Tuesday 10.30-18.00
Wednesday 10.30-18.00
Thursday 10.30-21.00
Friday 10.30-17.30
Saturday 10.30-17.30

The Chopperdome

Admiraal de Ruyterweg 346
1055 NA Amsterdam

+31 (0)20 774 3396

 "THE WHEEL OF TIME KEEPS TURNING... and after one round arrives back at the beginning!"

It is impressive to watch collectors at auctions talking about the last remaining bikes by an unknown manufacturer. German companies Brennabor and Triumph came up with the balloon tyre for bikes as early as 1926, shortly after this invention had revolutionised the automobile industry. Having been inspired by these almost forgotten gems from the golden age of bicycle making, our BALLOON RACERS are slowly becoming collectors' items and favourite bikes in the same way as the bikes of our grandparents were back then. Our joyful exploration of the shapes of the past is evident in the construction, the style and the range of models. The idea is to get to the bottom of things and to design them in a way that allows them to be the way they want to be. In contrast to today's faceless mass produced ready-mades, the bikes from back then were still individual, carried by the prestige and the company ethos of their producers. After a company history of only three years, our BALLOON RACERS can certainly not be considered classics yet. However, even within this very short period of time, the distinctive silhouette of their slender steel frame contrasted with voluminous tyres has established them as a brand for enthusiasts. A first few  recent attempts to copy our Balloon Racers have failed to achieve the same unique combination of contemporary form and function with such subtlety and sophistication. Within this extremely short period of time, the Balloon Racer has become the yardstick for more than simply a trendy lifestyle. Throughout our development process, we have aimed at creating a bike that truly becomes a source of pleasure and appreciation. Stretching the limits of what is still doable today by producing them in manufactured series, their low quantity and the wide variety of optional fittings makes the Balloon Racers essentially unique. If it was up to us, we would like people to say: "It is a bike that one forgets is there, because it seems to work on its own."

Seeing things differently: HOW DO MEN VIEW WOMEN'S BIKES?
Really, it has always been about cutting a good figure under any circumstances. But each Zeitgeist produces its own aesthetic ideals. As with understated upmarket designer clothing, both detail and occasion are key to an item's acceptance and self-image. The main distinction of an elegant women's frame is maximum comfort and the typical low stand-over height. This leads to the obvious conclusion that a traditional so-called "swan's neck" shaped frame would be too conservative and curvy while a sporty French Mixte-frame does not allow for a comfortable stand-over height. The wide range of open geometries between front and back of the frame made the creation of this elegant waistline particularly attractive [[check this is ok]]. Our main focus was on achieving an ideal balance between a well-proportioned top tube and an elegant stand-over height.  Another special feature is the position of the link between the top and the down tube, which separates the main frame into two triangles. By connecting the bold curve of the top tube with the down tube, this crowning touch defines the optical centre of the frame and the frame's waist. The irresistible elegance of what amounts to an essence of countless frame geometries was already demonstrated by the similar frame shape of the "women's military bikes" from as far back as the model year 1897. Nonetheless the production of such a well-shaped women's frame today presented an unexpected challenge.

RETROVELO-DESIGN

In our understanding we take RETRO to refer to a return to precisely those values that RETRO in general – thanks to the loss of truly creative design as an enduring trend in marketing – seems to be lacking. Our understanding of RETRO then is not the simple copying of historical shapes, but the development and preservation of tried and tested parameters. This is also the main reason why our aesthetic expression will never be compatible with the taste of the mass market – thus ensuring outstanding quality and individual beauty. This makes us part of a long-standing regional manufacturing tradition that is currently redefining itself in order to set the course for the future in parallel with the industry. Yesterday was today and today is tomorrow.
Everything has its time and therefore time is our most important tool. The sentimental cliché about typical German design is minimal, constructivist and sober. Form follows function. We develop form that not only follows function, but also our instincts. Our style is a minimalist mixture of the friendly playful design of the 50s and the irresistibly rebellious designs of the 60s and 70s. Back then a naïve design of the future was emerging that aimed at a youth that was obsessed with achievement and blended quality of life with the fulfilment of youthful dreams. Today, too, and maybe more than ever, people want to see their memories, desires and dreams fulfilled. As a result technically simple bikes, such as the beach cruiser, are often modelled on the designs of the 30s to 50s. The Balloon Racer continues this trend bringing it back to the cradle of fat tyre bikes, to Germany.

CLOUD STRIPES

Since the 50s FLAME patterns have been used at all South Californian SPRINT CAR races as symbols of speed and power. It is from here that their exuberant symbolicism started to emanate into many areas of design: countless customizing artists (e.g. Von Dutch, Ed Roth, George Cerney, Larry Watson) developed their own flame shapes and colours. Dean Jeffery created a subtle PIN STRIPE to go around the edge of the flames. The vivid interplay of the CLOUDSTRIPES draws on this particular graphic feature as much as on the flames themselves. Contrasts as well as softer, smoother shapes (GHOSTFLAMES, TRIBALS, etc.) developed into a cosmos of individualised ornamentation. The idea of the CLOUD pattern presents a reversal of the shape of the abstracted flame pattern: where MUSCLE power is symbolised instead of ENGINE power and BALLOONS instead of engines. Inspired by this history and in keeping with the idea of relaxed yet athletic CYCLING FUN, we started to develop our own stripe pattern as a tribute to the HOT WHEEL symbolicism. This freehand striping softens the austere appearance of the frame lending our  BALLOON RACERS  a unique personal touch.

FAT FRANK – Cruising in Crème

The design of the profile was modelled on a blend from the archive of tyre manufacturers SCHWALBE – a high grip BMX tyre surface paired with a classic motorbike profile. Its fine diamond profile and puncture protection mean that "FAT FRANK" is at the forefront of technological innovation - unlike many other wide tyres. Another aspect of this is that it is possible to ride the tyre at a very low air pressure. It may come as a surprise that in spite of all this, wider tyres actually roll more easily than others. A basic rule is: the wider the tyre the lower the friction. This is because a wider tyre has a shorter bearing surface in the direction of movement. This in turn decreases the levelling of the tyre, resulting in a tyre that deforms less, stays "rounder" and rolls easier, yet retains an excellent level of  traction thanks to its wide bearing surface. A further increase in puncture protection is achieved as a result of the tyres’ huge volume: "FAT FRANK" offers much better protection from the dreaded "Snake Bite" (grinding the tyre against the rim of the wheel). The wide tyres have even found a clever way of dealing with punctures: the balloon tyres "enclose" sharp objects and "spit" them out again after rolling off.

Matthias Mehlert & Frank Patitz