VELLO turns to iconic steel manufacturer Columbus: new partnership announced during Milan Design Week
VELLO announces new partnership with Milanese tube manufacturer Columbus at Milan Design Week.
The partnership was officially presented on 20 April 2026 during Milan Design Week at Design Palazzo Austria in the Brera District, bringing together Austrian design and Italian material know-how.
For more than 100 years, Columbus has stood for Italian expertise in bicycle tube manufacturing. Until now, the company’s tubes have mainly been used in road racing and high-quality steel frame building. With VELLO, they will now be used in a folding bike for the first time.
VELLO at Milan Design Week 2026
In addition to the official announcement, VELLO was present throughout Milan Design Week as part of the Austrian Design presentation at the Palazzo. Current models were showcased there, along with first insights into the new collaboration with Columbus.
A central part of the week was also the community ride “Vienna Bicycle Design Meets Milan: VELLO Ride & Meet the Designers”, which took place on 21 April. Together with the local community, the tour started at La Stazione delle Biciclette and led through various Fuorisalone locations, from curated exhibitions to lesser-known design spots in districts such as Brera, Navigli and Porta Venezia.
The ride offered a direct way to experience Milan from the perspective of urban mobility, while making the exchange between design, everyday life and movement in the city tangible.
In the evening, the format continued with a get-together featuring aperitivo and music. In an open panel discussion, representatives from design and industry discussed current developments in the bicycle sector, with contributions from Valentin Vodev, VELLO; Giovanni Alli, Zehus; and Diego Brunello, Columbus; moderated by Sebastian Malara. The discussion focused on questions around the future of bicycle design, the role of European collaboration and the connection between technical innovation and cultural context.
Columbus: Milanese tube-making tradition since 1919
Columbus was founded in Milan in 1919 by Angelo Luigi Colombo. After early applications in aviation, the company began developing special steel tubes for bicycle frame construction in the 1930s. Over the decades, Columbus tubes were used by brands such as Colnago, De Rosa, Bianchi and Cinelli, playing a defining role in high-quality steel bicycle manufacturing. Today, Columbus is part of Gruppo SPA, which also includes Cinelli. The company produces steel and stainless-steel tubes as well as carbon components for modern frame building.
What the partnership means for VELLO
With this collaboration, VELLO brings together Austrian product design and Italian material tradition. Or, in other words: Austrian Design. Italian Feeling.
For VELLO, this marks the next step in the evolution of the product: a deliberate material upgrade that underlines both the brand’s technical direction and its design ambitions.
“This partnership sharpens our design philosophy. Steel stands for performance, durability and repairability, and above all for its unmistakable character. With Columbus, we have found a partner who shares this attitude. For us, this collaboration is the logical next step,” says Valentin Vodev, designer and CEO of VELLO.
“For more than a century, Columbus has stood for craftsmanship, performance and the timeless charm of steel. In VELLO, we see a partner that shares our sense for thoughtful engineering and lasting quality, and that values the connection riders have with high-quality bicycles. We are very pleased to begin this collaboration and to see our materials become part of VELLO’s design philosophy,” says Victor Luis, Chairman of Columbus.
The VELLO folding bike
The VELLO folding bike is based on a diamond frame in monocoque construction. The frame consists of one continuous body without separate welded joints on the main tubes. This construction supports a direct riding feel, high stability and low weight.
Another defining feature of VELLO is its folding mechanism: the bike can be folded and unfolded in just a few seconds without tools. When folded, it can be taken on public transport as a piece of luggage.
