A brand which succeeds in creating customisable bikes which do more than just look good. Who said affordable well made customisable bicycles weren't possible. By the look of their bicycles, clearly not Foffa.
Foffa, the brainchild of bicycle designer Dani Foffa & photographer Tyson Sadlo. In the space of three years they've gone from building bicycles in Dani's tiny one bedroom flat to creating one of London's fastest growing bicycle brands.
Time to get to know the men behind the Brand.
Dani Foffa. The bicycle designer
BBc (Bicycle Basecamp)
Dani (Co-Founder of Foffa Bikes)
Location: Foffa, Unit 9, Pinchin St, London E1 1SA
BBc: So Dani. Foffa bikes, London's answer to an affordable customisable bike brand. Its refreshing to have a UK bicycle company similar to Republic in the USA, offering affordable well-made customisable bikes
Dani: To be fair we thought the Republic concept was great, which is why we decided to apply a similar concept to our Brand. However we wanted to ensure our quality was better than cheaper options on the market in the UK, which Republic bikes compare too. We wanted to create something for the buyer who couldn’t necessarily afford a bike by higher end brands like 14 bike co, but were after a quality customisable bike at an afforable price.
BBc: You can see you've spent time creating these bikes. Little details like the logo embossed on the seat post and pedals separates foffa bikes from cheaper alternatives.
Dani: To be honest it took us a while to get to where we are today. Our first bikes didn’t look as good as these, but its been a learning process. We continuously look to upgrade our models, receiving feedback from customers and from the bicycle community.
BBc: Its that philosophy which separates you from the mass produced single speed bikes, such as Create and Republic.
Dani: We have people try our bikes out, riding them into the ground in the process, just so we can get open and honest feedback. We want to design something with our buyers can be proud of as well as really enjoy the riding experience.
It has my surname on it, so obviously I want to ensure I’m 100% happy with what I produce. We come up with the creative ideas, but the community is also an integral part of the building process. The communities involvement through feedback, whether positive or negative, equips us with the knowledge to improve our product. Many brands wouldn’t have such an open door policy, but thats just us.
BBc: On to the name Foffa. I would never have thought Foffa is your surname. Works really well. The branding coincides nicely with it too, simple yet contemporary.
Dani: Well thanks. I struck lucky with it, suppose I thank my parents for the name & Tyson for encouraging me to use that as the brand name when we set up the company. He was the one behind the brand identity & the look & feel of what we do. The name is short and memorable, which is not always the case with some of the Italian bicycle brands which for some are very hard to pronounce and remember. I believe in Portoguese Foffa means a cute fat lady, which is a perfect name for a bike right haha. Luckily I wasn’t raised in Portugal, I probably would have been scarred for life.
BBc: What made you decide to create custom bikes
Dani: Basically it was born from a passion to deliver people an affordable, fully customizable bike. Specialising in single speed bikes to begin with we produced our Prima bike range, nice & simple single speed bicycles. With time we’ll be expanding the range, bringing into production the Ciao range and hopefully a geared touring bike to follow by spring 2012. With our current and future ranges we want to ensure we remain competitive without losing the essence of the brand.
The Ciao
BBc: It’ll be nice to have a geared bike which like your prima range is customizable, whilst also remaining affordable when compared to similar bikes.
Dani: We don’t want everybody to associate our brand with single speed bikes alone. We want to have something for everybody. The geared bike is still in development but we will definitely stick with classic light weight Columbus lugged frames, with some decent Shimano gear set. There are talks that we will be offering other gear set options but we are still in talks with suppliers.
BBc: Well I can personally assure anyone reading this, I’ve just been shown a prototype of the geared bike, aesthetically it looks amazing!
Dani: Thank you. Like with everything we do we want to create bicycles that can be easily customised, whilst ensuring the parts and build quality is also good. We want people to associate our brand with good quality affordable bikes, not just fancy and colourful machines.
BBc: Other than your bicycles, I saw online you’re introducing a sticker range for bicycles
Dani: The sticker range is how we want people to take customisation to the next level without paying a fortune. The stickers are relatively easy to apply, hard wearing and waterproof as well. The idea was born out of a request from one of Tyson's friends who wanted a paisley paint job on his bike. The solution was a long process of development but after all that work we’re quite pleased with the idea that is the "Stick-Your-Fix" range designed for us by Charlotte Maeva Perret. We are also happy to use customers own unique designs for the process.
Hopefully, money allowing, by next spring our site will incorporate all these new additions to the brand, and the homepage will be all about the experience of buying from us. Having the ability to choose bike type, colours, accessories etc.
Foffa Sticker Range
BBc: I noticed on your blog is dedicated to showing the public your Build of the day. Tell us a bit more about that whole idea.
Dani: Sure. Basically we wanted to breakdown the stigma attached to fixed/single speed bikes. usually such bikes are associated with the hipster crowd, but the truth is we have bankers, lawyers and doctors buying our bikes. Its just interesting to see such a variety of buyers for these types of bikes.
Foffa breaking the fixed gear sterotype. Going to a school teacher in Camden
BBc: Generally people look at fixed gear road bikes as cool, why do you think that is
Dani: In terms of cool I wouldn’t know, I’m just a guy who has passion for cycling. From a mechanical point of view, whether single speed or fixed gear there’re extremely practical and efficient especially around London. They’re low maintenance and generally light as well. Also for me I love them because you can just concentrate on enjoying the ride. You are not there to think about whether the gearing is too high or low. Jump on and go. Certainly the most purist way of cycling I have experienced. If that makes them cool then I guess I can see why people love them so much.
BBc: Why do you think Foffa has been so successful
Dani: I guess like with clothing and general accessories people own, bikes are not only the easiest way to run around town but are also becoming an extension of people’s personalities. So we find people have the same thoughts when purchasing a bike. With Foffa you have the options to create a totally individual bike, something personal to you, and not having to spend a fortune for it.
BBc: I guess even with the more questionable designs of some, it must be a fun environment to work in. Never knowing what bike you’re going to build next.
Dani: Definitely. I might not personally like some of the bicycles people ask me to build, but it doesn’t matter what I think, thats the beauty of a customizable bike brand like Foffa. We build what people want, however wacky. As long as the bike is safe to ride and the customer is happy, we’re happy.
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BBc: Has cycling always been a part of life
Dani: When I was younger i had a passion for racing videogames and used to spend a lot of time building stuff with lego! So maybe that s why I fell in love with bikes as soon as I got on one. I love the freedom it gives you, having the ability to explore without being closed up within a car. Also I find it being the easiest and more fun way to keep myself fit, and avoids me using London transport which is always a positive. I couldn’t imagine my life without a bike. I haven’t taken a bus or been on a tube in over 2 years, even in the winter with the correct gear its a lot nicer than being stuck on a train in rush hour.
BBc: Where would you like to see the London cycling community in the future
Dani: I think that Boris is doing a great job. Clearly he’s trying to get people on their bikes which is always a good thing. We may grumble at times but the government has invested a lot of money into London cycling, and I hope it continues. I still dream of a day everyone in London is cycling, streets flooded with bicycles. I believe roughly 35% of commuters use bicycles, which is pretty amazing. London is no Amsterdam yet, but hopefully we’ll get there one day.
BBc: Like I preach at times I find myself trying to convert my friends to the life of cycling, much to their annoyance I must add. But I know I’m doing a good thing
Dani: I find myself doing the same. I see them using London Transport and I feel sorry for them. And the one thing I keep noticing is that once you are converted there is no turning back!
BBc: With the London cycling community growing year on year, we here growing stories relating to bike theft. What do you think as a community we can do to fight against it
Dani: I think the Cycle Task force unit of the Metropolitan Police is doing a good job fighting against bicycle theft. I think also as cyclists we have to be more aware of this issue, ensuring we have the correct locks etc. If you spend five hundred pounds on a bike, investing fifty pounds on a lock is a small price to pay, even insurance from companies like cycle guard is something to definitely consider. Some people even use 2 locks to slow down any potential thief.
BBc: If you could say anything to a bicycle thief what would it be
Dani: Actually I have an interesting story to tell. There was this lady who I built a bike for, it had green tires and a green frame so very distinctive. Being one of my bikes I knew it was the only one I had built and had only sold it a week earlier. Anyway I was out with my friend and saw a young guy riding it, so I chased after him. I think he thought I was approaching him to say ‘nice bike’, but I stopped him and said ‘where did you get that’. He seemed quite startled and surprised, it turned out he bought it from an ad on gumtree in good faith not realizing it was stolen. We ended up getting the bike back to the owner thankfully. I felt sorry for the guy as he now lost the money he spent purchasing it off the thief. So I offered him a very generous discount if he decided to buy a bike from us and he accepted the offer!
BBc: Can you ever see yourself reverting back to transport and motor vehicles
Dani: No way. To me my bike is my Ferrari and it only costs 500 pounds. I’ve even raced one of my mates with his Porsche on my bike before and he couldn’t stand a chance in London Traffic! So for me that sum’s it up really.
BBc: Other than selling bikes you also have your rent a fixed bike scheme
Dani: The idea behind it was to get people to try out our bikes before purchasing one. Also it helps people who sometimes hesitate to buy these types of bikes due to their association with the hipster crowd. They ride them and realize how quick and practical they are for commuting, and that even though some people perceive them as cool they do serve a really good purpose. Also if you rent a bike for a day week etc we’ll refund your rental fee’s if you purchase a bike from us. Its been a really successful scheme as about 90% of people who rent a bike go on to purchase one which is great. Saying that you can rent a bike without having to buy one.
BBc: Do you think its safe to ride in London
Dani: Its funny really, I’ve had three accidents whilst riding my bikes in London, all none of them involving cars. Once my chain came off (which is why we tell all our customers to keep an eye on the chain tension), once the typical pot hole in the middle of the street, and the other time was a collision with a pedestrian. I think London drivers are becoming more aware of cyclists, and drive appropriately around them. Compared to other European cities London is certainly very cycle-friendly.
BBc: I generally find pedestrians are worse than cars when you’re a cyclist.
Dani: Well when I hit this guy I was riding down Tower Bridge, being a nice straight I picked up some speed, like many cyclists do. When I push hard I pick up some speed, then out of nowhere this guy just walked out into the road. I went straight into him, it felt like I hit a brick wall. Anyway the guy was surprisingly ok, however I was pretty wasted. He came over to me, I was like well at least he’s coming to apologize. Instead however he went crazy, shouting at me telling me I was riding too fast. So yes I would agree, pedestrians cause me more problems than cars.
BBc: Tell me about the Foffa buying experience
Dani: When I go to any shop I expect a personal experience and we try to provide the same for our buyers. I like to get involved and give them advice and guidance where I can, and ensure we build the correct bikes for their individual needs. Obviously we’re not like Condor, we don’t measure you up from head to toe, but to be honest, unless you’re a professional racer its not necessary. We ensure you’re riding on the correct frame size and build a bike which ensures you can enjoy a comfortable ride. You then sit down and design your bike as you wish, and turnaround is usually within five working days. After the bike is built I’ll give you a tutorial covering basic things about the bike and how to maintain it. I find so many people are unable to do simple things like fix a puncher and end up paying other bike stores to fix it for them, I find things like that a real waste for such a simple job. Saying that, there is also a need for good mechanics to keep an eye on the condition of bikes for customers who may not take good care of their ride.
Dani Foffa (Right) and Chief Mechanic & Frame Builder Nario D'Alessio (Left)
Foffa offers something truly unique to the London bicycle community, an affordable customizable bicycle brand run by a friendly Italian & Australian with a true passion for urban cycling. If you’re in the market for a bike I would definitely advise popping into their East London workshop. Not only can you check out a selection of pre-made bikes on display, you can also see the guys at work building another creation for a budding customer. I’ve rode a lot of different bikes, and I found myself pleasantly surprised when I rode one of their bikes from the Prima range. Light, comfortable, fast and ascetically pleasing to look at. Sadly I’m quite appearance conscious, but even if you’re not Foffa bikes are so much more than just good looking bikes, they’re actually enjoyable. Might just have to reevaluate my recent switch to gears.
Collection of pictures from inside the Foffa Workshop
Foffa Bikes
The tools
The tools
Art of Customisation. The customer can decide
Big Thank You to Dani & Tyson for inviting us into their World.
Photography by Rachael Ward Photography
Interview by Bicycle Basecamp
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