We have over 80 million bicycles in Germany. Whether for commuting to work, transporting children or for leisure - cyclists, their needs and requirements are as varied as their use. Alexandra Baum and Suse Brand, for example, had pretty clear ideas about their fairytale castle: no more scratches on the paintwork, no annoying rattling on urban moguls and minimal weight for longer tours. Thought, done.

The market for bicycle locks was divided between a few companies. This was of little interest to two creative textile designers when they came up with the unusual and beautiful idea of a textile-covered bicycle lock. On the way to the TEX-LOCK ORBIT, however, they had to overcome one or two steep mountain stages. It took longer than expected for the multi-layer structure with a hardened metal core to provide the cut, fire and saw protection they wanted. The biggest challenge? The resistance to sawing. Once that was achieved, the two realized that they couldn't find a rain cover that matched their idea. They now have one. It's called RAIJN, it's like a jacket for us and it's not just MAGAZIN that's impressed with its material quality and functionality, which has been carefully adapted to suit different needs.

SUSE BRAND AND ALEXANDRA BAUM

In a former piano factory, the two trained textile and product designers have developed bicycle locks made of high-performance fibers for everyday use and outdoor clothing for all weathers. The founders of tex-lock appreciate the relaxed atmosphere and the easy-going interaction between creatives and business people in their Leipzig home.

Photo: Ben Pohle