concept Store in Tallinn and the Specialized Elite Store in Tartu. The time spent in the bike saddle has brought very interesting and cool people into his life and as Erki himself says, "made me a better guy myself!". A big, big thank you!
Bikes currently in use: S-Works Epic, S-Works Tarmac SL8, Crux Expert, Fatboy Comp Carbon.
Kristjan Randma
was born in Tartu in 1986. Graduated from Forselius Gymnasium, studied Economics and Entrepreneurship at the EEC. Worked in bicycle companies Silja Sport and Rattaring - the latter of which gave him excellent experience and skills. Currently manager of the Specialized Elite Store bike shop in Tartu.
Cyclist since the age of 14, when he started training at Tartu Tamme Cycling Club. Moved on to the junior age group under the guidance of Jüri Kalmus at the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club. Won Estonian championship medals in various disciplines (MTB, MNT, trekking) in the youth age groups. In 2007 he rode for the French amateur team UCD NORD 87. At the same time, the then still amateur men, Rein Taaramäe and Kangert, were doing manly deeds! Unfortunately, the 2007 season ended in the autumn with a bad crash and a serious injury, and the following season was missed.
The love of cycling, however, did not disappear. Back in Estonia, work and hobby became one. Randma became an active amateur athlete and can currently be found on the start line of all kinds of mountain bike marathons.
Bikes currently in use: S-Works Tarmac ja S-Works Epic.
Karmen Reinpõld
was born in 1981, in Tallinn. He graduated from Tallinn University of Technology as an engineer, Tallinn University as a physical education teacher and if all goes well, he should soon have a master's degree from the University of Tartu - as a sports manager-coach. However, he had been working in the computer world until one fine May day when he decided to make a U-turn and move into the world of sports.
A cyclist since 2010, he can't do a single thing half-heartedly and without commitment, so once in the door of the cycling world, the door was locked and the key thrown away - here he is to stay. Selling his finger, his hand and his soul to the MTB team, in spite of himself or because of it:
A lone wolf, an introvert, a do-it-yourselfer whose watchwords are work-work-work.
Bikes currently in use: Scott Plasma Premium, Scott Contessa CR1 Team, Zoulou Cooma 26’’ (winterbike).
Anneliis Puu
was born in 1986, in Muhu. Graduated from Orissaare Gymnasium and Tallinn University, specialising in vocational education for girls.
Started cycling in 2015.
Anneliis just loves cycling. She loves to take her bike and ride in different places that are not yet discovered and visited. Enjoying longer rides where there is no rush, enjoying the weather and exciting forest roads....
No notable results in competitive cycling yet, but have actively participated in mountain bike marathons and races in Estonia (Estonian Cup, Bosh Estonian Mountain Bike Series, Škoda MTB Wednesdays, etc.) and have had a few modest victories in women's competition.
She joined the Specialized Concept and Elite Store team on 01 April 2020.
Bikes currently in use: Fatboy Expert, Epic Expert, Diverge
Hanno Abras
was born in 1992, in Tartu. Graduated from Ülenurme Gymnasium and Tartu Vocational Training Centre, specialising in cookery.
Started cycling in 2018.
In 2019, went on his first mountain bike marathon with a friend and has already participated in ten marathons as an amateur. What I like about cycling is that you can discover lots of new and exciting places, you just take a direction and see what the road brings you.
Joining the Specialized Concept and Elite Store team 01. March 2022.
Bikes currently in use: Scott Scale 930.
