How PAINPLAN.cc Came to Be
A personal project that got out of hand. In the best way.
It Started with a Shared List
Endurance sports have always been a big part of my life. Cycling became the main one — using gran fondos and events as motivation to train, measuring myself against other riders, enjoying the community around the sport.
When planning the season with friends, I noticed we were all doing the same thing: hunting through dozens of race websites, trying to piece together distances, elevation, dates, and difficulty. No central database existed. So I built one.
What started as a simple shared list quickly escalated. Better design. Better UX. Collaborative features. And here we are.
Ideas to Reality
PAINPLAN.cc is built the way I work: design systems first, then implementation. A consistent visual language. Components that scale. Everything connected.
Modern web technology and AI-assisted development make it possible to move fast — from idea to deployed feature in hours, not weeks. That speed matters when you're building something alongside a community that's actively using it.
The goal isn't just another race database. It's a platform that brings cyclists closer together — complementing what already exists, not competing with it.
Built with Modern Tools
Full-stack web application. Self-hosted infrastructure. Database, authentication, email notifications, analytics — the whole picture.
Design system with tokens and components. Dark mode by default. Sharp aesthetics that match the sport.
AI-assisted development for speed. AI-generated content where it makes sense. Human judgment where it matters.
Not a Solo Effort
PAINPLAN.cc wouldn't exist without the cycling community — friends who tested early versions, gave feedback, suggested features, and called out bugs.
We're still in beta. Every day is a milestone. The roadmap includes growing the user base, establishing partnerships, improving database quality, and making it easier for the community to contribute.
If you want to help shape what this becomes, you're in the right place.
Madison Hofer
Designer, developer, cyclist. Based in Munich.
Background spanning electronics engineering, entertainment design, industrial design, and seven years leading marketing and design at a tech company. Now working independently — building solutions, not just advising.
PAINPLAN.cc is a personal project and a showcase for how I work: design systems, AI-assisted development, full-stack implementation. From idea to deployed product.