"Nothing and everything!"
The Intend Interview

Cornelius Kapfinger isn’t just the owner of Intend, but also the unofficial pope of the custom scene. When complete bike manufacturers want to elevate their brand image with ultra-stylish rides, product managers hit up Kapfinger to order parts. We caught up with the producer of the world’s most exclusive forks to get his take on the scene.

The headquarters of Intend located at Schwarzwaldstraße 1 is gradually emptying. Employees are rolling out on swanky custom mountain rigs, primed for the trails surrounding Freiburg. Cornelius Kapfinger is putting the final touches on prototype components on his crew’s bikes, providing guidance on the testing protocol before he descends into the cellar to grab some beers. Clutching a case of Feldbrau from France, he navigates through a maze of packaging, freshly built forks, and assembly stations. The space that was bustling with four mechanics moments ago can honestly be dubbed a blend of warehouse, workshop, and office. In Berlin, it would be touted as a Thinktank, given the blueprints blanketing the walls. Kapfinger grabs a couple of stools, pops open the beers, and looks incredibly content taking his first sip. The array of complete and semi-complete products, and individual parts, signifies a booming era for Intend.

Ludwig Döhl: Cornelius, you’ve run your company out of a bedroom in a shared apartment for years. What’s it like to now have a headquarters and a team?

Cornelius Kapfinger: I tried to bring the same level of organization from my flat-sharing days into the new space, just to keep the culture shock to a minimum (laughs). Jokes aside, it feels amazing to be growing. Every fork that we sell is, in a way, a nod of respect from the community. But, of course, with growth comes new challenges that we didn’t face back in my bedroom office.

LD: What’s a challenge for the unofficial king of the custom scene?

CK: Sometimes we’re swamped with orders. Right now, we’re finalizing a large shipment for a Chinese dealer. Being a small shop, it’s a big challenge to get all components up to our quality standards and delivered on time. With the number of staff we have, it’s tough to pull everything off without making customers wait for service or parts. Our regular business can’t be neglected. We owe that much to our clients.

LD: Growing pains that are manageable, wouldn’t you say?

CK: Absolutely, I’m not one to moan. The custom scene is still buzzing. Other sectors in the industry are having a much tougher time at the moment. Every now and then, though, I do wonder how we can continue to fuel the hype around our products. One can’t reinvent themselves and crank out new products constantly.

LD: Suspension forks have been around for quite some time. Groundbreaking innovations in this sector have become scarce. Looking at it purely from a technical and performance-driven standpoint, it seems as though we’re slowly reaching the peak of what’s possible.

CK: It pains my heart to admit it, but yes, that’s the case. From a technical viewpoint, we’re not going to see any monumental revolutions in suspension technology if we stick to the current tubes, bushings, and seals. That is, unless we consider electrifying the mix.

Breaking it down is pretty straightforward: As a boutique custom builder, I can craft suspension forks that perform on par with the big guns like Fox or Rock Shox. Sure, their assembly line is a well-oiled machine, but hit the trails and our forks deliver performance that’s every bit their equal. Plus, our product has got a killer aesthetic and is handcrafted right here in Freiburg. Meanwhile, the Yanks go full throttle with their marketing blitz.

LD: Right now, your company is made up of engineers and mechanics. Is it time to invest in marketing?

CK: I don’t believe so. We’re focused on crafting awesome, one-of-a-kind products.

I believe we can skip that.

LD: That sounds like some serious confidence.

CK: I’d say it’s more about decisive action. Our marketing is in the product itself. The looks, the story behind it, the way it’s produced – they’re all unique. We don’t need overpriced glossy video clips to get our message across. And we aren’t forced to play catch-up like the big manufacturers. Take a look around; this is our entire inventory. We don’t have to move thousands of units to remain financially viable.

LD: But you could sell more. You recently introduced the first Intend brake. It’s already sold out in the webshop.

CK: That was insane. We listed the brake online, and in four minutes, all 100 units we produced sold out. Maybe we could have sold twice as many brakes in 8 minutes. But at the end of the day, that wouldn’t make each individual brake any better. Our objective is to make our customers happy. If we ramp up production too quickly, it’s completely normal to expect one or maybe two brakes to slip through with minor defects. We’re talking about a 0.5-1% defect rate. That’s virtually nothing. Yet for that one customer, it’s everything. The single product they purchase from us that then has an issue. And that’s what we want to avoid. It’s a catch-22: Our products are our marketing. And that only works with maximum quality.

LD: So, from your perspective, it boils down to this: Excessive marketing inflates costs. Higher costs have to be offset by increased sales. More sales demand larger inventories and production lines, and also escalate the risk of defects in products. A vicious cycle, so to speak.

CK: I’m a capitalist. And when you put on capitalism glasses, you can’t really agree with that. Higher turnover, especially with professional manufacturing, is likely to lead to increased profit. I wouldn’t categorize that as a vicious cycle offhand. The formula would definitely work if we were producing bread – an essential commodity. But we’re crafting high-end bike components. No one’s going to starve if we stop production. Our products aren’t purchased out of survival necessity. People buy them because they appeal aesthetically, they have the spare cash, and they want to stand out from the crowd. If you try to apply textbook economic principles to the custom bike scene, I’m certain you’d end up with a vicious cycle.

And it can’t be captured in such regulations. That’s why, as a small manufacturer, we must blaze our own trail in marketing.

What’s your approach like?

Gloss and perfection with a maximum punch – that’s the American way. We just need to tell our story and stay true to it. I’m keen on preserving the charm that infuses this space. That’s why I don’t tidy up when someone with a camera swings by (laughs). I think it’s awesome when the crew that works here shreds the trails in the evening with our parts. And I’m stoked about being involved in every step of the process—from design and manufacturing to sales. Part of our marketing is the pledge to our customers that we’ll stay true to our roots.

We’re psyched for the future. Thanks for the interview, Cornelius.