Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

UBC Coren

 UBC Coren

UBC GmbH have 11 years experience producing carbon fiber components for the industrial and automotive sectors, counting Audi, Porsche, Bugatti and some Formula 1 teams among their clients. A versatile urban bicycle was an easy brief then, but their handmade engineering perfection also provides an insight into the ‘magic’ required in producing a carbon fiber frame.

UBC brought in Christian Zanzotti to conceptualize the Coren, an industrial designer with a portfolio that shows off his fine grasp of aesthetics and ergonomics. His heart is obviously in the right place: an excellently edited promotional video shows Christian sketching out the Coren under the watchful tutelage of his old steel F. Moser road bike.

The sketch was turned into a 3D computer model, which turned out a milled aluminum mold, into which was pressed the high tensile strength T1000 carbon fibers — otherwise used almost solely in the monocoque frames of Formula 1 chassis. Each section was then assembled with Tune, Schmolke and Trickstuff parts, ENVE wheels and a Gates carbon belt drive.

Each Coren is produced in 40 hours, with numerous teams within the UBC ‘manufactory’ contributing skills that result in a bike that won the prestigious 2012 ISPO Award — dedicated to sporting design excellence. The ‘overall’ weight is a considerable 7,700 grams and is available in singlespeed, ‘pedalec’ or fixed gear modes. Although with a price tag of €25,000, I’d hope brakes were included.

For more information and to watch the video, head to the UBC-Coren website.

 UBC Coren
 UBC Coren
 UBC Coren
 UBC Coren
 UBC Coren
 UBC Coren
UBC Coren
UBC Coren