The velogemel was invented in 1911 to make winter travel easier. Today it offers an unusual way to explore the Swiss resort’s sledding runs.
It has a saddle and handlebars, but instead of wheels there are two runners arranged one behind the other. The velogemel from Grindelwald, in Switzerland, looks like a bicycle that has changed the surface it travels on without abandoning its shape. Above all, it is the answer to an everyday problem: how to get home when roads and paths are covered in snow.
The story told by the local tourism organisation begins with Christian Bühlmann. In 1911, he built a wooden frame with runners and front steering, allowing him to travel seated on flat or downhill sections, using his legs to push himself along. He patented the invention that same year.
A solution created for getting around, not for attracting attention
The name combines ‘velo’, meaning bicycle, and ‘Gemel’, the word used in the Grindelwald dialect for sled. Both ideas are recognisable in the design: the riding position resembles a bicycle, while contact with the ground works like a sled.
The local historical account describes an object used for real journeys, from travelling to work to running errands. It was not originally designed as an attraction to try once during a holiday. Its unusual character comes precisely from the way a winter necessity was solved using locally available materials and craftsmanship.
For those seeing it today, the most interesting detail is the front runner connected to the handlebars. Its resemblance to a bicycle helps explain the principle, but does not mean that steering it on snow is identical to pedalling along a road.
Trying it on designated descents
Switzerland Tourism presents the velogemel as a winter experience in Grindelwald, with rentals available and access to the Bussalp area by bus. The choice of route should be agreed with the equipment provider according to conditions and personal experience.
This is not an invitation to use it on any ski piste or snow-covered road. The surface, gradients and route regulations matter as much as the equipment itself. Before setting off, visitors need instructions on steering and braking, along with confirmation of permitted descents and how to return.
For a couple or a group in which not everyone skis, the experience can fill a day away from the alpine ski lifts. It remains interesting even for those who decide only to watch: this object provides a way to understand winter in Grindelwald through the lives of its inhabitants.
Among the many products created specifically for snow tourism, the velogemel followed the opposite path. First, it was a means of travelling through the village; only later did it become something visitors come looking for.
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