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In this new episode of Veloccino cycling podcast, Dan Linfield from bloK.pod joins the show and shares to us how we can convert our van to an instant camper van. bloK.pod builds custom, multipurpose pods for your instant camper van. They also build fork mounts so you can bring your bike with you to all your adventures! Get ready for this exciting episode as Dan shares his journey, great ideas, and innovation plans in the future for bloK Pod!
What is bloK Pod?
3:20
It is an instant camper van
3:50
bloK.pod has evolved over the last couple of years. Being out on the road and speak to people helped them to know people’s feedback, what works and what doesn’t, and release a new and much better product.
5:00
bloK.pod builds fork mounts to enable people to bring and put their expensive bikes on the vans securely.
When did this whole Engineering business begin?
6:00
It started 22 years ago where he started working for his father. Dan had a crash course in Engineering but was not formally trained other than what his father taught him. It’s mostly self-learned.
7:32
When they were just starting 22 years ago, one of their biggest customers asked them to make flat screen arms. From there, they just started to grow quickly, making thousands of monitor arms a week and market them especially to big companies
Involvement with Cycling
11:40
He started his involvement with cycling when he met guys (E-bike makers) in a live show a couple of years back. They became friends and eventually he joined their company. Dan started making E-bikes 6 years ago
15:00
Currently, they are constantly innovating new things, inventing few electric scooters, electric mountain boards, electric skateboard, etc on the background
What inspired Dan to create the bloK.pod?
27:16
It started when Dan bought a van and lived in it for 6 months to see what he wanted to do with the vehicle. He has always wanted to have a multipurpose vehicle. He spent 6 months converting his panel van to a camper’s van.
32:25
Dan created modular pods inside the van so he could use it in multiple ways
36:35
Dan started to create fork mounts just right for the bike that they brought in a live show. People were amazed but at first Dan didn’t see the potential of it in the market until early this year where they just started creating more of fork mounts and put it out there on their Instagram page
40:16
Dan is also into cycling but hasn’t been on it as much he used to be especially with the lockdown.
Advice for people getting a van
44:40
Before getting a van, figure out what you want to do with the vehicle or what you want the vehicle to do for you. If 90 % you are only using it for work or regular riding, get a short wheel base van. Plus it’s easier to park. If you want to convert your van and plan to put things in, get a long wheel base van where you can put bikes, set-up modular pods etc.
Future Innovation Plans
52:02
bloK.pod’s ultimate innovation plan in the future is to engineer a camp site where everything you need is in there.
Key Quotes:
17:29-17:38
“It’s just innovating all the time. I love to design stuff, I love to make stuff. That is my first love.”
17:42-17:45
“The only thing to progress at anything and get it done is to throw yourself in 100%.”
18:42-18:45
“Necessity is the mother of invention. If you can’t find something, make it.”
If you want to follow bloK Pod and see what products they’ve got you can visit their website at
https://www.blokpod.co.uk/ and make sure to hit the follow button on their
Instagram and
Facebook page
Make sure to hit the subscribe button to not miss a single episode on
Veloccino Podcast. To get in touch with them personally, email them at podcast@veloccino.com. This is Veloccino podcast, where the best stories have not yet been ridden!
