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Want to See Who’s Behind 41? You’ve Come to the Right Place.
CEO & Founder
Robin Schmitt
Robin is one of the two founders of 41 Publishing, a visionary and go-getter. While he now enjoys every second on the bike – whenever his busy schedule allows – he used to race against the clock at enduro events and a few Downhill World Cups. Besides that, Robin practises kung fu and Zen meditation, plays the cello or with his dog (which actually belongs to his girlfriend), travels abroad and still reviews numerous bikes himself. Progressive ideas, new projects and major challenges – Robin loves exploring undiscovered potential and getting to the bottom of new trends.
Art Director
Julian Lemme
Julian has already explored the Pacific in the company of sharks, come face to face with his fear of heights in the Himalayas, sat in Uruguay's oldest prison and found the answer to world peace in the Brazilian rainforest. This globetrotter has travelled halfway around the world while doing the layouts for our magazines. Today, he's almost settled down, living with his dog Bonnie in sunny Lisbon to ride, surf and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle. As art director, the awesome style and layouts that distinguish our magazines are all thanks to him.
Editor
Jan Richter
After graduating and trying out life as an IT consultant, Jan had a nagging feeling that he’d be better off applying himself to something that he really cares about: Two wheels, tech, and taking great photos. No stranger to cycling, Jan does all sorts with bikes, including party pacing on slick tyres, bikepacking around Europe, commuting, shredding on his MTB or gravel bike, and tinkering for hours in the workshop. Whatever you ask, he’ll say ‘I’m in’ – unless, of course, he’s out looking for the perfect light, busy scuba diving, or nerding out over the perfect hardware or software to get the result he wants. If you bump into Jan, he’ll probably be on his bike with a camera and a big smile.
Junior Editor
Jan Fock
Jan is fast. Really fast. So fast, he shows up on Strava long before he shows up at the office door. Born in Hamburg, Jan studied political science in Passau, and he’s just wrapped up his bachelor’s degree, along with pretty much every KOM within a 50 km radius of HQ. All before his first coffee. Whether it’s road or gravel, Jan lives for drop bars. His obsession with skinny tires doesn’t just make him a key part of the GRAN FONDO crew; he’s also our in-house encyclopaedia of Tour de France facts. (Spoiler: He knows not just every winner of the past 20 years, but also every runner-up.) He used to be behind the espresso machine, but now he uses his creative energy to tell stories rather than make latte art. As an ex-barista, he keeps the DOWNTOWN team fueled with stories and caffeine. Also? He’s just as comfortable behind the camera as in front of it. And yes, he has a sense of humour – he wouldn’t have survived long with us otherwise.
Junior Editor
Lars Engmann
Lars caught the bike bug early – racing downhill as a teen and filming his rides with the same energy he brought to the trails. Later, he swapped two wheels for four, working as an engineer measuring rolling resistance to optimize fuel consumption and range. Now he’s back where he belongs: outdoors, chasing elevation and testing gear for E-MOUNTAINBIKE with brains, passion, and a whole lot of data. With a degree in technical communication, Lars bridges the gap between the worlds of engineering and media like a pro. Off duty? Still a full-blown tech nerd. Whether he’s shaving grams off his bike as a proud weight weenie, or squeezing out every drop of fuel efficiency from his car, Lars is all about the fine-tuning.
Media designer
Tim Eckermann
Tim grew up in an environment where quality wasn’t a buzzword – it was the baseline. Raised in the family-run world of digital printing, later sharpened by experience at a digital agency and behind the camera, he learned early on that precision and a trained eye for detail make all the difference.
As part of the graphic design team at 41 Publishing, Tim brings that mindset to every project where layout, visual language, and technical execution collide. Clean lines. Clear concepts. Zero compromises. His path to biking came comparatively late – at 25. But once he clipped in, he went all in. For the past eight years, Tim’s been hooked on MTB life, preferably on long enduro rides with his eMTB or full-send bike park days that end more with the sunset than with the clock. His athletic goal? Crystal clear: Top 10 on the home trails on Strava. Ambitious? Sure. Unrealistic? Not a chance.
CEO & Founder
Max Schmitt
Max is all about the business side of things, developing strategies and the company vision with a keen eye for what matters most. Together with his brother Robin, he is one of the founders of 41 Publishing and its magazines. While the rest of the team just spends money, Max makes sure that some comes back in. Even though he isn't involved as an editor himself, he still rides his bike as often as he can and is the first to invite others on a lunch ride.
Kontakt: mpschmitt@41publishing.com
Advertisment Manager, Team Assistant
Susanne Feddersen
With her background as a copywriter and conceptual designer at renowned advertising agencies, head of the Stuttgart copywriting school and former product marketing manager at Ferrero, it’s clear that Susanne’s passion is for writing copy, conceptual design and communication. Susanne also loves organisation and planning. No matter the hustle and bustle she's got her eye on the ball, primarily supporting our management team in implementing numerous projects and coordinating marketing campaigns. Susanne is a long-time mountain biker and, along with her entire family, has recently caught the ebike bug!
Kontakt: sfeddersen@41publishing.com
Editor
Benedikt Schmidt
Fresh out of high school, Benedikt landed at 41 Publishing’s editorial desk – not drifting, but on a mission. And you can tell. Plenty of drive, serious discipline, and a sharp instinct for a good story. A true all-rounder. From Paris to Finale, Bene has supported productions for ENDURO, E-MOUNTAINBIKE, and DOWNTOWN. Whether it’s E-MTB, MTB, gravel, or road – he doesn’t just ride along, he sets the pace. No surprise he’s become our go-to E-MTB specialist. And then there’s the irony: family business with its own coffee roastery, an editorial team running on constant caffeine – except for Bene. Maybe that’s his secret to peak performance.
Editor
Jonny Grapentin
You know that friend who is annoyingly good at everything? Meet our Jonny-of-all-trades. Fixing bikes in his basement workshop? Yep. Testing the latest hot gear for DOWNTOWN and E-MOUNTAINBIKE? Absolutely. What he loves most, though, are people and their stories. With a bachelor’s degree in European Studies and a state exam in English and History, he feels at home in American literature just as much as in ancient Greece. When his two kids aren’t climbing all over him, he pours his energy into developing the kids’ section of our publishing house. Before joining 41 Publishing, he helped drive digital transformation in education – among other things as author and publisher of Germany’s first digital schoolbook. Today, he’d rather trade the office chair for a saddle.
Trainee
Jan Pätzold
Jan (mostly called JP in the editorial team) is the youngest gun in the bunch at just 20. Right after finishing school, he jumped straight into the action, bringing a fresh breeze and a serious racing background with over 200 cross-country events under his belt. Enduro bikes, e-MTBs, aero road bikes – if it’s got two wheels and speed, he’s in. Whether out on shoots or in the office, he not only spreads good vibes, but also keeps the team’s sugar levels dangerously high. In front of the camera, he’s already gained a reputation: his cover shots regularly spark debates, applause, and wide eyes. On top of that, he keeps 41’s Insta presence fresh, fast, and dialled into the scene. In short: JP goes full throttle – on the trail, in the office, and when restocking the snack drawer.
Commissioner
Manfred Schmitt
As the proud father of Robin and Max-Philip, Manne has been there from the start and is the wise elder of the editorial team. He won his first cycling race in elementary school at a school sports day. After less successful attempts at football, he found his passion for cycling via endurance racing in 1989! The world of racing still consumes him and no one in the team knows the EWS pros better than Manne. As a former head analyst of a state agency, he knows how to do proper research and finds exclusive news that no one else has. He supports his sons in day-to-day business dealings as the authorised signatory for 41 Publishing – viva la familia!
Editor-in-chief ENDURO
Peter Walker
As editor-in-chief of ENDURO, Peter is far more than just a man of words. With a background in motocross, several EWS race plates to his name, and over 150 days at Whistler Bike Park, neither complex tech nor the steepest trail can faze him. Gravel? Road bike? He’s got that covered too.
When it comes to buyer’s advice, Peter cut his teeth at Vancouver’s oldest bike shop, building his expertise from the ground up. Today, he channels that razor-sharp know-how straight into our tests. If he’s not tearing apart Stuttgart’s home trails on the latest bikes, he’s living the vanlife dream in his self-converted VW T5. And if things ever do get sketchy, he keeps his cool. As a trained paramedic, “Sani Peter” is ready for action – though thankfully, we’ve never had to call him in. Let’s hope it stays that way.
Communication Specialist
Felicia Nastal
Felicia spent many years teaching German and English at a secondary school – with passion and energy. But her heart was always set on biking, camping, and the art of savoir vivre. So she left the classroom behind and chose adventure instead. Since then, she’s been writing about the good life on and off the bike, has evolved into DOWNTOWN’s go-to expert for rooftop tents and coffee, and uses her SEO and GEO skills to shape the communicative presence of the 41 magazines. Always with flow, an eye for detail, and a sharp instinct for the right words. Her sporting home turf: the MTB trails and gravel roads around Stuttgart, which she regularly reclaims in pursuit of QOMs – alongside her bike-loving family.
Junior Editor
Robin Ulbrich
Robin has worked for two of the world’s biggest car brands, stitching seats, upholstering dashboards and running sewing machines at full throttle. But after his master craftsman degree, he didn’t climb the corporate ladder. Instead, he jumped on his bike and hit the trails. Why? Because for him, true power doesn’t sit under the hood – it comes from within yourself, and you use it to turn the pedals. Oh, and he’s got a wicked sense of humour too. For Robin, tech always comes with a smile. These days, he’s testing anything with two wheels for E-MOUNTAINBIKE and DOWNTOWN, from fold-up city rides to full-suspension trail beasts, and he’s hungry for more. Not just soul food, but anything that adds ease to everyday life and flavour to the ride.
Junior Video Editor
Kevin Homeister
Kevin left his career as a product manager behind to follow his gut, long before joining 41 Publishing. Goodbye rat race: hello purpose, self-realisation, and most importantly happiness. He traded his office desk for the Norwegian outdoors, working as a trail builder and shuttle driver in Nesbyen. That move laid the foundation for other jobs connected to mountain biking, sparking his love for adventure. Through an internship at 41 Publishing, he turned another passion into a profession: filmmaking – something which is fast becoming a new pillar of the 41 operation. His main driving force? Creating good vibes. And that’s no accident – he picks up on vibes faster than a seismograph, and gently guides every crew into the comfort zone. Oh, and his sense of humour is on point, if a little borderline sometimes…
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