Rick Keijzer

Rick Keijzer is from Woubrugge and started cycling as a student during his spare time. After completing his degree in Tourism and Recreation in Amsterdam, he moved to Germany to work. He returned in the winter and came up with a plan to cycle to Vietnam. But, of course, this requires technical knowledge of bicycles in order to be completely self-sufficient. That's why he spent two and a half years working at a bicycle shop, learning the ins and outs of bicycle repair.

Together with his friend Sven, Rick then founded Bikkels on Bikes to embark on the great adventure together. In March 2024, they set off on an epic journey by bicycle to Vietnam. Eleven months and 22,000 kilometers later, they reached the south of Vietnam. After traveling around together for another month, the two men decided to go their separate ways. After 16 months away from home and 32,000 kilometers later, Rick decided to return home to plan his next challenge.

The next challenge was quite something: while traveling in Central Asia, Rick and a number of fellow travelers came up with the idea of doing a full triathlon: a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride, and a 42.2 km marathon run. No concrete plans were made, but the challenge stayed with Rick. He then came up with a plan to combine training for a full triathlon with traveling. While training for a full triathlon is a challenge in itself, Rick likes to add an extra dimension by combining it with a self-sufficient cycling trip.

On January 15, 2026, Rick will depart for Australia with his Merida Silex gravel bike. The Silex is the ideal bike for a challenging trek thanks to its many mounting points for luggage and its stable riding characteristics, as well as its wide tires that can handle any type of terrain. During this road trip, he will also be training for the full IronMan triathlon in Busselton, South West Australia, on December 6 of that year. For this, he will also be taking the Merida Time Warp, undoubtedly our fastest bike on the road. And fanatical as Rick is, his goal is not only to reach the finish line, but also to set a fast time.

Rick has friends in Australia where he can leave the Time Warp behind when he goes on a self-sufficient bikepacking trip. After eight months, he hopes to be back at the starting point. During the trip, he will really be going “back to basics,” because he will also have to live on a very small budget every day. Swimming training in a luxury pool is out of the question; the entrance fee is too expensive. “And maybe the sharks and jellyfish in the sea will actually make me swim faster in the end, haha,” says an optimistic Rick. “In the mornings, I will first do a swimming or running workout, and then I will continue traveling. Depending on how tired I am, I will then be able to cover a shorter or longer distance on the Silex. And that will also be my cycling training.”

At Merida Benelux, we are eagerly looking forward to Rick's adventures with his Merida Silex. We are also confident that Rick will use the Time Warp to achieve the famous words “You are an IronMan!”

You can follow Rick's challenges and adventures every day via his Strava and Instagram accounts: