Kruschhausen Fiiz - 26" take-apart-bike
04-16-18, 03:16 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Kruschhausen Fiiz - 26" take-apart-bike
At the Berliner Fahrradschau a couple of weeks ago I spotted a new, interesting bigwheeler: The Kruschhausen Fiiz. It is designed by a young German from the south of the country (where all the mechanical engineering competence is located) and built locally (including the frame). It has a stiff aluminium frame that can be split in half. The two halfs can be sticked together and be rolled on it's own wheels.
It is intended as a fast, sporty commuter bike for use in cities with the possibility to use public transport or to put into a car trunk. Clearly not a fold-as-small-as possible-bike like the Brompton but something where riding was considered more important than folding. It has 26" wheels, 2 speed SRAM Automatix, belt-drive and the geometry of a mountain bike (and this is also where the creator comes from). I did a test ride and was very impressed by the bike's stiffness and speed and the looks are amazing, too.
Taking apart and putting the halfs together is reasonably quick (though obviously far slower than folding a Brompton). As always, there are some downsides as well.
- the stem is in a fixed position to enable the clamping together by the pin on the front end (which I also dislice from an optics perspective). This means the height of the front can be adjusted though a different bar only and reach can only be adjusted via moving the saddle on it's rails. Bummer.
- the riding position is very sporty, especially if you are a taller rider. Nothing for longer trips, at least for me. But if you are into MTBs this may be the bike for you.
- no blades, no rack, no nothing. Blades would possibly compromise the fold and due to the concept no cables go from the front end to the back end.
- the price is eyewatering: currently 2800.- €. I can understand it to a degree as it is more or less handbuilt by local shops in (expensive) southern Germany from full materials w/o compromise to achieve a lower price - it clearly is an engineer's product.
The product looks and feels rock-solid and very clean. The creator is currently running a start-next-campaign for the bike which ends at the end of April. He hopes for a very small batch (maximum a couple of tens) of bikes to be built in the first run and plans delivery for about August as I understood him. The good thing is, that he has built four prototypes until now and that the bike has already passed all DIN/EN/ISO tests sucessfully. They have all the parts for a small batch of bikes and also all the local craftsmen at hand who will build the thing (and already did the actual prototype). So I'd trust him regarding the timeframe and neither expect huge delays or reconstructions like with the Helix or the Vello nor issues caused by scaling - they clearly do not target higher numbers at the moment and working locally means that any issues with the build can be cleaned out quickly.
It seems they are ready to run an will instantly start producing if they reach about 15 orders with their campaign. So the possibility to join an exclusive club. ;-)
Very interesting bike for a special target group but not my cup of tea. If you have been looking for a very clean, very solid, sporty big-wheel commuter w/o extras and are willing to pay for high level craftsmanship this may be a bike for you.
It is intended as a fast, sporty commuter bike for use in cities with the possibility to use public transport or to put into a car trunk. Clearly not a fold-as-small-as possible-bike like the Brompton but something where riding was considered more important than folding. It has 26" wheels, 2 speed SRAM Automatix, belt-drive and the geometry of a mountain bike (and this is also where the creator comes from). I did a test ride and was very impressed by the bike's stiffness and speed and the looks are amazing, too.
Taking apart and putting the halfs together is reasonably quick (though obviously far slower than folding a Brompton). As always, there are some downsides as well.
- the stem is in a fixed position to enable the clamping together by the pin on the front end (which I also dislice from an optics perspective). This means the height of the front can be adjusted though a different bar only and reach can only be adjusted via moving the saddle on it's rails. Bummer.
- the riding position is very sporty, especially if you are a taller rider. Nothing for longer trips, at least for me. But if you are into MTBs this may be the bike for you.
- no blades, no rack, no nothing. Blades would possibly compromise the fold and due to the concept no cables go from the front end to the back end.
- the price is eyewatering: currently 2800.- €. I can understand it to a degree as it is more or less handbuilt by local shops in (expensive) southern Germany from full materials w/o compromise to achieve a lower price - it clearly is an engineer's product.
The product looks and feels rock-solid and very clean. The creator is currently running a start-next-campaign for the bike which ends at the end of April. He hopes for a very small batch (maximum a couple of tens) of bikes to be built in the first run and plans delivery for about August as I understood him. The good thing is, that he has built four prototypes until now and that the bike has already passed all DIN/EN/ISO tests sucessfully. They have all the parts for a small batch of bikes and also all the local craftsmen at hand who will build the thing (and already did the actual prototype). So I'd trust him regarding the timeframe and neither expect huge delays or reconstructions like with the Helix or the Vello nor issues caused by scaling - they clearly do not target higher numbers at the moment and working locally means that any issues with the build can be cleaned out quickly.
It seems they are ready to run an will instantly start producing if they reach about 15 orders with their campaign. So the possibility to join an exclusive club. ;-)
Very interesting bike for a special target group but not my cup of tea. If you have been looking for a very clean, very solid, sporty big-wheel commuter w/o extras and are willing to pay for high level craftsmanship this may be a bike for you.
Last edited by berlinonaut; 04-16-18 at 03:29 AM.
05-23-18, 10:55 PM
#2
Senior Member
you know me, made-in-xxx means little to me. I would just a buy a bike like a Dahon Cadenza 26er or the new Dahon 650ber. If not, one of the Surly SS couple bikes. Those won't have the cachet of a German boutique brand, but, again, you know how i feel about cachet. Don't need it, don't want to pay for it. I am sure it is quality stuff. It's just that it's excess quality beyond what most people need. Take that from one who with the price of just one of his photographic lenses (no, they are not Zeiss either for the same reasons above) could afford one of these.
YMMV, of course.
YMMV, of course.
Last edited by Abu Mahendra; 06-24-18 at 06:04 PM.
06-24-18, 06:08 PM
#3
Senior Member
Here you go...
Looks good. Now, outfit it with a RD hanger and a chain drivetrain, bring down the price, and I'll consider it.
06-24-18, 11:54 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
- "no cables to the rear" for clean looks and easy separating. Which means coaster brake at the rear and no derailleur gears.
- belt drive instead of chain for low maintenance and no grease. Obviously no derailleur gears again.
- handcrafted manufacture build in Germany in very small numbers (which adds to the price)
You want exactly the opposite of these three key elements of the bike...
