Multiple Meanings of MONoPOLE

Bike frame
MONoPOLE is the Toolbike that aims to improve your daily flow and bring motion to your mindset. The story behind our name is not static either, it evolves with our journey. Find out which part speaks to you the most and how we created our logo to tell these stories.
  • MONoPOLE for design

    The etymology of the word monopole has an immediate connection to our frame design.

    mono = single
    pole = tube

    The long tube at the base of the frame is a strong and recognizable element of our toolbike. Our name refers to this particularity.

  • MONoPOLE for everyday bike

    Developing the Toolbike typology, the sweet spot between a simple e-bike and a bulky cargobike, came from a desire to have one bicycle for all urban needs. As such, our Toolbike will be the only urban bike you ever need, or in other words: it will have the MONoPOLE as city bike.

    As such, our Toolbike will be the only urban bike you will ever need: it will have the MONoPOLE.

  • MONoPOLE for steering

    There is also a technical reason to explain our brand name. During the engineering process, special attention was given to the riding experience. We wanted our Toolbike to feel like riding a normal bike. For that reason, we innovated a proprietary steering mechanism with a toothed belt by Gates®. Until now, we believe we have a MONoPOLE on this system!

  • MONoPOLE for urban mobility

    Finally, as our purpose states: «Improve your daily flow and inspire change.» One of the ways we want to inspire change is to encourage more people to switch to bicycles for their daily trips around the city. We aim to see cycling become a MONoPOLE for urban transportation, and we're proud to be part of that by offering a solution to make that happen.

Transposing the polysemy of our brand name into a logo didn't seem like an easy task. We have chosen to work with the agency WAAITT, from Copenhagen. The powerful simplicity of their work really attracted us. We sat down with them to understand how they took on this creative and defining endeavor.

Question MONoPOLE

How did the bike inspire you when creating the logo?

Answer WAAITT

We understood the vision from the team to create a frame with a distinct shape and a unique geometry. We didn’t want to work this geometry into our designs because this could compromise the longevity of the visual identity. Furthermore, we realized that different wheel sizes is often a common denominator for cargobikes and that would probably remain. The name MONOPOLE has an inherent symmetry with the three Os, which could resemble bike wheels.

Question MONoPOLE

What was the thought and creative process for designing both logos?

Answer WAAITT

When talking to the team, it became clear the design should reflect the aesthetic and conceptual approach to the bike. The aim was to create a sustainable product that is long-lasting and requires only a minimum of maintenance. It’s meant to make life in an urban environment more simple. Our approach to the logo was the same – to create something long-lasting by virtue of its simplicity.

We wanted to create something timeless, yet playful. Once we had identified the characteristic of the differently sized wheels, we experimented with implementing that observation in the word mark. The use of the lowercase O in the center of the uppercase word, makes for a simple, yet recognisable logo. Furthermore, the main characteristic of the word mark can be replicated with any typeface. So, the brand will still be identifiable if mentioned in an email or an article.

For the square logo, we wanted to avoid adding new elements or symbols, so we worked with the limitation of only using existing characters from the word mark. To keep the main characteristic, we quickly agreed that the square logo should at least contain an uppercase and a lowercase. As it is the first letter in the name, the tilted M is added on top as an abstract rider or cargo rack.

Question MONoPOLE

What message does the logo convey for you?

Answer WAAITT

For us, the logo conveys the quality and timelessness of the product. The bold simplicity exudes a humble confidence and trustworthiness. The lowercase O is surrounded by uppercase letters adds an element of surprise and humor. The bike is a serious product and yet fun to ride!

Check out other great work by WAAITT here.