VRZ: The World’s First 3D-Printed Bicycle Frame

 

Every passion has a starting point, and for me, that moment came in 2011 when I built the VRZ, a track bike that would change the course of my career and life. This wasn’t just any bike—it was the world’s first bicycle frame using 3D printing, a project that sparked the creation of HUHN CYCLES and continues to influence how I build bikes today.

 

The Emotional Side: Freedom on Two Wheels

Before I ever had a driver's license, bikes were my first taste of freedom. They weren’t just a way to get from point A to point B; they were an opportunity to explore, to feel the wind on my face, and to experience a level of liberation that transcends generations. That connection has stayed with me all my life, and building the VRZ was a way to capture that feeling in something tangible.

 

The process took me back to my childhood in my father’s workshop, where I would cut apart old bikes and weld them back together in creative ways. My hands-on experimentation laid the groundwork for the VRZ and ultimately the foundation for HUHN CYCLES. It was during my university years, however, that I really began to dive deep into frame building. The VRZ was my major thesis project, and it allowed me to explore the world of additive manufacturing, using 3D-printed titanium lugs bonded with custom carbon tubes. At the time, it felt like stepping into the future.

 

The Technical Side: Pioneering Innovation

The VRZ wasn’t just a bike—it was a statement about what was possible when you combined modern technology with traditional craftsmanship. Using laser sintering to create the titanium lugs gave me the freedom to create custom geometries that just aren’t possible with traditional tube-joined frames. These lugs were then bonded with carbon tubes to create a bike that was as lightweight as it was strong—coming in at an incredible 4.9 kg.

 

The materials list speaks for itself:

 

• Frame: Custom carbon tubes bonded to 3D-printed titanium lugs
• VRZ 2 BELT
  
  Frame: VRZ 2
  Tubematerial: carbon
  Lugmaterial: titanium (laser-cusing)
  Lugcoating: TIN, CRN, or TiCN+C
  Handlebar: Deda Pista
  Saddle: AX Lightness
  Seatpost: Vorwaertz TI+C 1
  Steam: Vorwaertz Top 2
  Crankset:THM CLAVICULA (GATES carbon belt)
  BB: BB86 THM
  Wheels: Lightwieght RUNDKURS
  Tires: Conti 4000s
  Total weight: 4,9kg

This bike was cutting-edge, and to this day, I look back at the VRZ 2 Belt version with a sense of pride. It wasn’t just about creating something sleek and fast; it was about showing what can be achieved when you push the limits of both design and technology.

 

A Realization: The Move Toward Sustainability

As much as the VRZ was a technical triumph, it also sparked an important realization. While working with carbon composites and 2K glue, I learned how difficult and hazardous those materials are to recycle. This was a turning point for me. I started to ask myself: How can I keep building bikes in a way that’s kinder to the environment?

 

That’s when my journey toward steel and titanium began. These materials offered a more sustainable way forward, without sacrificing performance or durability. The VRZ may have been built from carbon and titanium, but it paved the way for the next chapter in my bike-building career—one that’s focused on materials that align with both my values and the spirit of mountain biking, close to nature and always forward-thinking.

 

What the VRZ Taught Me

The VRZ will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the first bike I ever built, and it taught me so much—about design, about the limits of what’s possible, and about where I wanted to go next. More than anything, it taught me that building bikes isn’t just about the technical details or the materials; it’s about creating something that speaks to the rider’s soul.

 

Since building the VRZ, I’ve gone on to create mountain bikes that reflect the lessons I learned from that project. Simplicity, elegance, and innovation are the core values I carried forward, but so is the idea of building bikes that are designed to last—both in terms of their quality and their impact on the world around us.

 

The VRZ may have been my first bike, but it won’t be my last. And every bike I build now, from the Jersey Giant to the Chabo, carries a little piece of that original passion for freedom and exploration that started with the VRZ.

 

Cheers to the journey ahead!