Munich: “The bike.

Cult object - design object" in the Pinakothek der Moderne - a must for cyclists!

Created: 11/10/2022, 6:05 p.m

By: Katja Kraft

A festival for bicycle fans: There are a few delicacies to be seen in the new show in the Neue Sammlung/The Design Museum.

© Pinakothek der Moderne

Watch out, all cycling friends: The exhibition “The Bicycle.

Cult Object - Design Object” in the Neue Sammlung/The Design Museum in the Pinakothek der Moderne is a must.

It can be seen until September 24, 2024.

This is not primarily about technical understanding.

It's all about amazement.

In the new show “The Bicycle.

Cult Object – Design Object” in the Neue Sammlung/The Design Museum in the Pinakothek der Moderne, curator Josef Straßer invites you to see 70 two-wheeled examples of how the design of the popular means of transport has changed over the past decades.

Karl Drais started things off in 1817 with his invention of the impeller – and thus gave the go-ahead for rapid development.

(Read here: A declaration of love for bicycles from our editorial team.)

All 70 models are arranged on steps;

the tour starts at the top.

That's right, because that's how the oldest models appear to be positioned on the first place on the winner's podium.

Rightly so.

Karl Drais and the other developers from the early years made everything that came after that possible with their innovations.

"Developing bicycles that you can use to get around was one of mankind's major achievements," emphasizes Straßer.

And the result of a long process.

Because the art of cycling is not natural.

This is proven by the funny attempts of small children to jet off without training wheels for the first time.

One of the first mountain bikes designed by Jacques Schulz in 1935-1937.

© Pinakothek der Moderne

But as soon as man had learned to ride a bicycle, he wanted - that's just the way he is - to go higher again.

Cycling should be more comfortable (magnificent: Mikael Pedersen's hammock seats from the end of the 19th century), safer, and above all: faster.

Step by step, visitors can follow the tricks the designers used to make the wheels more aerodynamic.

That's where we're amazed again: When you find out that a bicycle from H. & W. Sudbrack from 1950 set a record of more than 150 km/h (sic!) in a race or how everything with the use of carbon became even more streamlined.

Dear cycling friends: Put on your helmet and cycle there!

Until September 24, 2024 in the Neue Sammlung/The Design Museum in the Pinakothek der Moderne;

daily except Mondays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays to 8 p.m.