Geschichte

Milestones of the Zedler-Institut

2026

• The Zedler-Institut updates and presents its fourth sustainability report.
• Dirk Zedler once again serves as a jury member for the Cyclingworld Award at the Cyclingworld Europe bicycle fair in Düsseldorf.
• At the turn of the year, exactly 100 test systems are ready for use across the five laboratory rooms.

2025

• Successful re-auditing of the testing laboratory DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and expansion of the scope as an internal calibration laboratory for torque, force, lenght, and angle.
• Dirk Zedler is once again jury member for the Cyclingworld Award at the bicycle fair Cyclingworld Europe.

2024

• At the international leading bicycle fair Eurobike in Frankfurt Dirk Zedler is jury member for the Eurobike Award for the second time after 2018.
• Dirk Zedler is jury member for the Cyclingworld Award at the bicycle fair Cyclingworld Europe.

2023

• Dirk Zedler is involved in the “Bicycle and S-Pedelec Safety” working group of the DVR (German Road Safety Council).
• The Zedler-Group starts a training campaign. In the field of experts’ reports the Basic training courses as well as the Advanced training courses for different target groups (motor vehicle experts, employees of insurers and employees of the cycle industry). In the field of product safety and liability, GPSR-CE workshops for individual persons of dealers and manufacturers.
• At the Eurobike Show, the leading global bicycle fair, the Zedler team is represented with 22 team members at their own booth.
• Digitalisation picks up pace. The online shop within the company website is launched: From now on, the Zedler-Group services (archival information, testing services, downloads, training courses etc.) can be ordered and paid or downloaded online
• “Platinum” recertification of the company building by DGNB e.V. as a climate-positive building in use.
• In April the Zedler-Group celebrates their 30th company anniversary with an “Open House Day”
• The testing laboratory receives accreditation from the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018-03 for bicycles and pedelecs/e-bikes. The current scope of accreditation is set out in the annex to the certificate and in the internal annex on the flexible scope.
• Climate certificate – Klimaprint: To compensate for the CO2e emissions caused by printing operating instructions in 2022, Zedler-Institut is planting 4,378 trees in five climate protection projects in German forests..
• The Zedler-Group update and present their third Sustainability Report

2022

• By offering the seminar and event area, which is equipped with modern technology, for rent to external parties, the Zedler-Group is expanding their range of training courses and workshop
• After passing the audit, Zedler-Institut is accepted into the select circle of German Companies for Climate Protection by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
• First own booth at the leading global bicycle fair Eurobike Show in Frankfut on the Main. All in all 31 permanent employees and up to 40 freelancers work for the Zedler-Group.
• Four dynamic laboratories are fully set up. Multiple units of every fatigue test system are now available. 23 frame, 10 fork, 9 handlebar-stem combination and 5 saddle test systems can run tests simultaneously. In addition, there are 2 test systems each for luggage carriers, pedals, cranks/motors and more.

2021

• The Zedler-Group update and present their second Sustainability Report.
• Emissions caused by logging, paper production and transport during the production of bicycle and e-bike operating instruction will be compensated from now on.

2020

• Zedler-Group present their first Sustainability Report
• The company headquarters of Zedler-Group is certified according to the "buildings in use" system with the highest award level "Platinum" and top marks therein by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). Additionally, the exemplary company building is awarded the "Climate Positive" status. This combination of both awards can be found only twice worldwide at the time of the award ceremony

2019

• Since the end of 2019, the Zedler-Institut has been a member of BNW Bundesverband Nachhaltige Wirtschaft e.V. (Federal Association for Sustainable Business, formerly UnternehmensGrün e.V.). As an ecologically oriented business association, BNW advocates, primarily on a non-material and cross-industry basis, for ambitious environmental and sustainable economic policies on behalf of its member companies. The association is independent of party politics and financially independent, and is recognised as a non-profit organisation
• Since the end of 2019, the Zedler-Institut has been a member of BNW Bundesverband Nachhaltige Wirtschaft e.V. (formerly UnternehmensGrün e.V.). As an ecologically oriented business association, BNW is committed to ambitious environmental and sustainable economic policies.
• Dirk Zedler is elected to the board of the newly founded “Bundesverband Zukunft Fahrrad e.V.” (BVZF). The aim of this association of service companies in the bicycle industry is to advance a sustainable transport transition and to secure a central role for the bicycle within it.
• Managing Director Dirk Zedler signs the WIN Charter certificate, and the WIN Charter target concept is published

2018

• Admission as training company for the study programme International Business at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University, Stuttgart (DHBW)
• Award winner "Großer Preis des Mittelstandes" (Grand Prix of Small and Medium Business) for an innovative business model and the operations management of strongly increasing the owner's capital share during an enormous growth by binding the employees for many years at the same time. The award was presented by Dr. Helfried Schmidt, Foundation Chairman of the Oskar-Patzelt-Foundation
• Jury member for the Eurobike Award
• Official inauguration of the new, energy-efficient company building and, at the same time, 25th company anniversary of Zedler.de
• Awarded with VSF..Ethikpreis for the trend-setting, ecologically well thought-out, new building of the headquarters in Swabian Ludwigsburg, presented by VSF Managing Director Albert Herresthal during the vivavelo conference 20188

2017

• Move of GDFS mbH and Zedler – Institut für Fahrradtechnik und -Sicherheit GmbH into the new, energy efficient building with 1,500 sqm

2016

• Award as Top Ten Company 2016 in the state prize for young companies of L-Bank and the German state Baden-Wuerttemberg
• Award as one of 5 finalists from Baden-Wuerttemberg in the competition "Großer Preis des Mittelstandes" (Grand Prix of Small and Medium Business) 2016 of the Oskar-Patzelt-Foundation
• Foundation of GDFS – Gesellschaft der Fahrrad-Sachverständigen mbH, date of foundation: August 1, 2016
• Reaching the top 20 of companies competing for the state prize for young companies in 2016 (Landespreis für junge Unternehmen 2016) of L-Bank and presentation of the company in front of the jury
• Starting signal for the construction of the new, energy-efficient and employee-friendly company building

2015

• Dirk Zedler is elected "Hero of the new mobility" in Baden-Wuerttemberg, an award presented by the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
• The team increases to 19 full-time employees
• The Zedler-Institut test laboratory meanwhile comprises 37 static and dynamic testing systems
• User manuals for electric-assisted bikes made by Zedler-Institut pass through the control procedures of the 11-page check list of the market surveillance by the trade licensing offices in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia “without initial suspicion“, i.e. successfully.
• User manuals made by Zedler-Institut pass the PrSG control procedures of the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (bfu) without deficiencies, i.e. successfully.
• Zedler-Institut elaborate (together with the German service and bicycle association (VSF) and the German Bicycle Association (ZIV)) uniform guidelines for the parts replacement of EPACs/e-bikes 25 km/h. From then on they are checked and reworked regularly with other players of the industry.

2014

• (until 2024) Nominated for the “Großer Preis des Mittelstandes” (Grand Prize for SMEs) of the Oskar Patzelt Foundation by the City of Ludwigsburg, Volksbank Ludwigsburg and Jahnke & Hofmann Steuerberatung – Wirtschaftsprüfung, and placed on the nationwide jury list for the award, from which the winners and premier finalists are selected.
• Finalist for the Baden-Württemberg Environmental Award for Companies
• Award winner "Medium-Sized Company Award for Social Responsibility in Baden-Wuerttemberg 2014" for the voluntary social commitment of the corporate managementg
• First company to take on trainees for the job as two-wheel mechatronic technician, subject bicycle, in Baden-Wuerttemberg
• Public appointment and swearing-in of graduate engineer Dirk Zedler as an expert for bicycles and electric bicycles at the CCI Stuttgart
• Introduction and commissioning of the to our knowledge first dynamic fatigue testing system for handlebar-stem systems and fork
• The new BCS testing system is presented. For the first time it is possible to put into figures the three essential riding behaviour parameters of a full-suspension bicycle frame with a single testing system
• The Technical Documentation department extends the range of languages offered to more than 36 languages

2013

• A second set of three more basic zedler.de-testing systems is set up in the test laboratory
• Participation in the DIN committee for bicycles
• The German book "Die Rennrad-Werkstatt für Profis" is published in English ("Advanced Road Bike Maintenance")
• Sponsoring membership in VSF g.e.V., until today
• Zedler – Institut für Fahrradtechnik und -Sicherheit GmbH establish an educational partnership with three schools in Marbach upon Neckar
• More than 100 manufacturers are part of the user manual customer list of Zedler-Institut
• The Technical Documentation department extends the range of languages for their user manuals to more than 30 languages for customers all over the world
• User manuals of Zedler-Institut customers are put to the test in France. In France the EN standards (and the future ISO 4210 standard) were turned into law by decree. Zedler-Institut manuals are checked for compliance with the standards by stately authorized test laboratories in France (e.g. Pourquery, Lyon). Compliance with the standards is confirmed for the user manuals.
• The Expert’s Report division draws up more than 750 reports per year for courts, insurers, companies and private individuals
• 116 bicycle/e-bike user manuals tested by the German product testers (Stiftung Warentest) (test 2013-06):
           "very good" – not awarded
           "good" – 6 user manuals, 5 are made by Zedler-Institut
           "satisfactory" – 5 user manuals, none made by Zedler-Institut
           "inadequate" – 5 user manuals, none made by Zedler-Institut

2012

• Development of specific testing systems for electric-assisted bikes and commitment to German special-interest magazine e-bike – DAS PEDELEC-MAGAZIN, later MYBIKE
• The first newsletter is sent by Zedler-Institut to more than 1,000 specialists from the bicycle industry
• Professionalisation in the field of SAFETY testing services: Customers in the field of testing services obtain Zedler test seals in four categories
• Expansion of the test laboratory, completion and setting up of further new, dynamic zedler.de testing systems

2011

• Start of the active involvement in Innovationsnetzwerk Elektromobile (innovation network electromobiles) of the City of Ludwigsburg
• Start of the active involvement in the program committee of Bike Development Conference, Munich
• Winner of the statewide competition honoring Baden-Wuerttemberg’s most bicycle friendly employer and 2nd place in the national competition honoring Germany’s most bicycle friendly employer
• The range of languages offered by the Technical Documentation department is extended by new languages (such as Croatian and Hungarian) to all in all 24 languages
• Publication of the first edition of the third book "Die Rennrad-Werkstatt für Profis" ("Advanced Road Bike Maintenance")
• First involvement as member of the advisory committee of the German foundation for comparative product testing (Stiftung Warentest) in Berlin, from then on regular appointment
• Jury member for Eurobike iF Design Award
• Commissioning of further dynamic testing systems of the SAFETY series (fatigue and impact (crash test))

2010

• The German book "Die Rennrad-Werkstatt" is published in Spanish ("La bicicleta de carretera / Manual de mantenimiento y reparación")
• The first user manual system is developed; it comprises 18 languages
• Foundation of Zedler – Institut für Fahrradtechnik und -Sicherheit GmbH
           development and construction of dynamic testing systems
           installation of production capacities for bicycle testing systems
           establishing and setting up of a large dynamic test laboratory for testing services ordered by customers from Germany as well as the whole of Europe, Asia and the USA

2009

• 14 bicycle/e-bike user manuals tested by the German product testers Stiftung Warentest (test 2009-05):
            "very good" – 4 user manuals, 3 made by Zedler-Institut
            "good" – 3 user manuals, 1 made by Zedler-Institut
            "satisfactory" – 7 user manuals, none made by Zedler-Institut
• The production capacities for bicycle test stands are expanded due to an increasing demand for zedler.de test stands by customers in Germany, Europe and Asia
• Start of the cooperation in the program committee of the German Association for Materials Research and Testing (DVM)

2008

• The range of languages offered by the Technical Documentation department is extended to 16 languages (among others Arabian, Chinese simplified and traditional, Japanese, Korean)
• The Expert’s Report division draws up more than 400 reports per year for courts, insurers, companies and private individuals

2007

• Zedler archives comprising data on department store bicycles exceed 10,000 data sets
• Appointment of Dirk Zedler as a voluntary examiner into the board of examiners "bicycle technician" of the CCI Stuttgart region
• Re-equipment and enlargement of the test laboratory of Delius Klasing-Verlag (Europe’s leading bicycle magazines) with zedler.de test stands

2006

• For the first time active as lecturer in the master class at Bundesfachschule für Zweiradtechnik (federal school for two-wheel technology) in Francfort, from this year on annual activity as lecturer up to and including 2019
• A new frame testing system measuring comfort is developed and introduced thus changing bicycle development

2005

• The German book "Die Rennradwerkstatt" ("Road bike Maintenance and Repair Manual") is published in French and Dutch

2004

• First company in Baden-Wuerttemberg to take on trainees for the job as bicycle mechanic

2002

• Publication of the first edition of the second book “Das Rennrad im Selbstaufbau” (How to assemble your road bike by yourself)
• Extension of the Zedler test laboratory by further test stands: Test stand frame precision, test stand hardness

2001

• The first edition of the first German book “Die Rennradwerkstatt” (Road bike Maintenance and Repair Manual) is published and becomes one of the most successful bicycle repair books on the market

1999

• Further lectures at various industry shows and events

1998

• Lecture at the industry show fahrrad.markt.zukunft. Issue: Instruction – product safety

1997

• Development and use of zedler.de testing systems for the testing of bicycle frames made of carbon involved in accidents for the drawing up of expert’s reports
• Intensified commitment to the media; consultancy contract with the market leading German cycle magazines BIKE, FREERIDE, TREKKINGBIKE and TOUR of the German publishing house Delius-Klasing Verlag

1996

• Vortrag im Rahmen der IFMA (Internationale Fahrrad- und Motorrad-Ausstellung). Thema: Fahrrad-Sicherheit

1995

• Participation in the DIN committee for bicycles
• Work upon order: Concept, photography and texting of the trend-setting user manual for the second largest purchasing association for bicycles in Germany

1994

• Construction of the first bicycle test stands for TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr.1, sparking off the stiffness tests for sports bicycles. Coining the term STW (stiffness-to-weight-factor)
• Dirk Zedler starts cooperation with Europe’s most important bicycle magazine TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr.1
• Public appointment and swearing-in as an expert for bicycles at CCI Stuttgart

1993

• Foundation of Ingenieur- und Sachverständigenbüro für Fahrradtechnik in Ludwigsburg

• Employed business manager of a large cycle shop specialising in triathlon and road bike customers
• Completion of Dirk Zedler’s studies as graduate engineer

1989

• Studienarbeit über Carbon

1987

• Bau der ersten Scheibenradverkleidungen aus GFK. Mit diesen Scheibenrädern wurden unter anderem Europa- und Deutsche Meisterschaften gewonnen

1985

• Erster Triathlon, in Folge zahlreiche Triathlon- und Radrennen bis 2013

1984

• Studium Dirk Zedlers an der Technischen Hochschule Karlsruhe (Universität), Fachrichtung Kfz-Bau und Fertigungstechnik