The European Bike Project: A Steel Gearbox Bike & 4 Other Exciting Products from Swiss Manufacturers - May 2022

The European Bike Project is one of our favorite Instagram accounts and his feed is constantly updated with everything from interesting curios from tiny manufacturers to inside looks at European manufacturing to analyses of the environmental impact of our sport. He's going to be doing a new regular column for us here at Pinkbike that will be mainly focussed on bringing you exciting products from small European manufacturers.

Last week, the Cycleweek show took place in Zurich. Many Swiss companies had interesting products on display, so this article will be a one-time Swiss Special.

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Scar Cycles LFS Pinion


Stefan, the person behind Scar Cycles, really is a jack of all trades. He works as a chef during the day, heads the local pump track club, works as a distributor for Lilienthal rims and Pirope wheels in Switzerland - and when he finds time, he brazes frames in his garage.

This is Scar Cycles frame no. 15 and it's a really interesting one. The goal was to build a proper downcountry bike with light wheels, a Pinion C1.12 gearbox, and adjustable travel. Currently, the bike is set to 120 mm travel at the front and 105 mm rear travel, but it can also be used with a 140 mm fork. A shock with a longer stroke would provide up to 125 mm rear travel. With a steeper seat angle, even more travel would be possible. The leverage ratio is fairly progressive - it starts at 2.8 and ends just a bit above 2.0.

The geometry is fully custom and tailored to the riders' needs. On this frame, Stefan went for an aggressive 64° head angle and a rather moderate 73.8° seat angle. Unlike me, he's not a fan of steep seat angles and he argues that moderate seat angles are better in terms of ergonomics. To make sure the rider is in an upright position, the frame has a long head tube. We're looking at a 615 mm stack and a reach of 446 mm. The chainstays are 440 mm long and the wheelbase is 1234 mm. The tubing comes from Dedacciai and Columbus.

Despite the steel frame and gearbox, the whole bike weighs in at 15.2 kg (33.5 lbs). The frame itself weighs roughly 4 kg (8.8 lbs). For a different customer, Stefan built a 12 (26.4 lbs) kg version of the LFS, showing that steel bikes don't necessarily need to be heavy. As you can see, the frame was bronzed and oiled rather than painted. That means that some extra care is required to maintain the finish, but it makes for a very unique look.

To make sure the uphills are not too painful, Stefan specced this bike with the new Lilienthal XT rims, which are laced to Newmen hubs with textile spokes from Pirope. The Enduro-rated wheelset weighs just 1400 g.

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QWSTION + MOVER hip pack


Swiss bag company QWSTION has joined forces with their friends at outdoor sports brand MOVER to create this neat plastic-free hip pack.

The brands say that it’s time to rethink our relationship with plastic. While QWSTION is well known for making bags from Bananatex and other natural materials for over a decade, outdoor sports brand MOVER has developed a collection of plastic-free garments.

The QWSTION + MOVER Hip Pack is a lightweight bag for outdoor use with a focus on functionality, timeless design, and minimal use of resources.

Thanks to the expandable rolltop compartment, the volume can be adjusted between 1 and 5 l. The hip pack features a front compression flap, two side bottle pockets, one front pocket, and one front zipper pocket with a key loop. The belt and the side compression straps are adjustable.

Certified organic plant fibers (cotton ripstop main compartment) are combined with wool (belt) and aluminium (trims), a first in a field where goods are normally made of 100% plastic.

Crafted in Switzerland from QWSTION’s Cradle to Cradle Certified Bananatex material, this product is made-to-order, in a limited quantity of 100 pieces.

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milKit Tubeless System


The milKit tubeless system offers a wide range of advantages - so many that I didn't know all of them until Pius, the founder of milKit, invited me for a personal instruction session.

At the heart of the milKit system are the valves that have unique rubber flaps. They make sure that no air is lost when the valve core is removed and sealant does not block the valves. At the same time, adjusting the tire pressure works as with any other Presta valve. The valves also let you add or remove sealant with the milKit syringe while the tire is partly inflated.

Thanks to the milKit valves and syringe, the tubeless setup is a clean process: You can seat the tire using the booster and add sealant with the syringe later on when the tire is already partly inflated. The syringe also lets you check the old sealant and replace it with new one without having to release air from the tire. Did you know that regularly adding new sealant on top of the old is not a good idea and your tubeless system will not work as well as it could?

To inflate and seat your tires, the milKit booster is a great choice. Because the booster head uses no additional hose, the full airflow will go straight into the valve. Using it is easy: Inflate the booster, press it on the valve - done. It works with all Presta tubeless valves and can be used as a water bottle, as it comes with a booster head and a drinking bottle cap. The booster head weighs just 21 g, so it adds hardly any weight to your backpack in case you're taking the bottle with you anyway. Just make sure to empty the bottle before you use it as a booster, unless you want to top up your sealant with your drink of choice.

When it comes to sealant, too, milKit offers an interesting option. It can seal holes up to 6 mm and will stay liquid for 6 to 9 months (even years as long as it's stored in the bottle). The fibres that actually take over the sealing do not sink to the bottom of the bottle, so there is no need to shake the bottle before use and there are no guessing games regarding particles when filling it into the tire. It works from -20°C to +50°C / - 4°F to 122°F and it's compatible with CO2 cartridges. As it is water-based, it can also be topped up with water in case it gets too sticky. The sealant also does not turn into rubbery balls over time.

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Daysaver Multitools



Daysaver was founded in 2020 and has been tirelessly working on new multitools ever since, with its first products being the Original9 and Carrier1. The Original9 is a 8 mm hex key that stores 4 smaller bits (6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2.5 / 2 mm Hex / Torx 25 / Philips #1). Each bit can be used on both sides of the 8 mm hex key. The bits are held in place by magnets and the tool comes with rubber caps to protect you and your jersey in case you're carrying it in a back pocket. The Original9 weighs just 39 g and the Carrier1 frame mount adds another 17 g. It will raise your bottle cage by just 12.5 mm and will safely hold the 8 mm hex. Tool enthusiasts will have spotted the "plasma" coating of the bits and yes, you guessed it: the Original9 is made in Switzerland by PB Swiss Tools.

In a few weeks, the Coworking5 extension will become available. The base is a tire lever that will hold two chain links and a chain breaker. The chain breaker doubles as a spoke wrench and a valve core tool. It adds another 35 g to the Original 9.

If you want to mount the Original9 and the Coworking5 onto your frame, you'll need the Cradle3 mount. The tool itself is held in place with magnets, but the mount also comes with a strap, so you can strap a tube, a small pump or something else to your frame.

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ILEVE DISTRICT Sunglasses


Just a few days ago I was lucky enough to meet the friendly ILEVE DISTRICT crew at the Cycleweek show in Zurich.

ILEVE DISTRICT is a new company from Bern that offers 3D printed sunglasses. While the N°1 has one large lens, the N°2 has two lenses and an air vent in the middle. Both the N°1 and the N°2 come in two sizes.

The frame is 3D printed in Switzerland and the lenses are made in Northern Italy. According to the manufacturer, they are durable and impact resistant. The tint is called "vibrant violet solid" and it offers a high contrast for sunny, cloudy and rainy days. The lenses provide 100% UV and high glare protection, they have a hydrophobic and dirt-repellent coating on the outside and an anti-reflective coating on the inner side.

Instead of using silicone or other materials for the nose pad and ear sleeves, the team says that they engineered the frame in such a way that they can use just one main material. I tried the glasses at their show booth and I can confirm that the fit felt very secure. Each pair of glasses has a unique serial number.

The frame is held together with four pins, which means that you can take it apart and replace damaged parts, in case something should happen. However, they say that the frame and the glasses are very tough. In an attempt to create circular products, the company is currently experimenting new materials that can be recycled several times.

N°2 is also compatible with prescriptions lenses, selected partners will be able to fit lenses with -3 to +3 dioptres.

By the way, my made-to-measure 3D printed HEXR helmet arrived last week for testing. Now I wonder: When will we see custom-fit 3D printed sunglasses?

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That's all for now! Tune in next month for another batch of exciting products.

Transparency Note: Milkit and Daysaver have provided parts for my current builds.