is a brand of Bohle Edition 1/2005 ■ May ■ 2nd year Big Apple: First came the tire, then the bike Balloonbikes Editorial with suspension Dear Schwalbe partner, Bicycles are back. The warm spring weath- er and high profile media reporting of the newly started racing season are unfailing and reliable stimuli that reawaken con- sumers’ interest in cycling. Now is the time to use this ever increas- ing interest in all things cycling! We shall continue to support you with innovative tires developed exclusively for the spe- cialised trade, along with appropriate and effective marketing. This second edition of "Schwalbe Pro- file" is packed full of great ideas to help you make the best of the forthcoming season. With this in mind we shall be concentrating on two new concepts that you can take advantage of: Balloonbikes with pneumatic suspension and our race More comfort for everyday cycling: trekking bikes, cool teenage bikes, city- Trekking or support of the Gerolsteiner team. The super-wide Big Apple absorbs cruisers, step-through frame bikes for city: Balloon- I hope you enjoy reading this latest bumps and acts almost like a full sus- seniors as well as children’s and folding bikes are issue and wish you a great season, pension bicycle. Numerous bicycle bikes. More than 30 distinguished ma- versatile. makers have developed their own nufacturers have realised their visions Sincerely, concepts for this tire. The 60 or so Big for the Big Apple, most of which are Apple equipped bicycles now have one everyday city bikes. Jan Derksen, head name: “Balloonbikes”, because they of Giant Europe, placed emphasis on are comfortable, light weight and low reduced weight and the easy way their maintenance, making bicycles with Balloonbikes provide ride comfort. This Schwalbe balloon tires a genuine has seen other manufacturers emulate trend. the trend for carefree and low mainten- Frank Bohle, ance cycling. On the other hand Riese Managing director of Ralf Bohle GmbH, The versatility of Balloonbikes are de- and Müller, a German manufacturer of Germany monstrated by their adaptation as exclusive, full suspension bicycles, sup- Compact version Stelvio wearing International hub: of Schwalbe’s well: Gerolsteiner Bohle’s logistic Shop-System have been racing center in Reichs- available from Schwalbe for five hof Wehnrath in August. years. Germany. Page 3 Page 4 Page 8 2Sales Continuation plishes what frame suspension alone is incapable of, so making possible true "suspension cycling" – that is company Balloonbikes with suspension philosophy. And naturally the fat black tires plement their sophisticated suspension nance. This ‘simplicity’ principle is re- look good too. So some manufacturers technology with fat tires. peated throughout the bicycle’s entire have themed retro style designs around “We created the Balloonbikes brand construction with components that them using frame colours such as ivory, name for the numerous bicycle models, make riding easier and more comfort- sky-blue or salmon-pink that contrast which reflect and incorporate the Big able, like enclosed chain-guards, dyna- well and add to the overall elegant Apple philosophy in their design." ex- mo hubs and gears. The Big Apple is the frame design. The steel frames of these plained Bohle managing director, Frank most obvious, most consistent way of high-quality specification models unite Bohle. He believes that these new bicy- attaining a ‘comfort concept’. The new logo for elements of the Balloon bike, Dutch bike cle concepts will set a genuine trend in Utopia, a German manufacturer of Balloonbikes. and US Street Cruiser. the market. And these bicycles give IB- high-quality custom made touring cy- The high-end, Euro 3,000, trekking D’s a chance to offer distinctive models cles, also decided on ‘air suspension’ bike ‘Easy Rohler’ from Idworx has no at reasonable prices and thus distin- and took full suspension bicycles com- competition in its class. "It’s the purest guish themselves from discounters. A pletely out of their range. In the mean- technology", said designer Gerrit Gaas- comprehensive website (www.bal- time more than 50 percent of the indi- tra. And the German bicycle magazine loonbikes.com) enchances the brand vidually configured bikes were reque- ‘Aktiv Radfahren’ agreed when judging image and informs specialist dealers sted with Big Apple, while during the it, "The most perfect bicycle we have yet and consumers about the entire Bal- past autumn shows dealers ordered 75 ridden.” loonbike range. percent of Utopia’s bikes with the Big “The models are very versatile and Apple. stimulating", summarised Frank Bohle. Less is more Reduced weight is the priority of "As tire suppliers it is not an everyday Giant Europe’s, Jan Derksen: "The Big event for us to develop a concept that in- In 2002 the German Sports University Apple is fundamental to the principle volves the whole bicycle." So we created in Cologne confirmed that the Big Ap- of cycling. That’s to say: One has to use the brand name “Balloonbikes" under ple suspension eliminated 25 percent ones legs to move." The lighter the bicy- which the many developments can be of impacts on the spine, since when cle, the easier it can be ridden. And ac- grouped. Frank Bohle recommended: evermore manufacturers have become cording to Derksen this simple fact has "Let customers experience the unique interested in the simple, but effective been mostly forgotten over the years. feeling of a balloon tire by allowing principle of ‘air suspension’. By compa- "The Big Apple, is equivalent in com- them a test ride”. rison a full suspension bicycle is only fort, but is, however, substantially For further information: www.bal- just more effective at 33 percent, but lighter than frame suspension." For loonbikes.com such bicycles are technically much example, the Giant ‘Triple X’ city bike more complicated, expensive and con- weighs only 13 kilos and Derksen re- siderably heavier. vealed that there would be further Bal- questions to Frank Bohle Less technology marks out a typical loonbikes this year. 3 Balloonbike. The high comfort level is Heiko Müller, managing director of Frank Bohle, managing director achieved by the fact that the volumi- Riese and Müller, views the character- of marketing and sales for Ralf nous tires can be ridden with a low in- istics of balloon tires as additional to Bohle GmbH in Reichshof-Wehnrath, flation pressure of just 2 bar. Because suspension technology, because fat Germany. they do not have complicated techno- tires respond particularly well to minor logy, Balloonbikes are not only light, roadway defects of up to about 1.5 centi- What are the advantages of the Big Apple’s but also comfortable and low-mainte- meters. The Big Apple therefore accom- "tire suspension" to everyday cyclists? Recent tests carried out by the German ews Sports University of Cologne suggest that the immediate effect of the Big N Apple tire suspension irons out potholes much more effectively, as opposed to the Valve caps Corporate brochure delay resulting from suspension travel. For decades the small plastic caps The Bohle family has The Big Apple cushions road unevenness have been grey in colour. Bohle have been involved in the almost as well as a full suspension bike now made them from transparent, bicycle industry for and substantially better than a suspen- high impact polycarbonate that bears nearly 100 years and a sion fork. Inflated to just two bars the the Schwalbe logo. Owing to its origi- new 24-page brochure Big Apple readily absorbs up to 25 per- nal "see-through" effect the design gives a great insight in- cent of all vibrations. has been patented and from 2005 to how this European What kind of bumps are absorbed best? the "most pinched item from the market leader operates: It describes The frequency of the "shocks" is more in- Schwalbe show stand" will be on all how ten million tires and twelve million teresting: Cobbles have a high frequency, Schwalbe tubes. tubes are distributed annually from its while occasional bumps in the road na- logistics center in Reichshof-Wehnrath, turally have a lower frequency. The ad- Germany and looks at the research and vantage of the broad, Big Apple tire is its development, marketing, sales and ability to immediately absorb any shocks. management functions. To receive the Who would benefit from this fat tire? brochure contact: Celeste Renee Steindl- All cyclists wanting a lightweight bicycle, Moser, P: 1-250-598-0397, F: 1-250-598- a comfortable ride, at a low maintenance 2018, E: [email protected] cost. profile · 1/2005 Sales3 Black Shark SX: The off-road allrounder Schwalbe aces They are not in the 2005 spotlight like the more exclusive Big Betty or Racing Ralph, but in the bicycle specialist trade they are genuine "fast movers": The Black Shark SX MTB allrounder and the Blizzard folding tire offer in- comparable value for money. For the 2005 season Schwalbe has re- introduced the popular Black Shark SX MTB tire. "Every rider needs an all terrain tread", said Frank Bohle, man- aging director of Ralf Bohle GmbH, Germany. "Most Mountain bikers are normal riders who do not participate in races – but ride on light and me- dium terrain, forest paths, or on the road." Here the tire shows its allround talent: It rolls easily on tarmac and at the same time has sufficient grip off road. Besides it is relatively light for a wired-on tire at 650 grams and its value for money alone will convince many customers. The Blizzard is similar price-wise, Customers can deeply into his pocket for the fold- belt, low weight and high mileage. being an entry level, branded folding now choose from ing version, but then gets all the ad- The red, yellow, blue or black tires will tire and optionally a wired-on tire.