In January 2026, gravgrav became a formal non-profit association. A group of us gathered for a cycling and working weekend and, between rides, route checks, and long conversations over coffee (and beer), finalized a statute and formed the association's first executive board. It wasn't a dramatic moment. It felt more like putting a name to something that had already been happening for a while.
That something is the gravgrav Collective.
Gravgrav started as an idea: a community-run platform for gravel riding and bikepacking, built by the people who actually ride. Over time, that platform became something larger than any of us had individually planned. Riders mapped routes. People shared local knowledge. Others tested gear, wrote stories, organized social rides, volunteered at races, built newsletters. And out of all that, a community formed. Not because anyone designed it that way, but simply because the right people showed up.
Think of it like your local cycling club: all the enthusiasm, the passionate ideas, the slightly chaotic group chats, but scaled across Europe.
What you've seen on gravgrav.cc has always been the result of collective effort. Becoming a non-profit association is not a change in direction. It's the formalization of what we already are.
Why this matters
As the community has grown, so has the complexity behind it. Routes need maintenance, events need coordination and the platform needs infrastructure. What once worked through informal enthusiasm becomes genuinely difficult to manage as the project grows.
A formal structure is what allows responsibilities to be shared clearly, decisions to be made collectively, and projects to be sustained beyond the energy of any single person. It also makes gravgrav legible to the outside world: to partners, to institutions, to anyone who wants to collaborate or contribute in a meaningful way.
The financial side follows from that. Under a non-profit structure, all incoming funds are legally bound to serve one purpose: the mission. That means membership fees, partnerships, and any grants go toward route documentation, platform infrastructure, events, tools, and insurance. There are no owners, no investors, no profit extraction. Whatever comes in goes back into the work.
It also means gravgrav can start compensating contributors fairly over time. Passion builds things, but it shouldn't have to sustain them indefinitely on its own.
Membership: being part of it, not just using it
Joining gravgrav as a member isn't a subscription. It's participation in something collectively owned.
In practical terms, the most immediate benefit is access to gravgrav events before they open to the public. Events like Loose at the Coast or Loose in the Woods typically fill within hours of opening: members get in first. Beyond that, members get event discounts, industry perks, access to the extended route library, and early access to new content.
The rest goes deeper. Members have voting rights, the ability to propose routes and events, and a direct line into how gravgrav develops. Working groups are open. Ideas can be brought forward and realized with the full backing of the organization.
Community funding is also what keeps the content ad-free and the platform independent. That independence is worth protecting.
Who we're looking for
Gravgrav is a collective in formation, not a closed circle. There are two ways to be part of it.
Some people join simply to support what gravgrav is and to get access to events, routes, and a community of like-minded riders. That matters too. A sustainable platform needs people who believe in it, not just people who build it.
Others want to contribute more actively. There's space for route creators and local experts, event organizers, writers, designers, developers, and community builders. If you have skills, experience, or simply the motivation, there's something here for you.
If you believe in rider-led structures, shared ownership, and a cycling culture worth sustaining, gravgrav is your place.
Become a member, whether you're here to shape it, or simply be a part of it.
