Slow Season

November 15, 2018

The bicycle business is very much seasonal. After changing the clocks back, things slow down a lot. Like ice cream, there is little demand for a new bicycle in winter.  As a result of this, I adjust my opening hours to allow myself more time to prepare for the next season, ride my bicycle a bit, and to hang with my family.

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Instagram

February 13, 2018

By looking at the dates on the posts around here there can be no mistaking that I don’t blog frequently.  Managing the shop, all the projects, and a family are enough to keep me busy most months.

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Framing the issue

December 2, 2016

Step into the Santucci Cycles showroom on Danziger Strasse, or browse the rest of this website and you’ll notice a number of different styles and designs on display. You’d be forgiven for thinking Santucci bicycles are all about refurbishing and reviving classic frames – rebuilding from classic elements into something new and fresh – but that’s only part of the story.  Santucci is just as much about new bespoke bicycles – designed and executed in house.  To get a sense of the different styles on offer, and how he sees his vision for the business developing, we caught up with him for a bit of Q&A.

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– Riders –

November 15, 2016

Next up in the Riders series is Paula G who rides a custom-built  Santucci Cycle she bought late last year.  Those living in Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin may have seen it around, and it also sports a unique sign advertising Bekarei – the awesome bakery on Dunckerstraße that Paula runs.

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unknown gem from the bicycle renaissance

September 18, 2016

It isn’t often that I come across a frame for which the origin is unknown. Thanks to the world wide web so much information has been shared and collected that it is virtually impossible to not find any info about even the rarest of collectors items, be it a record, a stamp or a bicycle frame. That is what makes one of my recent projects so special.

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– Riders –

August 1, 2016

In the second edition of the Riders series, we catch up with Felipe Burattini, the Berlin-based design-thinking specialist born in Brazil. Felipe founded his own advertising boutique BrandishAd in 2006, and in 2015 he became the Founder of a Berlin-based start-up ‘Apps 4 Gaps’, which also operates in London and São Paulo.

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– Riders –

June 6, 2016

As Santucci Cycles grows, we love meeting people from all walks of life.  Our customers share our passion for great design and practicality – and so we thought it would be cool to introduce some of our community via our new “Riders” series.

First up is Stewart Walker, the Berlin-based electronic music producer. We caught up with Stewart by email during his tour of Japan,  and chatted about bikes, beats and Berlin.

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Sunday ride

November 16, 2015

On Sunday I missed the group ride because I set my alarm incorrectly and overslept. I deliberated trying to join the group somehow, checking the next train connections, trying to figure out a way, but in the end gave up. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in a while too. Because while riding in a group is fun, I also like riding alone. And for the first time in a long time, I got to do that this past Sunday.

I really, really enjoy riding alone. You ride at your own pace, stop when you want, and go where you want. And it’s that last bit which reminds me the most about why I love riding a bike. It’s the trill of discovery. One of my favorite quotes is from Hemmingway “It’s good to have an end to journey to, but it is the journey which counts, in the end.” Sometimes I’ll set out with no destination and just let the streets and my intuition guide me. Other times I’ll have a destination, but be directionless. Indeed I set out on this gorgeous autumn day with a destination. The rest was open.

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on pulling fender dents

May 14, 2015

My bikes see lots of use, mostly as commuters. They spend time outside subjected to elements which I cannot control. Often times I’ll leave my bike parked at a bike rack and return hours later thinking “strange, i could have sworn that my headlight lens wasn’t cracked” . The same goes for unsightly fender dents. I have no idea how they happen, but for me they are one of those things which make a bike look very used. Even more than scratches.

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desperation leads to ingenuity

October 11, 2014

Most of my builds are used in and around Berlin with no real distance traveling. Berlin is mostly flat with the token hills, like Prenzlauer Berg or Temeplhofer Damm, but nothing too serious. For this reason many of my builds have little or no gearing systems. Gears are useful, but they require attention and maintenance. Most people who have ridden a geared bike would attest to this and that’s why some customers opt for one gear. But there are also the customers who just know they need gears and want them.

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Project #015

April 4, 2014

Project #015 was finished just in time for the Berliner Fahrradschau. Like most of my projects this was commissioned by a customer. It’s a been a while in the making, but it’s safe to say that we are pleased with the final result.

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My biggest fans

March 25, 2014

At the bike show this weekend I got a visit from my biggest fans. When I came home later that evening there were some surprises waiting for me. After a hard day on my feet these things made me smile.

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