Custom-made titanium and carbon bicycles, frames and shifting components from Basel
b.c. bicycle and parts production GmbH (HILITE Bikes)
J. J. Balmer-Strasse 3, CH-4053 Basel (Dreispitz-Areal / Gundeldinger Quartier)New on Amplifa
About HILITE Bikes
HILITE Bikes is a bicycle manufacturer in Basel that has been designing, producing and assembling custom bicycles and frames since 2010. The three-person team led by founder and CEO Biagio Colletto produces 30–40 bicycles per year, including road bikes, gravel bikes, touring bikes and tandems, often with Pinion or Rohloff gearboxes and Gates belt drive. The Masterpiece line combines 3D-printed (selective laser melting) titanium lugs made of Ti-6Al-4V with filament-wound carbon tubes in structural adhesive bonding, or with seamlessly drawn titanium tubes joined by low-stress TIG welding. In addition to complete bikes, HILITE offers its own developments such as the Hibox shifting actuator for Pinion gearboxes, tandem forks and titanium luggage racks. Development, design, cutting, joining, finishing and final assembly all take place entirely in the workshop in the Gundeldinger Quarter on the Dreispitz site in Basel.
- Site
- Basel
- Processes
- Custom frame building for bicycles (geometry, riding position, components), 3D printing by selective laser melting (additively manufactured titanium lugs/junction points,, Filament winding process for carbon tubes, Low-stress TIG welding under controlled shielding gas atmosphere (titanium-titanium), Structural titanium-carbon adhesive bonding with certified high-performance adhesives, Mechanical post-processing of 3D-printed titanium lugs, CNC dropouts (adjustable, CNC-machined), Tube cutting
- Materials
- Titanium, Ti-6Al-4V, Carbon, Aluminium, Spring steel, Stainless steel (bearings), Seamlessly drawn titanium tubes, Highly modular carbon tubes
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 2010
- Employees
- 3
- Industries
- Bicycle/frame manufacturing (manufacturing workshop), Bicycle components (shifting actuation)
- 01
3D bike fitting & biomechanics analysis
- 02
Parametric CAD & static calculation
- 03
3D printing of the titanium lugs (SLM)
- 04
Mechanical post-processing & tube cutting
- 05
TIG welding or structural adhesive bonding in the frame jig
- 06
Finishing (blasting, polishing, anodizing, painting)
- 07
Final assembly by hand
Materials & Processes
Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Additively manufactured frame lugs and junction points with load-path-optimized wall thicknesses.
Seamlessly drawn titanium tubes
Welded to 3D-printed junction points for durable, corrosion-free frames.
Carbon (Filament-Wound)
Highly modular tubes with continuous fiber orientation for high torsional stiffness with defined flex.
Aluminium 6061-T6
Black anodized, used in the Hibox Trigger T1.
Spring steel
Spring elements in the Hibox Trigger T1.
Stainless steel
Doubly sealed, replaceable bearings in the Hibox Trigger T1.
3D printing / selective laser melting
Additive manufacturing of titanium lugs with geometry freedom accurate to the degree and the millimeter.
TIG welding
Low-stress welding of titanium to titanium under a controlled shielding gas atmosphere.
Structural adhesive bonding
Titanium-carbon joints using certified high-performance adhesives.
Filament winding
Fiber-composite tubes wound on in-house developed mandrels.
Location
Basel
CHWorkshop, concept store, development & production
- Lot size
- One-offs (1–40/year)
- Materials
- Titanium, carbon, aluminium
- 3D printing (selective laser melting, externally/through partner capacity booked at the Basel process location)
- Frame jig
- TIG welding station under shielding gas atmosphere
- 3D bike fitting
Vehicles & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom frame building for bicycles (geometry, riding position, components)Assembly | – | – | – | 1 – 40/year | Titanium, Carbon, Aluminium |
| 3D printing by selective laser melting (additively manufactured titanium lugs/junction points,Additive | – | – | – | – | Ti-6Al-4V |
| Filament winding process for carbon tubesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Carbon |
| Low-stress TIG welding under controlled shielding gas atmosphere (titanium-titanium)Joining | – | – | – | – | Titanium |
| Structural titanium-carbon adhesive bonding with certified high-performance adhesivesJoining | – | – | – | – | Titanium, Carbon |
| Mechanical post-processing of 3D-printed titanium lugsMachining | – | – | – | – | Titanium |
| CNC dropouts (adjustable, CNC-machined)Machining | – | – | – | – | Titanium |
| Tube cuttingMachining | – | – | – | – | Titanium, Carbon |
| Finishing: blasting, polishing, anodizing, paintingSurface | – | – | – | – | Titanium, Carbon, Aluminium |
| 3D bike fitting (biomechanics/geometry data)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Parametric CAD and static calculationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Frame building in a frame jig, prototypes and special solutions (e.g. tandem forks, titaniumAssembly | – | – | – | – | Titanium, Carbon |
| Final assembly by hand / complete bike buildAssembly | – | – | – | – | Titanium, Carbon, Aluminium |
Additional services
Quality
Every frame is based on 3D bike fitting, parametric CAD and static calculation for the rider's weight; production takes place in the frame jig. According to the manufacturer, design, durability and fit are the central quality criteria of the workshop.
| Evidence | Basel |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 2010
Start of designing and assembling custom bicycles in Basel
- 2025
Premiere of the Masterpiece line at Bespoked in Dresden (also in 2026)