Welcome to the site of Santos. I am Robbert Rutgrink.

I had my own bicycle shop for around six years. With many bike brands I miss what cyclists need; a custom-made bike that takes into account the wishes and requirements of the end user. I also see that in 'hidden' places, bad parts are often used. I want to change that, and therefore I founded Santos in 1998. A bicycle brand that is centred around the cyclist; what you want and what you need. A brand that takes care to build with the highest quality, even where it is not noticeable. This includes wheels with glued spokes and a head set with stainless steel bearings. We have developed it ourselves because it was not for sale.

1984-1989
In 1984 I, Robbert Rutgrink, bought my first mountain bike. I was then 15 years old, had been a cyclist for a couple of years and was looking for a suitable bike to train on during the winter. It was my first mountain bike, a Giant Super Sierra. With its black chrome frame and the complete Shimano XT set on it (then still with 3 x 6 = 18 speeds), it was an absolutely fabulous bike! The first mountain bike in my region and one of the first mountain bikes in the Netherlands.

As a competition rider, I experienced the early days of mountain biking in the Netherlands at close quarters. From the World Cup in Hoeffallize to the two-day MTB version of the Paris-Roubaix and the first National Championships - I've ridden them. The first Rock Shox front forks and SPD pedals were on my bike.

I have always enjoyed trying out the newest parts and accessories. The Allsop Carbon beam (12cm suspension spring in your 'seat post'), thick rear wheels, the first suspension Proflex frames, heart rate monitors (Polar Sport Tester PE300), tires with grip (Onza Porcupine), the first experiments with click pedals on mountain bikes (when I started with mountain biking, there were no SPD pedals!) and the Suntour rapid fire shifters. I wanted to try everything - and I still try and test all the parts myself.

1990-1996
My shop time in Munich. In a couple of years it grew from a starting out shop to the mountain bike specialist of southern Germany. For me as a young shopkeeper (I was 21 when I started), it was a dream come true. For around six years I lived and worked in this wonderful environment. The Alps were an hour's ride from home, great weather and working amongst the most excellent bikes every day. When we really felt like it, a short trip in the car brought us to Lake Garda for a weekend of fabulous riding!

The shop made my time abroad a very special period. Together with another 'foreigner' I ran this specialist mountain bike business. Spending summer and winter in shorts, we - a Dutchman and a Portuguese - sold the first custom built bikes in the city. It would be the beginning of something I could not know then, the beginning of Santos.

1997-heden
In 1997, the Santos era began. Due to my childhood sweetheart returning to the Netherlands, I wanted to start my own brand of bikes, and the name was Santos. With the knowledge and experience of 6 years in the shop under my belt and butterflies in my stomach, I started on this adventure. And in 1998, my first Santos was sold sometime in March. At what store I can no longer precisely remember. What I do know is that of the stores that I know it may have been (there are 4), all of them are, to this day, still customers of Santos.

And now, 10 years down the track, Santos has grown to become a nationally known brand, recognised for their ideas and high quality. It is the brand behind the Travelmaster touring bikes, the Marathon Carbon, the legendary mountain bike SCC 03 (5th at the World Championships, fourth at the European Championships, 13th at the Olympic Games) and the notorious Santos Bike Patrol police bikes.