Viva Las Vegas! Halfway There, Elvis Meets the igus:bike
Jared Worth | 19. November 2025
Chris and Philip rolled into Las Vegas late Sunday night, ready to turn in and rest up for the gauntlet of visits planned across California. But even while gearing down, they carved out some time to soak in the sheer spectacle of the city, checking out famous spots like the gorgeous Fountains of Bellagio and the replica Eiffel Tower (though, if you ask us, the igus:bike was just as stunning!).
The next morning, on their way back to the car, our riders ran right into a true Las Vegas staple: an Elvis impersonator! This larger-than-life rockstar was thrilled to learn all about the bike, our journey, and igus itself. After grabbing some fantastic photos and videos and exchanging contact info so he could follow these blogs (Hi Elvis!), it was time once again to say, “thank you, thank you very much” and pivot to the next big stage of the U.S. tour: California!
This brief Vegas visit was extra special because it marked the approximate halfway point of Chris and Philip’s portion of the tour! In what felt like a blink of an eye, so much had been accomplished. Our riders couldn’t help but draw parallels to the igus:bike itself, reflecting on how far it has come since Frank Blase first hatched the idea. Given the overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic reactions the bike received in this initial leg, it’s clear the worldwide tour is definitely not the end of the bike’s wild journey.
Speaking of wild journeys, on their drive into California, our riders took full advantage of the opportunity to stop at an Area 51-themed attraction! While we can’t guarantee the igus:bike suddenly learned how to fly, we could swear something about the bike seemed… different after that visit. Perhaps it picked up some alien engineering tips!
Chris Sandven has been with igus® nearly nine years as a Territory Sales Manager for Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. He started as the Bike Industry Specialist in 2024, and as an avid sports fan and outdoor enthusiast, the opportunity to join the igus:bike tour was too good for him to pass up.
Philip Pauli started with igus® in 2022 in International Sales for iglide® bearings, and by September of 2024 had become the bike industry manager at our headquarters in Germany. He loves the outdoors, whether it’s hiking, climbing, or mountain biking, and knew he couldn’t miss out on the igus:bike tour.
