The Franco 10 Kit - An Evolutionary Process
The 10 Collection
Every design tells a story. Colors set the mood. The rest of the setting is composed through the use of graphical elements, proportion, and typography.
2017 marks Franco Bicycles’ 10th year. A great deal has changed over the years, from our product offering to the market in which we operate. We’ve gone from offering one carbon race bike in one color option, black, to expanding our fleet with our, soon to be announced, second version of our all-road steel frame in three color options, none of which are black. We’ve moved locations. We’ve brought on new people. We’ve evolved as necessary. With the 10 collection, we set out to celebrate our 10th year and to capture this evolution in the best way we know how - through design.
Ultimately, the 10 Collection tells a story of perseverance and evolution in changing landscapes. With that in mind, here’s a look into our design process and the story we wanted to tell.
Colors
If you’re familiar with our aesthetic (and kit), one of the first things you’ll notice is the omission of Team Blue. We’ve long been known for Team Blue. We were on team blue before Pantone 2915 was a thing. Looking at you Team Sky. Zigging while others zagged.
In business, as in life and design, evolution is necessary. With the new 10 kit, it was time to set Team Blue to the side and introduce a new range of colors. The navy base strays from the black foundation we often employed, bringing familiar feelings with a twist. A range of complementary colors are prominently displayed, both in the chest wrap as within every Franco logo.
Speed Shapes
At the foundation of this design are the pattern of parallelograms. These always forward-charging, congruent angles are what we refer to as the Franco Speed Shapes. They have been around since the beginning, with its first interpretation as the dual racing stripes on the Balcom. It’s continued to play a role: the single speed shape on the Kanan to the full-bike treatment on the Balcom S.
The speed shapes, now displayed on the Latigo RS1’s head tube, add depth and growth to the aesthetic. Like years over time, the shape builds on itself showing us new ways to present our forward progress.
Design Elements
We live and ride in the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s our backyard and it’s part of who we are. The Franco SMMT emblem is one of three that accentuate this kit collection.
Second is the Franco Shield. The Franco shield has adorned all the head tubes in our lineup. It’s a badge, a signature of sorts, that we put on every bike we create when it’s ready to reach customers. Beyond that, it is a coat of arms that symbolically makes anyone who has it part of the Franco Family. Now refreshed and streamlined from its original design, the new Franco shield reflects on the past, while looking towards what the future holds.
Lastly, the Franco Cycle Club mark. The Franco Cycle Club is more than just a group of cyclists riding their bikes. It’s a mindset. It’s a group of like-minded individuals that love bikes and the benefits they brings: fitness gains, competition, a stress outlet, and meaningful friendships.
To The Future
We started this project like we do every other project, with a general idea of where we wanted to end up, but no clear path of how to get there. Design is like cycling, you just have to turn the pedals and get the wheels rolling. The gains are in the process. We hope you enjoy this kit as much as we enjoyed creating it.
You can get your own kit here. Please contact us at hello@francobicycles.com or call/text us at (805) 498-3700 with any sizing questions.
Now to start thinking about the Franco Twenty Collection :)
Written by Hector Rodriguez