Imagine this: 4000km across the Australian outback on a humble e-bike. Fierce headwinds. White-knuckle encounters with road trains. All while wearing a pair of thongs.
That’s what Conrad Pattinson, co-founder of Vamos bikes, did in 2023 all while raising over $20,000 for ACF.
What sparked this wild idea? Australia’s love affair with polluting cars.
“It blows my mind to see so many people get into their cars for a short trip,” said Conrad.
For Conrad, this trip was a way to reach the everyday Australian and get people thinking about their driving habits.
“The whole point of the trip was to show that if I can cross Australia on an e-bike wearing thongs, anyone can step out of their comfort zone.”
“At Vamos bikes, we want to encourage Australians to shake up their daily commute and leave their car at home helping themselves and the planet.”
Conrad and the team at Vamos have been incredible supporters of ACF, even adding a donate page to their website. As for what's in the pipeline, Vamos will be supporting Australia’s Biggest Bushwalk in 2026 and have generously donated an e-bike as a prize!
We are continuing to cook up more fundraising and partnership ideas and can’t wait to keep working with Conrad and the team.
Conrad says fighting for a clean energy future is critical to protecting Australia’s unique places.
“I’ve travelled overseas a lot and there’s a reason why I still live in Australia. It’s spectacular. Lots of moments on the bike trip, like standing on the cliffs overlooking the Great Australian Bight, made me think again how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful country.”
Find out more about Vamos e-bikes over on their website.