Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Interview: Hufnagel Cycles

Hufnagel Porteur / City Bike Project

The Hufnagel Porteur / City Bike Project was released to the world last week: the culmination of months of hard work and amazing camping trips, and while everyone absorbs the vast amount of hand-constructed details on it, I took the opportunity to ask Jordan some questions.

Hufnagel Porteur / City Bike Project

The Porteur / City Bike Project is a sleek, elegant frame that draws upon both Jordan’s cycling and life experience. It is available as a limited production run with numerous options, such as custom sizing, racks, handlebar variations, a lock holster, waxed cotton tool roll and custom wood portage crate.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

The Hufnagel Porteur / City Bike Project has just reached fruition, and will be offered as to the public in a limited run. Is this the ultimate townie? How has living in Portland influenced it’s final form? This is my ultimate bike across the board. I think the original influence was found while I was living in Austin Texas,  which has now been reinterpreted into my Portland lifestyle. When I was in Austin it was BMX all day. You never wanted to end up somewhere with your pals on another type of bike and get left behind to go retrieve your BMX when everyone went to shred. So, I and many others just rode our BMX bikes everywhere. It was being prepared.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

Now, after living in Portland for 7 seven years my days are much different! But, I still don’t want to have to go home to get the right bike for the situation when ever it changes. I designed this bike to be spirited and fun to jam around on, long rides are a breeze, and it offers all the utility most city folk need out of a bike. So now, whether it’s gravel roads or groceries, I’ve got one bike I’m stoked to be on.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

Not only has the frame had an incredible amount of time and effort poured into it, but there’s also some components on here that you’ve crafted yourself, including the front rack, skewers, chain guide and taillight. How does the production of this project compare with your previous bikes? I always try and make each bike really special. I’ve been progressing and pouring my creativity into the basics: frame / fork / stem / rack from the on set. The new components came about through a need to be constantly learning and pushing myself. So, it’s much the same as far as production goes. But a very exciting progression for me.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

There’s a strong emphasis on locally made parts, such as the Paul brakes and White Industries drivetrain… Do you believe there’s a renewed interest in the American handmade culture; not just in bikes, but fashion, leather goods and other crafts? There is definitely a re-surging interest there. I think as far as Americans go, it’s a rather small bubble that actually realizes these things are happening, but that bubble is growing. It is incredibly important to support people that are passionate about what they are doing and I don’t limit that to American made. In an age where people are constantly blitzed with mass produced and mass marketed goods and lifestyles the most important thing we can all do is create exposure of these passionate people. That exposure leads to inspiration for all it touches and ultimately helps people realize lives full of awesomeness.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

You collaborated with Caleb Owen Everitt, who designed your logo, on the bike’s livery. There’s also a tool wrap by Lemolo Bags and the bottle by Blake Hudson. How did you come to be working with these partners? I’m an extremely lucky man. These guys are all great friends of mine where the bond is much deeper and started way before any business partnerships could have been foreseen. Now, whenever things like this come up I don’t need to look far to find the very best collaborators. I’m very proud to be in their company.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

Jordan, what’s your cycling background? Jared Souney, who photographed your Randonneur that was recently featured on The Spoken, mentioned some BMX racing? What sort of riding do you see yourself doing more of? I grew up obsessed with the freedom a bike gave me as a kid. Heading out on BMX bikes with all the other hellions I grew up with and seeing what kind of awesomeness we could find. Today’s not much different. The BMXs I used to ride every day have given way to ‘grown up’ bikes but I still love that freedom and letting it take me where ever it pleases.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

Are you optimistic about cycling? Where do you see cycling progressing in the future? I don’t think about cycling as something to be optimistic about. It’s very normal to me. It has always been a huge part of my life, and a very fun part. In the future, I see just that. More fun. In the larger scope, cycling is something that all types of people take part in and are going to continue to take part in. So all types of biking are going to keep happening, and that is awesome.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

Finally, what’s the process in acquiring one of these legendary Hufnagels? Do I have to be measured for fit, and can I get my name personalized on the seat tube? The process is pretty simple, made even easier by the amazing order form Caleb Owen Everitt designed for it. It all starts with an email to me and putting a deposit down to secure your spot in this limited run. Production begins in March and delivery will be in June/July. As far as fit goes, there should be some dialog between me and the customer. There are some options here. And, YES! You can definitely have you name personalized on the seat tube! In fact, that is standard procedure on all of these bikes.

Hufnagel Cycles Porteur/City Bike Project

You can see more details of the Porteur / City Bike Project in the Hufnagel flickr set. Contact Jordan through his website to place your order. Special thanks to Jared Souney for the exemplary photography of the bike, and to Vincent Joseph for the top portrait of Jordan.