Brooks x Dan Funderburgh: Team Pro Alpe d’Huez Saddle
Brooklyn-based artist, wallpaper designer and bike enthusiast Dan Funderburgh just tipped us to the Team Pro Alpe d'Huez, a seasonal edition bike seat from Brooks England. The handsome result of a collaboration between the venerable saddle maker and Funderburgh, it features his hand-hammered, topographic impression of the Alpe d'Huez (click images for an expanded view).
With 21 hairpin turns and an average gradient of 8.1 percent over 13.1 kilometers, Alpe d'Huez is a legendary climb in the Tour de France. It has been a stage finish in the Tour most every year since 1976—the first was won in 1952 by Fausto Coppi, at a time when most cyclists were riding Brooks Saddles. Available in standard colors honey, brown (pictured after the jump) and black, it sells for $191 plus shipping from Brooks.
We had an opportunity to ask Dan a few questions about the collaboration. Read below.
Hi, Dan. Nice saddle. So how did you and Brooks hook up?
My friend suggested I get in touch after seeing some of the laser etched art I've been doing, so I contacted them out of the blue and asked if they would be interested. They were. It took a couple years to decide on a direction and tool the design, but if the company has been around for as long as Brooks I suppose there's no need to rush things.
Did it take long to reach a design both you and the Brooks people were happy with?
I made about six designs, and I don't know what their schedule is like, but I really hope that there will be more designs released seasonally.
Are you now tooling around with your own Team Pro Alpe d'Huez?
I'm psyched to get a saddle, though I'm a little nervous to roll it around town—too many crooks!
What's your favorite bike that you've owned of all time?
One summer in college I was the proud owner of a black BMX known as the Hip Hop Warrior. It had silencer pegs in the front and back. I hope the bastard that stole it from me can do better tricks than I could.
Any more bicycle-related projects percolating?
I'm working on a print that will raise money for Transportation Alternatives through a company called Working Proof, but they're not up yet.
