The kolektif Berlin Bike Fair is a point of promotion and an exciting exchange platform for both big players and small boutique brands. Needless to say, we were there and took a closer look at all the stands. In this article, we’ll report about all the highlights of the German trade fair.
Like most events last year, the 2021 edition of the kolektif Bike Fair was cancelled due to the restrictions inflicted by the global pandemic. In 2022, luckily, organisers were able to go ahead with the event, which took place at the Motorwerk in Berlin from March 25th to 27th. Once again, the kolektif Bike Fair didn’t disappoint, giving brands a unique opportunity to display their work, whether they were big players like Canyon and ROSE or smaller independent manufacturers such as Fern Bicycles and Finnbar Trout Bicycles. Needless to say, last year’s forced sabbatical made this edition even more exciting, with everyone looking forward to seeing the newest products and latest hot custom-creations. Direct-order company ROSE took the opportunity to present their new minimalist Sneak + urban eBike, which we have already reviewed last week. In this article you’ll find all the most exciting products and best-looking custom concepts of this year’s trade fair. At the end, we’ll also give you an insight into the RAD RACE Last Wo/Man Standing – a fixed-gear elimination race on a go-kart track. Sounds good? Let’s go!
BASIC Bikes
BASIC Bikes | 7.45 kg | €2,950 | Manufacturer’s website
BASIC Bikes are a very young brand and, as the name suggests, reduce their bikes to the bare essentials. The German boutique-manufacturer relies on open-mould carbon frames, carbon wheels and a very aggressive price policy. Due to the current bottlenecks in the supply chain, their new road bike comes equipped with an exotic and affordable L-TWOO groupset, which consists of a 2×12 drivetrain and semi-hydraulic disc brakes. However, you can also buy a frameset and build it a-la-carte to suit your own needs and preferences. Berlin-based high-vis specialists REFLECTIVE Innovations supply the decals, which are available in countless colors. For €2,950, you’ll take home a lightweight 7.45 kg road bike that promises to keep up with its competitors from the big brands. The guys at BASIC Bikes are already accepting orders and promise to deliver your new bike within the next two and a half months. Alongside a classic racer with 700C wheels, they’ll soon offer a gravel version with 29″ wheels. With two bikes on offer, Jost Litzen put together a pretty decent model range already, giving some direct-order brands food for thought with his competitive price policy.
For more information visit basicbikes.de
Chirp Chirp Cycles
Chirp Chirp Cycles Lark | €2,900 (frame set) | Manufacturer’s website
Chirp Chirp Cycles were founded only 2 years ago and presented the first 2 specimens of their Lark model here at kolektif. We’re curious to see whether their two-wheeled titanium bird will be able to ruffle some feathers in the bike industry in the near future. What we already know, however, is that its chirping song sounds promising, especially given that each bike is welded by hand and custom-built. For example, you can renounce a conventional seatpost and order your Lark with Chirp Chirp’s integrated, one-piece 3D-printed seat post, which is compatible with ENVE’s seatpost head clamp. The Berlin-based boutique brand relies on a classic and sporty road bike geometry and combines sporty-agile handling with wide, voluminous tires for adventurous offroad stints – the perfect match for classic randonneurs. Limited to just 185 units worldwide, each Lark will have its name written in a different language. English and Korean have already been snapped up, so hurry up if you want to secure your favourite language!
For more information visit chirpchirpcycles.com
Cicli Bonanno
Cicli Bonanno Futomaki Disc 2 | Price on request | Manufacturer’s website
Niccolò Bonanno’s bikes are 100% handmade and built to size. His recipe: steel tubing, plenty of sparks and two magic hands. While the Futomaki Disc 2 was named after the fat sushi roll, it’s anything but burly. On the contrary, the bike is slim, discreet and just as artful as its creator. The successor to the Futomaki Disc, which you can read everything about in this test, shines with its new CNC’d dropouts and fancy 3D logos. The paint job by Robert from Velociao makes our heart beat faster! For performance-relevant components such as the handlebars, seat post and wheels, Niccolò Bonanno relies on Beast carbon components. You can read everything about the German startup in our Beast factory visit story. Except for the Campagnolo Record groupset manufactured in Romania, the bike is predominantly “made in Germany”. Nico’s intention is to keep focusing on EU-based production in the future, both for his frames and the components. He builds 50–60 frames per year and delivers about a third of them as complete bikes. The Cicli Bonanno Futomaki Disc 2 frame retails at €3,000, while the price for complete bikes varies greatly depending on specs and customer requirements. With this bike, you’ll get yourself a truly unique specimen built to your specifications, needs and preferences, a trusted companion for a lifetime.
For more information visit cicli-bonanno.com
Fern cycles
Fern cycles Ultra Rando | 9.4 kg (without bags, incl. pedals) | approx. €11,000 | Manufacturer’s website
With his Ultra Rando, Flo from Fern cycles presents an elegant bikepacking Brevet with all mod-cons. The bike comes equipped with a dynamo-hub, lights, carbon mudguards and elegant Gramm Tourpacking bags (more on this in the “Gramm Tourpacking Bags” section). The Berlin-based company relies on rim brakes and 30 mm custom carbon rims – probably the only ones of their kind with a brake track. Italian boutique brand Ingrid supplies the drivetrain while the carbon fenders originate from a company that produces parts for Formula 1 cars. While the steel frame and ultra-lightweight components are deliberately in harsh contrast, the fluid Velociao finish ensures a harmonic interplay between contrasting elements – by the way, the colour scheme is inspired by Flo’s favourite trainers. The frameset is available for purchase now and retails at €3,500. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait around 9 months for one of Flo’s custom-made bikes, because quality and handcraft take their time, even in Berlin-Lichtenberg! That being said, making business with the German frame builder is a real pleasure, because Flo is a great communicator and top-notch craftsman, taking the utmost care of every step in the project.
For more information visit fern-fahrraeder.de
Gramm Tourpacking Bags
Gramm X Allygn Diamond Bag | 7.5L Volume | Manufacturer’s website
German touring-bag manufacturer Gramm supplies the bags of the Fern Ultra Rando. Gramm CEO Tine and her team have earned themselves an excellent reputation in the bikepacking scene over the past few years and offer much more than just robust-looking bike bags. The Gramm X Allygn Diamond bag fits on the Allygn Diamond front-rack and is shaped to stay out of your way when braking and shifting. The V-shape makes it easier to reach the STI shifters/levers and ensures better aerodynamics than traditionally-shaped handlebar bags. The FIDLOCK locks are easy to reach and intuitive to operate – we were able to test this first-hand at the fair. With its strong magnets, the buckle offers quick and secure engagement and can be operated almost blindly. When the bag is closed, you can also attach a jacket or another light item to the flap. The Diamond Bag is a perfect match for the Allygn front rack and will soon be available both as a custom and off-the-shelf version. Moreover, Gramm will soon release a bundle which includes the Allygn Diamond rack.
For more information visit gramm-tourpacking.com
Finnbar Trout Cycling
Finnbar Trout Cycling Woodpecker | Manufacturer’s website
Finnbar Trout Cycles focus on their customers. Founder James Buckley likes to design and fit his bikes around their prospective owners in his studio in Cologne. The singlespeed in the picture was built exclusively for a Cologne-based DJ and hand-painted according to his specifications by Rob at Velociao in Berlin. To be precise, Rob employed an elaborate technique consisting of a water transfer print and conventional top coat to depict a great spotted woodpecker. With the ” Bicycle for Life” print on the downtube, James makes it clear that his bikes are built to last forever. The wheels are custom-made by wheel-wizard Žarko at the Cologne-based Laufrad-Tuning wheel company, which gives customers lifetime warranty for spoke breakage.
For more information visit finnbartroutcycles.com
ORTLIEB
ORTLIEB Quick-Rack Light | 440 g (without mudguard) | €64.99 (mudguard: €19.99) | Manufacturer’s website
Although not a bike, ORTLIEB presented a practical gadget for bike fans who want to improve the everyday-suitability of their bikes. The Quick-Rack Light is a discreet and practical pannier rack compatible with all bikes with an M5 or M6 eyelet on the rear frame triangle. The ORTLIEB Quick-Rack bolts directly to the eyelets and can be secured to the seat post with an additional rubber strap. It’s easy to install and has 2 rails for just as many bags. If you need more attachment points, you should take a closer look at the Quick-Rack, which costs € 5 more and features additional cross braces, which take even more bags. For rainy days, ORTLIEB offer a matching mudguard, which comes in three different widths (38, 50 and 72 mm) and retails for an additional €19.99. The Quick-Rack is a clever and practical accessory for all those commuters and bikepackers who want a removable, well-manufactured and easy-to-install bike-rack system.
For more information visit ortlieb.com
Sour Bicycles
Sour Purple Haze | €849 (Frame) €1.099 (Frame incl. fork) | Manufacturer’s website
Among other things, the guys at Sour Bicycles in Dresden exhibited their most off road-oriented drop-bar bike. The Purple Haze can take up to 65 mm tires, making it clear that it feels at home on the roughest gravel terrain. Sour deliberately rely on proven standards with both the bottom bracket and head tube with external bearing shells, which should ensure easy maintenance. Moreover, the cables for the Di2 rear derailleur and dropper post can be routed internally, giving you maximum flexibility when assembling your gravel bike. If you’re not into building your own bikes, Sour will build a complete bike according to your needs and preferences for you. Prices for complete bikes start at €2,999. In a bid to improve working conditions and tackle environmental issues, Sour Bicycles are gradually moving their frame production to Germany. As a result, all their mountain bikes are already welded in Germany – and their drop-bars models are to follow soon!
For more information visit sour.bike
VOTEC
VOTEC VRX 2022 | Price not yet disclosed | Manufacturer’s website
At Kolektif, Bavaria-based manufacturer VOTEC presented team rider Janine Döring’s bike, the VRX, giving us a good idea of what the production bike due at the end of the year will look like. The VRX was designed as a rowdy, thoroughbred gravel rocket that deliberately dispenses with superfluous comfort in favour of efficiency. Unlike most manufacturers, VOTEC don’t drop the chainstays to create room for a big chainring and wide 54 mm tires, tilting them slightly upwards instead. All cables are routed internally and run through the handlebars and the stem straight into the frame. Moreover, the VRX features mudguard mounts, which come in handy on a gruelling gravel mud-carnage. Alongside the carbon version, VOTEC is planning to release an alloy model later on this year, presumably in December. While prices haven’t yet been disclosed, VOTEC promise that they’ll be fair as usual.
For more information visit votec.de
Wheeldan
Wheeldan Basilisk | 12.5 kg | €9,900 | Manufacturer’s website
Wheeldan’s Basilisk combines an 18-speed Pinion gearbox with belt drive, a high-quality titanium frame and elegant detail solutions. The front triangle, seat post and bottle cage are heat treated and the carbon fork features two colour-matched “anything” holders. The gearbox mount is forged from titanium and was designed in such a way that the rear brake line can be routed internally despite the integrated gearbox. The Basilisk takes both 700×32 mm road- and 650×55 mm offroad-tires and is meant to fill the gap between road, gravel and bikepack rigs. The bikes are custom-built down to the smallest detail by Daniel “Wheel Dan” Pleikies in Berlin.
For more information visit wheeldan.de
RAD RACE 2022 – pictures, impressions, winners and losers
After the work comes the fun – provided you get excited at the idea of clocking laps at blood-curling speeds on a 430-metre kart race track. On a fixed wheel racer! 128 men and 32 women competed in a knockout race-format. The only two rules worth mentioning? Fixed-gear only and no brakes! Here are some impressions and the 3 Last Man and Last Woman Standings for you.
For more information visit rad-race.com
What else?
After a forced one-year sabbatical, kolektif has brought together thousands of bike enthusiasts in Berlin and presented a lot of new products. This colourful bunch doing exactly what they love in the heart of a true cultural melting pot left us with a very sweet taste in our mouth and gave us lots of hope for the future. Here’s to more exciting trade fairs, to the new season, the next kolektif edition and many, many more exciting bike trends!
For more information visit kolektif-berlin.com
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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Benjamin Topf
