Emile Kotze

WORDS: Remy Raitt

Right now, bicycles are cooler than they’ve been in decades. Riding this enviro-trend is Emile Kotze – a Johannesburg entrepreneur who lovingly restores vintage bikes.

A vintage bicycle found in his dad’s garage motivated Emile Kotze to start The Starling and Hero Bicycle Company in 2010. His Company now upcycles old bicycles into fully functioning, pretty pieces, thus contributing to a vintage-bicycle trend that’s capturing the imagination of urbanites worldwide.

Repairing a bike found in the family garage helped Emile to recognise that there was a gap in the South African market for a company dedicated to producing readily available city bicycles like those found in Europe.

“I started The Starling & Hero Bicycle Company to fill this gap and aim to provide low-maintenance, durable, well-built and stylish city bicycles and accessories intended for everyday use, promoting the use of the bicycle as a sustainable transportation method.”

VISI’s Remy Raitt chatted to him.

How did you decide on the name for your company?

I met an old sailor in a bar in the Cape and at one point we started talking about birds. He kept talking about starlings as “heroes”, but I’m not quite sure what he was on about. It was pretty cool.

Where do you source your bicycles from?

I find them at markets, second-hand stores and garages of friends and family. I also started an exchange programme where I trade individuals their old, beaten machines for new bicycles.

Where do you find your new parts?

When working on an upcycle, I try to use most of what’s still functional and not in a terrible physical shape. But when I have to replace something (and some things are replaced as a standard), I find it in local bicycle shops or online stores.

What are the main elements you focus on when upcycling a bicycle? Is it purely aesthetic or do you work on the ‘mechanics’ as well?

I don’t only focus on aesthetics, no.

There’s a definite amount of work on the mechanicals of the bicycle (it is, after all, a mechanical artefact). As a standard on all our upcycles, I replace specific parts with more durable ones and because most of our upcycles are single-geared machines, a lot of consideration goes into gear ratio.

Functionality is also very important, so I like to incorporate baskets, carriers or lights on the upcycles. Our aim is to provide low-maintenance bicycles that are practical, well built, affordable and, yes, fashionable.

We’re currently working on a classic-looking front light that has the functionality of LEDs. We’re also working on another type of basket, which will be revealed on our blog soon.

Where do you see cycling as a form of transport going in South Africa?

We seem to be waking up slowly. Cape Town is definitely on the forefront of this movement, but Johannesburg and Durban are also picking up some pace.

However, my general feeling is that most people seem very reluctant to use the bicycle as a means of transportation. The weird part is that these are people who are willing to get on a mountain or racing bicycle and ride 200km a week for sport, but who refuse to cycle to the shops to pick up the dailies.

According to many avid everyday cyclists, we need a better infrastructure, such as dedicated cycle paths or sharrows, and I completely agree. There’s definitely still a lot of planning, designing and hard work to put toward the “Copenhagenisation” of South Africa.

Vintage (and beautiful) bicycles seem to be a huge trend the world over. Why do you think this is so?

The world is definitely revisiting all kinds of vintage objects and styles, and I guess it’s a fashion thing. Worldwide, there is an increasing number of individuals who use the bicycle as a way to get from point A to B.

To supply the growing demand, a number of new bicycle manufacturers emerged and identified the need for fashionable bicycles. Similar to owning a car that looks cool and that you want to be seen in, we now want bicycles that we want to be seen on, especially since a bicycle is almost more public.

I guess you could say the bicycle has become an extremely functional fashion accessory.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

There’s a great article on our blog about bicycles and the current, new economy. Please go read it. It will truly challenge your perceptions of the bicycle and the possibilities it offers.

Ditch the car once in a while. Get a good-looking bicycle (or upcycle) that works for you and start by replacing all your trips under 5km, if possible. The more people cycle on a regular basis, the higher the chance of municipalities or local government listening when we start asking for cycle lanes or sharrows.

Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, and enjoy the ride!

The Starling & Hero Bicycle Company: +27 82 799 6906, starlingandhero@gmail.com, starlingandhero.blogspot.com