Interview with Ronnie Miltenburg

Distributor in the spotlight: MERIDA Benelux

As part of our 'Distributor Spotlight' series, we interview MERIDA employees from the national distributors to get their unique perspective on the brand, find out what type of cyclists they are and why they love working for MERIDA. The first distributorship we visited was MERIDA BENELUX (which includes the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark) at their unique location of the EXPERIENCE CENTER in Apeldoorn. Our first interview was with the general manager Peter Koperdraad (the full story here), who took us through the history of the MERIDA brand in their areas, followed by an extensive conversation with Andrea Lodder, an enthusiastic gravel lover from the marketing team, and followed by an interview with her boss Bart Oosting, the marketing manager who deals with multiple sports and has been standing next to Peter for a number of years. As the final chapter in our MERIDA BENELUX story, we spoke to Ronnie Miltenburg, a technical man who loves a challenge, likes to understand how things work and describes himself as a real 'jack of all trades'

What does a typical working day look like for you?

The most important thing is that I start my day with a cup of coffee with Eric Dekker, who works in the office. Then I check the emails and orders that need to be packed and sent and any warranty questions that came in the night before. We all have lunch together in the bar of the MERIDA EXPERIENCE CENTER, which is great for the atmosphere within the team and gives us all the chance to catch up on work and non-work related topics. During the day, I take calls from dealers, answer their technical questions and provide advice and support where needed. I end my day by making sure all orders are completed and shipped on time.

What is your favorite cycling discipline and how did you get into the sport?

My dad was a cyclist and thought I should try that too, so I started cycling when I was 8-9 years old. Then I switched to track cycling at the local velodrome and I also raced on the track in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany until I was 18. Cycling was then interrupted by a hernia, but that was also when I met my girlfriend and started drinking and partying, so I wasn't really interested in cycling anymore at that time either. Then we started a family and that took up all my time for the next 10 years.

When I started cycling again I wasn't attracted to roadcycling, but became interested in mountain biking, mainly because I can do it on my own (when I want to) and I think it's more fun than roadcycling. I especially like longer rides on the mtb and currently cycle twice a week for 3 hours (60-80 km) on local trails. The only thing that still resembles roadcycling is now an occasional evening ride on gravel or the road after work with Bart, Andrea and Aranka (from the marketing team here).

Do you have other hobbies besides two-wheelers?

My other hobby is everything with four wheels; I love working on cars. I'm a technical person, I'm trained as an electrician, so I love anything electrical or mechanical. I also like to build things; I am currently building an extension at home. I think my job and my hobbies are similar and I like both – I love any technical challenge. And if I don't know how something works, I find out and find out. I'm a dog with a bone when it comes to things like that, I like to bite into things.

You have many great cycling opportunities around the Experience Centre in Apeldoorn, and besides your own paths and roads, what are your favourite cycling locations?

There are mountain bike trails and routes throughout the Netherlands, but in the north and south you are usually only allowed to cycle on landscaped trails. Here in Apeldoorn we are lucky, because you can cycle everywhere and there is a lot of forest. My favorite route is near Hellendoorn, about an hour's drive. It's a bit hilly, so there's some climbing and there are endless singletracks and lots of jumps that I like to ride on.

What is your favorite bike of all time (that you've owned) and have you made any changes and modifications to it? If so, what were the benefits?

Well, I've always been a hardtail guy, but when the latest NINETY-SIX was launched, that changed! This bike has the perfect seating position and fantastic suspension. I still have a hardtail, but I don't use it as often anymore. The two adjustments I made to the standard bike are the removal of the dropper post, since you don't need it here in the Netherlands (a theme we noticed in the Benelux interviews!). I also changed the remote lockout button. Apart from these small details, the NINETY-SIX is really perfect for me!

What is your favorite MERIDA bike, both in general and from the current collection?

I would say the SILEX 8000, we have one in the showroom in the sand color. Not only is it a technically cool gravel bike, but in that color it is also a real eye-catcher and a feast for the eyes.

Do you have sports heroes?

That must be my father, because he is the one who made sure that I started cycling in the first place. This introduction to cycling has influenced the last 25 years of my working life and has been my hobby since childhood.

What advice do you have for your fellow cyclists? Especially if they are just starting out.

First, I always advise people to wear a helmet. Most people here in the Netherlands do not wear helmets when they go to work, with the exception of a few e-bikers, and often children do not wear helmets for that reason. I always made sure my kids wore helmets from the moment they first sat in a bike rack, even before they started riding their bikes.

In addition, I usually advise people with a MTB or road bike to switch to SPD shoes (click pedals) as soon as possible, because it helps with power transfer and can really give you a 'connected' feeling with the bike. But don't rush it, don't try it until you're ready and confident.

Finally, if people like to ride with low tire pressure on the mountain bike, I would recommend them to try tubeless. It can really improve the riding experience and make a huge difference in puncture protection.

Do you cycle to work?

Yes, I do, but I'm actually ashamed to say that I do that on an e-bike, and I only live 2 km away!

What do you like most about working at MERIDA Benelux?

The team is very nice; We are all different, but it is always fun and there is a good atmosphere. Yesterday was my son's birthday and because of the extension I'm building at home, our garden is a mess, which meant we couldn't throw a party for him at home. So Peter let me use the café/bar area here to throw a party for him and we had a BBQ outside which was great, you don't get that in many workplaces!

Finally

The MERIDA EXPERIENCE CENTER is truly unique and quirky, both in terms of the building itself and the overall 'experience' it offers to everyone who visits it. All the employees we met and interviewed really love working there and go to work every day with a big smile on their faces. There was no sign of 'Monday-morning-blues'! The ethos is one of fun and pride in the MERIDA brand, and this is reflected in everything they do.