Just a few weeks ago we took a look at the trophy-like Bike Hanger from Danish KP Cykler, and then a glance at their commuter sidecar. But now they’ve come back to us with a new crowdfunding project to build their vision of the Perfect Urban Bike (being delivered by sidecar above). What makes it perfect? They seem to really value classic looks, ultra low maintenance, flat resistance, and reasonable weight as key to making for a happy city biker. To hit each of those points, KP Cykler has been working for a couple of years to refine a traditional-looking lugged steel bike built around a two-speed internally geared rear hub and modern classic components. The bike is pretty much a highlight of the best quality city bike bits and bobbles that they’d already been selling in their shop, but now comes together as slightly more affordable option as the complete Perfect Urban Bike…
Already past their modest funding goal a week into their month on Kickstarter, KP Cykler wanted to put together something simple for those who’ve had enough with the over complication of bikes for getting around town. Pulling from their Danish roots in cycling for transport, they’ve put together what the call the ultimate package, essentially a curated premium city bike with a classic look. That gets you standard puncture protection tire liners, a lugged steel frame for a lovely rid, Brooks leather saddle and grips, their own Porteur-style swept bars for a balance of speed & comfortable cruising, and a two-speed Kickshift for no maintenance functionality.
The 4130 chromoly frames are an iterative update to the standard frame, but as part of the Kickstarter campaign will get the owner’s name engraved into the bottom bracket shell along with serial numbers heavy on the number 7, which is traditionally good luck for Danes. The frames have thread-n chain tensioners and removable cable stops if you decide to ever forgo brakes. The saddles are the Brooks B17, and come with matching Brooks leather bartape and wooden bar plugs.
The front hub is a high-flange to match a rear Sturmey Archer S2 Kickshift. Just kick the pedals back slightly to drop from a direct drive to one at 138%. Beside the flat-proof strips in the tires, wheels are hand-built with 21mm deep, double-walled Ryde rims from Holland and get wrapped in 23mm Schwalbe Lugano tires.
The total bike will set you back about 935€/$1045 (actually 7000 Danish Krone). That’s about a 12% savings off of the standard complete bike that the currently build to suit with a two-week lead time. This new bike gets a bit more functionality though building in some Promax dual pivot brakes for all-weather braking
KP Cykler has already sorted out pretty much every part of the new bikes, so hitting their projected Kickstarter delivery dates (July 2016 for 55 & 59cm frames; November 2016 for the 51cm) is a pretty solid bet.
