With the more approachable urban cycling nature of the Berlin Bike Show, there really is no bike company that fits the bill more than German brand Schindelhauer. They specialize in bikes with a simple classic look, based around polished, TIG-welded triple butted, aero-shaped aluminum tubed frames with unique detailing and plenty of polished aluminum. The Ludwig bike is a great example as a lightweight touring/commuting platform, and like all of their bikes is either set up as a singlespeed or with hub gearing, no derailleurs here. Also like all of Schindelhauer’s bikes (except one track-specific frameset) the Ludwig is equipped to take racks and fenders for more real-world versatility.
Follow us past the break to have a look at some of Schindelhauer’s slick details…
This cream white bike, a Ludwig Alfine 8, with an 8-speed internally geared hub was available for test in the demo area, while several similar bikes were on display in the main show. The frame uses Schindelhauer’s signature integrated seatpost binder and two-part belt-drive friendly slider dropouts. This bike is spec’ed with a Brooks leather saddle and matching house brand ergo leather grips. The build also includes an auxiliary belt retention roller to alleviate some of the worries with excessive belt tension needed for standard Gates’ setups. Its full-coverage aluminum fenders made by Curana, available separately for 45€, are actually a aluminum-plastic-aluminum laminate construction for better durability. The bike is available in either 8 or 11-speed Alfine or 14-speed Rohloff variants, all with Gates CenterTrack belts; pricing is 1700/2050/3300€ based on the rear hub. A similar Pinion gearbox version called the Wihlem is also available.
Schindelhauer also had a few unique bikes on display with the new red Gates belt that we showed you back in December. The silver painted Viktor Red Race Singlespeed belt drive city road bike on the left retails for 1700€. It is a limited edition, and only 50 will be made like this with road drops and a flip-flop fixed/freewheel rear hub. The standard Viktor continues to be available with a single brake fixed to an integrated stem/short riser bar combo for 1450€. A similar, more traditional looking Siegfried Road version with a curved aluminum fork is also available on their site for 1550€.
The geometrically adorned bike was a show-only custom finished Hektor belt-drive track bike built up as a unique urban fixie by Berlin street-style artist Toons of Bikestyler Customs. The standard Hektor frameset built for the track, crits, or even city riding is just 800€, including either an aluminum or carbon fork depending on frame color selected. Like all Schindelhauers, the frame is belt-drive compatible, and can be also set up with brakes if desired.
Featured in their booth Schindelhauer had another Ludwig, this one sporting the large 215€ leather toptube bag made for them by Viennese bag designer Eva Blut. It includes a hidden shoulder strap for off-the-bike use. Blut calls the bag a London – Frame Folder in her Velocité line, and has designed it to function like a removable satchel to carry a tablet, phone, keys, and documents, yet easily drape over a bike’s toptube.
This all black Viktor city singlespeed we saw featured Schindelhauer’s straightforward porteur-style front pannier rack that we showed you on the limited show-special ThinBike also back in December. The simple rack is designed to connect to the excellent Ortleib QL2.1 system, but can easily accommodate most bags. It includes a headlight attachment point with internal wire routing to connect with a generator hub. Its thin-walled tubular steel construction can carry up to 15kg/33lb and it retails for 60€.
