!!️PLEASE NOTE: after clicking the “DONATE” button, you can select Polish zlotys as your payment currency!!️

We’re cycling 2,800 km from Barcelona to Poland to raise funds for a cycling programme for children!

Distance:2,800+ km

Duration:14 days

Route:Barcelona ➔ Turin ➔ Czechowice-Dziedzice

Project website: https://switchto.bike/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/switch.to.bike/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/switch.to.bike/ 

Turning passion into action

Switch to Bikeis a project born out of friendship, a shared passion and a desire to do more than just clock up the miles. On 12 May 2026, we’ll be at the starting line in Barcelona. Ahead of us lies a route of over 2,800 km through the Pyrenees, the Côte d’Azur and the Alps, all the way to the finish line in Czechowice-Dziedzice.

We are cycling to celebrate the 105-year history of Kontakt-Simon, the company we work for, but above all so that every turn of the pedals brings about real change in the lives of those supported bythe Nowy Azymut Foundation.

Meet us: Piotr and Mariusz

We are not professional cyclists, but our passion for two wheels has become our way of life. We have been working together in the same company for over 20 years – one in Warsaw, the other in Kraków. Despite the distance between us, long-distance (ultra) cycling has brought us together.

• Piotr Byster:He has clocked up thousands of kilometres in Poland’s toughest ultra marathons. Mariusz got him hooked on long-distance cycling trips. He has taken part in the Wisła 1200, Great Lake Gravel and Mazowiecki Gravel ultramarathons. 
• Mariusz Kopeć:A spirit of adventure and perseverance. He started out with cycle touring, before being persuaded by Piotr to ‘switch over’ to the world of gravel and extreme distances. Among others, he has completed the Wisła 1200, Wschód 1200 and Duch Puszczy.

Our story is proof that shared goals build the strongest bonds. Today, we want to use these bonds to help those who are starting out in life from a more difficult position.

Our Goal: A New Direction on Two Wheels

All funds raised through this campaign will be donated to‘Rowerowy Start’. We want to equip children from care homes with the tools that will give them freedom and a new passion, which may lead them to where we are today.

We will use your support to:

• The purchase of bicycles for the Foundation’s charges.
• Professional equipment (helmets, lights, safety gear, etc.).
• Organising cycling workshops to teach the children how to look after their equipment and ride safely off-road.
• Organising cycling trips.

About the Nowy Azymut Foundation

Since 2014, the Foundation has been proving that sport is the best compass in a young person’s life. Through sailing, climbing and trekking, they help children build a sense of agency and self-confidence. Together with them, we want to add cycling to this mix – a sport that teaches perseverance and shows that even the toughest climb comes to an end.

Why join us?

• Genuine passion:We are not professionals. We are amateurs who have been working at the same company for 20 years and train together virtually. Our expedition is proof that determination allows you to achieve goals that seem unattainable – this is exactly what we want to convey to the children.
• A real impact on the future:A bike for a child in care is more than just a gift. It’s a ticket to a healthier lifestyle, building relationships with peers and discovering their own potential. Your donation is an investment in their self-confidence and a passion that could stay with them for life.

Switch to helping mode 💪

Together, we’ll make the kids’ dreams come true!