Christoph started riding in 1983 and moved into what we call "freestyle" in 87. Flatland was his thing and he made a name for himself on the German contest scene in the late 80s. But he wasn't just a flatlander. Always curious about ramps, the arrival of the mini ramp in the late 80s opened up a world of possibilities for Christoph. Tech miniramp riding became his thing and the early 90's were spent travelling and riding skateparks and mini ramps around the globe. In 1993, Christoph made his first foray into the business side of things when he founded "Mutation" Clothing with his riding buddy Marcin Stypulkowski. Tired of wearing skateboard brands, the two created slightly rough, metal-influenced t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and pants, and only quit ten years later because "things were getting out of hand and too stressful," as Christoph recalls.
But by then he already knew a thing or two about bike design and manufacturing. Christoph trained as a wholesale and export merchant at the "Dragonfly" Bike Company - a hugely influential 90s outfit that set the bar for quality Taiwanese frames and handlebars, and innovated things like integrated chain tensioners that are now taken for granted. There he learned the business side of a bike company from the ground up: How to import stuff from Taiwan, what taxes and duties to pay, etc, etc. Design the stuff, pack the stuff, sell it. But he also learned a thing or two about design and engineering, and when things got tough at Dragonfly, he stepped up and designed the Dragonfly "Mankind" frame. He teamed up with Michael "Mike S." Steingräber, who used his carpentry skills to create a life-size technical drawing of the frame, and the graphics were done by Peter Keller of design agency "Menschlabor" - the beginning of a collaboration that is still running strong today.
The frame was a success, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to save the pioneering German bike company, so Christoph was faced with the question of what to do with all the skills he had acquired over the years. A trip to Las Vegas Interbike later, the decision was made and "Mankind BMX Company" was born in 2004, the fulfilment of a long cherished dream for Christoph.
Influenced by his Bahāʾī upbringing, the values and tenets of the young religion found their way into the Mankind image: from the actual company names "Mankind" and "Unity" and the "Azadi" frame, Mankind's first frame named after the Persian word for "freedom", to parts names like "Tolerance" and "Evolution", Mankind's naming scheme was created to be thought provoking and fresh. Peter Keller backed up Christoph's vision with clean and futuristic graphics, creating a complete identity of logos, decals, parts colourways and advertising that was a rarity in BMX at the time. The frames and parts themselves catered to the more technical side of BMX, tapping into Christoph's passion for flatland and mini ramps and targeting that audience. The initial line-up of team riders such as Markus Fischer, Barry Köhne, Andrew Gregory, Juan Ruiz and Phil Aller reflected Mankind's commitment to the technical park and ramp craft.
Soon Mankind products were available in the USA, Australia, Japan, the UK and across Europe, a global expansion that reflected the brand's growing influence on the BMX scene. Mankind also became a pillar of the BMX community, especially in its homeland Germany. Christoph started supporting local scenes, jams, competitions and magazines.
By 2008, Mankind’s roster had grown to include international talents such as Jeff Klugiewicz, Ronnie Napolitan, Chris Courtenay, Isaac Lesser, Martyn Cooper, and Björn Mager, each of whom contributed to the expanding product line with their own signature frames, including the "Mellow", "Forward", and "Neworld" models.
In 2010, Mankind further broadened its reach with the introduction of a dedicated flatland series, including the Mankind "Code" Frame by flatland legend Michael Steingräber, with whom Christoph has a long running friendship, dating back to the good old days of Flatland on the “Jungfernstieg” in Hamburg in the mid 80’s.
In 2016, Christoph moved with his family from Hamburg to Cologne, taking the headquarters of Mankind and Unity with him. He took an office just outside the city with enough space to dive into the next chapter for Mankind Bikes: Complete Bikes. Starting with just a few models, the collection has grown to include 14", 16", 18" and 20" bikes, catering for all levels of rider - from beginners to seasoned pros - with models that combine performance and affordability.
Today in 2024, BMX business might not be easy, but Mankind Bike Co. continues to pursue its vision of a unity in BMX, catering to a wide range of styles with a diverse assortment of frames and completes. The resurrection of the “Azadi” frame marks the return of a technical street frame to the range which will be complemented by an array of Azadi parts in the near future. The “International” frame, still a huge success in the park community, stays true to the ramp game. The “Sunchaser”, Mankind's nod to "classic" BMX, with its timeless 74.5° head angle should please even the most hard headed 90s shredder and with Isaac Lesser retiring from the pro ranks, his signature frame, “The Getaway”, is renamed “The Superuse” to reflect its versatility to tackle anything you throw its way. All this is promoted by a young team consisting of many local legends along with seasoned pros like the nearly appointed German UCI national coach Mark König, a king on the mini if there ever was one.
As you can see, the story of Mankind is far from over. In 2025, Christoph will continue his quest to provide goods for all aspects of BMX. Embracing progress while never forgetting the roots of our beloved pastime.
Check all the current products as well as the team at mankindbmx.com
