Exceeding the speed limit, recognising drowsiness, keeping a safe distance - I've lost count of how many warning messages our overzealous company van has projected onto my dashboard over the last three hours. Exasperated, I tap the start-stop button, the Ford Transit falls silent and I get out of the car. "Well, have a good journey?" Ralf Holleis - who looks two metres tall, has a calm voice and is wearing barefoot shoes - is already waiting for me and holds out his oily hand. He is the founder of the Huhn brand, the mastermind behind the elegant steel bikes from Bischofsgrün in the Fichtelgebirge, and is going to show me his latest development today.
It was clear from an early age that the product design graduate had a knack for metal. "When I was nine, my dad gave me an electrode welding machine. From then on, I sizzled together everything from prams to tandem bikes," explains Holleis. But it was a while before he used his favourite material to build bicycle frames.
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The facts about the Chabo chicken
- Price: 3200 Euro (frame)
- Frame material: steel
- Weight: 2.8 kilos (frame, size M)
- Suspension travel: 130 / 120 mm
- Wheels: 29 inch
- Made in Germany
In the meantime, Holleis has taken me into his workshop. It docks onto a barn, which he has converted and renovated into a huge ground floor flat on his own initiative. Bare frames hang above a massive welding table, with 3D-printed and milled frame parts spilling out of a plastic crate below. Steel pipes of all sizes protrude from a shelf. The short journey from the technology-laden company car to this nostalgia-laden oasis of craftsmanship feels like travelling back in time. In the middle of the 20 square metre workshop is the prototype of the Chabo - Holleis' latest creation and also Huhn's first production bike.
Since Ralf decided to give his hobby a name in 2016, he and Huhn have focussed exclusively on custom frames, experimenting with metal sleeves and all the additive manufacturing methods (3D printing) that metal construction has to offer: Cold Metal Fusion, sintered FDM or selective laser melting. But Chabo has very little to do with that. When the idea of a production bike matured in him a year and a half ago, price, sustainability and durability were at the top of the list of requirements. With his many years of experience, Holleis knows: "Welded round steel tubes in combination with milled parts are the only logical solution in this case."
The Chabo chicken in detail
The bike's key data: 130 millimetres of suspension travel at the fork, 120 millimetres at the rear and 29er wheels. According to the facts, this is a sporty trail or down-country bike. With flawless weld seams, a total of seven steel tubes merge into one main frame - all recycled, of course. The shock linkage and the mount on the frame are milled from aluminium blanks by the German company Radoxx. The rear frame triangle consists of four further steel tubes. Holleis uses metal parts from the 3D printer to connect these together and link them to the main frame. "Without the enormous heat generated during welding, I also have no distortion during production and have better control over the tolerances of the rear triangle."
There are no rear wheel bearings. Why? Fewer moving parts mean less stress. You remember: The bike should be as uncomplicated as possible. Instead, the seat stays offer just enough flex to allow the rear triangle to move freely during compression without additional bearing points. This technology is called "Flexpivot" in technical jargon.
The shift cable and brake lines are routed on the outside of the frame to make servicing easier. So much for the features of the future series chicken. The price for a powder-coated chassis is 3,200 euros. For an additional 600 euros, the Chabo is also available with an additional ceramic coating. Thirty units are currently planned for 2025.
A small drop of bitterness in view of the "mass production": Holleis will continue to sweat in his welding gear here at home - but only to work on prototypes or custom projects. A colleague from Bicycle-Frames-Engineering in Berlin will take over the production of the series bikes. The view through the workshop window into the courtyard makes me feel confident: the Chabo will never be a mainstream mass product like our Transit - even a few more bikes produced each year can't change that.
The geometry of the Chabo chicken
Test: The Chabo chicken in the field
During my visit, I was allowed to take the prototype Chabo for a short test ride on the trails at the Ochsenkopf. For my 1.74 metre height, the riding position is pleasantly compact despite the L frame size. The reason for this is the 77.5 degree steep seat angle. It places me far forward and with a lot of pressure on the front of the bike - perfect for steep ramps. Add to this the 450 mm chainstays and the climbing characteristics are unrivalled in technical terrain. The rear suspension is high in its travel, doesn't bottom out on edges and generates good traction. Annoying bobbing when pedalling? Not a thing! Downhill, the Chabo impresses with its smooth ride.
The generous reach and long rear end make this possible. The rear suspension does a great job, swallowing hard in the mid-stroke and still offering plenty of support towards the end. This gives the Chicken more travel than you would expect from a 120cc bike. If you are looking for a playful trail bike, the Chabo is unlikely to appeal to you. The bike can only get onto the rear wheel or round tight corners with a lot of pressure.
| Valuation | Comment |
| ✅ | successful chassis |
| ✅ | top climbing properties |
| ✅ | Provides a lot of safety downhill |
| ⚠️ | Handling not very playful |
Conclusion from Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
Of all the steel bikes I've ridden so far, I like the Chabo Chicken the best. The suspension is first class, the geometry conveys a lot of confidence in all situations and the weight is bearable. With the "Made in Germany" seal of quality, the steel Fully also triggers my "want to have" reflex. In view of the durability and stable value development of steel bikes, the price sounds fair.
Max Fuchs
Editor
