Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Big Forest Frameworks XL3

Big Forest Frameworks XL3

If you’re struck by the individual nature of the lugs on this green road machine, Robert Piontek of Potsdam’s Big Forest Frameworks broke the process down to an easy-to-digest mouthful on YouTube for your edification. The smiley face is a necessary decoration, for it shows off Robert’s contagious enthusiasm for frame building and riding.

Robert’s steel XL3 road bike is hefty, but does imbue a sense of grace, much like an oak tree does when a relatively strong breeze tickles its branches. It looks sure-footed enough, and would certainly be a fine vehicle to get back to nature with. There’s already quite a few bikes in the Big Forest portfolio, each of them elegantly and heartily built.

Robert isn’t afraid of sharing his knowledge, either. As well as building frames himself, he holds numerous classes in his workshop, from a two-hour course where you can cut tubes and give fillet-brazing a go, to fork building courses, right up to the three-week Master Course, where you’ll build three frames, including a lugged mountain bike.

Sign me up. Head to the Big Forest website for more information.

Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3
Big Forest Frameworks XL3