A Favourite Brand – Freedom Cycle System:
In the early days of the SpeedX saga, I came across the Freedom Cycle System on Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform.
It is an Australian project, launched by Tim Holmes and Steve Serpall. The Kickstarter campaign was launched in July 2016 and was looking for some AUD$30,000 (approx £17,000) of funding.
As the idea was centred on an aero dynamic water bottle, and the SpeedX Leopard was an aero bike, it was (almost) a match made in heaven.
I had a number of email conversations with Tim, regarding supplying, either the company or the backers with a branded Freedom Fast water bottle. I approached SpeedX with the idea, and eventually the word came back – not interested.
Freedom Cycle System could still provide a branded bottle, but the minimum order to have them SpeedX branded, would be 100 bottles at approx AUS$35 each.
That worked out at $3500 AUD or £2,000. I tried to get a few people interested, but the ‘on cost’ shipping, import duty, VAT, etc would have been prohibitive…
So, that idea didn’t go anywhere, which was just as well as the project didn’t reach its full funding target.
Tim and Steve continued to work on the project and by Jan 2018 were ready to relaunch on Kickstarter. The campaign started on 21st Jan 2018 and was fully funded by 11th Feb 2018.
The bottles and pins were produced and nearly all were delivered by June 2018. The Bike Bottles and Holders continue to go from strength to strength, and are now available from Amazon Australia as well as direct from the website.
We are now at the stage of launching a SpeedX Branded Aero bottle – like always – it depends on getting the numbers.
I’ve been using the Freedom Ease (round bottle) and the Freedom Fast (aero bottle) on my Leopard and my MEKK. I find them very easy to use and get on and off the bike.
The fear is that the pin won’t hold them securely! However, I have been over some very bad cobbles (nearly shook the fillings out of my teeth) and had no problems with either bottle. Totally secure.
Is this innovation in search of a need?
Every innovator asks the question of his creation. I would guess even Steve Jobs asked the question when he introduced the IPhone. Even Nokia didn’t see that one coming!!
The balance bike, invented in 1817 and then finally commercialised in 2010.
Cageless pedals…in 1983-84 the thought of having special shoes that attach to your pedals….ridiculous!! I am sure someone said back then “this is silly, what if I go to an event and forget my shoes” Well, most thought it was silly until Bernard Hinault won the tour in 1985 using clipless pedals. By the way clipless pedals were patented 100 years earlier.
So why do we need this system?
1 By internally mounting your bottle…you can create anything that is any shape and size( have a look at our description page and at the bottom is some ideas for the next elements). First aid kit, fuel pouch, lunch box, kids bottle etc…
2 By using a Frusta Conical opening to receive the pin. We have created a far more forgiving location movement. The opening is around 10 times larger that the pin that it is mounting on. This means it is far easier and SAFER to use than the existing system…
3 Again thanks to the Frusta Conical System. The issue with down tube and small compact frames is solved…
4 With this system, bottles can be designed around the new modern frames…
5 Bottles have top and bottom removable caps very hygienic…
6 Aero and Round bottle use the same mount…
So look out for the Freedom Cycle System… Coming to your location soon…