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Reviving a Favorit, new life to the classic Czech bike brand

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Founded back in 1922 when steel was really the only option for building bikes, Czech bikemaker Favorit continued for decades to produce everything from race winning road bikes to the indestructible townies that grandmothers would tool around on through their villages. But the brand’s innovation didn’t keep up with the market until 2015 when new owners debuted some custom carbon bikes catering to a wealthy clientele who were often reminiscing about the bikes they had ridden when they were younger. Now Favorit has a line of four standard urban bikes built around Czech made carbon frames and maintenance-free belt drives, with some slick custom features and a healthy dose of made in Europe components…

From the 1950s Favorit’s top F1 Special line of race bikes would end up ridden to multiple victories in the Olympics, several World Championship disciplines, and a handful of other international races. By the late 70s, they’d even built more than a million bikes, with one of the most advanced production lines in the world. So now with new vision the brand is clawing its way back to the top of the market.

The bikes that are leading them there are four models labeled as ‘lifestyle’ bikes: the Cronos, Bigboss, Aviator & Diamante. Each one essentially starts out with the same basic belt-drive frame, built up in a different characters to suit different types of riders, but all at the same price. The bikes are built in a tube-to-tube construction, with some carbon lugs as well as some machined aluminum lugs and inserts for certain joints like bottom brackets, fork crowns, and dropouts. This lets Favorit build bikes with a aesthetic reminiscent of their old steel frames, but with lighter weight and improved stiffness of carbon, while still trying to build in some of the damping of classic steel. The end result is that the frames are quite light (between 1100-1400g) and build up to relatively light city bikes, ranging from around 9kg up to 12kg for those with the most accessories added on.

The concept for the four bikes focuses around the idea that everyone who rides deserves a nice looking, fun to ride, and reliable bike to get around town. And with all of the history of bike making Europe, why shouldn’t cyclists have the opportunity to ride a bike developed and produced in the heart of Central Europe.

The Cronos gives the Favorit a modern city bike look with a medium-width flat bar that can take on city streets or a bit of bike path exploration out of the city, leaving a lot up to each rider as to where to take it.

The Bigboss throws on a set of dropbars and of course a bit lower stack for a city commuter designed for those looking for a classic road bike feel. It is the bike they call ‘the fast one’.

The Aviator is the classic universal townie, meant to have a more elegant look with backswept bars, an upright position, full coverage fenders, and a rear rack.

Lastly, the Diamante adds another tube into the front triangle for a bit more standover clearance and a high-rise, backswept bar for the most comfortable city cruising position.

With the belt-drive setup, all four bikes were developed around internally geared hubs. The standard is a mechanical Alfine, but they also offer an upgrade to the Di2 version for those who want to go electronic. All of the bikes include disc brakes for reliable braking, get spec’d with Czech-made puncture resistant tires, and all include a built-in electronic bell. They also each build in sensor-controlled adaptive LED lighting for both daytime and nighttime visibility powered off front hub dynamos, all with internal wiring.

The bikes also all are built with integrated seatmasts and their own custom-made alloy topper, with real leather grips and in-house made leather saddles in 3 widths all with titanium rails. Besides frame & fork, several of the other aluminum components like the unique stems, seatpost toppers, and even rims also get built in Favorit’s same original factory in Rokycany, Czech Republic.

Each bike is available in metallic blue or green, or pearl red or white for the same 2990€ price with the mechanical Alfine 11. Upgrade to the Di2 Alfine 11 for 1000€ extra, all including VAT and delivery anywhere in Europe. Favorit builds each bike to order, so they work with each customer to make sure everyone ends up on a unique bike fit to them. They even all get personalized with the owner’s name on the laser engraved serial number plate. Delivery time varies throughout the year, but the custom bike builds usually take between 2-4 months til delivery.

Favorit.cz

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Mike D
7 years ago

Uhhhh… yes please! Stateside distro and keep the same prices? Heck. Yes.

Mike D
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike D

I retract my previous comment–completely missed a zero in the price. I thought these were sub-$1000US bikes. So, eh, I revise my statement to a “Heck. No.” Not a chance I’d pay that price for this type of bike, hipster points be d*mned.

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
7 years ago

Looks like a 22.2ø stem/bar clamp and tiny gum wall tire volume… o’skool. Lot’s of money for the outdated spec. However it’s pretty cool a lot of the components/frame/fork are made in Czech Republic.

Woody
Woody
7 years ago

That toe-overlap though…

Richard
Richard
7 years ago

(deleted). No, thanks…

Thor29
Thor29
7 years ago

Anybody else notice the left hand shifter on the Big Boss rendering at the top?
An integrated seat mast on a commuter bike?
3K Euro for a commuter bike?
No way. This is like the Euro version of a Budnitz.

Eric
Eric
7 years ago

Based on the site, these might be custom geometry, but I’m not sure.

Regardless, these are cool and I’d like to commute on one. I’m sorry you are all poor, but I’d consider picking one up.

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
7 years ago
Reply to  Eric

People who go to the Bikerumor site are all into highend bikes and I would guess buy higher performance and priced bikes then this. People seem to be not complaining about the price but the value. You can buy a made in USA Ti Lynskey for under 3k w/ 105, carbon fork, canecreek HS, 650B or 700c which fit the same frameset… now that is a value and ultimate commuter.

Too bad you have such attitude and called everyone poor. Even if some people here are poor, I bet they are a lot nicer. You must think a lot about yourself to insult everyone here… good job Jefe.

Dominic
Dominic
7 years ago
Reply to  Eric

“i’m sorry you are all poor”?
Classy bro, classy.

Bigwheel
Bigwheel
7 years ago

In 1970 I was racing Scrambles/MX out of a shop in VT that sold CZ’s. They were imported by Jawa based in Long Island. We got like 5 Favorits during a trip to the warehouse because they were a really good deal and the one I ended up with was a fully Campy equipé, tubular rim model that I put a lot of miles on. I gave it to a friend after getting in to MTB in ’81 and he still has it. I’ll have to get a pic of it next time I visit.

Zbigniew
Zbigniew
7 years ago

I wish them luck because Favorit is an well-known old brand. But 3000 EUR is really hilarious. Don’t think they will find many buyers…

adriankoooo
7 years ago

Favorits were affordable for all people and everybody has at least one in the 80’s, unfortunately these new models are not cheap.

Edgar
Edgar
7 years ago

Nobody in the Czech Republic understands the pricing. From a traditional brand for the masses a rich investor made overpriced bikes for snobs.
Shame.

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