As avid consumers of print, we must admit we hold certain publishers in higher standing than others. Some get it, some don’t. But no one seems to get us quite like Berlin's Gestalten. The past few years have brought many drool-worthy hardcovers in areas ranging from product and industrial design to art and photography, but it was the release of 2014's The Outsiders that cemented Gestalten's place in our adventure-yearning hearts.
Since we've seen the publisher introduce a number of other modern outdoors-inclined titles—Hide and Seek, Off the Road, The Great Wide Open—and most recently, Velo 3rd Gear.
The 256 page coffee table book takes aim at contemporary bicycle culture and the makers driving its many niches. Broken up into four distinct sections, the bright and colorful book takes aim at fixed-gear style and other such extreme paint jobs, frame designs and apparel, adventure-focused cycling like bikepacking, fatbikes, and downhill, urban machines such as cargo bikes, e-bikes and tech-connected designs, and all things sport and competition. Each portion comes complete with inspiring imagery, informative texts, and enough new names and brands you may not emerge from the google/wiki rabbit hole for weeks.
Highlights include a lengthy section of bikes specifically made for each of Oregon's seven wonders, a gear section showcasing product from Giro, Poc, etc, the craziest land speed and two-seater designs potentially ever created, and even some street photography from unlikely locations. In short, just buy the damn thing and flip through it yourself. Trust us, there are many worse ways to spend your paycheck.
