TITANIUM DREAM MACHINE
Like most of our Owners, Oliver first dreamed about his Budnitz Bicycle from afar.
From his home in Munich, he reached out for our one-on-one design consultation. Oliver soon discovered that Model No.1 in titanium with a 14-speed Rohloff Speedhub was an ideal configuration for his favorite rides.
When a business trip brought him close to our Vermont studio, he paid us a visit and took his future bicycle for a spin along shores of Lake Champlain. It was a perfect match.
“I ride to work, 3-4 miles in the city every day, rain or shine. My Model No.1 starts a lot of conversations as I wheel it into the office.
I have a mechanical watch and an art collection that I adore. I think of my Budnitz in just the same way.
It was the titanium, belt drive and Rohloff, combined in such an elegant way… that’s what did it for me.”
Work with us to design your dream Budnitz this Spring and take advantage of our 100-Mile Trial.
It’s love at first ride, guaranteed.
Shown: Budnitz Model No.1 in Titanium with Gates Carbon Drive belt and Budnitz high polish singlespeed hub. Marathon Supreme 35c tires by Schwalbe in Germany. Finished with a Budnitz Titanium Beer Wrench.
ROAD RACER TO CITY SCORCHER
We work with every client to find their perfect Budnitz Bicycle.
For Michael, a former Cat. 4 racer in California, it was the Scorcher.
Aggressive geometry and an inverted riser bar provide a comfortably aerodynamic racing bike feel. Knobby Racing Ralph tires mean it’s as much fun ripping cross country as it is on the open road.
Here’s his story:
“I like a nice bike – I have a Merlin road bike and a Seven Duo mountain bike. I wanted a bike that would let me hop on and go for a ride, even if it is short. A belt drive would let me ride to the store in jeans if I wanted, without having to get in my cycling regalia.
Eventually, I came across Budnitz.
No doubt I could buy a bike for a fraction of the price - but would it look so nice? Definitely not.
Would it ride so nice? Well I doubt it.”
THE NEW STEEL
When I founded Budnitz Bicycles my vision was to create the perfect bicycle for everyday use. I was so obsessive that I got myself kicked out of about half the bike shops in New York City, mostly for riding all the bikes on the floor without buying anything.
Over the past four years Budnitz Bicycles has earned a reputation for building the best engineered and most beautiful city bicycles in the world. Magazines including Bicycle routinely award us “Best City Bicycle”, and half of our customers are repeat customers. This company offers a no-questions-asked return policy, yet we’ve had almost zero returns.
Nevertheless, I’m always bothered that so many people lust after our bicycles but just can’t afford one. So about a year ago I challenged my engineering team to design a perfect city bicycle that costs about the same as a good laptop computer.
Today I’m proud to announce our updated line of cro-moly steel Budnitz Bicycles that start at just $2250.
These new models embody everything that makes our premium titanium line so brilliant: beautiful lines, obsessive engineering, custom components, and a fast, comfortable ride — at a price that’ll set you back less than a cup of coffee a day.
We don’t have many in stock. If you want one, please order yours soon.
- Paul
Paul Budnitz
Founder
Budnitz BicyclesBelt Drive Bike Benefits
When we set out to design the world’s best city bicycles we knew that maximizing speed, performance and comfort would go a long way, but wouldn’t be enough. We had to do more.
In considering the shortcomings of traditional bicycle design, we zeroed in on an element that remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 1879: the greasy metal chain.
And then we replaced it.
The Gates Carbon Belt Drive
In place of a chain, every Budnitz Model features a grease-free Gates Carbon Belt Drive. Based on products first conceived for high performance motorcycles, a Carbon Belt Drive weighs 70% less than a chain and, thanks to its Centre Track technology, it’s virtually impossible to derail.
Whisper Quiet
Close your eyes and imagine your perfect ride. Now eliminate the sound. That’s the silent power of a Carbon Belt Drive. You may think your current chain is quiet. Trust us, until you’ve ridden a Budnitz, you haven’t really heard ‘nothing’ yet.
Smooth Ride
Designed more than a century ago, a traditional chain does nothing to prevent the vibration of the road from traveling up through your feet. The base compound of a Carbon Belt Drive is specifically formulated to dampen that road shock, ensuring a remarkably smooth, more enjoyable ride.
Grease Free
Never again worry about showing up to your morning meeting with chain grease on your hands and clothes. The Carbon Belt drive requires no grease and makes no mess. Your trousers will thank you.
Maintenance Free & Long Lasting
Riding a bicycle is fun. Fixing them? Not as much. The Carbon Drive Belt is engineered to last 2-3 times longer than a high performance metal chain and throughout that lifespan, requires no maintenance.
Learn more about Budnitz Technology and the ultimate riding experience.
FROM SUMMIT TO SUNSET
When you build a virtually indestructible titanium fat bike, winter field testing can quickly turn epic.
Case in point: our January trek to Mt. Mansfield – 4,400 vertical feet of snowy Vermont wilderness.
After a climb to the peak and a pause to appreciate the view, we let gravity take care of the rest.
The white-knuckle descent transformed breathtaking vistas to a blur. On a bike like this, you pedal hard and lean in to the corners. In place of fear, you find yourself grinning as 4.8-inch tires carve through endless miles of powder.
A crackling fire at journey’s end made the adventure complete.
From summit to sunset – not an ounce of daylight wasted.
Special thanks to our partners at Stowe Mountain Lodge for the snowy switchbacks and our friends Michael & Birdseye, for sharing the award-winning Cantilever House as our warm destination.
NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTIONS
As we greet the new year, we often promise ourselves that this one will be better than the last. We resolve to begin a new diet, restructure busy schedules to spend more time with people we love, or adopt a new exercise regimen.
Elaborate resolutions rarely work out. If something is complicated to do, it’s easy to find a good reason not to do it. Real change comes from making simple resolutions that bring joy to our lives from the moment we begin.
Resolving to ride a bicycle for just a few minutes every day, we soon discover that ten minutes naturally extend into a half hour - and a half hour to a half day.
Almost without effort, we find ourselves arriving home from a full day in the saddle, already planning the next. Not because of a promise we made as we turned the calendar, but because we can’t imagine living any other way.
Make 2016 the year you buy the Budnitz bicycle of your dreams.
Fast, fun, beautiful – and built to last a lifetime.
Shown: Budnitz Model No.1 in titanium, with carbon belt drive, Budnitz SX-1 high polish singlespeed hub, Schwalbe Marathon tires, Budnitz titanium riser bar, saddle, & seatpost.
BRILLIANT FALL COLOR
Autumn has always been our favorite season - especially here in Vermont. The air is crisp, the sun shines bright and our usual lush foliage explodes into vibrant color.
We can’t think of a better way to take it in than by cruising through the city on this latest custom build.
Our signature curves in Racing Green Gloss, coupled with wooden fenders and Honey leather give this Titanium Model No.1 the air of a classic sports car. A 14-speed German-engineered Rohloff provides the muscle to match.
With a clean and whisper-quiet Carbon belt drive, there’s no noise to distract from the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your tires.
Shorter days can’t even stand in your way. Thanks to integrated lighting and a Dynamo Hub, that long afternoon ride can easily extend beyond sunset for one final lap around the park.
Check out more recent builds in our new online gallery.
Shown: Budnitz Model No.1 Titanium in Racing Green Gloss. Honey leather saddle & grips by Brooks of England. Creme Schwalbe Big Apple tires, SON Integrated Lighting and Rohloff Speedhub all imported from Germany. Finished with Budnitz bamboo fenders.
PITCH BLACK
During the recent lunar eclipse, our head builder snuck into the studio with a very dark idea. By morning, he had created some of the most fearsome black bicycles the world has ever seen.
They’re too badass to keep to ourselves, so for a limited time, we’re making them available as a special build option at $650 off our regular price.
The Pitch Black Collection begins with Models No.1 and No.3, powder coated in a menacing Black Matte. Model No.5 and our MTN mountain bike join the dark side, too – beautiful and bold in matching jet black gloss.
Standard features include our signature twin-tube cantilever frame in classic chromoly steel, disk brakes and grease-free Gates Carbon belt drive. Customize yours with an internally geared hub from Shimano or Rohloff, Brooks leather saddle, Formula hydraulic brakes and more.
The Pitch Black Collection goes on sale today, at once in a lifetime pricing. Available while supplies last.
Starting at just $2300.
Custom Bicycle: Racing Green with a Rohloff
Autumn has always been a favorite season for cycling - especially here in Vermont. The air is crisp, the sun shines bright and our usual lush foliage explodes into vibrant color.
We can’t think of a better way to take it in than by cruising through the city on this latest custom build.
A Brilliant City Bicycle
Our signature curves in Racing Green Gloss, coupled with wooden fenders and Honey leather give this Titanium Model No.1 the air of a classic sports car. A 14-speed German-engineered Rolloff provides the muscle to match.
With a clean and whisper-quiet Carbon belt drive, there’s no noise to distract from the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your tires.
Shorter days can’t even stand in your way. Thanks to integrated lighting and a Dynamo Hub, that long afternoon ride can easily extend beyond sunset for one final lap around the park.
Check out more recent builds in our new online gallery.
Shown: Budnitz Model No.1 Titanium in Racing Green Gloss. Honey leather saddle & grips by Brooks of England. Creme Schwalbe Big Apple tires, SON Integrated Lighting and Rolloff Speedhub all imported from Germany. Finished with Budnitz bamboo fenders.
FALLING IN LOVE
When I began creating my own bicycles, I hadn’t owned a car in close to 16 years.
Budnitz Bicycles Model No.3 grew out of the desire for a single, simple, perfect bicycle that I could ride every day of my life — whether crossing town for work, an adventure down a dirt path in the Vermont countryside, or just a bike that looked awesome rolling up to an art opening or performance I’d been invited to in New York City.
Yeah, I know — admitting that I want my bicycles to look good sounds superficial.
But after all, people drive cars and motorcycles simply because they’re beautiful. I’ve been a lifetime fan of vintage Porsches and Alfa-Romeos. Why can’t a bicycle look that good?
Reality is that when something we own looks beautiful, and is very well made, we fall in love with it. It becomes part of us.
There is a lot of hype among Buddhists and other spiritual types about not identifying with things (I’ve spent a lot of time with Buddhists and I know what I’m talking about). Many have convinced themselves that detachment is a step towards living an awakened life.
But I’ve come to believe that this is bullshit.
Identifying with something (or someone) is a necessary first step towards falling in love. Letting ourselves become attached leads to dependency, and dependency to heartbreak when the thing we love leaves us, or isn’t what we thought it was, or inevitably changes. Many people seeking enlightenment are really just trying to avoid experiencing feelings like sadness and loss that are a necessary part of being human.
Heartbreak is the privilege of love.
Back to bicycles:
My goal has always been to build bicycles worth falling in love with.
The majority of our bicycles are titanium — a material that is ultra-light, strong, and will never rust. Budnitz Bicycles are engineered to last a lifetime. True sustainability is owning just one very good thing, and using it over and over, rather than a garage filled with old bikes covered with dust.
Live this way and one day you will wake up and discover that you’ve become dependent on the things that you own and the people that you love. And then you are forced to face the heartbreak of losing them someday.
All things are like this.
Hold on too tight, and everything worthwhile slips through your fingers. Don’t hold on at all, and you miss living altogether.
– Paul Budnitz
Founder,
Budnitz Bicycles
ANALOG BEAUTY
We’re in Menlo Park, California today, kicking off a two-day celebration of fine craftsmanship and analog beauty.
Drop by the Rosewood Sand Hill to meet our team and visit our partner boutique, Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry, home of an unmatched collection of stunning timepieces.
Our entire fleet of titanium city bicycles are on display, with test rides available on all Models.
While all are welcome to drop by, appointments are encouraged to ensure your dream bicycle is available during your visit.
SPEED DEMON
Our friend Zio Ziegler just put the finishing touches on our latest Budnitz 1/1 bicycle. We love it so much we had to give you a sneak peek.
After seeing Zio’s work painting intricate murals on high-performance sports cars, we knew our speed demon Model No.1 would be a natural fit for his frenetic mythical style.
The finished product will be unveiled tomorrow at our San Francisco pop-up shop.
It all starts tomorrow morning at 11am at 489 Hayes Street (the Aether building). We’re there through 7pm on Sunday.
Drop by to check out Zio’s masterpiece and stick around for a test ride on the Budnitz Bicycle of your choice.
Can’t wait to see you there!
Culture Cycles recently spent some time with Model No.1, our flagship titanium city bicycle.
Thanks to a highly engineered 3.5-lb frame and some of the world’s best components, No.1 is very light and very fast.
Our owners find many ways to describe its performance, so we’ve heard positive reviews expressed in every way imaginable.
This description might just top them all:
“This thing is like bringing a sub-machine gun to a knife fight.”
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
Over the next week, we’re bringing the Budnitz Bicycles Test Ride Experience to California.
This weekend – August 22nd & 23rd, meet us at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica. Enjoy breathtaking ocean views from the saddle of one of the world’s fastest and most beautiful bicycles.
On August 27th & 28th, join us in Menlo Park along with our partner Stephen Silver Fine Jewelers, at the iconic Rosewood Sand Hill.
In San Francisco? Stop by our pop-up shop on August 29th & 30th. Our entire fleet of titanium bicycles will be on display at AETHER, at 489 Hayes Street.
Test ride appointments are available in each location but they’re filling up quickly.
HELLO SAN FRANCISCO
When we were planning our next summer pop-up shop, all roads led to a city that shares our passion for design, engineering and bicycles: San Francisco, California.
For two days only, August 29th & 30th, we’re bringing our entire 2015 fleet of titanium city bicycles to AETHER, at 489 Hayes Street.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see your dream bicycle in person and take a test ride on the Model of your choice. Our team will also be on hand to discuss the customization of your perfect Budnitz Bicycle.
Test rides available by appointment only.
Pictured: Titanium Model No.3 on the streets of San Francisco. Outfitted with Schwalbe Super Moto racing tires, Budnitz single speed hub, Budnitz Platform pedals and Spurcycle bell.