SALLEN CYCLES

A precision-built identity for a modern cycling brand

Sallen Cycles is the independent bicycle brand founded by my longtime friend Chris. We’ve been collaborating since 1996, and when he started building bikes under his own name, he asked me to create the identity that would define the brand. He shared a few inspirations, and I developed a clean, modern system — logo, typography, and color — built to reflect his craftsmanship and vision.

The Challenge:

Sallen Cycles needed a strong, modern, versatile identity that could live confidently on a bike frame while also supporting future applications like apparel, merchandise, and digital presence. The mark had to feel premium, minimal, and built for riders — something iconic enough for product hardware, yet flexible enough for brand expansion.

My Role:

I designed:

The primary Sallen Cycles logo

The bike frame emblem / head badge mark

The brand usage and implementation guidance

My contribution focused on developing a mark with the right balance of simplicity, durability, and lifestyle expression, ensuring it would perform flawlessly in both large and micro applications.

Design Approach:

The Sallen identity was crafted around the emotional and physical nature of cycling — movement, craft, freedom, precision, and personal expression. The goal was to create a mark that:

holds up beautifully on a metal frame
scales effortlessly across apparel
feels clean, modern, and instantly recognizable
can function as a standalone icon or part of a broader brand system

The frame emblem/head badge was specifically designed to feel engineered, balanced, and compositionally strong, mirroring the brand’s dedication to quality and craftsmanship.

Brand Consultation:

In addition to designing the identity, I provided strategic guidance on:

logo usage across bikes, components, and apparel
sizing and placement for frame applications
one-color and metallic treatments
merch and lifestyle applications
how the core mark should behave across photography and digital brand touchpoints

This ensured consistency, longevity, and proper execution as the brand grows.

Outcomes:

A distinctive, modern cycling identity built for real-world application
A premium emblem that elevates the bike frame itself
A versatile mark ready for apparel, merchandising, and digital environments
A clear usage framework to maintain long-term brand consistency

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