Behind the scenes: VELLO VIA+ Tour photo shoot at Passo Giau
Sometimes the best images are not created in a studio, but exactly where a bike can show what it is made for. For our new VELLO VIA+ Tour, that place was Passo Giau in the Dolomites.
he VELLO team’s journey began by electric car in Vienna: four team members, four bikes – including a VELLO SUB cargo bike – on their way to Passo Giau in Italy.
Once in Italy, it was simple: unload the bikes, unfold them, and ride. That is one of the great advantages of the VELLO VIA+ Tour. It can be transported compactly, is ready to ride in no time, and still does not feel like a compromise.
From Cortina, the route with the VELLO bikes led steadily uphill. On a road like Passo Giau, with its bends, elevation gain, and spectacular scenery, it quickly becomes clear that the VIA+ Tour can do much more than just city riding.
The photos you now see of the VELLO VIA+ Tour were taken between hairpin bends, rock faces, and wide-open views.
Passo Giau is not the kind of place where you simply park a bike somewhere and hope it looks good. Everything there is in motion: road cyclists, bikes, wind, light, curves, gradients. That is exactly why we wanted to photograph the VIA+ Tour there. Not as a static object in front of a beautiful backdrop, but as a bike that rides, works, responds, and feels completely at home in that environment.
With the fi’zi anniversary event and the Giro Race bringing plenty of cycling atmosphere to the pass, the VELLO VIA+ had the perfect setting to show its strengths.
Our new folding e-bike was not just a photo model. It was part of a setup that shows quite well how versatile VELLO bikes can be — in everyday life and beyond.
For the dynamic shots, we did not use a support car. Instead, we used the VELLO SUB. Our photographer sat in the cargo bike during the ride and photographed the VIA+ Tour directly in motion. This allowed us to stay close, change perspectives, and create images that truly feel like riding — because that is exactly how they were made.
The SUB quickly became our photo vehicle. Camera, equipment, rider, photographer — everything on board. And yes, it works. The VELLO SUB does not just carry groceries, children, or cargo; it also carries adults with ease. For us, it was the perfect solution that day, allowing us to stay flexible and capture dynamic images on the mountain road without a large production vehicle.
That is what we like about shoots like this: the bikes naturally show what they are built for. The VELLO VIA+ Tour was easy to transport compactly, quick to unfold at the top of the mountain, and ready to ride immediately. The VELLO SUB became a mobile workspace. And the team was able to move between bends, changing light, and traffic exactly as the situation required.
Passo Giau makes it especially clear why we do not see the VIA+ Tour as a bike only for city traffic. The route demands more from a bike than a short ride through town: climbs, bends, changing surfaces, and long descents are all part of it. That is exactly why the VIA+ is MTB-tested. It combines a compact, everyday-friendly design with stable and safe handling on roads that lead far beyond the city.
The day at Passo Giau was therefore more than just a photo shoot. It was a very good example of how VELLO bikes are designed: flexible, practical, easy to take along, and ready for all the situations that life brings.
