About
About the V Bike
The V Bike is a completely new model from Swedish manufacturer Skeppshult. It’s a fun and zippy bike to ride but at the same time it’s extremely practical by having two Unique Attachment Points (UAP).
The lockable pod, front and rears rack plus the basket can all be added or removed depending on your needs so the V Bike is a very flexible solution. The use of smaller wheels means that the loads can be carried lower which minimises any effects on the bikes handling. Smaller wheels have another positive effect: the V Bike is very manoeuvrable.
Small wheeled bicycles can often feel cramped and “twitchy” which doesn’t inspire confidence when riding but Skeppshult have kept the wheelbase of the V Bike similar to their other models. The result is a happy marriage between high manoeuvrability at low speeds and confidence inspiring handling at faster speeds.
Designer Björn Dahlström wanted to create a bicycle that he could ride from his home to his office in inner city Stockholm but he also wanted to be able to use it throughout the day. The ability to be able to carry various shaped objects easily was a high priority. He wanted something that was convenient and easy to use to the point where it becomes second nature.
The V Bike was a nominee in the 2008 Swedish Design Awards www.swedishdesignaward.se which is an award in itself.
About the designer, Björn Dahlström
You have to wonder whether there is something extra in the water in Scandinavia. There seems to be an unnatural distribution of quality designers there and Björn Dahlström is no exception.
Over the years Björn has been involved in a wide range of projects which include toys for Playsam and Aqua Play, soldering equipment for Primus, tents for Fjällräven, tools for Atlas Copco, cookware for Iittala and furniture for Magis, Plank and David Design. When you take into account his original roots in graphic design and animation it makes sense that he has also worked with the likes of Marimekko and Kasthall.
Björn's work is highly awarded and if you could bottle his experience I don't think production could keep up with demand.
On a warm summer's day in Stockholm Cykla talks to Björn about the V Bike.
Cykla: How long had you been thinking about the V Bike?
Björn: I first started sketching in 2005. The first thought I had was of one continuous line going from the front rack, through the frame in the shape of a V and then ending at a box at the rear.
Cykla: What was the response from Skeppshult when you showed them the design?
Björn: They liked it virtually straight away which I was surprised at. They were quick to recognise the potential it had. I wanted to make a bike that allowed you to carry things easily but at the same time be highly manoeuvrable so that it's easy to use in the inner city and they saw that from the start.
About Skeppshult
Skeppshultcykeln AB is a privately owned company with approximately 60 employees who manufacture cycles under the Skeppshult name. It is the only company in Sweden to have an unbroken history of manufacturing (welding and painting) frames, building wheels and assembling cycles in its own factory since its foundation in Skeppshult in 1920.
Major investments have been made in recent years and the factory in Skeppshult is now a modern plant where new technology and traditional craftsmanship go hand in hand. They have a unique range which acknowledges that a bike is designed to not only get you from A to B but it can do so in comfort and style.
Cycles from Skeppshult are renowned for their high quality and good design. As proof of this the Skeppshult cycle is the only cycle to receive the prestigious award for Swedish Design Excellence. Skeppshult was awarded this in 1998 for its Z bike, which was a collaboration with Swedish designer Björn Dahlström. The work with Björn Dahlström continued and resulted in the Soft bike 2004, and the V Bike in 2008.
In addition to the cutting edge V Bike, Skeppshult also manufactures a range of classic traditional-style bicycles for men and women. To view the full range of Skeppshult bicycles currently available in Australia, click here to visit the Cykla website.
About Cykla
Cykla is the official distributor for Skeppshult bicycles in Australia and we are excited to be one of only a handful of companies outside Sweden authorised to sell the V Bike.
My wife is Swedish and we were in Sweden for Christmas in 2005. She mentioned in conversation once how she would like a Skeppshult bike at our home just outside of Melbourne. I thought of buying her one for Christmas and just send it back to Melbourne. However it was actually very expensive to "just" send it back so I thought I'll buy a similar styled bicycle in Australia.
Of course there is a great deal of choice in mountain bikes and road racing bikes but we were soon to find out that there is basically no choice for a premium commuter bike like Skeppshult makes in Australia. Yes, there are a lots of hybrids available but even those are orientated towards somebody who wants to exercise. There is nothing wrong with exercise but what about if you want to ride something with a bit more style that you can easily jump on and off with a low instep?
Of course there may be a very good reason why you don't see bicycles like Skeppshult make sold in Australia, because nobody wants them. For this style of bike to be sold here, do consumers need to ask retailers to sell it or do importers/retailers need to sell it so consumers become aware of it? We sensed that the bicycling culture in Australia is expanding its boundaries and there is room for a brand such as Skeppshult. We soon realised that Skeppshult was an opportunity to be grasped with both hands.
So here we are 2 years later, many conversations, emails and a visit to the Skeppshult factory and we finally have Skeppshult bicycles on Australian soil. Jokingly I thought our catch phrase could be "Skeppshult, easy to ride, hard to pronounce" but my wife gave me a strange look. Cykla is Swedish for "ride a bike" e.g. in Swedish you can say "kan du cykla", can you ride a bike.
For us that's what Skeppshult is about, it's about riding "your" bike. You don't need to set aside time in your calendar, get dressed up in "proper" cycle clothing or time yourself against the stop watch. You should be able to strap on your helmet and ride to the shops to quickly get your bread and milk, drop your child off at kindy, ride to your gym, ride around your park, ride along the water front, ride to the movies or theatre or ride to work. Of course we love to get on a mountain bike and experience the great outdoors like the next person does but if you ask us, a mountain bike looks like a fish out of water in an urban environment.
Click here to visit the Cykla website where you can find out about the other Skeppshult bicycles available in Australia and discover the Hamax Plus range of bicycle accessories.