Principia is a Danish bike brand from 1990 that designs and produces sports bikes in the form of Gravel, Road and MTB. Principia bikes are characterized by their fantastic balance between comfort, performance and smart features. In addition, a sharp focus on quality is extremely important. That is why we hand-build many of our carbon models, ensuring that the bikes can live out their full potential.
The history
In 1990, 3 young guys started welding bike frames. The goal was to create the best bike frames in the world right from the start. Quite simple. The tri-musketeers from Aalborg also agreed on a criterion for quality: STW – stiffness to weight. The world’s best frame must be the one that has the best ratio of stiffness to weight. A rigid and light bike frame provides the most efficient performance. Easily understandable today. But in 1990, only a few thought that way. The innovative ideas, unlike bike frames, needed a name. With the intention of Principia to be the only bike in the world named after a book, Principia bikes sends a greeting back to Isaac Newton, who in 1687 enhanced modern physics with his groundbreaking masterpiece, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
Principia was created based on an enthusiasm for the triathlon, but the road bikes catalyzed its explosive growth. In the early 1990s, most road bikes were made of steel, and professional riders continued to swear by thin steel frames with chrome-plated details. At some point, steel had to give its domestic position away. More and more people gradually realized that you would get a much more efficient bike with a light and rigid frame made of large, round aluminium, which sums up the character traits of Principia. A series of impressive test results in leading German bicycle magazines was crucial to the success of Principia’s aluminium bike frames.
In 2006, Principia became part of HF Christiansen A/S, Denmark’s largest producer of bikes. Other than Principia, HF Christiansen designs and produces brands such as Avenue, Bike by Gubi, Centurion, MBK, Nishiki, Raleigh and Winther. *This may vary based on the country.
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