Velogemel - Jungfrau Region

Velogemel

Content
1 This is how to toboggan in Grindelwald ..................................................................................... 2
2 The inventor – Christian Bühlmann (1872 – 1953) ..................................................................... 3
3 The Construction – the handmade Velogemel ........................................................................... 4
4 The World Championship – a special kind of sports ................................................................. 5
5 How to experience riding a Velogemel ........................................................................................ 6
6 Contact us ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 1

1 This is how to toboggan in Grindelwald
It is Grindelwald’s own way to toboggan – and this for 100 years already. Nowadays, this traditional
vehicle is still handmade and in February, around 200 participants fight to win the world championship
– everyone can take part.
In the past, the Velogemel was used for the daily business, nowadays, it is a sports vehicle for fun. In
Grindelwald, tobogganing is very popular and therefore, about 90 kilometers of toboggan runs are
available.
Abbildung 1: The postman on the Velogemel
Abbildung 2: Nowadays, the Velogemel is fun!
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 2

2 The inventor – Christian Bühlmann (1872 – 1953)
Christian Bühlmann was born in Beatenberg on August 5th 1872. As a child he
suffered from polio, leaving him slightly crippled. After school he attended a
class for woodcarving in Brienz. As his father ran a sawmill in Beatenberg,
Bühlmann was also at home in this trade. After his marriage he moved to
Wilderswil where he built his own house. At the same time he acquired a
sawmill between Wilderswil and Zweilütschinen. He ran this mill and created
various woodcarvings besides.
At the end of 1898 he moved with his family to Schwendi in Grindelwald. There he bought the old,
dilapidated sawmill and an old house. From then on Christian Bühlmann operated the sawmill in
Schwendi. In 1918 he lost his left hand in an accident at work.
In the 1950’s Rudolf Rubi, Bühlmann’s nephew and qualified carpenter, joined the business. He was
followed by his brother Werner, also a carpenter. On Christian Bühlmann’s death on 19 May 1953 the
Rubi brothers took over the sawmill and carpentry
The Patent Specification
On April 1st 1911 at 2 pm Christian Bühlmann, the carpenter from Grindelwald, entered the Patent
Office in Bern to apply for a patent for his bike-like, wooden sledge. The clerks probably thought it was
an April Fool’s joke, but Bühlmann was far from joking. He called his invention a «Steerable Sport Sled
with in-line Runners» in the patent specification.
Abbildung 3: Patent of 1911
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 3

3 The Construction – the handmade Velogemel
In the years 1910-1911 Bühlmann invented the bike-sledge.
Abbildung 4: Today, the Velogemel is still manufactured according to Bühlmann’s ingenious design.
He used ash for the frame and maple for the runners, handlebars and saddle. The carpenters in
Grindelwald still produce the Velogemels according to the plans, dated 1911. Today’s model is still
manufactured exclusively in the original carpentry called Rubi Holzbau + Sägerei AG according to
Bühlmann’s ingenious design.
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 4

4 The World Championship – a special kind of sports
The first World Championship was held as part of the «850 Years of Grindelwald» jubilee celebrations
in January 1996. Thanks to the participation of some Germans, Dutch, French and Japanese, the not
«deadly serious» race down the main road took on international dimensions. The title of World
Champion, however, was won supremely by Hänsel Brunner – not totally unexpected a local from
Grindelwald.
Abbildung 5: Participant of the Velogemel-WC
The World Championship is held every year and is an integral part of the winter calendar of events in
Grindelwald. Velogemel races take place regularly. The routes chosen are normally not just downhill
paths but also include flat stretches. It is in these flat sections that those good at the "scooter
technique" prove that the velogemel is a useful and energy-saving means of transport.
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 5

5 How to experience riding a Velogemel
About 90 kilometer of toboggan runs are available in the whole Jungfrau Region:
Toboggan Runs Jungfrau Region Length in km
Area Grindelwald-First
Faulhorn-Bussalp-Grindelwald (longest oft he World) 15.0
Bussalp-Grindelwald “City Run” 8.0
Bussalp-Weidli “Speedrun” 4.5
Bussalp-Rasthysi-Bort 6.0
Bussalp-Rasthysi-Lochsteinen 4.5
First-Bachalpsee-Waldspitz-Bort 8.0
First-Schreckfeld-Bort 4.5
Bort-Grindelwald (via Mühlebach) 6.0
Hotel Wetterhorn-Alpenvogelpark 3.0
Total 51.5
Area Kleine Scheidegg/Männlichen
Männlichen-Holenstein „Rita’s Speedway“ 7.0
Kleine Scheidegg-Wengen 7.0
Kleine Scheidegg-Alpiglen 5.0
Alpiglen-Brandegg „Eiger Run“ 3.0
Wengernalp-Allmend-Wengen „Fox Run“ 4.5
Brandegg-Sand (Grund) 2.5
Total 29.0
Area Mürren
Allmendhubel-Sonnnenberg-Bobrun-Mürren 3.0
Gimmeln-Mürren 3.0
Total 6.0
Area Lauterbrunnen-Isenfluh
Sulwald – Isenfluh (Forststrasse) 4.0
Sulwald – Isenfluh (Bergweg) 2.0
Isenfluh - Lauterbrunnen 3.0
Total 9.0
Total overall 95.5
Rent
Toboggans in every sports store in the Jungfrau Region for 10 – 15 Swiss Francs per day.
Velogemel at the train station of Grindelwald for 15 Swiss Francs per 24 hours.
Toboggan passes
Daypass Grindelwald-Männlichen: CHF 27.- for adults / CHF 11.- for children (6-15)
Daypass Grindelwald-First: CHF 44.- for adults / CHF 32.- for children (6-15)
Afternoon- and Eveningpass Grindelwald-Alpiglen: CHF 35.-
2-day-Tobogganpass Jungfrau Region: CHF 105.- for adults / CHF 53 for children (6-15)
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 6

6 Contact us
We are happy to help you with your inquiry: We will give you ideas for your work, help you make
interesting contacts or look after you locally. We look forward to hearing from you!
Jungfrau Region Marketing AG
Reto Ganz, Head of PR/Media
Tel: +41 33 854 12 52
reto.ganz@jungfrauregion.ch
Are you planning a press trip to the Jungfrau Region? To enable us to give you professional help we
kindly ask you to give us at least seven days notice and provide us with the following information:
The exact topic of your inquiry
The date the article is expected to be published
Your address / the address of your employer
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Up-to-date press information and further documentation can be found at the www.jungfrauregion.ch
website under the heading Services/Media.
Jungfrau Region / Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen
PR, Postfach 131, 3818 Grindelwald, Switzerland, Telefon: +41 33 854 12 40, Telefax: +41 33 854 12 41
info@jungfrauregion.ch, www.jungfrauregion.ch 7