../companies/Mankind

Sources: www.mankindbmx.com, thecomeupbmx.net, www.global-flat.com, ...
If you want to add any info, please contact buissonrouge@23mag.com.
2004 Christoph Huber, www.mankindbmx.com: Within the twenty years of riding and doing many different things in BMX, I always wanted to do my own bike company and in 2004 I thought it was about time to do it. By creating Mankind Bike Company it was not only important to me to have great products in terms of style, materials and technical features, but also to present Mankind Bike Company in a new unique way in terms of logo and graphic design of stickers, headercards, frame boxes, clothing, website, etc . Mankind is here to bring you high quality, innovative and up to date BMX frames and parts to make you enjoy the way you are riding to the fullest. Enjoy riding with Mankind products. Someday we shall all be one.
2005
2008 Mankind Forward - Jeff Klugiewicz signature frame.
thecomeupbmx.net: The Jeff Klugiewicz signature frame from Mankind is going to be out in March 08. The “Forward” Frame is going to be a full heat treated frame. This full heat treatment makes the “Forward” frame light ( 4.48lb ) and very strong at the same time. Furthermore it features a slim frame design, the new Archangel Integrated Seatclamp and a Baseball Glove Bridge on the chain stays of Jeff K`s favourite ball team. The Forward frame comes with and without u-mounts, 20,5tt, 20,8tt and 21,1tt and in five colours.
2010 Mankind Code - Michael Steingraber signature flatland frame.
head angle: 74°, seattube angle: 71°, toptube length: 18.5" or 19.5", chainstays: 12.6", bottom bracket hight: 1.57"
Mike Steingraber, www.global-flat.com, april 2010: I have been friends with Mankind owner Christoph Huber for well over 20 years, and while a good personal relationship helps, that wasn´t the reason I wanted to ride for Mankind. What I find so appealing about Mankind is the quality of their products, their attention to detail and their nice graphic designs. Christoph let me design my signature frame, the "Code" the way I wanted it to be, without any limitations. I knew what i wanted from the start, so it was just a matter of bringing my ideas to paper, getting a prototype made, which unfotunately took a long time, and now testing the prototype and showing it around. There are several key elements I wanted in my frame:
First of all: strength. My frames have to take a lot of abuse, and I want them to take it. That´s why I wanted a without unnecessary bent tubes, and nothing crossed either.
Secondly, I didn´t want to build a tank, so I opted for butted tubes and tapered chain- and seatstays. To be able to use thin tubes, I wanted the frame to be fully heat treated. That means it gets welded first, then the whole thing gets heat treated, resulting in a very strong structure, including the welds!
Third, the frame had to be functional! That´s why the down tube is slightly elevated, with enough attatchment to the bottom bracket shell, so that´s not going to fall off. The dropouts are on the outside of the seat- and chainstays, so bike varials will be easier without getting caught up with your feet. The head angle is 74°, so your bars won´t touch the ground as easyly when doing hitchhikers and backpackers.
And last but not least I wanted a lot of atention to detail. I opted for machined bottom bracket shell and head tube with integrated logo, a logo etching in the dropouts, the nice Mankind bridge between the seatstays and the curved tube/bridge between the chainstays for added strength. The seattube is outside machined to save a bit of weight and has an integrated seatclamp. The stickers are placed where they don´t get scratched instantly when you ride your bike. I chose not to have brake mounts on the frame, because I don´t use brakes and it looks like most other riders don´t use rear brakes, and the frame just looks much cleaner that way.
Mankind Team
Ronnie Napolitan .... - november 2009: Ronnie Napolitan is no longer riding for Mankind.
Michael Steingraber 2010