Three partners, one passion: the e-bike manufacturer URWAHN, MAGAZIN and the typographer ERIK SPIEKERMANN have jointly developed a unique e-bike as an edition. PLATZHIRSCH, as the model is called, is extremely attractive, technically up to date and, with its design and color concept, an unmistakable vehicle. The basis for the development of this urban e-bike is also special.

Urwahn is the name of the manufacturer from Magdeburg and Platzhirsch is the model name of this unique e-bike. It is extremely attractive, technically state-of-the-art and, with its design and color concept, an unmistakable vehicle. Platzhirsch impresses aesthetically with its elegant design, high-quality equipment and excellent functionality and performance. Urwahn has received numerous prizes and awards for its e-bike concept, including the German Sustainability Award 2022 and the RedDot 2021 in the Bicycle Design category.

Erik Spiekermann, one of Germany's best-known designers and typographers, designed the surface of the bicycle frame. He is a bicycle enthusiast and also has a passion for bicycles MAGAZIN. The result is a true Spiekermann: the supporting elements of the frame construction are named with a wink. This incidentally refers to the special shape of the frame, because - to quote Spiekermann - "... something is missing!". A discreet and elegant base color was found in pebble grey RAL 7032, the bright accent color traffic orange RAL 2009 marks - quite typical for his work - a part of the unusual shape and is well contrasted with the chosen typography on the main color.

Extremely shapely and at first glance, the elegant and harmoniously flowing shape is completely different from the usual. The lack of a continuous seat tube and the curve in the struts leading to the rear wheel are unusual. Even more surprising is the material: steel. Until now, the scope for designing with steel seemed to be limited, with formal developments reserved for carbon. Urwahn manufactures the frame using a special 3D printing process in which metal powder is built up in layers and fused with a laser. The already good properties of steel in terms of riding comfort are further improved by the lack of a continuous seat tube. The frame is manufactured in Magdeburg and the powder coater is based in Hanover, so the transportation distances for this technical masterpiece are short. The choice of material is also clever in other respects, as steel has a significantly better CO2 balance compared to carbon and aluminum. Steel is also easier to repair and can later be 100% recycled.

Platzhirsch has an electric hub motor installed in the rear wheel. Its appearance as an e-bike is also otherwise inconspicuous, as no battery unit interferes with the design and appearance. Instead, the battery is fully integrated into the main tube of the frame and is sufficient for a range of around 80 - 100 km. The list of features also includes the best components for functionality, durability and safety. We offer Platzhirsch in the URWAHN X MAGAZIN X ERIK SPIEKERMANN Edition in two versions. On the one hand with a belt drive from Gates or with an 11-speed derailleur system from Shimano, which provides a wide range of gear ratios.

You can't quite get rid of the idea that anyone who rides an e-bike is cheating! The bicycle is a means of transportation that draws on human power. What's more, it shows twice what you are capable of. Firstly, in terms of physical performance. But also technically: riding physics meets the art of engineering. This principle has undergone numerous updates over the last 150 years. Better brakes. Better gears. A better frame. The basic idea has always remained the same.

The history of the e-bike goes back a long way. In 1859, Ogden Bolton Jr. presented his "Electrical Bicycle" in the USA, which dispensed with pedals but came with a diamond frame. A certain Albert Hensel filed a patent application in Germany 40 years later for a bicycle that combined electric and pedal drive. But the e-bike was soon forgotten; the 20th century was a century of oil. This did not change until the 1990s, when technical devices whose trump card was the absence of cables became established. The lithium-ion battery became cheaper and more powerful. This laid the foundations for the e-bike boom.

Instead, he has labeled the individual pipes, explaining the basic principle of the Platzhirsch with a few words. Meinecke likes that: "It fits like a glove. We come from a technical background and are innovation pioneers. Erik has brought in a very nice attitude that brings the modern design of our bike back down to earth!" And the colors? They once again open up new scope for interpretation. The traffic orange that adorns the frame below the saddle is a nod to all those who work on construction sites or in urban infrastructure, while the pebble gray reflects urban living spaces made of concrete and asphalt. Both analogies are obvious. At the same time, it is self-confident to play with them, as green is generally regarded as the color of the mobility revolution. But that is precisely what makes the Platzhirsch so special: It challenges the status quo.