Riese und Müller
German premium bicycle manufacturer specializing in full-suspension and electric bicycles.
Last updated September 23, 2026
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Overview
Riese und Müller is a German bicycle manufacturer headquartered in Mühltal, Hesse, whose business has evolved from an inventive folding-bicycle project into a specialist premium e-bike company. The enterprise was founded in 1993 by mechanical engineers Markus Riese and Heiko Müller, who had met while studying in Darmstadt. Their initial concept emerged from a shared interest in bicycle engineering and from work begun in 1992 on a folding bicycle whose suspension pivots would also serve as folding points. This approach produced the Birdy, a compact full-suspension folder designed to ride more like a conventional bicycle than many folding bicycles of its period. The Birdy received the Special Award at the 1993 Hesse Innovation Award and was displayed at German cycling trade shows, including Intercycle in Cologne and Eurobike in Friedrichshafen. Early commercial development depended on the involvement of George Lin, founder of Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer Pacific Cycles. After the founders secured financing for an initial production run, Pacific Cycles manufactured the Birdy, which reached customers in 1995 and 1996 and was sold not only in Germany but also in the United States and Japan. The company’s early activities also included the Hot Ears helmet-wearer ear-warming accessory, while its headquarters operated from a converted dairy farm in the Darmstadt area. From 1997 onward, Riese und Müller expanded beyond folding bicycles into models for urban mobility and touring. The company began integrating electric motors into its range in 2008, including electric versions of the Birdy and Delite. Its Jetstream electric model received a Eurobike Green Award, reinforcing a positioning centered on technical innovation and practical transport rather than on conventional sports cycling alone. Over time, the company concentrated increasingly on pedelecs, and most of its model families moved toward electric-only configurations, while the Birdy remained an important folding-bike exception. The modern portfolio covers commuter, touring, urban utility, cargo and folding bicycles. Models and families associated with the brand include Charger, Delite, Homage, Nevo, Roadster, Superdelite, Multicharger, Tinker, Birdy, Load, Packster, Transporter and Carrie. Cargo products have become particularly important to the company’s urban-mobility proposition. The Packster 40 was introduced at Eurobike in 2017 and received a Eurobike Award, while the Load range combines a front cargo box with electric assistance and full-suspension engineering. The compact Carrie, introduced in 2024, broadened the cargo offer toward users seeking a smaller urban transport bicycle. Riese und Müller designs its bicycles in Germany and states that its bikes are assembled by hand there. Frames are produced by external manufacturing partners, including companies in Portugal, while the Birdy continues to be produced by Pacific Cycles. This combination of German product development and assembly with international component and frame production supports the company’s premium positioning. Its principal competitive themes are ride comfort, suspension, integrated electrical systems, carrying capacity, reliability and everyday usability. The company remains privately held and operates from a campus in Mühltal. Economist Sandra Wolf joined the leadership as a third chief executive in 2019 and is identified in the available reference material as continuing in the CEO role. The company reported sales of €350 million in 2022 according to the cited Wikipedia reference, although no independent financial filing or company financial source is supplied here. Riese und Müller is therefore best understood as a privately owned German premium e-bike and bicycle brand with a European center of gravity and international distribution, rather than as a mass-market bicycle conglomerate.
History
Riese und Müller began with the collaboration of Markus Riese and Heiko Müller, who met while studying mechanical engineering in Darmstadt in 1988. Following a 1991 cycling trip to Tunisia, the two developed a common interest in creating new bicycle designs. In 1992 they began work on a folding bicycle that used its suspension pivot points as part of the folding mechanism. The objective was to create a bicycle that could be folded compactly without sacrificing the ride characteristics associated with a conventional full-size bicycle. Müller built an aluminum prototype in preparation for the 1993 Hesse Innovation Award. The design won the award’s Special Award in 1993, giving the young project visibility despite limited initial commercial interest. The Birdy was subsequently shown at Intercycle in Cologne and Eurobike in Friedrichshafen under the Riese und Müller name. The founders also displayed other inventions, including an ear-warming accessory for cyclists wearing helmets. A major step toward production came through George Lin, a Taiwanese businessperson and founder of Pacific Cycles, an original-equipment manufacturer. During 1994 and 1995, the Birdy was developed into a production-ready bicycle. Riese und Müller raised funds for an initial run of 250 bicycles, and Pacific Cycles undertook production. The Birdy sold successfully in 1995 and 1996 and reached markets including the United States and Japan. During this formative period, the company was based in a former dairy farm in the Darmstadt area. The company was officially founded in 1993. Its early commercial activity included the Hot Ears accessory, but the Birdy established its identity as a bicycle innovator. Beginning in 1997, the product program expanded into bicycles intended for urban riding and touring. This broadened the company from a single folding-bike concept into a manufacturer with several specialized bicycle categories. In 2006 it began selling Zwei bicycle bags, adding accessories to its mobility offering. Electric assistance became central to the business from 2008, when the company began adding motors to models including the Birdy and Delite. The Jetstream electric bicycle won a Eurobike Green Award. In the following years, Riese und Müller increasingly focused on pedelecs, and most model families were converted to electric-only ranges, with the Birdy remaining the principal non-electric or separately developed folding-bike line in the historical account. The company continued to expand its cargo and utility portfolio. Its Load family introduced front-loading cargo capacity combined with an electric motor and suspension-oriented design. The Packster 40 was presented at Eurobike in 2017 and received a Eurobike Award. Other families, including Multicharger, Transporter and Packster, addressed different combinations of passenger carrying, goods transport and daily commuting. The Carrie, introduced in 2024, represented a more compact cargo-bike format. Riese und Müller’s manufacturing model combines German design and hand assembly with international production partners. The available reference identifies Portugal as a location for frame production and Pacific Cycles as the producer of the Birdy P40. The company maintains a campus in Mühltal and continues to operate as a private business. Sandra Wolf became a third CEO in 2019 and is identified in the available material as remaining CEO. The company’s contemporary identity is that of a premium e-bike specialist serving commuting, touring, family transport, cargo logistics and other practical forms of cycling.
- 2024
Carrie cargo bicycle introduced
[1]The company launches the Carrie, a compact cargo e-bike aimed at urban transport.
- 2019
Sandra Wolf joins as a third CEO
[1]Economist Sandra Wolf becomes part of the company’s chief executive leadership.
- 2017
Packster 40 receives Eurobike recognition
[1]The Packster 40 cargo bicycle is presented at Eurobike and receives a Eurobike Award.
- 2008
Electric motor integration begins
[1]The company starts introducing motors, including electric versions of Birdy and Delite models.
- 2006
Accessory business expands
[1]Riese und Müller begins selling Zwei bicycle bags.
- 1997
Expansion into urban and touring bicycles
[1]The company begins creating additional bicycle models for city riding and touring.
- 1995
Birdy reaches the market
[1]After production development with Pacific Cycles, the Birdy begins selling commercially and later reaches international markets.
- 1993
Company founded and Birdy wins innovation award
[1]Riese und Müller is officially founded, and the Birdy prototype receives the Special Award at the Hesse Innovation Award.
- 1992
Birdy concept begins
[1]The founders start developing a folding bicycle whose suspension pivots also function as folding points.
- 1991
Cycling trip strengthens the founders’ shared interest
[1]A cycling trip to Tunisia contributes to the founders’ decision to pursue bicycle development together.
Products and positioning
Premium, engineering-led and comfort-oriented bicycle mobility, with a strong emphasis on electric assistance, suspension, cargo utility and everyday urban transport.
Folding bicycle · 1993
Birdy
The Birdy is the company’s foundational folding-bike design. It combines compact folding with a suspension architecture in which the pivot points contribute to both folding and ride comfort. The model was developed from the founders’ early engineering project, received recognition at the 1993 Hesse Innovation Award and entered production with Pacific Cycles. Later versions include electric variants, while the Birdy remains the principal folding-bike exception to the company’s broader move toward pedelecs.
Full-suspension electric bicycle · 2008
Delite
Delite is a full-suspension bicycle family associated with Riese und Müller’s transition into electric mobility. Electric versions were among the models to receive motor integration from 2008 onward. The range is positioned for riders who want comfort and control across commuting, touring and mixed-surface use, combining electric assistance with the brand’s suspension-focused engineering approach.
Premium electric touring bicycle
Superdelite
Superdelite is a premium electric bicycle family built around long-distance comfort and full-suspension performance. It represents the brand’s high-end touring and all-round mobility proposition, with integrated electric assistance and a design intended for extended rides as well as daily travel. The model is one of the brand’s flagship offerings.
Electric commuter and touring bicycle
Charger
Charger is an electric bicycle family oriented toward commuting, utility and longer everyday journeys. It sits within the company’s core pedelec portfolio and emphasizes an integrated, refined riding experience rather than a stripped-down sporting configuration. The Charger3 is among the model versions associated with the range.
Electric utility and cargo bicycle
Multicharger
Multicharger is a compact utility e-bike designed to extend the carrying capacity of a conventional bicycle. Depending on configuration, it can support loads or passengers while remaining more compact than a large front-box cargo cycle. The model is aimed at urban users who need practical transport capability without moving to the dimensions of a long cargo platform.
Electric cargo bicycle
Load
Load is a front-loading cargo e-bike with an electric motor and cargo box. The family includes Load 60, Load 75 and later Load4 configurations. Its design combines goods-carrying capacity with the company’s focus on suspension and ride stability, making it suitable for family transport, deliveries and other urban logistics applications.
Electric cargo bicycle · 2017
Packster
Packster is a cargo-bike family developed for carrying children, goods and equipment in urban environments. The Packster 40 was presented at Eurobike in 2017 and received a Eurobike Award. Other versions, including the Packster 70, broaden the range across different cargo volumes and use cases.
Compact electric cargo bicycle · 2024
Carrie
Carrie is a compact cargo bicycle introduced in 2024. It targets urban riders who need to transport everyday goods but prefer a smaller and more maneuverable format than a large cargo bike. The available reference identifies its aluminum frame as being manufactured in Portugal.
Electric urban bicycle
Roadster
Roadster is an electric bicycle family with an urban and comparatively streamlined orientation. It addresses riders seeking a faster, lighter-feeling everyday e-bike for commuting and city travel, complementing the company’s more utility-focused cargo and comfort models.
Electric comfort and touring bicycle
Nevo
Nevo is an electric bicycle family aimed at practical touring and everyday mobility. Its design language is associated with accessible comfort, stable handling and integrated assistance, serving riders who prioritize dependable transport over a narrowly sporty riding position.
Electric comfort bicycle · 2005
Homage
Homage is a comfort-oriented electric bicycle family with a step-through-style approach and suspension-focused ride. It has been part of the company’s range since at least 2005 and is intended for riders seeking easy mounting, stable control and a relaxed position for daily travel and touring.
Brand decisions
2024
Carrie compact cargo-bike launchProduct launchBackground
The company’s cargo strategy included a need for a smaller urban format alongside larger Load and Packster bicycles.
Action taken
Riese und Müller introduced the Carrie compact cargo e-bike.
Aftermath
The launch expanded the brand’s cargo offering toward urban users seeking a more compact transport bicycle.
2017
Packster 40 cargo-bike launchProduct launchBackground
Riese und Müller was expanding its electric bicycle portfolio into practical urban goods and passenger transport.
Action taken
The company presented the Packster 40 at Eurobike as a cargo-oriented electric bicycle.
Aftermath
The model received a Eurobike Award and helped strengthen the cargo-bike dimension of the portfolio.
2008
Shift toward electric bicyclesStrategyBackground
The company had expanded from folding bicycles into urban and touring models and was evaluating motor-assisted mobility.
Action taken
Riese und Müller began integrating electric motors into models including Birdy and Delite, later focusing most model families on pedelecs.
Aftermath
Electric bicycles became the center of the company’s product strategy, while Birdy remained an important folding-bike exception.
1993
Commercial development of the Birdy folding bicycleProduct launchBackground
The founders had developed a prototype combining folding functionality with suspension pivots and received recognition at the Hesse Innovation Award.
Action taken
Riese und Müller displayed the Birdy publicly and pursued production with Pacific Cycles after securing financing for an initial manufacturing run.
Aftermath
The Birdy entered commercial sales in the mid-1990s and established the company’s initial international presence.
Recent events
- 2024
Riese und Müller introduces the Carrie cargo e-bike[1]
Product launch
The Carrie was introduced as a compact cargo bicycle intended for urban transport and smaller-load carrying. Available reference material describes it as a 2024 release with an aluminum frame manufactured in Portugal.
- 2022
Riese und Müller reports strong sales growth[1]
Other
The available reference material states that the privately held company recorded sales of €350 million in 2022. The figure is included as reported historical context rather than as independently verified financial disclosure.
- 2019
Sandra Wolf joins the company leadership[1]
Leadership change
Economist Sandra Wolf became a third chief executive, expanding the company’s senior leadership structure.
- 2017
Packster 40 receives a Eurobike Award[1]
Product launch · Campaign
Riese und Müller presented the Packster 40 cargo bicycle at Eurobike, where the model received a Eurobike Award.
Sources3 sources
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