"Built with passion. Unique and sustainable." That's the motto behind Tannenwald Bikes, or at least our best attempt at translating it from the original German. Based in the heart of the Palatinate Forest in south-west Germany, Tannenwald is surrounded by some of the finest gravel riding and mountain biking the country has to offer. We recently caught up with Rüdiger "Rudi" Kupper, one of the co-owners, to find out a little more about the people, passion and craftsmanship behind the brand.
For those who might not be familiar with Tannenwald Bikes, could you tell us a little about the brand? Who's behind it, where are you based and what types of frames do you specialise in?
We started back in 2009. The background to it was my part-time involvement in event marketing for a bicycle manufacturer based in south-west Germany. After the company was sold, a former employee and I decided to establish our own brand, TANNENWALD. Initially, we built aluminium frames.
When it came to choosing a name, we wanted to capture the spirit that had defined BERGWERK: honest, transparent craftsmanship. But we also wanted to connect that philosophy with the beautiful natural surroundings of our home region, the Palatinate. That's how the name TANNENWALD [which translates to ‘Fir tree forest’ in English] was born.
You offer a wide range of mountain bike, road and gravel frames. Which of these have proven particularly popular with your customers?
In the early years, our LUCHS [steel frame flat bar bikepacking bike] and Bussard [steel frame enduro MTB] models were the most popular. As gravel cycling became more popular, demand for gravel bikes grew steadily. We now have four different gravel models in our range.
In 2025, we collaborated with the American company WTB to develop a gravel bike concept using 750d wheels. That same year, we received the Bronze Award for "Best Gravel Bike" at Cyclingworld Europe in Düsseldorf.
Our range also includes road bikes built from steel and titanium.
What we find particularly exciting, though, are the special projects that customers bring to us. Often, they'll come along with nothing more than a sketch on a piece of tracing paper and the ambition to turn their own unique idea into reality. They put their trust in our experience and expertise to make it happen.
You work with both steel and titanium when building your frames. Do you have a personal favourite, and what do you particularly like about working with each material?
With the increasing emphasis on lightweight construction, particularly as carbon became more prominent as a frame material, we quickly began to encounter the limitations of aluminium. We wanted to combine low weight with frame stiffness and, ultimately, the long-term sustainability of a bicycle. Carbon and manufacturing in the Far East didn't really fit with our philosophy.
At the time, one of the bikes I was riding was a Rocky Mountain Blizzard with a Reynolds steel frame. I was absolutely blown away by the way it rode. In fact, that frame is still hanging in our workshop today! ;-)
That was the inspiration, the spark that pushed us to develop our own frames using steel. Titanium came later, driven by our ambition to achieve the same vibration-damping characteristics while reducing weight even further, increasing stiffness and bringing a more sporty character to our range. On top of that, titanium has a particularly premium, refined appearance.
Your titanium frames are manufactured in Bolzano, South Tyrol, rather than in your own workshop. Could you tell us a little more about this partnership and why you chose this approach?
The short and simple answer is: because they know what they're doing and they meet our high standards for precision framebuilding and craftsmanship. Italy has an outstanding heritage when it comes to building steel and titanium frames. With companies such as Columbus and Dedacciai, it has a rich framebuilding history and a whole world of established brands and traditions. It's something quite special in its own right. ;-)
Are all your frames individually tailored to each rider's geometry and requirements, or do you also offer standard sizes?
Increasingly, our customers are choosing to have a professional bike fit carried out by one of the bike fitters we recommend. This is now the case for around 90% of our titanium frame customers. We do still offer standard sizes and geometries, but with the growing demand for individualisation, these are becoming less common.
There are so many different components and configurations to consider. Fork axle-to-crown heights, for example, can vary depending on tyre clearance, mounting options and other requirements. Because we build each frame individually, we can adapt the geometry and design to accommodate these differences.
Looking through your website, it's clear just how varied your builds are, from 1x and 2x drivetrains to Pinion gearboxes, as well as internal and external cable routing. Are there particular configurations that customers tend to favour, or does everyone come to you with their own ideas and requirements?
Every customer is different. At least for us, there are virtually no two frames that are built exactly alike anymore. Component specifications are also generally chosen to suit each customer's individual preferences.
You offer an impressive range of paintwork and frame finishes. Do you carry out this work yourselves, or do you collaborate with specialist painters to bring your customers' ideas to life?
We work with two partner companies that specialise in different finishing processes, depending on the material.
One handles powder coating for steel and titanium frames, while the other takes care of painting carbon components.
You recently shared some photos on Instagram of your latest Luchs build, featuring Columbus and Dedacciai tubing and a custom-painted SEIDO TAZA fork. It's a fantastic-looking bike! Could you tell us a little more about it? Who was it built for, and what adventures does its new owner have planned?
We designed and built this bike for a journey that will take its rider from the northernmost town in Canada, all the way through North and South America to the southernmost town in Argentina. The rider is 28 years old and comes from Bochum, Germany. He's quit his job to take on this adventure and plans to complete the journey in around 14–16 months, starting in spring 2027. Interestingly, he's never actually done a bikepacking trip, or anything similar, before!
When it came to designing the frame for such an ambitious journey, he put his complete trust in our bikepacking expertise. We chose the SEIDO TAZA fork because it offers the same geometry as a suspension fork, while being lighter and stiffer.
Its strength and stability are also particularly beneficial when carrying luggage mounted on Anything Cages. The ability to fit brake rotors up to 220 mm is another major advantage. Personally, I wouldn't trust a suspension fork on a journey like this either.
For us, the TAZA is the best bikepacking fork on the market.
The subject of 32-inch wheels seems to be gaining momentum among framebuilders, with more and more experimenting with the concept. Is this something that interests you? Have you received any enquiries from customers looking for frames designed around 32-inch wheels?
Definitely NOT!
As mentioned earlier, we've already developed a larger gravel bike concept based around 750d wheels, essentially aimed at riders who need XL, XXL or even larger frame sizes. In our opinion, larger wheels would make sense for these riders, and not just from a visual perspective. However, to date, we've only received three or four enquiries about the concept, and we haven't built another one since.
Finally, looking ahead, what's next for Tannenwald Bikes? Are there any exciting plans, new projects or ambitions that you can share with us?
System integration is something we're becoming increasingly involved with. Because we still build our frames using traditional tube-to-tube construction, integrating components and routing cables internally presents some challenges, particularly when it comes to frame shaping and design. We're currently exploring how we might use technologies such as 3D-printed components or lugs to achieve more organic shapes and better integration, without compromising our core philosophy.
If you would like to find out more about Tannenwald Bikes, please head over to their website or follow them on Instagram.