The Vortrieb Model 1 - Perfected mobility on two wheels

Here at bc, we ask ourselves this every day, and everyone who works here has a different answer to give.

So we thought, what characteristics are most important for a bicycle and how can we make them a reality? A bicycle needs to both high-tech and pure, have power and elegance as well as be an urban lifestyle tool. A bicycle needs to be a companion. It should be ridden and be enjoyable, but also be there for the daily commute. This was our foundation and from here we increased what the Vortrieb brand has to offer.

Vortrieb, German for ‘forward motion’, has been a part of bike-components.de for quite some time. Under this name, we provided MTB, Road, and City & Touring bikes to our customers through our local Aachen, Germany storefront. As time went on, we began to offer other components like wheels, forks and spare parts as well.

In the end, Vortrieb never really turned into the brand we wanted it to be and now we had the chance to breathe new life into it. Then it hit us like a bolt of lightning. Vortrieb would turn into our brand for the mobility sector and it would be our outlet for creating the ideal companion for every day riders.

The frame was completely designed in house, in a long process that focused on the aforementioned idea of what a bike needs to be. We checked and rechecked every step of the way to make sure we integrated purpose driven functionality into the frame.

This is how we were able to find unique solutions to fulfil our vision. For example, the fenders were a source of concern right from the beginning. Often, they are crudely attached to frames, but not having them was also not an option. Our fenders are integrated seamlessly and fit perfectly to the frame design. Another important factor were the contact points. They needed to be ergonomic and we were hard-pressed to find a set of handlebars with 16° backsweep, which is necessary to relieve hand pressure. To solve this we designed them ourselves.

Staying away from hydro forming and strange frame construction ensured that the bike would have a timeless design that will continue to look great in the future. We made sure not to get caught up in the fads of today that inevitability go out of style almost as fast as you can blink.

Of course, the components also needed to be reliable and of high-quality. It was necessary that the internally geared hub with a carbon belt drive, the lights and the ergonomic saddle as well as grips meet our standards. Just like every passionate cyclist wishes for on their own bike. Most importantly, we wanted all this without cutting a single corner. We stand behind our choice of components and the bike itself 100 %. And offering it at a fair price turns our vision into more than just a pipe dream.

This thing cooks! It’s not called Vortrieb for nothing. The frame is stiff, and every pedal stroke is efficiently converted into forward motion. The rigid fork and wide handlebars ensure agile handling, and the brakes bring you to a quick and safe stop. The bike stays true the Vortrieb name without compromising on comfort or ride quality.

Cities are changing and investing money in bicycle paths, infrastructure and rental stations. Everything is adapting faster and the cycling world needs to keep up. We took a foundation for what a bike should be and realised if for a dynamic environment. Our new Vortrieb bike is known as the Model 1. A name that sets a strong foundation for things to come and can answer the question: