OPEN E.A.R.: Refree - part 2
OPEN E.A.R. x REFREE unique frames now available!
It's taken some time since our first post about Refree, but here we are.
Just to recap, for OPEN E.A.R. (Exclusive Artist Recordings) we have teamed up with musicians around the globe to produce some unique frames. The frame designs are made by the musician and they also provide a unique piece of music. Access to the music goes via a QR code on the frame. So to hear it, either buy one of the frames or keep your eyes out for one on the trails! Proceeds of the E.A.R. projects go to a charity chosen by the musician.
First up for an E.A.R. collaboration is Spanish producer/musician/cyclist Raül Refree. And he has gone all-out, making not one but 14 unique designs (plus one for himself). What happened was that he had an album with 14 tracks, so he decided to make one design inspired by each track, plus the cover for himself. And the hidden piece of music is NOT one of those tracks, but something that has never been published anywhere.
The unique designs and how it all works
Above is the first Refree design that was turned into a frame, a WI.DE. based on his album cover. The Cover Frame has now been turned into Refree's personal bike and he is getting good miles on it. A bit further down we'll discuss the other 14 designs, but first something about the ordering & production process and the charity.
If you're interested in getting an OPEN with one of these designs, how it works is:
- You choose the design of your choice (if still available, every design is sold only once so truly unique).
- You decide which model you would like to get this design made on. So you have total freedom in the model and size you are getting with your chosen design.
- Fee for each design is EUR 500 on any of our current models, or EUR 1,000 on any of our upcoming models (U.P.PER. CONCEPT, new U.P., etc). Of course in the latter case you will need to be patient a bit. 100% of these fees will go to Refree's chosen charity, the actual cost of custom painting the frame is covered by OPEN.
- You contact Andy at andy@opencycle.com and let him know which design and which model/size you'd like and he arranges the paperwork.
Refree explains: "I met Ousman more than ten years ago when he was the mechanic at the Bike Tech shop in Barcelona. From the very beginning, he seemed like a very special and kind person, but it took me some time to learn his story: Ousman was born in Ghana, and at the age of thirteen, he embarked on a journey to Europe in search of a better future. He crossed the Sahara on foot and the sea in a small boat, a journey that lasted four years, during which most of his travel companions died.
Thanks to a family who took him in when he was sleeping on the street, he was able to study and change the course of his life. A few years ago, knowing that education is the foundation for a better future for everyone, he created the NGO NASCO Feeding Minds, which aims to provide training in new technologies to the inhabitants of Ghana, allowing them to escape poverty in their own country and avoid the horrors of immigration that Ousman himself experienced."
The 14 designs
Here are the 14 designs you can choose from. The designs were made by the same agency that made the cover - Folch Studio. For this project, they started out with landscapes, textures and shapes and then manipulated them until the perception of scale is lost yet all emotion is retained. In other words, perfect for Refree.
If you prefer a specific design, just download it from this gallery and send it to andy@opencycle.com along with your requests. Of you can just let Andy assign a design to you, if you prefer to be surprised. After the 14 designs in the gallery, you will also find more detail photos of Refree's own Cover Bike. This will give you an idea of the amazing skills offered by the custom painter for this project, Sergi Escribano from SCOLORS.
The videos
Want to see more of Refree at work and riding his bike? Here's a new Refree video below. If you missed his first video, you can still check it out here.
This is nice, is it only for gravel bikes or also possible on a road bike?
Hi there, it's available on any of our models, gravel or road.
Wow, this painter is amazing. Looking at the 14 designs, you would think "how does that go onto a frame". But seeing the photo of the album cover and the frame, it's just fantastic. Can I get this on a WIDE in size L? I have an UP right now but really thinking of doing that Gravel Burn race. Do you think a WIDE would be better for that? Seems in all their photos they are riding WIDEs?