STORY

Michael Moureček had his first custom bike built when he was sixteen. He has been in love with bikes that fit their riders perfectly since then. The opportunity to work with top frame builders from an early age helped him learn how to share the crucial information about what you want from a frame with the builders and component experts.

He got a chance to have built and ride various types of frames, ranging from thin walled and profiled steel tubes to the early aluminium and carbon ones. He rode bikes made of Altec, Magnesium, Scandium and, of course, Titanium. At the turn of the millenium frames with carbon stays appeared. It was the last stage in custom-made bikes for pros. Soon after that most top name manufacturers transferred their production to Taiwan where the production had to be organised in a different way which didn’t leave room for custom frame production.

Michael Moureček and Ondřej Novotný set up Festka in 2010 with the intention of producing custom frames regardless of the material used. They also wanted to offer components that will suit their frames and riders best, no matter how hard they may be to get. It was obvious from the start that the company would have to rely on the help of a large pool of experts which was the reason why the founders didn’t give it their names and called it Festka instead.

Michael and Ondřej had a clear idea of what they wanted to do from the very beginning: the best bikes no matter how much they cost. Every piece coming out of their workshop must be a dream bike.

The first carbon frame was made by Festka in 2013. It was christened Zero and was initially offered in design schemes painted by hand by top artists and graphic designers. Signature Festka designs such as Dazzle and Pablo followed soon. Festka managed to make an immediate entry into the world of the most interesting and expensive bicycle brands in the world.

Timeline

2010 
Festka founded.

2011 
The first carbon frame - weighing a mere 730 grams - produced using tube to tube technology.

2012
Festka adds a stainless steel frame to its range and goes to NAHBS for the first time

2013 
Festka Zero - a carbon frame made with lugged joints - is launched. The company builds a frame for the Rapha Continental project and opens a workshop/showroom in the centre of Prague.

2014
Festka invites respected graphic designers and artists to participate in the creation of design schemes. Festka Art Edition is born. Festka Asphalt, a titanium race road bike providing a high level of comfort, and Festka ONE, the first carbon frame made with filament woven carbon tubes, are introduced.

2015
Festka Doppler brings a unique solution for joining Titanium tubes using carbon lamination. It offers a unique look and riding experience like no other frame in the market. Festka bikes make a debut on the track at the World Championships. Martin Blaha and Vojtech Hacecky come in sixth place in Paris.

2016 
Festka prototypes a gravel bike frame with a flat mounted disc brake and uniquely shaped woven carbon filament chainstays. The Festka R&D team is included in the European Space Agency Bic Prague incubator.

2017
Festka Spectre - an all out race frame - comes in both a road and track version. Its unique straight chainstays give Spectre exceptional stiffness. Festka’s R&D team is deservedly proud of them. Spectre is ridden by the Dukla Praha track team and several members of the Czech national team.

2018
Working closely and extensively with the European Space Agency, Festka develops Scalatore - a frame that uniquely combines low weight, high stiffness and comfort. It received the Design & Innovation in the same year and made many early owners very happy.

2019
Festka’s entry into the gravel bike world - the Rover - is launched after four years of development. The unique waving pattern of carbon filament gives this frame stiffness and comfort riders will appreciate on rough roads. 

2020
Festka Spectre Porcelain – a collaboration with the illustrator Michal Bačák – pushes the envelope on what is possible in the world of bespoke bicycles. It crosses over from the cycling media to the general design scene and causes a proper stir. Another collab with the artists follows on its heels.

2021
Festka introduces Scout – a second gravel model Scout. Intended for rougher terrains and extensive bikepacking, it creates a category of its own – an adventure machine for the most demanding client.