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GUTES

M ister Pleikies, you have studied architecture and worked in renowned
German and Austrian architectural offices for more than 10 years. Since
2011, you have been an independent bicycle designer in Berlin. When did you
discover your passion for bikes?
Riding a bike and easily covering longer distances – already when I was a child, this DESIGN
experience generated my enthusiasm for bicycles. Then there was this simple tech-
nology that anyone could understand and the urge to grasp things and to improve
them. Later on, I assembled bicycles myself because these were simply more beau-
tiful than “ready-made bikes”. Eventually, I started to design bicycles.

r Over the past years, all sorts of small start-up companies for bike construction KAUFEN
have sprung up. Have these two-wheelers become symbols of the lifestyle in our
leisure- and mobility-oriented society?
Lifestyle is no doubt a driving force for the increasing interest in bicycles and this
demand is also met across the whole price range. On the other hand, for two hun-
dred years bicycles have not fundamentally changed. Bicycles are technically simple,
durable devices which can cause great pleasure. Bicycles allow getting around with
Überall schießen Designmessen wie Pilze aus dem Boden. Leider
total freedom and environmental correctness and experiencing compensation for the
ist nicht immer drin, was draufsteht: anders auf der internationalen
stationary everyday life in the full sense of the word.
Designmesse blickfang.
r For you personally, how much do the two disciplines architecture and bicycle
design have in common? Oft wird Design als handgemacht übersetzt, Gestaltungsqualität ist Nebensache.
Whenever, after a day’s work, I look at my dirty hands and sweep up the metal Anders bei der internationalen Designmesse blickfang: An sieben Standorten
shavings, I feel miles away from architecture. The next day, when I talk with a erwartet Sie ein kuratiertes Spektrum internationaler Möbel-, Mode- und Schmuck-
customer about his dream of the perfect bike, however, I see the similarities to archi- designer. Eine Jury sorgt dafür, dass Hobby-Gestaltung gar nicht erst präsentiert
werden darf. Zudem steht auf der blickfang immer der Designer selbst am Stand.
tecture. That is to say, creating something together which is unique!
Ansprechen ist ausdrücklich erwünscht, denn im Gegensatz zu ähnlich konzept-
starken Designfestivals können Sie auf der blickfang alles, was Ihnen gefällt, direkt
r Is bicycle design a thoroughly honest discipline? The construction is visible, the
kaufen. Und wer nicht bis zur Messe warten kann, schaut heute schon online im
details can be seen, nothing is concealed …
blickfang Designshop vorbei!
With the spread of composite materials, new technologies such as 3D printing and
the trend towards high-quality varnishing, quite some of the aspects have shifted. A www.blickfang.com
lot is concealed under the attractive shell, for instance a mixture of materials or a
specific way of assembly. Titanium, however, to a large extent shows itself „naked“.

r Keyword titanium: You construct your bicycles solely of titanium. Explain to us
the fascination this material has compared to carbon, aluminium or steel!
The practical advantages of the attractive material are undisputable. It is very light,
robust, has high resistance and is also elastic. A titanium bicycle is able to dampen
the vibrations of the road without needing additional components to do so. This
reduction as well shows an analogy to architecture. Titanium is a pure material. In
case of welding as an assembly technology, titanium is again all that is used. A tita-
nium bicycle is reduced to what is essential and it will never rust since the protective
shell is already inherent in the material. It also looks noble but unostentatious.

r How did you gain the expertise necessary for processing titanium?
From the point of view of an architect, processing titanium is rather rare. If I as the
architect were to plan a floor covering consisting of bronze, for example, I would
thoroughly look at this type of material and how it is processed; I would ask crafts-
men and hold the material in my hand. This is what I did with titanium as well. I
had already become familiar with the tools, the processing of steel and stainless Save the Date!
steel, when training as a construction mechanic for metal- and ship-building tech-
nology. I learned my specific skills in dealing with titanium from a master of frame
construction from Italy.
Designers Market by blickfang | imm cologne | 19.–21. Januar 2018
blickfang Hamburg | Deichtorhallen | 02.–04. Februar 2018
r How long does it take to develop a bicycle, from the briefing to the finished
blickfang Stuttgart | Liederhalle | 16.–18. März 2018
wheels? And how long is your waiting list?
blickfang Basel | Messe Basel | 04.–06. Mai 2018
Constructing a frame of titanium takes about a week but I also make forks, stems blickfang Wien | MAK | 26.–28. Oktober 2018
and other parts of titanium. Then there is the planning period. I often order construc- blickfang Zürich | Stage One | 09.–11. November 2018
tion elements from international suppliers or have components built. This requires NEU! blickfang Bern | Bernexpo | 16.–18. November 2018
an appropriate lead time. The manual production takes time as well. A bicycle may
Tickets auch online im blickfang Designshop erhältlich!
sometimes need four weeks of work, which in the end benefits the unique item and
www.blickfang-onlineshop.com
the perfection. Right now, my customers are able to enjoy six months of anticipation
for their bicycles.