It started with a few friends heading out on irregular early-morning rides — because sunrises are beautiful. Inspired by the Oslo Dawn Patrol, who had been organizing regular dawn rides for Oslo's cycling community since 2018, the Kiel Dawn Patrol was born.

What we love most is riding together. We want to share that joy with fellow Kielers through our rides. Our goal is to bring cycling enthusiasts together and foster a strong cycling culture in Kiel — because we believe there are far more people who ride, or want to ride, than most would think. To stay true to that mission, we've designed our rides to be low-barrier, with different formats to include as many people as possible.

Beyond our weekly and special rides, we also host workshops, talks, and other cycling-related events where people can share their experiences and give the community a window into different corners of cycling culture.

Behind Kiel Dawn Patrol is a group of cycling enthusiasts — our Road Captains — who have been organizing rides and leading groups on the road for over 5 years. It all started on a sunny morning at 05:30 in July 2020.

"On just our second ride, the slogan 'No matter the weather, we ride' was born — thanks to persistent Kiel summer rain that accompanied us the entire way."

Over the years, several new formats have grown alongside the original Friday Dawn Patrol. The team has changed over time, but the love for cycling hasn't faded one bit.

In late 2025, we founded a registered non-profit association to give the organization a proper framework and make the project sustainable for the future. For you, nothing changes. Weekly rides and specials continue as usual — all you need to do is sign up as always.

If you'd like to support our work building an open cycling community in Kiel, you can become a supporting member. 100% of the proceeds go back to the community — for example, rest stop supplies or post-ride drinks.