Two classics of contemporary urban design have teamed up to create a modern classic for the stylish cyclist. The new F748 Coltrane Bag is the first collaboration between the British bike brand Brompton, globally renowned as makers of the finest folding bikes on the market, and Freitag, the upstart Swiss company that was founded on the principles of using recycled materials long before anyone else had cottoned on to the practice.
Together, Brompton and Freitag make natural partners, dedicated to individuals who demand performance, sophistication and independence. As with all their signature products, the Zurich-based company makes the Coltrane Bag from recycled truck tarpaulins, leaving the logos and graphics intact but fragmented as the thick, robust material is re-stitched into a variety of shapes. The company first came to our attention with its store built from stacked shipping containers, located in the city’s Geroldstrasse district and designed by Swiss architects Annette Spillmann and Harald Echsle. Originally built and featured in Wallpaper* in September 2006, it was extended and refurbished in 2019.
Every Freitag F748 Coltrane Bag is unique, fashioned from heavy duty truck tarp
Back in 2006, Freitag’s staple was the messenger bag, the product that launched Daniel and Markus Freitag’s brand back in 1993. Brompton has even older history. Set up by inventor Andrew Ritchie in 1976, the London-based company continues to build his original design for a compact folding bike with only minor, incremental design changes. From cult object to highly desirable commuter device, Brompton’s have broken out of London’s orbit and are sold around the world, with around 50,000 sold each year. Electric and ultra-light options are also available.
The Coltrane Bag is a special version of the Freitag backpack, designed not only for comfortable wear but to be affixed to the front of a Brompton, with a special aluminium frame that clicks magnetically into place on a bike for secure cycling. The 19-litre bag can be used with or without the frame and contains a padded laptop compartment as well as an exterior outer pocket designed to be accessed when mounted to the bike. As an added bonus, there’s a Brompton-shaped mud flap cut from matching tarpaulin that you can attach to your own bike. Just 3,000 copies of the F478 Coltrane Bag will be made, priced at £320 each.
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