Bike Interior with a Focus on Aesthetics and Functionality

TONS is a groundbreaking company specializing in the design and production of stylish bike interiors. Founded by industrial designer and architect Kristian Krøyer, the company has gained significant recognition for its unique products that blend aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability. TONS identified a gap in the market and filled it by designing bike accessories that are so stylish, you'd want to display them in your home. TONS offers a wide range of products, including laptop and iPad stands, bike mounts, wheel mounts, holders for glasses, shoes, and helmets, as well as stunning graphic posters featuring iconic cycling climbs such as Col du Galibier, Passo dello Stelvio, and Col du Tourmalet.

In this interview, Kristian Krøyer will share insights into the company's background, unique products, and future visions for TONS. We delve into the inspiration behind the products, their design process, and how they successfully combine aesthetics with functionality.

What was the primary inspiration behind the start of TONS, and what vision did you have for the company from the beginning?

"The inspiration behind TONS comes partly from my interest in bicycles but also from the desire to produce products in a more flexible and sustainable way than traditional production in Asia. 3D printing enables local 'production on demand,' which minimizes overproduction that often leads to products being sold at a discount (sometimes below cost price)."

I would like to know if you have a background in design since your products truly stand out with their aesthetics and functionality?

"I am trained as an architect/industrial designer and have worked in this field for 25 years. I have worked as a design consultant for companies like Samsung, LG, and Sony, and have been involved in several product startups, such as Libratone."

When the name TONS was chosen, what was the inspiration or meaning behind it? What does it represent for you and the company?

"It's simply a play on my own 'tonser' riding style:) and it also aptly covers the no bullshit / no nonsense approach we strive to maintain at TONS."

"Our products probably resemble furniture more than most cycling products. They are designed to be placed in the living room, not in the shed"

How does TONS typically develop ideas for new products? Can you take us through the process from the initial idea to the finished product?

"It's a very simple process that involves testing an idea as quickly and easily as possible. If it looks promising, we continue to develop the idea. Since we use 3D printing, there is no difference between how we make prototypes and finished products. This means that when we are satisfied with a 'prototype,' it is essentially ready for production and sale. Our best-selling product resulted from a customer sending a picture of a post-it note and asking if we could make something similar. Three weeks later, it was ready for sale."

Can you highlight some of your most popular products and what makes them unique?

"In the beginning, we only made 'Zwift stands,' but since the season is short, we wanted to create products that could be sold all year round. This led to our bike wall mounts and gear organizers. All three product categories sell equally well."

What makes your products unique compared to other cycling accessories on the market?

"Our products probably resemble furniture more than most cycling products. They are designed to be placed in the living room, not in the shed. The choice of materials is also different, as we have a requirement that all materials must be environmentally friendly."

Are there any exciting new initiatives or projects you're working on that you'd like to share?

"We are looking to create more products for 'life around the bike.' We have a bunch of ideas, but progress is currently a bit slow because we are busy keeping up with delivering our current products."

How have customers reacted to your approach of building products to order, and have you noticed any particular advantages or challenges with this approach?

"There hasn't been a significant response to this. I think customers are mainly concerned with getting the products as quickly as possible. That's why we always produce a week in advance so we can ship most products the same day they are ordered. However, as mentioned, this also means we don't produce more than there is demand for, and therefore we don't need to do Black Friday sales to clear out old inventory. This gives customers the confidence that the product they bought yesterday won't suddenly go on sale tomorrow. I believe our customers appreciate that."

Which of your products are you most proud of and why? What makes this product special to you?

"I think it's the original iPad Stand, which I still believe is the most beautiful product. It was also our first product, and a lot of energy was put into making it all work. It was quite a challenge to be able to 3D print products at a price that could compete with Chinese mass production."

What are your biggest wishes or goals for the future with TONS, and how do you plan to achieve them?

"The main goal is to build a healthy company in a sustainable way, both environmentally and economically, and to continue doing something we think is cool. Since we make niche products, we need to sell to 'the whole world' to have a large enough customer base. To do this, we also need to become an internationally known brand, so that's another goal. It's a long and tough journey, but in Germany, which is our primary market, we have quite a good reputation."

If TONS were to make a completely different type of product, what would it be, and why?

"A pour-over coffee setup ;) because it fits perfectly into our ambition to become a 'life around the bike' brand."

Can you share a funny or memorable experience from your journey with TONS so far?

"TONS was originally just a 'hobby project,' but one day after I posted the first pictures on Instagram, Eric Min - CEO of Zwift - wrote to me saying that these were exactly the kinds of products that were needed. That's when the decision to go all-in was made."

You sell a lot of great accessories for cyclists. Do you ride yourself?

"Yes, when I'm not busy with a startup :) I've always cycled MTB, but now it's more road and gravel. Check out my Strava below:"

Can you tell us about a moment when customer feedback really made an impression on you?

"I can't think of a single standout moment, but we communicate a lot with our customers—especially on Instagram. It's really important, both to understand their needs from a problem-solving perspective and to grasp their values and preferences. Through Instagram, we've concluded that our core customer is someone who wears PNS(Pas Normal Studios), posts about cycling, coffee, and photography."

What is your favorite cycling race, and are there any special moments or memories from the race that you would like to share?

"Not sure. I haven't raced much except for MTB races in the 2000s. They were just tough :) If we're talking about pro-tour races, it's probably Paris–Roubaix and Strade Bianche."

If you could invite any person, living or dead, for a bike ride, who would it be and why?

"It would be cool to ride in the slipstream of Jan Ullrich and Armstrong for a day in Mallorca. I like 'der Jan'—a true powerhouse. I'm not really a fan of Armstrong, but the two of them together must be an extraordinary experience."

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