Tiny Wheels, Big Vibes: Inside Berlin’s Mini Bike Fest Part.1
It’s not just me, the world seems to have an obsession with 20” bikes. Some call them a gimmick, others praise their versatility and the incredible fun factor of these mini-rigs. During my trip to Berlin, I had no idea they’d end up being the unexpected highlight of my adventure in the German capital.
Combining my two favorite things at the moment, framebuilding and minivelos, the Mini Bike Fest is, simply put, all about good vibes, fun handmade bikes, and delicious German snacks and drinks. With over a dozen custom 20” builds, this first edition of the Mini Bike Fest felt like a total success to me. And today, we’re taking a closer look at a few of them.
But before we go any further, I got to give a special shoutout to Paul and Tony for creating this event. Since The Kolektif Bike Fair was canceled with year, they took it upon themselves to create something of their own. And they have crafted awesome creations that we’ll see later in this article.
Let’s start with the bike that might actually become available to most of you, the prototype of the Omnium Nano. A.K.A. the latest addition to the Omnium Cargo lineup. Based on the Omnium Mini but built around two 20” wheels, it not only looks better, but is also way easier to ride in my opinion. Aldo from Omnium mentioned that for the intended use of this cargo bike, they could probably go with thinner tubing to reduce weight, while still retaining many of the same components from their existing cargo models: the same central stand, same platform and net, and the same rear dropouts.
With a special stem and the semi-recent Omnium Tilting Rack Bracket, the Nano probably has the smallest footprint of any of its siblings, making it a totally viable cargo bike even for someone with very limited storage space… or for traveling!
To continue… Yes, another Omnium! (I promise this is the last one.) Like the previous one, it runs 20” wheels front and back, but this one isn’t a prototype, it’s a rescue project.
Paul got his hands on an Omnium Cargo with a bent rear triangle. And when you’re a framebuilder with the skills to repair and reinvent, you make it into something cool. Using the original dropouts, he rebuilt the rear triangle and adapted the geometry to fit a 20” rear wheel.
The bottom bracket remains at the same height, but in this single-speed setup, Paul told me the bike accelerates faster and feels way more playful to ride, even if it doesn’t hold momentum quite as well.
As you can see, the tubing used for the new rear triangle is very thin. By going with minimal diameter tubing, Paul avoided the need for complex tube bending, keeping the manufacturing simple and clean.
A final standout detail is the paint. Yes, it’s the original Omnium orange, but if you’re familiar with their finishes, you’ll know it usually has a matte look. Here, a glossy top coat was added, not only to protect the new rear triangle from rust, but also to bring some shine back to the whole frame. And of course, special mention goes to the triple triangle design, because who doesn’t love a little GT vibe?
PS: The custom webbing that you saw on both Omniums is by Vonjott Juicy Bike Stuff based in Berlin, making your cargo more colorful than ever.
Check her out here ➡️ @vonjott_juicy.bike.stuff
This other bike is Paul’s main project: ABÉS. It’s a classic longtail cargo bike, but built around 20” wheels and a nice and sturdy suspension fork.
Having collaborated with Schindelhauer and Riese Muller, Paul has carried over some well thought design details, like the clean, straight lines between the main frame to the rear rack. Equipped with an electric Pinion gearbox and automatic shifting, this build is the ultimate comfortable commuter, and can learn more about the project here ➡️ @abes_longtail
Ah! The bike above is easily one of my favorites from the show, a 20” clunker with a coaster brake, huge tubeless tires, and a truss fork. This is Tony’s personal build, one of the co-organizers of the Mini Bike Fest. And just look at it… it’s perfect!
I can’t stress enough how important it is for Slow Spin Society to support these kinds of initiatives through media coverage. Sure, it’s fun, but these meetups are also full of talented individuals helping shape a better, more local, and more sustainable cycling industry. And I love that!
See you in a few days for part 2!
Mini is the new Big Thing!
🎞: kodak Color Plus 200
📷: Leica M6
📍: Berlin
